M4 iPad Pro Reviews: Incredible Speed and Display Hampered By Software

[iPadified]

Nothing new here. Techies reviewing for techies but not even techies do not seem to understand the difference between an operating system and an app.

An even more complex user interface to placate the techies will kill the very idea of iPad. Better Apps are welcome.

 

[ghanwani]

Why no mention of MKBHD?

 

[Unregistered 4U]

Is the MacBook Pro a very niche product? I would say, based on revenue, it’s difficult to guess that the iPad Pro is more niche than the MBP (sold units).

The Mac Pro, Mac Studio and Mac mini are all more niche than the iPad Pro. Considering how many iPads are sold every year and the percent that are likely iPad Pros, I’d guess Air’s sell more, Pro’s sell the roughly the same units, but not impossible to be less than the iPad Pro.

 

[Unregistered 4U]

And I bet not one of them mentions their isn't a charger in sight, all sold on the environment ideology, but makes Apple more money at the end of the day.
Still a nice hardware upgrade.

I don’t think it makes Apple more money. It may SAVE them money as they’re not giving out chargers. And, anyone that needs a charger can buy any USB-C standard charger made by any vendor (and they don’t have to pay MFi) or use a charger they already have (as there are very many of those already out there).

UPDATE: the OP indicates “there isn’t a charger in sight”, when, apparently, all iPad Pros ship with chargers. Disregard my response.

 

[haruhiko]

I’m completely fine with the limitations of iPadOS - BUT Apple you need to reflect this limitation in the price. Not pricing it similar to a good MacBook Pro (with the Smart Keyboard and the Pencil).

 

[purplerainpurplerain]

There’s nothing wrong with the software. It’s 2 times more energy efficient than macOS and 2 times smaller memory footprint.

If that Federico guy’s ideas were implemented you would need a different build for every iPad model because the cheaper models have much less ram. His ideas literally eat ram and reduce battery life.

That’s why these clowns don’t work for Apple or in OS engineering.

 

[Unregistered 4U]

A quote from one review:

The iPad Pro is more powerful than most users need it to be, but Mac users will surely appreciate a notable bump in performance when they get the same chip in the future.

correction:

The iPad Pro is more powerful than most users need it to be, and, really, an M4 in a Mac will also be more powerful than most users need it to be. Honestly, the M2 was also more powerful than most users need it to be.

 

[contacos]

only makes sense to buy if you never had an iPad before or it’s battery is starting to age. Even the M1 is overpowered on an OS with Apps optimized for the lowest spec „iPad“ available to purchase.

Basically what I am saying is that Apple shot themselves in the foot by making years old iPads too efficient.

They would need to release a „hybrid mode“ only available on the latest iPad Air / Pro to upgrade my iPad Air 4 anytime soon

 

[wbeasley]

As someone who's not a boomer pining for a desktop OS on a tablet, this revision sounds amazing and I can't wait for mine.

ah nailed it...

anyone who says it is hampered by it's software is missing the point.
tablets were created differently to work a specific way. they brought innovation and touch. and the OS catered to that.

those complaining look at the hardware specs and just go "hampered because it could do more".

true it could. but then it would compromise the experience.
like playing video games with touch input sucks most times.

right tool, right job.

having said that, i can see an argument for adding a keyboard and mouse and allowing it dual mode, sharing Files.
the Mac mode should not allow touch input.

no matter what Apple delivers, a group will always complain and want more

 

[Shirasaki]

Diminishing iPad sales should be incentive.

Ultimately it’s just their own balance sheet rather than a competitor eating market share. If surface with Windows ARM takes off in a big way, maybe we can see Apple finally starting to seriously innovate.

 

[Dragon_Slayer82]

I think IPadOS makes sense for the 11 inch Pro model but the 13 inch Pro model is harder to justify.

The cost of getting a 512GB 13 inch IPad Pro and the Magic Keyboard gets you into MacBook Pro territory. With all of the shortcomings IPadOS has, you might as well get a MacBook Pro at those high prices.

 

[Tempor_aka]

As someone who's not a boomer pining for a desktop OS on a tablet, this revision sounds amazing and I can't wait for mine.

While I’m a boomer, I work 100% on iPad Pro M2 and soon an M4. I really do all my office work on my iPad, Mail, Calendar, lots of keynote and presentations (also editing!), slack, Teams/Webex (love the new camera position!)+a slew of iPadOS apps, some also for my car …. I love the external display support, I hope they make the external display support a bit better, less Pre formated window positions. The one thing that nags me, that video’s need to be full screen and then put in a window before they continue to play in the background, I would prefer that YT for example can just keep on playing in the browser window. People complaining about iPadOS never have lived the experience, a few hours at most … but if you can brake your old habits, it feels even easier/better/more productive than macOS … 🤷‍♂️

 

[stinksroundhere]

There’s nothing wrong with the software. It’s 2 times more energy efficient than macOS and 2 times smaller memory footprint.

If that Federico guy’s ideas were implemented you would need a different build for every iPad model because the cheaper models have much less ram. His ideas literally eat ram and reduce battery life.

That’s why these clowns don’t work for Apple or in OS engineering.

True. iPadOS 17 runs on iPads with 2GB of memory. Adding some of the processes suggested by these tubers and bloggers would kill performance and battery life on most of the iPads with A series chips.

 

[wbeasley]

True. iPadOS 17 runs on iPads with 2GB of memory. Adding some of the processes suggested by these tubers and bloggers would kill performance and battery life on most of the iPads with A series chips.

or make it an M4+ chip required.
Another point of difference.

The M2 owners will scream of course... that's life

 

[wbeasley]

Ultimately it’s just their own balance sheet rather than a competitor eating market share. If surface with Windows ARM takes off in a big way, maybe we can see Apple finally starting to seriously innovate.

Windows has even worse legacy issues than Macs.

And the majority of people still believe they need Intel chips for real Windows.

Windows ARM hasnt been a raging success so far. Might be pricing? Might be fear? MS dont have a great reputation for trying new things and supporting them for long if they dont succeed.

 

[stinksroundhere]

or make it an M4+ chip required.
Another point of difference.

The M2 owners will scream of course... that's life

Ooof. It's really bad when an OS requires a different build or forces different features for each CPU family. It already happens a little. Anymore would be a pain for engineers, developers and users.

 

[iPadified]

A big iPhone is exactly what lots of people want in an iPad. Separate builds for iPad Pro makes no economic sense.

 

[svish]

Looks like it is a fantastic iPad with OLED display. The main and only reason to upgrade from the older models will be the OLED display.

 

[Shirasaki]

Basically what I am saying is that Apple shot themselves in the foot by making years old iPads too efficient.

But the other extreme would not be favoured by Many either, especially when each iPad Pro has a base price of $1000 just for 11”, meaning regularly updating (every 1-2 years) would be extremely expensive.

 

[amaze1499]

Considering the OS, introducing M4 iPad into the line up are merely a marketing trick. Let's watch how sales figures in low and mid tier segments develop over the next couple of quarters.

 

[ApplesAreSweet&Sour]

Honestly if iPadOS doesn’t get a huge overhaul this year I’m going to be incredibly disappointed. Apple pretty much has a monopoly on the tablet market so they have no incentive to innovate

This is exactly the issue.

No other brand is even trying to compete with iPad. So iPad, despite how hamstrung it is by its OS, is by far the best tablet out there and what nearly everyone in the market for a tablet will end up getting.

Reviewers have been disappointed with iPadOS for years. Many consumers too.

But to Apple, naturally, none of this matters as iPad sales keep going strong.

Why change a terrible product if it sells good.

Capitalism is supposed to reward those who innovate the most and offer the best value at the lowest price. But it rewards those with a monopoly on a market even better.

iPad is effectively a monopoly. There's no competition and therefore no innovation coming to iPad.

 

[stinksroundhere]

Why change a terrible product if it sells good.

There's nothing terrible about it. Terrible is desktop operating systems that gobble up more resources than they need to. Or Androids and Surfaces with bloatware.

The big majority of iPad users who number in the many millions don't think about any of the weird nonsense we see on forums. They don't know what a Geekbench score is. They don't even know these forums exist. They just use the device, are really happy to get their homework and consumption done, and get on with life.

That's who Apple listens to, not you.

 

[ApplesAreSweet&Sour]

iPad Pro M4 is basically a pre-release of iPhones 16 Pro.

Just with bigger, better displays. And minus high-tech capabilities like taking and making cellular phone calls (unless you own an iPhone in addition to your iPad).

 

[Johnnyponken]

Does anybody know if it would be possible to use the iPad Pro and the Mac mini together? Like connecting the iPad to the Mac mini and use the screen while using Mac mini OS?

 

[Spacemaster]

I still remember when I bought my iPad Pro M1, thinking, "Why did they put a M1 chip in an iPad? Because soon the iPad will have a hybrid iPad/Mac OS"... 🤣
I'll wait for the incoming WWDC to see if iPadOS 18 is worth the upgrade to M4. If not, I'm happy with my M1...