iPad Pro Those of you who upgraded to a M4 iPad Pro from the 2018

[Misheemee]

I'm sitting here looking at the 2 devices and have 2 days to decide whether to keep the m4 13" or not. I got a great deal on the m4 256gb with cellular (nearly $700AUD off retail) on a device with 1 charge cycle. somebody returned it because it was too big for them. I can also purchase AppleCare on it for the next 2 days - so basically a new device. They don't feel drastically different. Screen on the M4 is fab and it's DEFINITELY zippier - but I'm undecided whether it's a keeper or not yet. In fairness, it's taken me the last 24 hours or so to transfer my stuff from my old iPad to my new one and I haven't had a chance to fully play with it yet.

I'm not looking for a looking for a laptop replacement - I have a MBP for the heavy lifting. Upgrading because I've enjoyed using my 12.9 over the years and got a tonne of use out of it. I've been a bit frustrated with the export time when video editing and the time it takes to upload those videos to the cloud on my 12.9, hence wanting to upgrade

For those of who who've upgraded and had the new M4 for a while - what do you think? Worth the upgrade? Do you find now that it' lighter, it easier to carry around and you do that more? (asking because it feels lighter and more portable than the 2018 IPP. Do you use it more often? If you had a chance to do it again (upgrade or not), would you? Do you wish you went for the 11? what are your pros/cons?

Edited to add - I was originally considering downsizing to the 11 inch until I found this deal

 

[sparksd]

I went 2018 12.9 -> M1 12.9 -> M4 13 over the last few years. I really enjoy the M4 13 because of the great display and I do think I use it more because it is lighter & thinner - real easy to take it off the MKB and use around the house in my hands. As for downsizing, I like the larger display and will never go back to the smaller iPad (other than the Mini 6 I have for out and about).

 

[Abazigal]

@Misheemee I upgraded from an 11" 2018 iPad Pro to the 11" M4 model. I still largely use it for the same stuff, just everything seems to load and run a little faster and smoother.

I don't use stage manager. Still feels too clunky. Bummer.

Certain websites like Mangadex load faster. Not sure if it was an issue with my previous iPad, where images plain refused to load.

Battery life can range from either the same to better, but kinda offset from me opting to charge to 80% max.

There are some features I liked that I couldn't get previously, like the ability to instantly scan a photo or screenshot for text on the spot (previously, I had to save it to my photo roll first). The new Apple Pencil has a built-in action button, but I haven't quite decided on what to allocate to it yet (tend to trigger it by accident a lot). 5g is nice.

At the end of the day, I probably could have stuck with my previous 2018 ipad, but given its irregular upgrade schedule, this seemed like a good time to get a new device which can support the next couple of years of software updates (I am not expecting the A12x iPad Pro to get iOS 19).

I don't regret it.

 

[Misheemee]

I went 2018 12.9 -> M1 12.9 -> M4 13 over the last few years. I really enjoy the M4 13 because of the great display and I do think I use it more because it is lighter & thinner - real easy to take it off the MKB and use around the house in my hands. As for downsizing, I like the larger display and will never go back to the smaller iPad (other than the Mini 6 I have for out and about).

Valid points all around. Before having the 12.9, I had the 10.5 - and used the 12.9 much more than I did the 10.5. I do love the big screen, and especially now that it’s OLEd

 

[Misheemee]

@Misheemee I upgraded from an 11" 2018 iPad Pro to the 11" M4 model. I still largely use it for the same stuff, just everything seems to load and run a little faster and smoother.

I don't use stage manager. Still feels too clunky. Bummer.

Certain websites like Mangadex load faster. Not sure if it was an issue with my previous iPad, where images plain refused to load.

Battery life can range from either the same to better, but kinda offset from me opting to charge to 80% max.

There are some features I liked that I couldn't get previously, like the ability to instantly scan a photo or screenshot for text on the spot (previously, I had to save it to my photo roll first). The new Apple Pencil has a built-in action button, but I haven't quite decided on what to allocate to it yet (tend to trigger it by accident a lot). 5g is nice.

At the end of the day, I probably could have stuck with my previous 2018 ipad, but given its irregular upgrade schedule, this seemed like a good time to get a new device which can support the next couple of years of software updates (I am not expecting the A12x iPad Pro to get iOS 19).

I don't regret it.

Great feedback, and valid points - I agree and really those noticeable improvements. I read elsewhere on this forum that somebody said, previous iPad wasn’t slow and was responsive but when they upgraded they realised how much more responsive and what a great experience using the m4 was. Also agree about the 5g, and will try out the screenshotting, and upgrading the pencil is on my list too!

Realistically, I’m pretty happy with getting 6 years out of my iPad with constant use, before upgrading.

Thank you, your answer helped a lot!

 

[sparksd]

Valid points all around. Before having the 12.9, I had the 10.5 - and used the 12.9 much more than I did the 10.5. I do love the big screen, and especially now that it’s OLEd

Yep, I also went from the 10.5 to the 2018 12.9. When I got the 13", I gave the M1 12.9 & MKB to my wife to replace her Air 2 and she loves it.

 

[Abazigal]

Great feedback, and valid points - I agree and really those noticeable improvements. I read elsewhere on this forum that somebody said, previous iPad wasn’t slow and was responsive but when they upgraded they realised how much more responsive and what a great experience using the m4 was. Also agree about the 5g, and will try out the screenshotting, and upgrading the pencil is on my list too!

Realistically, I’m pretty happy with getting 6 years out of my iPad with constant use, before upgrading.

Thank you, your answer helped a lot!

Thank you. I agree that for me at least, there wasn’t any one “must have” feature that made me run out to buy the latest iPad. It was just time, and a number of incremental improvements coming together. I reckoned I could have made do with another year, but now you can’t pay me to go back. Everything’s just “nicer”.

Only downside is the speaker, which does sound noticeably softer. I now have my volume cranked up to 70% where I managed at 50% previously.

 

[klasma]

The screen and the lighter design is worth it for me, but I also had the budget available. I'm actually keeping the 2018 as a wall-mounted secondary device. So whether it's worth it or not is entirely subjective and depends on how much spare money you have. In any case, it's a very good model year to upgrade.

The only cons I found is that the magnet layout changed, rendering existing magnet attachments incompatible, and that it doesn't support the Pencil 2.

 

[gusping]

I bought the 13in M4 iPad Pro (attempted to upgrade from the 2018 iPP) and it wasn't a very big difference, believe it or not. It doesn't feel much lighter (the iPads with the mini LED screens were heavier than the 2018 iPP). It feels marginally faster, but it's not a game changer. 8GB RAM is nice. Most importantly, the software is still incredibly limited and means you can't do anything more with the M4 iPad.

Anyway, I had to return it due to the OLED PWM flicker causing me headaches, which I was quite pleased with, as i've saved £1,300 for now. Hopefully the iPad Air eventually gets promotion and i can buy that, because otherwise i won't be buying another iPad if the OLEDs have awful PWM flicker.

 

[Digitalguy]

I keep 2 large iPads of different generation (got the first in 2015, then the 2018 one, and since then I have always had 2, when I got the M1 I sold the 2015 and when I got the M4 I sold the 2018).
The main reason I got the M4 is the weight. The 2018 was lighter than the M1 but the M4 is even lighter.
What mainly bothered me about the 2018 were reloads of Safari due to lack of RAM. And to a lesser extent lack of extended display support.
I wasn't worried about updates, the 2018 will stop at iPadOS 19 but will be fine for several years if those issues I mention don't bother you (I have zero issues with not having security updates on an iPad).

The nice surprises I got with the M4 (the weight reduction was expected) were the speakers, fuller and louder than the 2018 at max volume, and as good as the M1, despite the much thinner body, and the 80% charge threashold (I leave the M4 always plugged in and this way it's always charge and I don't have to deal with overnight battery drain).

The screen is beautiful. M1 is almost as almost as nice but the M4 is less reflective, something that I appreciate a lot.

The bad? No physical SIM (M1 will be my cellular device on the go) and the inverted volume buttons, not huge deals.

 

[Misheemee]

I keep 2 large iPads of different generation (got the first in 2015, then the 2018 one, and since then I have always had 2, when I got the M1 I sold the 2015 and when I got the M4 I sold the 2018).
The main reason I got the M4 is the weight. The 2018 was lighter than the M1 but the M4 is even lighter.
What mainly bothered me about the 2018 were reloads of Safari due to lack of RAM. And to a lesser extent lack of extended display support.
I wasn't worried about updates, the 2018 will stop at iPadOS 19 but will be fine for several years if those issues I mention don't bother you (I have zero issues with not having security updates on an iPad).

The nice surprises I got with the M4 (the weight reduction was expected) were the speakers, fuller and louder than the 2018 at max volume, and as good as the M1, despite the much thinner body, and the 80% charge threashold (I leave the M4 always plugged in and this way it's always charge and I don't have to deal with overnight battery drain).

The screen is beautiful. M1 is almost as almost as nice but the M4 is less reflective, something that I appreciate a lot.

The bad? No physical SIM (M1 will be my cellular device on the go) and the inverted volume buttons, not huge deals.

I ended up keeping the m4 13inch and agree with you - love that it’s lighter (and feels more mobile) and I’m happy to take it out of the folio and use naked on the couch and around the house, or rest on my lap when on the couch. Speakers are great and the screen is amazing! It’s smoother, more buttery and acts more like my iPhone 15 pro max in terms of this. Overall just more pleasant user experience. I didn’t realise about the volume buttons until you said it - thought it was just me 🤣

my 2018 wasn’t bad, but the last couple of updates (especially iOS 18) started to slow down the device.

I ended up getting cellular via eSIM and share data with my mobile phone plan for $10 per month and it’s awesome! Why has lack of a physical SIM negated cellular for you - are you on a legacy phone plan that uses a physical SIM?

 

[Misheemee]

I bought the 13in M4 iPad Pro (attempted to upgrade from the 2018 iPP) and it wasn't a very big difference, believe it or not. It doesn't feel much lighter (the iPads with the mini LED screens were heavier than the 2018 iPP). It feels marginally faster, but it's not a game changer. 8GB RAM is nice. Most importantly, the software is still incredibly limited and means you can't do anything more with the M4 iPad.

Anyway, I had to return it due to the OLED PWM flicker causing me headaches, which I was quite pleased with, as i've saved £1,300 for now. Hopefully the iPad Air eventually gets promotion and i can buy that, because otherwise i won't be buying another iPad if the OLEDs have awful PWM flicker.

Fortunately I don’t have issues with PWM, but it sounds like it was a good reason for you to return an iPad that you were underwhelmed with.

 

[sonicrobby]

I'm sitting here looking at the 2 devices and have 2 days to decide whether to keep the m4 13" or not. I got a great deal on the m4 256gb with cellular (nearly $700AUD off retail) on a device with 1 charge cycle. somebody returned it because it was too big for them. I can also purchase AppleCare on it for the next 2 days - so basically a new device. They don't feel drastically different. Screen on the M4 is fab and it's DEFINITELY zippier - but I'm undecided whether it's a keeper or not yet. In fairness, it's taken me the last 24 hours or so to transfer my stuff from my old iPad to my new one and I haven't had a chance to fully play with it yet.

I'm not looking for a looking for a laptop replacement - I have a MBP for the heavy lifting. Upgrading because I've enjoyed using my 12.9 over the years and got a tonne of use out of it. I've been a bit frustrated with the export time when video editing and the time it takes to upload those videos to the cloud on my 12.9, hence wanting to upgrade

For those of who who've upgraded and had the new M4 for a while - what do you think? Worth the upgrade? Do you find now that it' lighter, it easier to carry around and you do that more? (asking because it feels lighter and more portable than the 2018 IPP. Do you use it more often? If you had a chance to do it again (upgrade or not), would you? Do you wish you went for the 11? what are your pros/cons?

Edited to add - I was originally considering downsizing to the 11 inch until I found this deal

I have the 2020 iPP and ended up buying the M4 iPP because Apple does a damn good job at marketting and hype. While the upgrades and the nano textured screen were awesome, the display, speakers, lightweight and new magic keyboard, I realistically did not get a different experience than my 2020 iPP. to justify a $2500 USD price tag.

I think everyone has their value of what they are willing to pay to upgrade. My reality was that even though the upgrades were nice, my experience of day-to-day use was the same and just not worth the money. I ended up returning it because the cash was worth more to me. However for a deal like you got, it may be worth it. I personally would love the M4 iPP to be my main device, but it really has to be able to do more than a MacBook Air for its cost. I cant even open an .mp3 file in my Music app on the iPad, I need the macbook to actually add it to my library. The build in apps like photos and contacts does have more features than the iPadOS version. So for me if Im paying twice the cost of a macbook for an iPad, i would have the expectations to at least do everything my Mac can do and more.

If youre happy with the new device and not looking back at the cost, then definitely worth it. I will definitely be getting a new iPad in the future, but at a more reasonable price when available.

 

[Misheemee]

@sonicrobby I totally agree with your logic and reasoning - I would have done the same in your shoes.

The only reason I ended up upgrading now is because I ended up with a 13 inch M4 256+cellular for 1250USD tax in - which I’m pretty happy with. I wanted the 1TB Nano, but couldn’t justify it for my use case, so I thought this was the happy medium

I thought I’d still get the chance to sell my 2018 12.9 because apple is supporting it. This way, I could get ahead of the curve as the market isn’t flooded with them yet, which I expect will happen when apple pulls support and people look to upgrade with the next release.

 

[Digitalguy]

I ended up keeping the m4 13inch and agree with you - love that it’s lighter (and feels more mobile) and I’m happy to take it out of the folio and use naked on the couch and around the house, or rest on my lap when on the couch. Speakers are great and the screen is amazing! It’s smoother, more buttery and acts more like my iPhone 15 pro max in terms of this. Overall just more pleasant user experience. I didn’t realise about the volume buttons until you said it - thought it was just me 🤣

my 2018 wasn’t bad, but the last couple of updates (especially iOS 18) started to slow down the device.

I ended up getting cellular via eSIM and share data with my mobile phone plan for $10 per month and it’s awesome! Why has lack of a physical SIM negated cellular for you - are you on a legacy phone plan that uses a physical SIM?

The reason is that I use the SIM car also with my laptop and my laptop does not support eSIM (most cellular laptops don't as far as I know) so if I move to eSIM I can no longer use cellular on my laptop.