Apple held a special event called "Unleashed" and unveiled the first iPad Pro with the M4 chip, two sizes of iPad Air, as well as the all-new Apple Pencil Pro and Magic Keyboard.
It's worth mentioning that the new iPad Pro, when fully maxed out in terms of specifications, comes close to a price tag of nearly 30,000 yuan. Is Apple really pushing the limits or just harvesting money? Which friends should consider getting the new iPad Air? Let's delve into a detailed analysis of the products unveiled at this event.
iPad Pro
New OLED Display: The all-new iPad Pro features cutting-edge OLED technology, achieving higher brightness by stacking two OLED displays, with a peak brightness of up to 1600 nits and a global brightness of 1000 nits.
Compared to the standard single-layer pixel layout, this design significantly enhances the screen's brightness and durability. Crucially, by adding an extra pixel layer to share the display tasks, it reduces the load on each pixel.
This innovation effectively reduces the common "burn-in" risk faced by OLED displays, crucial for extending the screen's long-term lifespan.
Ultra-Fine Retina XDR: The new iPad Pro sets a new standard for XDR precision, delivering users more refined and dynamic display effects.
Body Design: The 11-inch version has a thickness of 5.3mm, while the 13-inch version is 5.1mm, making it one of the thinnest Apple products ever.
Eco-friendly Materials: The new iPad Pro features a casing made from 100% recycled aluminum, showcasing Apple's commitment to sustainability.
Color Options: Available in silver and space gray.
M4 Chip
The latest iPad Pro skips Apple's current top-of-the-line M3 series chip and debuts the M4 series chip manufactured using second-generation 3nm process technology, undoubtedly injecting a powerful boost to the device's performance.
CPU Architecture: The new M4 chip features four performance cores and six efficiency cores. Compared to the M2 chip, the M4 CPU speed has increased by 50%, while consuming only half the power of the M2 for the same performance level.
It's worth noting that the 256GB/512GB versions of the M4 chip use a 9-core CPU (3 performance cores + 6 efficiency cores) with 8GB of memory, while the 1TB/2TB versions utilize a 10-core CPU (4 performance cores + 6 efficiency cores) with 16GB of memory.
It's quite something when even a tablet priced in the thousands undergoes such trimming. Only Apple Can Do...
GPU Performance: The GPU of the M4 chip supports ray tracing and mesh shading technologies, which are crucial for graphics-intensive applications and games.
Compared to the M2 chip, the overall rendering performance of the M4 has increased by 4 times, greatly enhancing the user experience in graphic design, 3D modeling, and gaming.
Heat Dissipation Improvement: The new design has enhanced the heat dissipation performance of the iPad Pro, achieving a 20% increase, helping to maintain the chip's stable operation under high loads.
Software Optimization: Apple has optimized professional software for the M4 chip, with Final Cut Pro rendering speeds on the M4 being 2 times faster than on the M1, providing real-time multi-camera mode and the new FinalCutCamera application.
Dimensions, Cameras, Microphones, Radar
Dimensional refinement: The new iPad Pro comes in two sizes. In addition to the 11-inch version, the 12.9-inch model has expanded to 13 inches, with narrower bezels for a cleaner front visual appearance.
Camera system: The new iPad Pro features a 12-megapixel ultra-wide camera, supporting ProRes video recording and SmartHDR4, delivering high-quality video recording capabilities. Additionally, the front camera has been relocated to the horizontal bezel.
Microphone: The new iPad Pro is equipped with four studio-quality microphones, providing excellent audio recording capabilities.
Lidar Scanner: The new iPad Pro enhances AR experiences and improves focusing capabilities in low-light conditions.
SIM Card Slot: All cellular data versions of the new iPad Pro will only support eSIM cards.
Although the intention behind Apple removing the physical SIM card slot is not yet clear, considering that the physical SIM card slot was already removed in the US version of the iPhone 14 series, this design aligns with Apple's integrated and portless design philosophy. It is speculated that this change is a compromise to achieve a thinner device.
iPad Air
Size: Similar to the iPad Pro, the new iPad Air comes in two sizes - 11 inches and, for the first time in its history, a larger 13-inch option.
Design: The new iPad Air continues the previous design style, but the front camera's position has been adjusted to the horizontal border, consistent with the iPad 10 and iPad Pro, while also bringing better stereo sound effects.
Color Options: The new iPad Air also offers a variety of color choices, including blue, purple, space gray, and deep space gray, to meet the personalized needs of different users.
Performance: In terms of performance, the new iPad Air is equipped with the M2 chip. Although Apple has already released the M3 and M4 series chips, the M2 chip remains unmatched in today's tablet market, making it a non-issue for non-professional users. Additionally, the M2 chip also signifies lower costs, reflecting the iPad Air's differentiation in product positioning.
Other Accessories
Apple Pencil Pro: At this event, Apple also introduced the all-new Apple Pencil Pro, featuring a vibration feedback function for the first time. This not only provides a writing experience closer to using a real pen on paper but also enhances the precision of drawing and sketching, allowing creators to immerse themselves more deeply in the creative process.
Furthermore, to meet diverse creative needs and different usage scenarios, the Apple Pencil Pro offers a variety of pen tips in terms of form and function. With a magnetic attachment design for quick changes, it greatly enhances its adaptability and flexibility.
The Apple Pencil Pro introduces new squeeze and rotate gestures, enabled by sensors on the pen shaft. These gestures not only retain the functionality of tool switching from previous models but also add pressure detection, offering users more interactive possibilities.
Notably, the Apple Pencil Pro also features the Find My function, aiding users in easily tracking and locating a lost Apple Pencil.
Magic Keyboard: The new Magic Keyboard retains the design of its predecessor but is slightly thinner. Additionally, it adds a function row, features an aluminum palm rest, and the trackpad provides haptic feedback, providing an experience akin to using a MacBook.
Summary
Overall, the 2024 iPad Pro, equipped with the M4 chip and OLED display, has achieved a significant improvement in performance and display quality.
Its new design makes it one of the thinnest Apple products to date, while the environmentally friendly recycled aluminum material also reflects Apple's commitment to sustainability.
Improved camera system, advanced accessories, and software updates optimized for performance make the new iPad Pro a versatile high-performance device, with a starting price of 8999 yuan that is quite competitive.
For budget-conscious professional creators, it is still recommended to go for the base model with an external hard drive; while the fully loaded top configuration reaching 30,000 yuan is only suitable for professionals and high-end consumers with no budget constraints.
The new iPad Air maintains its slim and portable characteristics while offering more powerful performance and diverse features. Although the product line is more segmented, it also brings new choices for different user groups.
Considering its price of nearly 5000 yuan, it is a good buy for those with sufficient budget, otherwise opting for the M1 version of the iPad Air or the older model of the iPad Pro would offer better value for money.
In terms of accessories, whether it's the Apple Pencil Pro or the Magic Keyboard, they enhance the productivity of the iPad, making it a new type of productivity tool that is more portable than traditional laptops.
