M4 iPad Pro

[Nic Robinson]

I have a Gen 2 12.9 inch which I bought especially for music scores i.e. I can carry my entire organ repertoire on a tablet. Miraculous really.

I don't use it for anything else as I just prefer a laptop on my knee or desk. Maybe reading a bit of something...

THis one cost me £600 and although the new one looks lovely...can I really justify double that for a base 13"?

 

[Tony L]

Just getting used to the new iPad and the screen really is amazing. Black is black. I guess that’s OLED; no backlight. If a pixel is black it is off, so no ghosting, no grey sheen etc. For photography etc it is a game-changer. Significantly better.

 

[TheDecameron]

Just getting used to the new iPad and the screen really is amazing. Black is black. I guess that’s OLED; no backlight. If a pixel is black it is off, so no ghosting, no grey sheen etc. For photography etc it is a game-changer. Significantly better.

You‘re making me do it. I’m conflicted about getting the 13”. I’d like something easier to read from but this one is very easy to hold one handed anywhere, inc in the bath.

 

[Tony L]

you’re making me do it,

The more photo/video viewing or editing you do the more significant it will be. I spent the first few hours just browsing pfm etc and was struggling to work out what all the fuss was about, then I started looking at pictures and they are clearly in a different ball-park. Also if you like dark-mode sites etc black backgrounds really are totally black. Zero illumination. A game-changer there too. Not for me as that presentation gives me eye-strain, but I can see folk loving it. It has made me really want an OLED TV! When my 4 year old 50” 4K Sony inevitably dies in a few years (they all do) I’ll pay the extra for this technology.

 

[Amber Audio]

you’re making me do it,

I received the 11” M4 Pro a couple days ago, despite some very effusive reviews out there it’s not uber amazing, it’s just another iPad but the screen is absolutely standout, the OS holds it back, imo Apple need to make it more like MacOS, if they did I’d be all over a 13” with the fancy keyboard and ditch my laptop. Gonna use it a while then pass to the Mrs once the dust settles and decide between the 11 or 13 Pro or go with a 13 Air.

 

[Tony L]

Agree 100%. It is a totally contradictory product:

a) It is arguably the most amazing computer hardware device yet made by humans; literally Star Trek TNG technology.

b) It runs iPadOS.

PS I only hope they pull something out of the bag at WWDC next month to make better use of the extraordinary hardware.

 

[Ponty]

Hmm, looking into these, I reckon the new M2 Air will be more than sufficient, with a decent saving to boot. All depends what you use it for of course.

 

[Tony L]

Hmm, looking into these, I reckon the new M2 Air will be more than sufficient, with a decent saving to boot. All depends what you use it for of course.

Agreed. In real terms you are buying the OLED screen with the Pro unless you desperately want a Pencil Pro. iPadOS is so limiting any hardware benefit of the M4 is levelled out.

Here’s Marques Brownlee saying the same thing.

PS I bought it because it was time for a new iPad (battery life etc) and I spend such an unhealthy amount of time online each day I’ll happily pay for the best screen I can get from an eyestrain/health perspective.

 

[Amber Audio]

Air 256GB vs M4 Pro - for most folk who’ll use it in a fairly standard way you’re paying £300 just for that OLED screen (maybe some future-proofing for the AI stuff on the way). Might not be a great/sensible financial decision but the screen really is a step change upwards.

I’m leaning to the M4 Pro 11” purely based on the screen on the wife‘s one and buying the new Surface Laptop next month, sticking with the 2 devices for another couple years.

 

[Joe P]

It occurred to me that if you bought the Apple Vision Pro and the 13-inch iPad Pro you could pretend to be Geordi on the ship re-modulating a tachyon beam or something, which is kinda cool even though I’m more an original monochrome Pad, pencil and big honkin’ light kind of iPad Trekkie.

I saw the new iPad Pro on the weekend and I am impressed, especially by the OLED screen, but I shall wait until the M5 version is released. That one will be the game changer.

Joe

 

[Tony L]

Air 256GB vs M4 Pro - for most folk who’ll use it in a fairly standard way you’re paying £300 just for that OLED screen (maybe some future-proofing for the AI stuff on the way). Might not be a great/sensible financial decision but the screen really is a step change upwards.

For me the trade-in on my Gen 2 Pro (£285) softened it fairly substantially (I’ve been notified it is going through at the full amount). It effectively made the 256GB 11” M4 £715, which is still a lot, but it isn’t a grand! A total cost of ownership of <£200 or so a year for my primary business computing device isn’t bad at all IMO.

Especially now Apple are so tight they don’t even give you a charger with a £1k tablet the trade-in makes sense as it is about the going rate and you don’t need to send them the charger or USB cable, which at their prices adds on another £35 in your favour.

PS I’m currently using the new 80% battery setting which is apparently far better for long-term battery health. It means I can’t get through a whole day on one charge (as you don’t want to go below 20%), but I’ll try it for a while as I think those with iPhones that support it are reporting long+term gains. Anything that extends service life is a good thing IMO.

 

[TheDecameron]

I got offered £25 trade in on my old ipad pro. Had a look at the 13” pro in Apple Store yesterday and the display is manifestly better.

 

[Tony L]

I got offered £25 trade in on my old ipad pro.

Was it trashed? Seems a vast difference between a gen 1 and gen 2. Mine was the base-spec 128GB 11” model and they offered me £285. Mine could have passed as new aside from the battery life, not a mark on it, so they couldn’t knock me down!

 

[TheDecameron]

No good nick, must be an old one.

 

[Ponty]

Air 256GB vs M4 Pro - for most folk who’ll use it in a fairly standard way you’re paying £300 just for that OLED screen (maybe some future-proofing for the AI stuff on the way). Might not be a great/sensible financial decision but the screen really is a step change upwards.

I’m leaning to the M4 Pro 11” purely based on the screen on the wife‘s one and buying the new Surface Laptop next month, sticking with the 2 devices for another couple years.

Yep, I’m narrowing down to the M2 Air 256GB 13 inch. 899 less 65 for the old 9.7 inch gen 1 pro (less the vodka and tonic).

 

[Amber Audio]

Yep, I’m narrowing down to the M2 Air 256GB 13 inch. 899 less 65 for the old 9.7 inch gen 1 pro (less the vodka and tonic).

If I didn’t need to run certain Windows apps for work I reckon that M2 13” with the keyboard would be a perfect day to day device and no need to lug around a Dell lappy.

 

[Ponty]

If I didn’t need to run certain Windows apps for work I reckon that M2 13” with the keyboard would be a perfect day to day device and no need to lug around a Dell lappy.

The equivalent spec Pro is another £400 over the Air. Just don’t need it, the Air is more than adequate for my usage. John Lewis is 2 year warranty so will probably buy there.

 

[Tony L]

John Lewis is 2 year warranty so will probably buy there.

There is still a statutory 6 year fit for purpose law in the UK as far as I’m aware, and Apple do honour it. This is why I never buy anywhere but direct from Apple, never consider AppleCare etc. If you haven’t damaged it they’ll just replace it. It means you can book an appointment at an Apple Store and walk out with a replacement. I’ve done it, and I know others who have too.

Details here:

Legal - Apple Products and Consumer Laws in the United Kingdom - Apple

www.apple.com

PS If you have bought anywhere else they send you back to the retailer, which invariably means arguing with some blurt or other. This is why I never go hunting for discounts with Apple kit. I pay the asking price and know it is good for 6 years.

 

[Ponty]

There is still a statutory 6 year fit for purpose law in the UK as far as I’m aware, and Apple do honour it. This is why I never buy anywhere but direct from Apple, never consider AppleCare etc. If you haven’t damaged it they’ll just replace it. It means you can book an appointment at an Apple Store and walk out with a replacement. I’ve done it, and I know others who have too.

Details here:

Legal - Apple Products and Consumer Laws in the United Kingdom - Apple

www.apple.com

PS If you have bought anywhere else they send you back to the retailer, which invariably means arguing with some blurt or other. This is why I never go hunting for discounts with Apple kit. I pay the asking price and know it is good for 6 years.

Useful to know, thanks. Don’t want to jinx things but I’ve never had a problem with any Apple product. I too sweat the assets, usually until they won’t run the latest iOS. It’s good gear and they deserve their success.

 

[gez]

Agreed. In real terms you are buying the OLED screen with the Pro unless you desperately want a Pencil Pro. iPadOS is so limiting any hardware benefit of the M4 is levelled out.

Here’s Marques Brownlee saying the same thing.

PS I bought it because it was time for a new iPad (battery life etc) and I spend such an unhealthy amount of time online each day I’ll happily pay for the best screen I can get from an eyestrain/health perspective.

I agree with him when he says that not keeping it the same thickness and putting in a larger battery was a missed opportunity. Mobile devices can never have "too much" batter longevity in my view, and I think it's too far down the priority list of most manufacturers.

I've often felt that mobile phones should really be renamed now, as they're clearly not truly mobile, and haven't been since they've been needed to be recharged more than once a week. What use is a modern smartphone going to be to any survivor of a plane crash or whatever when the battery runs out after 10 hours.