Just as it pioneered the smartphone space with the iPhone in 2007, Apple is responsible for introducing the world to the modern tablet with the debut of the original iPad in 2010. Every year or two, the Silicone Valley giant has steadily rolled out an ever-more-advanced iteration of its tablet platform.
And now, nearly a decade-and-a-half after rolling out the inaugural iPad, the company’s tablet lineup has now culminated with the release its new and vastly-improved 11th generation Apple iPad Pro and iPad Air tablets.
Light As Air
Benefitting from more than two years of intensive research and development, the 11th-generation iPad lineup includes an all-new iPad Air model that represents a massive step up from its predecessor on practically every level. In fact, the tablet has received such a comprehensive redesign that it’s hard to even know where to start.
Available Air Options & Versions
Crafted from recycled aluminum, the latest iPad Air is currently being offered in four color options (Blue, Purple, Starlight, and Space Gray). Equipped with a Liquid Retina display, the tablet will also be offered in 11” or 13” sizes and with 128GB, 256GB, 512GB, or 1TB storage options. Not only is this new Air model incredibly thin, but it’s also very lightweight, with the entire thing tipping the scales at just over the one-pound mark — making it particularly mobile. This new travel-friendly tablet is also compatible with both the lates Magic Keyboard and the new Apple Pencil Pro.
New Hardware & Tech
The biggest update to the Air-spec tablet, however, is its addition of Apple’s new M2 chip. It doesn’t end there, as the tablet is also armed with a new CPU, a new GPU, and an ultra-advanced Neural Engine — hardware that collectively make the newest iPad Air almost 50% faster than its gen-10 predecessor. The thing also benefits from all-new, superfast Wi‑Fi 6E connectivity. Apple has also stepped up the latest iPad Air’s onboard camera array, which now consists of a 12-megapixel front-facing ultra-wide landscape camera paired with a 12-megapixel rear-facing wide camera with Smart HDR photo and 4K video capabilities.
Apple iPad Air M2 Spec Sheet
Display Type: Liquid Retina
Display Size: 11” or 13”
Chip: Apple M2
GPU: 10-Core
Neural Engine: 16-Core
Storage Capacity: 128GB, 256GB, 512GB, or 1TB
Going Pro
Apple’s most advanced and state-of-the-art tablet to date — as well as its most expensive — the iPad Pro is a heavily-redesigned 11th-gen model that massively benefits from an all-new chip. Offered with 256GB, 512GB, 1TB, and 2TB storage options, the Pro-spec tablet features a housing crafted entirely from recycled aluminum. Offered in Silver and Spec Black finishes, the new iPad Pro also features all-day battery life, WiFi 6E connectivity, and data transfer speeds of up to 40GB/S. At just 5.1mm (0.20”) thick, the latest iPad Pro isn’t just Apple’s thinnest tablet to date, but also its thinnest product to date, period.
World’s Most Advanced Display
Equipped with what Apple is touting as the world’s most advanced display, the latest iPad Pro features a 11” or 13” Ultra Retina XDR display setup with tandem OLED technology, a peak HDR brightness of 1,600 nits, a 2,000,000:1 contrast ratio, P3 wide color, and Apple’s ProMotion technology with an adaptive 10-120Hz refresh rate. What’s more, in addition to now sporting an anti-reflective coating, Apple is also offering its range-topping 1TB and 2TB models with an optional Nano-texture glass upgrade.
A Chip To Rule Them All
At the heart of the newest iPad Pro is the all-new M4 chip, which represents the next generation of the Apple silicon platform. Engineered specifically for artificial intelligence computing, this super-state-of-the-art chip affords the Pro-spec tablet with ultra-cutting-edge graphics, four-times-faster rendering speeds compared to the M2. The new chip also comes paired with an updated 10-core CPU.
Cutting-Edge Camera System
Despite the 10th-gen tablet already boasting a pretty remarkable camera system, Apple has nonetheless managed to outdo itself for its latest Pro-spec model. Capable of capturing video in ultra-crisp 4K ProRes resolution, this setup is now comprised of a 12-megapixel main camera that benefits from Apple’s adaptive True Tone tech and supports Center Stage functionality. On the other side is a 12-megapixel ultra-wide landscape front camera using Apple’s TrueDepth system. This wildly-advanced setup has also been paired with an onboard LiDAR system, an array of studio-quality mics, and four built-in speakers speakers.
Pro-Spec Peripherals
Offered in Silver and Spec Black finishes, the new iPad Pro also features all-day battery life, WiFi 6E connectivity, and data transfer speeds of up to 40GB/S. Alongside the tablets,Apple has also introduced a new Apple Pencil Pro that benefits from a host of upgrades and new features. What’s more, Apple has also used the launch of its latest iPads to debut a redesigned Magic Keyboard that now boasts an aluminum palm rest, a new “function row,” a bigger glass trackpad, haptic feedback, and multi-touch gesture control compatibility.
Apple iPad Pro M4 Spec Sheet
Display Type: Ultra Retina XDR W/ Tandem OLED Tech
Display Size: 11” or 13”
Chip: Apple M4
GPU: 10-Core
Neural Engine: 16-Core
Storage Capacity: 256GB, 512GB, 1TB, or 2TB
Pricing & Availability
Available for preorder now with a release scheduled for May 15, 2024, the M4-powered Apple iPad Pro and M2-powered Apple iPad Air models have been priced starting from $999 and $599, respectively.
Recap
Apple iPad Pro M4 Chip & iPad Air M2
Apple has raised the bar in the tablet sector with the release of its latest iPad Air and iPad Pro models — both of which benefit from numerous major updates, including all-new M2 and M4 chips.
