The latest iPad Professional with M2 chip took efficiency one other step ahead, however what has modified from the earlier iPad Professional with regards to real-world use? Comply with alongside for an in-depth take a look at the M2 iPad Professional vs M1 iPad Professional as we watch for the 2024 iPad Professional in March.
Replace 2/29/24: After no new iPads in 2023, we’re anticipating Apple to replace its tablets as quickly as March.
Within the meantime, right here’s a refresher on what’s included with the present M2 iPad Professional and M1 iPad Professional with our detailed comparability under.
In 2021, the 11 and 12.9″ iPad Professional arrived with the highly effective M1 chip, Thunderbolt connectivity, 5G for mobile fashions, new digicam options like Middle Stage, and extra.
Then the 2022 M2 iPad Professional arrived with a lot of tweaks and adjustments, however lots of them are minor which might push clients towards the M1 iPad Professional and even iPad Air.
Under we’ll break down all of the high-quality particulars of the M2 iPad Professional vs M1 iPad Professional. We’ve additionally bought a full comparability of the brand new entry-level iPad and extra:
M2 iPad Professional vs M1 iPad Professional
Efficiency
The principle distinction between the brand new and outdated iPad Professional is the improve from an M1 to M2 chip.
That delivers as much as an 18% sooner CPU, 35% sooner GPU (10-core vs 8-core), and a 2x enhance in reminiscence bandwidth from 50GB/s to 100GB/s.
Be aware: 128, 256 and 512GB fashions have 8GB RAM, 1TB and 2TB fashions have 16GB RAM.
11″ M2 iPad Professional | 11″ M1 iPad Professional | 12.9″ M2 iPad Professional | 12.9″ M1 iPad Professional | |
Chip | M2 | M1 | M2 | M1 |
CPU cores | 8 | 8 | 8 | 8 |
GPU cores | 10 | 8 | 10 | 8 |
Neural cores | 16 | 16 | 16 | 16 |
Storage | 128GB – 2TB | 128GB – 2TB | 128GB – 2TB | 128GB – 2TB |
RAM | 8 or 16GB | 8 or 16GB | 8 or 16GB | 8 or 16GB |
Reminiscence bandwidth | 100GB/s | 50GB/s | 100GB/s | 50GB/s |
Thunderbolt/USB 4 | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ |
Mobile | 5G | 5G | 5G | 5G |
Outdoors of the slight enhance in CPU and GPU efficiency, all the opposite specs like storage, RAM, Thunderbolt connectivity, and 5G stay the identical between the brand new and outdated iPad Professional fashions.
Show
Similar to the M1 12.9″ iPad Professional, the M2 12.9″ iPad Professional is the one one which options the Liquid Retina XDR show with miniLED backlighting.
Shared show options throughout all professional fashions embrace as much as 120Hz ProMotion, P3 broad colour, full laminated shows, anti-reflective coating, and True Tone.
There seems to be only one distinction between the brand new M2 11 and 12.9″ iPad Professional show and the M1 variations – the brand new Apple Pencil Hover function.
11″ M2 iPad Professional | 11″ M1 iPad Professional | 12.9″ M2 iPad Professional | 12.9″ M1 iPad Professional | |
Show | 11″ | 11″ | 12.9″ with miniLED | 12.9″ with miniLED |
Decision | 2388 x 1668 | 2388 x 1668 | 2732 x 2048 | 2732 x 2048 |
PPI (pixels per inch) | 264 | 264 | 264 | 264 |
Show brightness | 600 nits | 600 nits | 600 nits SDR, as much as 1600 HDR | 600 nits SDR, as much as 1600 HDR |
True Tone | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ |
P3 broad colour | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ |
ProMotion (120Hz) | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ |
Anti-reflective coating | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ |
Absolutely laminated show | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ |
Liquid Retina Show | ✅ | ✅ | – | – |
Liquid Retina XDR Show | ❌ | ❌ | ✅ | ✅ |
Apple Pencil Hover | ✅ | ❌ | ✅ | ❌ |
Connectivity and equipment
The brand new iPad Professional fashions work with the identical Apple equipment because the previous-gen iPad Professional. That features the second-gen Apple Pencil, Magic Keyboard, and Sensible Keyboard Folio.
Some small upgrades with the M2 iPad Professional embrace Bluetooth 5.3 and WiFi 6E. Apparently, the brand new iPad Professional fashions didn’t get a Magic Keyboard Folio just like the iPad 10.
11 and 12.9″ M2 iPad Professional | 11 and 12.9″ M1 iPad Professional | |
Apple Pencil gen 2 help | ✅ | ✅ |
Magic Keyboard help | ✅ | ✅ |
5G | ✅ | ✅ |
WiFi 6 | – | ✅ |
WiFi 6E | ✅ | ❌ |
Bluetooth | 5.3 | 5.0 |
USB-C | ✅ USB 4 | ✅ USB 4 |
Thunderbolt | ✅ | ✅ |
Face ID | ✅ | ✅ |
Battery life
The 2022 iPad Professional fashions with M2 chip function the identical battery life as their predecessors:
- 10 hours of net or video use on WiFi
- 9 hours of net use with mobile
Storage and value
Storage stays the identical between the outdated and new iPad Professional fashions. And pricing – unique MSRP pricing – can be unchanged. Nevertheless, maintain a watch out for M1 iPad Professional reductions.
11″ M2 iPad Professional | 11″ M1 iPad Professional | 12.9″ M2 iPad Professional | 12.9″ M1 iPad Professional | |
128GB WiFi | $799 | $799 | $1,099 | $1,099 |
128GB + cell | $999 | $999 | $1,299 | $1,299 |
256GB WiFi | $899 | $899 | $1,199 | $1,199 |
256GB + cell | $1,099 | $1,099 | $1,399 | $1,399 |
512GB WiFi | $1,099 | $1,099 | $1,399 | $1,399 |
512GB + cell | $1,299 | $1,299 | $1,599 | $1,599 |
1TB WiFi | $1,499 | $1,499 | $1,799 | $1,799 |
1TB + cell | $1,699 | $1,699 | $1,999 | $1,999 |
2TB WiFi | $1,899 | $1,899 | $2,199 | $2,199 |
2TB + cell | $2,099 | $2,099 | $2,399 | $2,399 |
Cameras, video, and audio
With the iPad Professional rear digicam system, you’ve bought a 12MP broad lens, 10MP extremely broad lens, LiDAR Scanner, and the True Tone flash.
On the again, you get a 12MP extremely broad lens with Middle Stage help.
The one adjustments between the M2 and M1 iPad Professional, for now, is Sensible HDR 4 vs Sensible HDR 3 pictures and the power to shoot ProRes video at as much as 4K at 30 fps (1080p at 30 fps for 128GB fashions).
11 and 12.9″ M2 iPad Professional | 11 and 12.9″ M1 iPad Professional | |
12MP broad lens | ✅ | ✅ |
10MP extremely broad lens | ✅ | ✅ |
LiDAR | ✅ | ✅ |
4K video | ✅ | ✅ |
ProRes video as much as 4K 30 fps | ✅ | ❌ |
Prolonged dynamic vary | ✅ | ✅ |
Slo-mo video | ✅ | ✅ |
Rear digicam flash | ✅ | ✅ |
TrueDepth digicam with Face ID | ✅ | ✅ |
Extremely broad 12MP entrance digicam | ✅ | ✅ |
2x optical zoom out | ✅ | ✅ |
Sensible HDR 3 pictures | – | ✅ |
Sensible HDR 4 pictures | ✅ | ❌ |
Middle Stage auto-tracking | ✅ | ✅ |
4-speaker audio | ✅ | ✅ |
Stereo recording | ✅ | ✅ |
5 studio-quality mics | ✅ | ✅ |
The iPad Professional entrance digicam additionally helps Portrait mode, Portrait Lighting, and Animoji/Memoji.
Surprisingly, whereas the iPad 10 bought a useful Panorama extremely broad entrance digicam, the iPad Professional retains the entrance digicam on the highest (quick facet) bezel.
Dimensions, weight, colours
Measurement and weight are similar between the M2 iPad Professional and M1 iPad Professional in response to Apple:
- M2 and M1 11-inch iPad Professional: 1.03 kilos, 9.74 inches (247.6 mm) excessive, 7.02 inches (178.5 mm) broad, 0.23 inches (5.9 mm) thick
- M2 and M1 12.9-inch iPad Professional: 1.5 kilos, 11.04 inches (280.6 mm) excessive, 8.46 inches (214.9 mm) broad, 0.25 inches (6.4 mm) thick
Colour selections stay the identical with silver and area grey.
Different small variations
Two extra little variations you’ll see with the M2 iPad Professional:
- Braided USB-C cable within the field as an alternative of a plastic cable
- “iPad Professional” wordmark on the again as an alternative of “iPad” on earlier iPad Professional fashions
- M2 iPad Professional area grey could also be barely lighter than the M1 iPad Professional area grey end with the antenna line for mobile fashions being extra muted
M2 iPad Professional vs M1 iPad Professional conclusion
Why purchase M2 iPad Professional?
When contemplating all of the similarities between the M2 iPad Professional and M1, you’ll in all probability solely need to decide up the brand new mannequin in the event you’re a professional with workflows that can profit from the M2 chip/ProRes help otherwise you’re simply okay with spending the cash on the newest and biggest from Apple.
However solely purchase it in the event you completely can’t wait – new iPad Professional and Air fashions are anticipated imminently.
The M2 iPad Professional is out there at Apple, Amazon, Finest Purchase, BH Photograph.
Why purchase M1 iPad Professional?
When you may get the overwhelming majority of the M2 iPad Professional function set with the M1 iPad Professional and the processor distinction not being a difficulty for many customers, selecting one up at a reduction will in all probability be a well-liked transfer.
Additionally, don’t overlook the iPad Air gives a compelling bundle at an even cheaper value than the last-gen iPad Professional. That’s in the event you’re okay with the 11-inch measurement.
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