I’ve owned a lot of iPads - minis and regular iPads for the kids. I had an iPad Pro second generation I originally bought to watch movies when I travel for work and to take notes. My wife took it over when she became obsessed with Procreate (a drawing application). Over time the battery got worse and worse and the performance dropped. At one point she couldnt update the application anymore.
We bought the iPad Pro 5th generation as a pre release. Like all things Apple, you’re definitely paying a premium but for someone who is serious about their art of craft - worth it.
Pros:
+ the processing power is a BEAST. It’s effortless and smooth. The M1 makes a huge difference.
+ the camera is amazing and the depth sensor opens worlds of possibilities for immersive, but you’ll likely rarely use it
+ it’s an Apple so the resell value is great. This reduces the cost of ownership because when you upgrade in a few years you can still sell for a good amount.
Neutral (compared to the Gen2):
- the Mini LED feels a bit hyped. The screen in side by side comparisons wasn’t noticeably better in my opinion. If you’re not a professional who relies on nuanced color calibration, etc. you may not notice a difference. I am a photographer and don’t think most people will notice a difference.
- the form factor remains largely unchanged. With a case it’s still a heavy machine relatively speaking.
Negatives
- price. I got the 256GB plus a case and a pencil. It’s a big chunk on money for most people. Most people should stick with an Air or regular iPad. Throw in the keyboard and some dongles and taxes and you’ve cleared two thousand pretty easily.
- the form factor is slightly thicker than Gen4 so while I got a case which fit, the Apple Pencil didn’t charge. So if you need pencil charging, get a Gen5 case.
- Apple really needs to just commit to one port type. This is lightning (USB C) which is great, but most apple products are still lightning. More of an annoyance, but make up your mind Apple!
- it’s almost a PC replacement but not quite there for most people. Certain user types may be able yo replace their PC or Mac but I still see it as a secondary device.
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Sustainability features
This product has sustainability features recognized by trusted certifications.
Energy efficiency
Conserves energy compared to similar products.
As certified by
EPEAT EPEAT addresses the sustainability impacts of electronic products. An EPEAT registered product must meet required criteria and can meet optional criteria. The criteria depend on the type of product and can include energy efficiency, reduction of fluorinated greenhouse gases (F-Gases), and end of life management. Products meeting 50% - 75% optional criteria are “Silver” and those meeting more than 75% are “Gold”.
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Compare Apple iPad products
| Price | From: $999.00 | From: - | From: - |
| Ratings | (6,156) | (7,173) | (23,860) |
| Display | 12.9 inch Liquid XDR display | 11 inch Liquid Retina display | 10.9 inch Retina display |
| Face/Touch ID | Face ID | Face ID | Touch ID |
| Chip | Apple M1 8-core CPU chip with 8-core GPU and Neural Engine | Apple M1 8-core CPU chip with 8-core GPU and Neural Engine | A14 Bionic chip with Neural Engine |
| Camera | 12MP photos | 12MP photos | 12MP photos |
| Video | 4K video recording | 4K video recording | 4K video recording |
| Apple Pencil Compatibility | Apple Pencil (2nd generation) | Apple Pencil (2nd generation) | Apple Pencil (2nd generation) |
| Smart Keyboard Compatibility | Compatible with Smart Keyboard Folio, Magic Keyboard and Bluetooth keyboards | Compatible with Smart Keyboard Folio, Magic Keyboard and Bluetooth keyboards | Compatible with Smart Keyboard Folio, Magic Keyboard and Bluetooth keyboards |
| Connector | USB-C connector | USB-C connector | USB-C connector |
Reviews with images
Apple still dominates the tablet market.
The 2021 iPad Pro 12.9" with M1 is the premier tablet on the market. Smooth, fast, and beautiful.Apple made a few changes to the 2021 iPad Pro 12.9", most notably the inclusion of the M1 chip and the gorgeous XDR display. The M1 chip is a nice addition, but right now, it still feels like overkill. I switched to the M1 MacBook Pro in 2020 and the improvements were astounding. Those improvements don't really seem to have quite the same impact on the iPad, and that's mostly because it's still a victim to iPadOS. I don't imagine that Apple has any plans on allowing its iPads to run MacOS, due to cannibalization of the MacBook market, but iPadOS has its limitations. I do not think the iPad is ready to replace your laptop quite yet, but the power is there to do so. Apps do tend to pick back up where you left them off more quickly than in previous gens.The XDR display, overall, is pretty gorgeous. Streaming movies, TV shows, YouTube, etc. is really something else. It is a pretty nice and noticeable upgrade over the previous gen. With that said, the XDR display does also suffer from some moderate blooming effects, most notably when you have a bright white image or text displaying against deep black background. It's not terrible, but it is something to be aware of.The battery life is essentially identical to previous generations, and Apple reflects that in its specs. What additional battery life that might have been gained with the M1 chip was probably immediately sucked away with the inclusion of the XDR display. Battery life is totally fine, it's just not better.Is it worth upgrading? If your iPad is at the end of its life or you just really, really want the top-of-the-line tablet on the market, sure, it's a great option. If you have a previous gen iPad Pro and you're perfectly happy with the quality of the display, it probably isn't worth upgrading. At least not until they bring MacOS to the iPad...
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