by Apple’s (AAPL) latest 13-inch iPad Pro is an engineering marvel.
But software still holds back the iPad Pro’s true potential, relegating the device to a slim and tall package for content consumption rather than allowing the iPad Pro to reach its productivity potential.
The company has packed its latest M4 processor with up to 10 CPU and 10 GPU cores, more than you’ll find in its current MacBook Air and at least one version of its MacBook Pro, into a tablet thinner than Apple’s iPod Nano .
At just 5.1 millimeters thick, the iPad Pro feels like if you’re holding it at one end, the other end will droop like a loose-leaf piece of paper. He doesn’t, of course. The 11-inch iPad Pro is almost as thin as 5.3 mm.
Oh, and then there’s the new Ultra Retina XDR display. Apple says the screen combines two OLED panels to boost its overall brightness while offering the same exceptional benefits you get from a standard OLED display. That means black black and great colors.
And all that is going to cost you. A 13-inch base iPad Pro with Apple’s Magic Keyboard will set you back $1,648. That’s more than the high-end 13-inch MacBook Air and entry-level MacBook Pro.
I could deal with that price, though, if the iPad Pro didn’t have one major solution – iPadOS.
Hanging software
Over the years, the iPad has progressed towards offering more Mac-like capabilities.
You can run multiple apps at once, connect to an external display for a larger workspace, group apps together, and more.
But iPadOS holds the iPad Pro back from its true potential.
I have written this entire review on the iPad Pro. And while it’s serving me well, I’m still limited in how I can arrange windows. The fact that I can only run four apps on the screen at the same time without having to grab them from the side panel and that apps still default to their iPad versions rather than a full Mac version are among the biggest roadblocks.
It’s these kinds of things that make it difficult to use the iPad Pro as a full laptop replacement, even though it’s clear that Apple wants you to consider the tablet.
To say I’m torn is an understatement. I love how powerful the iPad Pro is, how gorgeous the display is, and how thin it is. But I also want him to do more with all of that than he does.
Apple is clearly worried that if it turns the iPad Pro into more of a Mac, it will cannibalize MacBook sales.
And that’s probably true. After all, if you have money to burn, it would be easy to recommend an iPad Pro with macOS over the MacBook Air.
That doesn’t necessarily mean the Air loses its value, though: It would still be a great entry-level laptop for Apple and the MacBook Pro would still be the company’s most powerful portable computer.
A laptop killer by almost every measure
The new iPad Pro blows away most of the ultra-thin laptops on the market.
Its huge touchscreen is amazing, the Magic Keyboard is as responsive and comfortable to type on as a standard MacBook, and its trackpad is spacious and offers haptic feedback when you click it.
In addition, it has a new camera on the right side that, when you are using the iPad Pro in landscape mode, acts as a solid front camera that automatically keeps you in frame through its Center Stage feature. Stereo speakers also help when you want to use it as your mini TV on the go or for meetings or whatever.
And did I mention its M4 chip is absurd for how thin this tablet is? I ran the Geekbench benchmark, which tests CPU performance, on the iPad Pro and my wife’s MacBook Air 2023 with an M2 processor, and the iPad almost suplexed the Air right through my coffee table. Figuratively speaking.
It also easily beat my MacBook Pro 2021 with an M1 Pro chip and 32GB RAM.
There’s no way around it – the 13-inch iPad Pro is an absolute monster, especially for its size.
Apple will host its annual WWDC event on June 10, and there’s a chance the company could announce an update to the iPad Pro that will make it a true laptop killer. At least that’s what I expect.
And if you’re in the market for a high-powered iPad that knocks the socks off any other tablet, the Pro is the way to go. If you can get around Apple’s software decisions, then you should also grab one.
But if you’re hoping this Pro will be the laptop replacement you’ve been waiting for, you’re out of luck.
Email Daniel Howley at dowley@yahoofinance.com. Follow him on Twitter at @Daniel Howley.
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