iPad Pro (2021) review: amazing mini-LED screen on 12.9", fast M1 CPU, Center Stage works well for video calls, but camera still misplaced and no multi-user
no desire to upgrade from the 2020 model at this time. Hopefully a bigger update next year when it'll be 4 years since the last redesign. Steven Sinofsky / @stevesi : iPad Pro M1 Review: The Ultimate Spec Bump! https://www.youtube.com/... via @MKBHD making the case at the end for clamshell iPad :) Federico Viticci / @viticci : I've been testing the new 12.9" iPad Pro with M1 and XDR display for the past week. It's an incredible hardware achievement that is waiting for a more powerful iPadOS and pro apps. My story: iPad Pro 2021 Review: Future on Standby https://www.macstories.net/... https://twitter.com/...
The VergeDieter Bohn
Context & Ripple Effects
Apple positioned the M1 iPad Pro as a premium tablet, with the 12.9-inch model starting at $1,099 in the launch pricing announcement. The review’s central tension is that the hardware advances faster than the software and upgrade case for existing owners.
That tension persisted in later coverage: the 2024 model was praised for its hardware while iPadOS still lagged behind it, before the 2025 review described iPadOS as becoming more Mac-like.
First-order effects
For prospective buyers, Apple’s 12.9-inch iPad Pro offers a markedly stronger display, M1 performance, and Center Stage, but the review gives 2020 iPad Pro owners little immediate reason to replace their devices.
Apple’s premium hardware proposition is constrained by the absence of multi-user support and software capable of fully exploiting the M1-class chip for pro workflows.
Second-order effects
Pro-app developers have a more capable iPad target, but Apple’s limited iPadOS model narrows the practical workflow gains their software can deliver.
The $799-and-up iPad Pro pricing makes the comparison with prior models and accessory-equipped alternatives more consequential, shifting attention from component upgrades to whether the device can replace more general-purpose computing tasks.
Third-order effects
If repeated hardware-first releases continue, iPad Pro differentiation will depend less on chips and displays than on Apple making iPadOS support multi-user and more demanding professional workflows.
The later progression toward a more Mac-like iPadOS suggests Apple is gradually addressing a durable tablet-versus-computer boundary rather than treating each iPad Pro refresh as a standalone hardware upgrade.
The trend: iPad Pro is moving through a long hardware-software convergence cycle in which Apple’s silicon advances force iPadOS to become more capable of supporting professional computing workflows.
I'm definitely curious to hear more about what's going on with video rendering times on the M1 iPad Pro. @backlon also noticed no gains with video export compared to the 2018 iPad Pro. So I wasn't alone with these results. 🤔 https://www.theverge.com/... https://twitter.com/...
I've been testing the new 12.9" iPad Pro with M1 and XDR display for the past week. It's an incredible hardware achievement that is waiting for a more powerful iPadOS and pro apps. My story: iPad Pro 2021 Review: Future on Standby https://www.macstories.net/... https://twitter.co…
The Hardware on iPad Pro has always way exceeded the current OS and Apps ahead of the next WWDC. But they also give these devices huge performance margins to improve longevity for years of releases.
@backlon I found the audio thing you ran into super relatable. I've recently really been hitting on the issue of not having an audio input/output menu on iOS. It's very overdue.
a lot of sentiment today around the m1 iPad Pro that it has all the power and is limited by iPad OS. I 110% agree but 1) WWDC should tell us a whole lot more and 2) working on some stuff showcasing something the iPad does that no MacBook or iMac can right now ⚡️
After reading the iPad Pro reviews — no desire to upgrade from the 2020 model at this time. Hopefully a bigger update next year when it'll be 4 years since the last redesign.
This joke is actually the whole thing with the iPad Pro. It will not help you get more done (understanding Tenet). It will be nicer when you do the things it will let you do (enjoying Tenet). https://twitter.com/...
iPad Pro with M1. Absolute unit. The 120hz display is gorgeous. Up to TWO TB of storage! Thunderbolt USB-C port. Super thin and light design. Keyboard case with trackpad. 5G. FaceID. LiDAR. Beastly battery. What more can you want? Aside from it running macOS, of course ;) https:/…