iPad Pro M2: Overkill, even for professionals

Apple has been dominating the tablet space ever since the first iPad came out in 2010, and the M2-powered iPad Pro is the latest and most powerful addition to this family.

The second-gen Apple M2 iPad Pro has reached a ridiculous level of performance and efficiency, making it more than a tablet. 2021's M1-chipped pro iPads were powerful and efficient devices, but the average user barely noticed this significant improvement. As a result, only a tiny fraction of the users will be able to tell the difference this time around as well.

The new iPad Pro has an 8-core CPU that is 15% faster when compared to last year's M1-enabled iPad Pro. The 10-core GPU is 35% faster, which ensures console-level graphics performance for AAA games, and is great for video editing.

This bump in power for the GPU, along with the media engine and M2's image signal processor, has enabled three times faster exports for ProRes projects. 

For overall improvement in performance, the 16-core neural engine is now 40% faster on the M2, while memory bandwidth has increased a whopping 50%.

The display remains pretty much the same as the last gen, the 11-inch iPad Pro features the same LED-lit 600 nits bright Liquid Retina display with adaptive 120 Hz Promotion, True Tone, and P3 Wide colours. 

The screen on the 12.9-inch model has also remained unchanged. It is the same 1,000 nits max Liquid Retina XDR display with 1,600 nits peak brightness for HDR content. The screen has a 1,000,000:1 contrast ratio with 10,000 Mini LED lighting up from the back. 

Photo: Collected

These mini-LEDs are grouped into 2500+ local dimming zones for better contrast and clarity on dynamic content. It also has Apple's proprietary display technologies like 120 Hz adaptive ProMotion, True Tone, and P3 wide colours, which make the content more vibrant and natural-looking. 

The iPad Pro has a 4-speaker audio setup with Dolby Atmos. The tab can also be hooked up to a bigger screen using the USB 4 ports and support 6K resolution as well.

The camera setup includes a 12 MP wide and a 10 MP ultra wide lens, and both features LiDAR scanner, used to measure the depth of the subject in focus. 

This time around, support for Smart HDR 4 has been added to take advantage of M2's Image Signal Processors. True Tone flash is also added to the camera system for an adaptive lighting environment.

On the front the tab features a 12 MP ultra wide lens, with a 122-degree field of view, and  is accompanied by a TrueDepth camera. Together, they create some of the best portrait photos taken by any tablet or hybrid device. This also doubles as the Face ID authenticator.

The new M2-powered pro can also be used as a primary video recording device, it is capable of recording 720p, 1080p, and 4K at 24, 25, 30, and 60 fps. For ProRes, 4K video recording is capped at 30 fps. 

However, creators who like to shoot and edit the content on their iPad Pro might want to avoid the 128 GB variant as ProRes capabilities have been limited to 1080p to conserve storage. 

The top-tier camera setup is backed by five studio-quality microphones to ensure isolated voice and sound extraction with minimum noise. This, along with Apple's Center Stage feature, makes video calling and meetings more intuitive and dynamic.

The LiDAR sensor on the back, coupled with the excellent display, also makes iPad Pro a perfect device for AR model designs. 

Photo: Collected

The biggest use case for iPad Pro has always been illustration and editing, and Apple tailored the device specifically for that. It features a hover functionality that works with the second gen Apple Pencil to give a preview of what the user is about to do on screen, a very useful functionality for digital artists and video editors.  

iPadOS 16 also includes Stage Manager for the new iPads, which enables desktop-like multitasking on iPad Pro's limited screen. When users have several windows and apps open, they can use Stage Manager for a windowed view of the current tabs while keeping the rest docked on the side. 

To make file sharing across all sorts of devices even more convenient, iPad Pro also features a Thunderbolt 3-enabled USB 4 port, allowing transfers of up to 40 GB/s. 

For wireless connectivity, the iPad Pro has received a Wi-Fi upgrade. The device features the Wi-Fi 6E standard, which is almost two times faster than the previous gen. For cellular variants, iPad Pro M2 also supports 5G connectivity support.

Apart from the spec sheet, the new iPad Pro might not seem like a revolutionary smart device, but it has more power than one can fully take advantage of in a tablet. But the last iPad Pro was also a powerful device, perhaps this is why the M2 does not seem like a major upgrade. 

Coupled with the Apple Pencil, the new iPad Pros are the best tablet devices any digital illustrator could ask for. Whether you are an occasional user, a photo or video editor, or an AR enthusiast, the iPad Pro will definitely meet your expectations and never miss a beat. 

The new iPad Pro is so powerful that it feels like an overkill, even for professionals who like to nitpick over the slightest latency. So, unless you are thinking of running a media empire, the M2 iPad Pro can easily be your daily driver or the go-to computer for a weekend getaway.

Where to buy: M2 iPad Pros are available nationwide from retailers like Apple Gadgets BD, MC Solution BD, iStock BD, and Gadget & Gear. 

Price: The 11-inch base version with 128 GB storage and WiFi connectivity starts at around Tk 93,000, while the 12.9-inch 128 GB variant will cost you Tk 1,30,000.