M4 iPad Pro Review: Wasted Potential

Summary

The video script reviews the new M4 iPad Pro, highlighting its impressive display technology and powerful M4 processor. Despite its sleek design and enhanced features like the Nano-texture glass and new Apple Pencil Pro, the device faces criticism for its high cost, software limitations, and inefficient multitasking capabilities. The script questions the iPad Pro's viability as a laptop replacement, suggesting it may be better suited as a supplementary device for specific tasks or a companion to a MacBook.

Takeaways

• 📱 The new M4 iPad Pro is thinner than the iPhone that started 'bendgate' and features a completely new display technology.
• 🔆 The iPad Pro's display uses a stacked OLED technology to achieve high peak brightness and full-screen brightness, but it doesn't provide a 'wow' factor over regular OLED on iPhones.
• 📝 The Nano-texture glass option on the iPad Pro provides a smooth writing experience and better handling of micro-specs compared to plastic screen protectors.
• 💻 The M4 processor in the iPad Pro is significantly faster than the M3, but the performance is not fully utilized due to a lack of optimized Pro apps.
• 🖌️ The new Apple Pencil Pro with its squeeze function is a significant upgrade for artists and students, making it easier to switch tools.
• 💰 The cost of the iPad Pro, especially with the Nano-texture option, is high, and the device requires stepping up to a 1TB model for this feature.
• 🖥️ The iPad Pro's attempt to function as a computer replacement is hindered by iPadOS limitations and a touch-first operating system that doesn't work well with a keyboard and cursor.
• 📚 For students, the iPad Pro can be a great tablet for note-taking and drawing, but it's not a full computer replacement, especially for power users.
• 🎨 The iPad Pro is particularly appealing to artists due to its powerful processor and the new capabilities of the Apple Pencil Pro.
• 🔋 The battery life of the M4 iPad Pro is not as impressive as the M3 MacBook Air, even with the new processor.
• 🛒 The M2 iPad Pro offers similar benefits to the M4 model at a lower price, making the upgrade to M4 less justifiable for most users.

Q & A

What is the main issue the author has with the new M4 iPad Pro despite its impressive hardware?

The author finds that despite the impressive hardware, they couldn't use the M4 iPad Pro extensively due to various problems they encountered, particularly with the software and overall user experience.

How does the new display technology on the M4 iPad Pro compare to the previous generation's mini LED display?

The new display technology on the M4 iPad Pro uses a tandem style OLED with two layers to achieve high brightness levels, similar to the mini LED display. However, it doesn't provide a noticeably better visual experience compared to regular OLED found on iPhones.

What is special about the Nano texture option on the M4 iPad Pro?

The Nano texture option on the M4 iPad Pro features a matte glass that feels smoother than regular glass and provides a better writing experience with more consistent pen feel. It also handles micro-specs better than plastic screen protectors.

How does the M4 processor's performance compare to the M3 in terms of speed?

The M4 processor is around 20% faster for both single and multi-core performance compared to the M3, making it a significant upgrade in terms of speed.

Why does the author believe the iPad Pro is not yet a viable replacement for a traditional computer?

The author believes the iPad Pro is not a viable replacement for a traditional computer due to the limitations of iPadOS, such as inefficient multitasking, lack of cursor support in some areas, and the absence of full desktop app features.

What is the author's opinion on the new Magic Keyboard for the iPad Pro?

The author finds the new Magic Keyboard to be nice, with a good aluminum deck and haptic trackpad, but also feels it is too expensive for what it offers.

What is the main drawback of the iPad Pro's aspect ratio when watching content?

The iPad Pro's 4x3 aspect ratio makes it more square than other devices, resulting in a smaller viewing area when watching 16x9 videos compared to a 13-inch MacBook Air.

How does the battery life of the M4 iPad Pro compare to the M3 MacBook Air?

The M4 iPad Pro's battery life is not as good as the M3 MacBook Air, with a noticeable difference in remaining battery percentage after 4 hours of video watching.

What is the author's suggestion for students who need a tablet for note-taking and occasional use?

The author suggests that a Windows 2-in-1 device might be a better solution for students who only need a tablet for a small portion of their tasks, offering a more versatile one-device solution.

What are the author's thoughts on the new Apple Pencil Pro and its compatibility with the M4 iPad Pro?

The author appreciates the new Apple Pencil Pro's squeeze function for switching tools but notes that it is only compatible with the M4 iPad Pro, requiring users with the second-generation Apple Pencil to upgrade.

Why does the author believe the M4 iPad Pro might not be worth the upgrade for some users?

The author believes the M4 iPad Pro might not be worth the upgrade for some users due to the marginal efficiency and battery life improvements, and the fact that many of its benefits can also be found in the M2 iPad Pro at a discounted price.

Outlines

00:00

📱 iPad Pro Review: High Hopes, Mixed Reality

The script discusses the new M4 iPad Pro, initially praised for its slim design and advanced display technology. The author shares a month-long experience, noting increased usage due to the device's hardware but ultimately facing unresolved issues. A former iPad enthusiast, the author evaluates the iPad Pro's suitability for students, highlighting the new OLED display's brightness capabilities but comparing it unfavorably to the previous mini LED model in terms of 'wow' factor. The Nano-texture glass option is lauded for its smooth writing experience and reduced glare, although it's not without minor flaws. The M4 chip's performance is acknowledged, but the lack of Pro apps that utilize this power leaves the author underwhelmed. The Magic Keyboard is appreciated for its build and functionality, but the high cost of the iPad Pro setup, especially with the keyboard, is a point of contention.

05:01

💻 iPad Pro vs. MacBook: A Struggle for Productivity

The script compares the iPad Pro with MacBooks, focusing on the difficulty of configuring an iPad Pro with the desired features like the Nano-texture display, which requires a more expensive model. The author argues that, despite the iPad Pro's hardware advantages, it falls short as a computer replacement due to iOS limitations. Examples of software inefficiencies are given, such as text resizing issues and the inability to use a cursor for certain tasks. The author also criticizes the iPad's ergonomics as a laptop substitute and the Stage Manager's limitations. The script suggests that the iPad Pro is not a practical choice for power users or as a primary device for students, recommending Windows 2-in-1 devices for a more versatile solution. The author also touches on Samsung's Dex as a potential solution for improving the iPad's desktop experience.

10:02

🎨 iPad Pro as a Creative and Companion Device

The final paragraph explores the iPad Pro's role as a creative tool and a companion device to a MacBook. The author acknowledges the new Apple Pencil Pro's benefits for artists and the ease of using the iPad as a secondary display. However, the iPad's 4x3 aspect ratio is criticized for its smaller content viewing area compared to a 16x9 video on a 13-inch MacBook Air. The script also addresses the iPad's battery life, which, despite being decent for light use, is outperformed by the M3 MacBook Air during intensive use. The author concludes that the M4 iPad Pro's advantages, such as the improved display and Apple Pencil, may not justify the upgrade cost for most users, and the device's full potential is underutilized due to software limitations. The M2 iPad Pro is suggested as a more cost-effective option for students, with the M4's benefits being limited to a niche audience.

Keywords

💡M4 iPad Pro

The M4 iPad Pro is the latest iteration of Apple's tablet, featuring a new M4 processor and advanced display technology. It is central to the video's theme as the narrator discusses its performance, design, and potential as a student device. The script mentions it being 'thinner than the iPhone' and having a 'completely new display technology,' highlighting its sleek design and technological advancements.

💡Display Technology

Display technology is a critical aspect of the M4 iPad Pro, as it includes a new type of OLED display with high peak brightness. The video discusses the technical prowess of this display, mentioning '1600 nits of peak brightness' and its ability to 'sustain 1,000 nits of full screen brightness.' This is significant as it affects the user experience, particularly in terms of contrast and brightness for tasks like watching videos or working on documents.

💡Nanotexture Glass

Nanotexture glass is a special feature of the iPad Pro, offering a matte finish without the plastic feel. The script describes it as 'dramatically better at handling microl than a plastic screen protector' and notes its smoothness and ease of cleaning, which is important for a device used for writing and drawing, enhancing the user's tactile experience.

💡M4 Processor

The M4 processor is a key component of the M4 iPad Pro, offering significant performance improvements over its predecessor. The video mentions it being 'around 20% faster for single and multi-core' tasks, which is relevant to the theme of evaluating the iPad Pro's capabilities as a 'Pro' device for demanding tasks.

💡iPadOS

iPadOS is the operating system of the iPad Pro, and the video critiques its functionality, particularly in comparison to a traditional computer OS. The script points out issues with 'multitasking and Stage manager' and describes it as having 'small random issues,' which is central to the discussion on whether the iPad Pro can replace a laptop.

💡Magic Keyboard

The Magic Keyboard is an accessory for the iPad Pro, providing a more laptop-like experience. The video describes it as 'super nice' but also 'expensive,' and it's part of the broader conversation on the iPad Pro's value proposition as a potential computer replacement.

💡Apple Pencil Pro

The Apple Pencil Pro is a stylus designed for the iPad Pro, with a new squeeze function for switching tools. The video mentions how this feature could be beneficial for artists and students, making it a relevant aspect of the iPad Pro's appeal as a creative and academic tool.

💡Multitasking

Multitasking is a functionality that the video scrutinizes in the context of the iPad Pro's capabilities. The script describes specific issues with multitasking on iPadOS, such as 'you can't just full screen your video,' which is crucial for understanding the device's limitations as a productivity tool.

💡Aspect Ratio

The aspect ratio of the iPad Pro's screen is mentioned in the context of content viewing. The video points out that the '4x3 aspect ratio' is more square than other devices, affecting the viewing experience when watching videos, which is an important consideration for users who consume media on their devices.

💡Battery Life

Battery life is a significant factor in the evaluation of the iPad Pro's performance. The video compares it to the M3 MacBook Air, noting that 'the battery life isn't nearly as good,' which is an important consideration for users who require long-lasting power for their devices.

💡Upgrade Justification

The concept of justifying an upgrade to the M4 iPad Pro is a recurring theme in the video. The script questions whether the improvements are significant enough to warrant an upgrade, especially when considering the M2 iPad Pro and the M1 models, which still offer a comparable experience.

Highlights

The new M4 iPad Pro is thinner than the iPhone that started bendgate and features a completely new display technology.

The device's hardware and overall feeling encourage more usage, despite some problems found after a month of use.

The new display is a tandem style OLED with 1600 nits peak brightness, similar to the previous mini LED iPad but without blooming issues.

The Nano texture glass option provides a unique matte screen experience, smoother than regular glass and with better anti-glare properties.

The M4 processor is around 20% faster than the M3, offering significant performance improvements.

The iPad Pro's GPU is powerful, but the lack of fully featured Pro apps limits the practical use of this performance.

The new Magic Keyboard is a nice addition, with a haptic trackpad and an aluminum deck, though it is expensive.

The iPad Pro's price increases significantly with the Nano texture option, which requires a 1 TB model and additional specs.

The iPad Pro's hardware is impressive, but the iPad OS's limitations as a computer replacement are evident.

The iPad Pro is not a suitable computer replacement for power users due to its touch-first tablet operating system.

The new Apple Pencil Pro with its squeeze function is a significant upgrade, especially for artists.

The iPad Pro's 4x3 aspect ratio makes it less ideal for watching content compared to other devices with a 16x9 aspect ratio.

The iPad works well as a companion device to a MacBook, offering features like wireless secondary display and Universal Control.

Battery life on the iPad Pro is not as impressive as the M3 MacBook Air, despite the new M4 processor.

The M4 iPad Pro's upgrades may not justify the cost over the M2 iPad Pro, especially for students.

The iPad Pro's potential is limited by the iPad OS's inefficiencies and lack of multitasking capabilities.

For students, a Windows 2-in-1 device might be a more practical one-device solution than the iPad Pro.

The iPad Pro's ergonomics as a laptop replacement are not ideal, with a top-heavy design and lack of one-handed openability.

The iPad Pro's new features, such as the Apple Pencil Pro, are more suited for specific use cases rather than general computing.

Transcripts

the new M4 iPad Pro seems like a dream

device it's thinner than the iPhone that

started bendgate and has a completely

new display technology it's perfect and

that's what you would say before living

with it for a month I did that and

unlike everything else this is the only

device where the hardware and overall

feeling of it made me want to use it

more but in the end I just couldn't due

to the various problems I found but I

was a big fan of the iPad when I was in

college so I also want to talk about

whether the latest iPad Pro is still wor

it from a student's perspective let's

start with a display it's a completely

new type of display that in the end just

feels kind of normal it's like if you

just stuck four iPhones together the

tech behind it is pretty cool though

there are basically two layers of OLED

stacked on top of each other to achieve

1600 nits of peak brightness and it can

sustain 1,000 nits of full screen

brightness on an OLED screen that's this

large so it's super bright but so was

the last gen mini LED iPad which could

already achieve this brightness level of

course there's blooming with the mini

LED display but you're not going to

notice that doing some regular work and

watching YouTube videos however if

you're looking at the smaller iPad pros

this is actually a pretty big

improvement over the previous

generation's LCD display both in terms

of contrast and brightness but being

this new tandem style OLED doesn't

actually make it look any better than

just regular OLED on the iPhone so this

is the greatest display that Apple makes

but it wasn't like wow I've been missing

this my whole life however the new Nano

texture option is actually actually

pretty special to show this I got a

matte screen protector a big boy

computer and some potato chips Windows

computers have had matte displays for

ages now but they're mostly plastic the

nanotexture glass on the iPad doesn't

feel plasticky at all in fact it feels

even smoother than regular glass when

you're writing on it the side of your

hand just Glides much smoother on it and

the pen feel is also more consistent so

you won't need the drying gloves it also

doesn't feel like paperlike or any other

plastic mask screen protector which

typically gives you a more paper-like

feedback when you're writing the

nanotexture glass feels much smoother

than that and more like regular glass

that just somehow doesn't stick to your

hands I think this is the best writing

experience another big problem with

typical matte screens is the microl

specs that you see which is especially

noticeable when displaying just White

and the nanotexture glass is

dramatically better at handling this

than a plastic screen protector but it's

not perfect so you can still see a

little bit of that when you're looking

really closely it's not enough to be

perceived as a loss of resolution though

beyond that there are really two aspects

to a good display when it comes to the

anti-reflection coating scattering the

light so that you don't see a mirror

image of yourself is only one aspect of

it the other aspect is how much light is

being reflected in total and when

compared to a pretty good matte screen

on a Windows laptop the iPad reflected

noticeably less light so in a brighter

room you would lose less contrast but

this aspect can actually be even better

just look at the s24 ultra it just

absorbs all the light and barely throws

any back so an ideal screen would be

this but with Nano texture lastly one

interesting fact only the iPad with Nano

texture comes with a cleaning cloth

which is somewhat of an ominous sign so

I got the potato chips and smudged it up

surprisingly the Nano texture behaves

about the same as a regular glass it's

not really much worse and more

importantly it's just as easy to clean

unlike the plastic screen protectors

which always just feels kind of oily

display aside the new iPad Pro also has

the new M4 processor it's around 20%

faster for single and multi-core than

the M3 which is huge and the GPU is

really powerful too but that honestly

just makes me more excited for the next

generation of MacBooks because there are

very few situations where you can even

use and feel this level performance on

an iPad Apple promised that there would

be a bunch of Pro apps that would in

theory make use of the power of M4 and

maybe some are okay but the app that I

use for video editing is the VCI resolve

it got an iPad app but to this day the

app is still missing like 90% of the

features of the desktop version and is

overall just really buggy and hard to

use I have seen professional artists do

great work on the iPad Pro and maybe the

Final Cut experience is much better but

to me the iPad Pro being a pro device is

still just a promise that Rings Hollow

and if the iPad is something you're

going to spend lots of time working on

you might want the new magic keyboard

too it's actually super nice nice it

still feels too expensive for what it is

but you get a nice aluminum keyboard

deck and the trackpad is haptic just

like on the MacBooks so you can click

anywhere and I also like the screen

being hinged in the middle setting this

s next to a Macbook in the same typing

position the screen kind of just floats

in front of you which makes it feel

bigger than it is and also easier to

touch with your finger it's honestly

pretty incredible that you can have more

power than a Macbook in such a small

package but you're very much paying for

it if you include the keyboard it's

almost $500 more expensive than the Bas

M3 MacBook Air costing even more than a

Bas M3 MacBook Pro and unlike the

MacBooks which already is very expensive

to upgrade trying to spec out an iPad is

a total nightmare if you want the Nano

texture you have to step up to the 1 TB

model which not only forces you to pay

for more storage but also more CPU core

and more RAM so in the end getting the

Nano texture forces you to spend an

extra $700 more but that aside if you're

just looking at the hardware alone

you're not really getting ripped off

since on paper the iPad Pro is kind of

nicer than even the MacBook Pro in many

ways so as long as it's reasonable to

use as a computer then this can be the

only thing that I bring to class or when

I'm traveling around outside perhaps I'm

more of a computer power user but man in

my experience the iPad isn't even close

in fact I can't even see it as a

computer replacement or temporary

substitute in the next 5 years and the

latest WWDC did nothing to change it you

get a new calculator which is actually

pretty cool okay but here's a perfect

example of how iPad OS just doesn't work

properly this is just a random Google

search but as I adjust the width of the

window the text becomes so small that

it's no longer readable this is clearly

just some phone operating system feature

carried over here which is quite

annoying to deal with and this is far

from its only issue another example is

if you're typing away on the keyboard

and you have a YouTube video on the side

you go to adjust the video resolution

but the button right here cannot be

clicked with a cursor you have to use

your finger and this is not even getting

into multitasking and Stage manager if

you have stage manager on you can't just

full screen your video you have to full

screen the app first but after you full

screen your app it's now no longer in

the same stage as all your other apps

these are some specific use case issues

that you might not have but there are

plenty more of these just small random

issues like the web browser only running

at 60 HZ so if you do anything other

than the most basic of computer tasks

you're probably going to find several

yourself maybe you're less bothered by

these inefficiencies and inconveniences

but what even is the point of trying to

replace a laptop with an iPad back when

MacBooks were running Intel processors

and were way less efficient than the

iPads it was a really interesting

Prospect to have a computer that can be

this thin and light but ever since the

M1 MacBooks the real computers are just

as efficient and the M3 MacBook Air is

about the same thickness as the iPad Pro

with a keyboard case so why would you

ever pay 50% more money for an iPad Pro

just to suffer through all the small

inconveniences of forcing a touch first

tablet operating system to work like a

computer I think the iPad Pro isn't

really replacing computers for most

people especially not power users and

fundamentally on a real computer OS

thirdparty developers have so much more

power and freedom when it comes to the

software you want a Windows Manager with

hotkeys just download a free and open

source app like rectangle you want a

clipo manager so that you can quickly

copy multiple things there's a free app

for that too and those are the things

that iPad OS developers will never be

able to do mobile apps just cannot work

that way to me it really just makes no

sense to even attempt to switch from a

computer to an iPad sure if you're an

artist who mainly draws or you just need

some particular iPad apps then yeah but

I cannot see myself possibly getting

through University with just an iPad Pro

being my main device if you're a student

and really just need a tablet for 20% of

the time to write down some notes or

equations a Windows 2inone device can

make a lot more sense as a one device

solution plus the iPad with its keyboard

ergonomically also doesn't make a great

laptop it's really topheavy so it really

wants to tip forward when it's on your

lap and you also can't open it with one

hand but using a tablet for multitasking

and a laptop standin doesn't have to be

this bad Samsung tablets have decks

which is actually a pretty clever

solution it's essentially an operating

system within the regular OS that

sacrifices a bit of touch friendliness

to give you a more familiar desktop

experience and this leads to a much

better multitasking and cursor

experience given that the iPad Pro with

the M4 essentially has unlimited power I

think something like Dex would at least

be worth a try but with that out of the

way is the iPad Pro a good tablet I'm

not an artist but from a student's

perspective it's great the new Apple

pencil Pro with its squeeze function

makes switching pens much faster and

fine my would have been clutch for all

the times I couldn't find the pencil and

you might need this feature even more

than before because with the iPad being

much thinner it's actually kind of easy

for the pencil to just fall off also

note that the M4 iPad Pro can only work

with the new Apple pencil Pro if you

already have the second gen apple pencil

unfortunately you're going to have to

get a new one another Cornerstone of the

tablet use case is watching content the

new screen is great and it's super thin

and light so it's easy to hold for long

periods but the big iPad has a pretty

rare 4x3 aspect ratio it's more Square

than most other laptops and tablets so

if you're watching content on it it's

kind of smaller than you would expect

side for 13-in device as you can see the

13-in MacBook Air has a 23% bigger area

while playing a 16x9 video another thing

about the iPad is that it works really

well as a companion device to a Macbook

if you just want a secondary display for

your MacBook the iPad can do that even

wirelessly but I do prefer to plug it in

for the most stable connection also

universal control works great you can be

working on something on the MacBook and

just be using the iPad to draw you can

then transfer your drawing very

seamlessly to the MacBook people often

say that the iPad has pretty good

battery life and I guess it does if

you're just doing some basic things on

it occasionally but after bringing it

around and using it for as much things

as I can the battery life isn't nearly

as good as the M3 MacBook Air and that's

even with the new M4 processor after 4

hours of video watching the M3 MacBook

Air still has 66% left while the iPad

only has 49% left that's quite a big

difference but not really that

surprising considering the M3 MacBook

Air comes with a 52w hour batter battery

while the 13-in iPad Pro only has a 39w

hour battery but the biggest problem is

that all of the nice things I said also

applies to the M2 iPad Pro and even the

M1 unless you're doing something that

can really benefit from the speed it's

really just about the nicer screen and

the new Apple pencil which makes it hard

to justify the upgrade or getting this

over the M2 iPad Pro on a discount and

if you are the type who would really

appreciate the new features on the apple

pencil Pro you can also just get the new

iPad Air which is also compatible with

it really the perfect iPad for me and

probably for most University students

would be this iPad but with the M2

processor and a big discount the new M4

seems to only have very limited use case

for a small group of people the general

efficiency and therefore battery life

gain seems very marginal if at all also

given how frustrating multitasking and

the keyboard cursor experience can be on

the iPad it's not replacing laptops the

M4 processor is so fast and the display

is so nice I wish I could do more with

the new iPad Pro But ultimately with the

generally weaker software there's just a

lot of wasted potential if you enjoyed

please subscribe