Both iPad Pro models benefit from an upgrade by hosting the M2 chip in place of the M1, without changing for the rest. As a result, a small welcome increase in performance… and a sharp increase in price!
At the same time as the new “very short” iPad of 10e generation (see our article), presented on Tuesday September 18, 2022 without a keynote, just with a press release, Apple has renewed its iPad Pro range, which still includes two models: the 11-inch iPad Pro and the iPad Pro 12.9 inches. Main novelty: the integration of an M2 chip, replacing the M1 fitted to the previous generation, released in 2021. This is the only physical difference, because, for the rest, the new iPad Pros do not change anything, retaining exactly the same exterior appearance, unlike the iPad 10 which has undergone a complete redesign. However, the two models have a major difference compared to their predecessors: prices have risen sharply. An increase that is becoming systematic at Apple at the moment, both for products and for services…
What are the technical characteristics of the iPad Pro 2022?
No matter how hard you look, you won’t find any exterior difference between the 2022 iPad Pros and the previous year’s models. They are identical to the nearest millimeter and gram. No new colors either: the new iPad Pros are still available in light gray and dark gray. On the screen side, again no change. The 12.9-inch is equipped with a so-called Liquid Retina XDR screen with miniLED lighting with a definition of 2732 x 2048 pixels, for a resolution of 264 points per inch (ppi) and a maximum brightness of 1600 nits for HDR content. . Those who hoped that the 11-inch model would also inherit a miniLED screen will therefore be disappointed, since it also remains on the same panel as the model it replaces – a so-called Liquid Retina screen “for short”, with a definition of 2388 x 1668 pixels for a resolution of 264 dpi, but therefore does not have the capacity to display HDR content. Too bad for a model stamped Pro.
We also note that the iPad Pro M2 have not adopted the new placement of the webcam of the iPad 10 either, which therefore remains placed on one of the short sides and is therefore only up in front of you if you are holding your iPad in mode portrait. It’s a safe bet that future models will adopt the “landscape mode” placement of the iPad 10, which should gradually become standard across the entire iPad line.
There is still an advantage to keeping exactly the same dimensions: you won’t need to change your accessories if you replace your iPad Pro M1 with an M2. Which won’t be true if you’re upgrading from an older model, if only because of the size of the photo module on the back.
It is therefore inside that we must look for the differences, at the first of which we therefore find the processor. The already very powerful M1 has been replaced by the even more powerful M2, the same chip that also equips the current range of MacBook Air, with which the iPad Pro will therefore share more or less the same performance. With a gain of around 15 to 20% compared to the M1 models. As a reminder, an M2 processor has 8 traditional computing cores (4 high performance and 4 high energy efficiency) for the CPU part, 16 graphics cores for the GPU unit and a 16-core Neural Engine. The whole is completed by 8 GB of RAM on the models with 128, 256 and 512 GB of storage, and 16 GB of RAM for the high-end models with 1 and 2 TB of storage. The M2 chip also gives them new encoders allowing them to work faster with content in ProRes format. On the wireless connection side, the iPad Pro M2 adopt the Wi-Fi 6E standard and Bluetooth 5.3. They also come in a 5G cellular version, like their predecessors.
Even if the iPad Pro M2 remain compatible with the Apple Pencil of 2e generation, they nevertheless benefit from a new function reserved for them. Called Flyover, it allows the two iPad Pro M2s to detect the tip of the stylus even before it touches the surface of the screen. And this up to a distance of 12 mm. It was a long-awaited function by graphic designers in particular, which allows them to know precisely where they will start drawing and also, for example, to modify the size of the brush without having to try on the drawing itself. Because not only does the iPad detect the presence of the stylus, but it is also capable of displaying the size of the line that the latter will draw Too strong! As often, Apple did not invent the concept, but the first published tests seem to show that Apple went all the way by ensuring the extreme precision of the detection so that we are never surprised by the position of the stylus when you finally touch the screen. Unlike what can happen on some Microsoft Surface tablets.
This hover function is also very practical for navigating in the interface, transforming the Pencil into a real ultra-precise mouse. As soon as the Pencil is detected, the iPad also behaves exactly as if a mouse were connected and slightly magnifies the icons of the home screen on hovering with the stylus or displays a small selection circle everywhere else, a circle that replaces the mouse arrow on iPads. Practice !
What is the price of the iPad Pro M2?
Now let’s talk about the annoying things. We easily agree, the iPad Pro have never been the most affordable tablets. But the switch to the M2 processor is an opportunity for Apple to increase the price of all models by at least 170 euros, the first 11-inch iPad Pro model going for example from 899 to 1069 euros. While the first 12.9-inch iPad Pro model goes from 1219 to 1469 euros! Admittedly, the rate of the dollar is not favorable to the euro at the moment. And the transition from M1 to M2 justifies a slight increase. But the bill is really very high and Apple’s pricing policy could end up putting off its most loyal customers… Especially since the prices of the options have also increased since you now have to pay 200 euros more to switch from the Wi model. -Fi to the 5G cellular model of the iPad Pro M2, compared to 170 euros for the M1 models. And we’re not talking about accessories. Here are some examples of the official rates.
- iPad Pro M2 11-inch Wi-Fi / 5G 128 GB: 1069 euros / 1269 euros
- iPad Pro M2 11-inch Wi-Fi / 5G 256 GB: 1199 euros / 1399 euros
- iPad Pro M2 11 inches Wi-Fi / 5G 512 GB: 1449 euros / 1649 euros
- iPad Pro M2 12.9 inch Wi-Fi / 5G 128 GB: 1429 euros / 1669 euros
- iPad Pro M2 12.9 inch Wi-Fi / 5G 256 GB: 1599 euros / 1769 euros
- iPad Pro M2 12.9 inch Wi-Fi / 5G 512 GB: 1849 euros / 2049 euros
When is the iPad Pro M2 release date?
As often with Apple, products are available for pre-order as soon as they are officially announced, or a few days later. This is the case for the iPad Pro M2 that can be ordered from the Apple Store and in specialist shops – Amazon, Fnac-Darty, Boulanger, Cdiscount, Rakuten… – since their presentation. They will actually be available from October 26. Note that the previous M1 chip-based models have already disappeared from the Apple catalog to make way for the M1 models. But you can still find them at many retailers, the time to run out of stock. The opportunity to have a slightly less efficient iPad… and much cheaper!