Apple announced its new iPad Pro at the ‘Spring Loaded’ event. If you’re wondering what’s new compared to last year’s iPad Pro, you’re not alone. Thankfully, we’ve got a breakdown of all the differences here.
First and foremost, the most significant change with the iPad Pro (2021) is it now features Apple’s custom M1 chip — the same system-on-a-chip (SoC) in the company’s new MacBook Pro, Air, Mac mini and recently announced iMac. That means the iPad Pro (2021) features some significant performance lift over the 2020 Pro.
On its website, Apple lists the iPad Pro (2021) as having 50 percent faster CPU performance and 40 percent faster GPU performance and, while those numbers are a tad vague, it should mean the iPad Pro (2021) will be an incredibly capable device.
M1 aside, other standout new features include 5G support for the cellular iPad Pro (the 2020 model only had 4G), as well as the new Mini-LED ‘Liquid Retina XDR’ display. The fancy new screen is only available on the larger 12.9-inch iPad Pro and uses 10,000 mini LEDs to create a high contrast ratio.
There’s also a new 2TB storage configuration and a ‘White’ colour variant for the iPad Pro (2021).
While those are the big new changes, we’ve also got a full spec sheet below so you can scour through every new pixel and byte of the iPad Pro (2021).
iPad Pro 11-inch (2021)
11-inch iPad Pro (2020)
iPad Pro 12.9-inch (2021)
12.9-inch iPad Pro (2020)
Display
11-inch IPS Liquid Retina display, 2388 x 1668 pixel resolution
11-inch IPS Liquid Retina display, 2388 x 1668 pixel resolution
12.9-inch IPS Liquid XDR Retina display, 2048 x 2732 pixel resolution
12.9-inch IPS Liquid Retina display, 2048 x 2732 pixel resolution
Processor
Apple M1 chip
Apple A12Z Bionic
Apple M1 chip
Apple A12Z Bionic
RAM
8GB of RAM, 16GB of RAM
6GB
8GB of RAM, 16GB of RAM
6GB
Storage
128GB, 256GB, 512GB, 1TB, 2TB
128GB, 256GB, 512GB, 1TB
128GB, 256GB, 512GB, 1TB, 2TB
128GB, 256GB, 512GB, 1TB
Dimensions (in.)
247.6 x 178.5 x 5.9mm
247.6 x 178.5 x 5.9mm
280.6 x 214.9 x 6.4mm
280.6 x 214.9 x 5.9mm
Weight
466g
471g
682g
641g
Rear Facing Camera
12-megapixel f/1.8 aperture, 10-megapixel f/2.4 aperture
12-megapixel (f/1.8 aperture) + 10-megapixel (f/2.4 aperture), ToF
12-megapixel f/1.8 aperture, 10-megapixel f/2.4 aperture
12-megapixel (f/1.8 aperture) + 10-megapixel (f/2.4 aperture), ToF
Front Facing Camera
12-megapixel ultrawide f/2.4
7-megapixel (f/2.2 aperture)
12-megapixel ultrawide f/2.4
7-megapixel (f/2.2 aperture)
OS
iPadOS 14
iPadOS 14
iOS 14
iPadOS 14
Battery
28.65-watt-hour
40.88-watt-hour
Network Connectivity
GSM/HSPA/LTE/5G
Wi-Fi up to 802.11.ac, LTE (23 bands), Bluetooth 5.0, GSM / CDMA / HSPA / EVDO / LTE
GSM/HSPA/LTE/5G
Wi-Fi up to 802.11.ac, LTE (23 bands), Bluetooth 5.0, GSM / CDMA / HSPA / EVDO / LTE
Sensors
Face ID, Three axis gyro, Accelerometer, Ambient light sensor, Barometer
Face ID, Three axis gyro, Accelerometer, Ambient light sensor, Barometer
Face ID, Three axis gyro, Accelerometer, Ambient light sensor, Barometer
Face ID, Three axis gyro, Accelerometer, Ambient light sensor, Barometer
SIM Type
Nano SIM, eSIM
eSIM
Nano SIM, eSIM
Nano SIM, eSIM
Launch Date
April 30, 2021
March 18, 2020
April 30, 2021
March 18, 2020
Misc
Colours | Silver, Space Grey
Colours: Silver, Space Gray
Colours: Silver, Space Gray
Colours: Silver, Space Gray
Display
iPad Pro 11-inch (2021)
11-inch IPS Liquid Retina display, 2388 x 1668 pixel resolution
11-inch iPad Pro (2020)
11-inch IPS Liquid Retina display, 2388 x 1668 pixel resolution
iPad Pro 12.9-inch (2021)
12.9-inch IPS Liquid XDR Retina display, 2048 x 2732 pixel resolution
12.9-inch iPad Pro (2020)
12.9-inch IPS Liquid Retina display, 2048 x 2732 pixel resolution
Processor
iPad Pro 11-inch (2021)
Apple M1 chip
11-inch iPad Pro (2020)
Apple A12Z Bionic
iPad Pro 12.9-inch (2021)
Apple M1 chip
12.9-inch iPad Pro (2020)
Apple A12Z Bionic
RAM
iPad Pro 11-inch (2021)
8GB of RAM, 16GB of RAM
11-inch iPad Pro (2020)
6GB
iPad Pro 12.9-inch (2021)
8GB of RAM, 16GB of RAM
12.9-inch iPad Pro (2020)
6GB
Storage
iPad Pro 11-inch (2021)
128GB, 256GB, 512GB, 1TB, 2TB
11-inch iPad Pro (2020)
128GB, 256GB, 512GB, 1TB
iPad Pro 12.9-inch (2021)
128GB, 256GB, 512GB, 1TB, 2TB
12.9-inch iPad Pro (2020)
128GB, 256GB, 512GB, 1TB
Dimensions (in.)
iPad Pro 11-inch (2021)
247.6 x 178.5 x 5.9mm
11-inch iPad Pro (2020)
247.6 x 178.5 x 5.9mm
iPad Pro 12.9-inch (2021)
280.6 x 214.9 x 6.4mm
12.9-inch iPad Pro (2020)
280.6 x 214.9 x 5.9mm
Weight
iPad Pro 11-inch (2021)
466g
11-inch iPad Pro (2020)
471g
iPad Pro 12.9-inch (2021)
682g
12.9-inch iPad Pro (2020)
641g
Rear Facing Camera
iPad Pro 11-inch (2021)
12-megapixel f/1.8 aperture, 10-megapixel f/2.4 aperture
11-inch iPad Pro (2020)
12-megapixel (f/1.8 aperture) + 10-megapixel (f/2.4 aperture), ToF
iPad Pro 12.9-inch (2021)
12-megapixel f/1.8 aperture, 10-megapixel f/2.4 aperture
12.9-inch iPad Pro (2020)
12-megapixel (f/1.8 aperture) + 10-megapixel (f/2.4 aperture), ToF
Front Facing Camera
iPad Pro 11-inch (2021)
12-megapixel ultrawide f/2.4
11-inch iPad Pro (2020)
7-megapixel (f/2.2 aperture)
iPad Pro 12.9-inch (2021)
12-megapixel ultrawide f/2.4
12.9-inch iPad Pro (2020)
7-megapixel (f/2.2 aperture)
OS
iPad Pro 11-inch (2021)
iPadOS 14
11-inch iPad Pro (2020)
iPadOS 14
iPad Pro 12.9-inch (2021)
iOS 14
12.9-inch iPad Pro (2020)
iPadOS 14
Battery
iPad Pro 11-inch (2021)
28.65-watt-hour
11-inch iPad Pro (2020)
iPad Pro 12.9-inch (2021)
40.88-watt-hour
12.9-inch iPad Pro (2020)
Network Connectivity
iPad Pro 11-inch (2021)
GSM/HSPA/LTE/5G
11-inch iPad Pro (2020)
Wi-Fi up to 802.11.ac, LTE (23 bands), Bluetooth 5.0, GSM / CDMA / HSPA / EVDO / LTE
iPad Pro 12.9-inch (2021)
GSM/HSPA/LTE/5G
12.9-inch iPad Pro (2020)
Wi-Fi up to 802.11.ac, LTE (23 bands), Bluetooth 5.0, GSM / CDMA / HSPA / EVDO / LTE
Sensors
iPad Pro 11-inch (2021)
Face ID, Three axis gyro, Accelerometer, Ambient light sensor, Barometer
11-inch iPad Pro (2020)
Face ID, Three axis gyro, Accelerometer, Ambient light sensor, Barometer
iPad Pro 12.9-inch (2021)
Face ID, Three axis gyro, Accelerometer, Ambient light sensor, Barometer
12.9-inch iPad Pro (2020)
Face ID, Three axis gyro, Accelerometer, Ambient light sensor, Barometer
SIM Type
iPad Pro 11-inch (2021)
Nano SIM, eSIM
11-inch iPad Pro (2020)
eSIM
iPad Pro 12.9-inch (2021)
Nano SIM, eSIM
12.9-inch iPad Pro (2020)
Nano SIM, eSIM
Launch Date
iPad Pro 11-inch (2021)
April 30, 2021
11-inch iPad Pro (2020)
March 18, 2020
iPad Pro 12.9-inch (2021)
April 30, 2021
12.9-inch iPad Pro (2020)
March 18, 2020
Misc
iPad Pro 11-inch (2021)
Colours | Silver, Space Grey
11-inch iPad Pro (2020)
Colours: Silver, Space Gray
iPad Pro 12.9-inch (2021)
Colours: Silver, Space Gray
12.9-inch iPad Pro (2020)
Colours: Silver, Space Gray
You can learn more about the iPad Pro (2021) on Apple’s website.
Image credit: Apple
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