Apple has been trying to convince us for years that the iPad is a computer. With the launch of the new 13-inch iPad Pro (M4), they might have finally cracked it. But they’ve also created something else: a device so thin it feels almost impossible, a screen that might be the best you’ve ever seen, and a price tag that could make your eyes water.
Apple calls it “Thinpossible.” It’s an outrageously powerful, unbelievably thin device with a “breakthrough” Tandem OLED display.
But is this sleek slab of glass and aluminium just a marketing marvel, or is it a genuinely game-changing tool for pros and a truly desirable luxury for the rest of us? We’ve dug into the specs and, more importantly, the real-world user experiences to find out if this ‘beast’ is worth the ‘bucket load’ price.
Apple iPad Pro 13-inch (M4): Ultra Retina XDR display, 256GB, Landscape 12MP Front Camera/12MP Back Camera, LiDAR scanner, Wi-Fi 6E, Face ID, All-Day Battery…
13-inch Ultra Retina XDR Display: A breakthrough “Tandem OLED” screen delivering extreme brightness and contrast, ProMotion technology (10Hz-120Hz), P3 wide colour, and True Tone for a stunning visual experience.
Outrageous Performance with M4 Chip: Powered by the new M4 chip, featuring up to a 10-core CPU and 10-core GPU for blazing-fast performance, game-changing graphics, and all-day battery life.
Advanced Pro Camera System: Includes a landscape 12MP Ultra Wide front camera with Centre Stage for video calls, a 12MP Wide back camera with Adaptive True Tone flash for 4K ProRes video, and a LiDAR scanner for enhanced AR experiences.
Pro Connectivity: Features fast Wi-Fi 6E for wireless connections and a high-performance USB-C connector with support for Thunderbolt / USB 4, allowing connection to external displays, drives, and more.
iPadOS & Pro Accessories: Runs iPadOS for productive and intuitive multitasking with features like Stage Manager. It supports the new Apple Pencil Pro and a redesigned, thinner Magic Keyboard with a haptic trackpad (accessories sold separately).
In Detail: The New Standard
Let’s be clear: this 13-inch iPad Pro is an engineering statement. At just 5.1mm, it’s the thinnest product Apple has ever made. Thinner than an iPod Nano. It’s so thin it makes its predecessor look chunky.
Inside this impossible chassis is the brand-new M4 chip. The 256GB model we’re reviewing packs a 9-core CPU and 8GB of RAM, which, frankly, is more power than most laptops had a couple of years ago.
But the real star of the show is the screen. Apple has stacked two OLED panels on top of each other to create what it calls the “Ultra Retina XDR” display. The promise is bonkers brightness, perfect blacks, and incredible HDR performance.
On paper, this isn’t just an upgrade; it’s a reinvention. As one user aptly put it, it’s “effectively a mobile desktop.” The only question is whether you need, or can afford, this much desktop in your backpack.
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Core Feature Analysis
‘Thinpossible’ Design: The 5.1mm Elephant in the Room
You can’t talk about this iPad without talking about its thickness, or lack thereof. At 5.1mm and weighing just 579 grams, this 13-inch tablet redefines ‘portable’.
This isn’t just a number on a spec sheet; it’s the first thing real-world users mention. The feedback is full of genuine astonishment. Reviewers call the thinness “absolutely insane” and “unbelievable.” One user captured it perfectly: “when you actually feel it in your hand, it’s unbelievable… and it’s so light. You can easily one hand this device.”
For a device this large, that’s a massive win for usability. It’s a “sublime tablet” that you’ll “hardly know you’re carrying.” Apple’s marketing claim holds up: the design is a triumph.
The Ultra Retina XDR: A Breakthrough Display?
This is it. This is the main reason to buy the Pro over any other iPad. Apple calls its new Tandem OLED screen an “Ultra Retina XDR display.”
The marketing hype appears to be justified. The user feedback is nothing short of ecstatic. It’s called “a dream,” “extraordinary resolution and brilliance,” and “absolutely beautiful.” One user with an older model noted the “much higher contrast than previous generations,” which is the key benefit of OLED—those perfect, inky blacks.
It’s also incredibly bright, hitting a claimed 1600 nits peak for HDR. This isn’t just for film buffs. One user confirmed its practical benefit: “It’s bright enough that when I go outside I can still clearly see what I am doing.”
For creative professionals, this screen is the entire sales pitch. An illustrator and 3D artist called it “breathtaking” and the heart of their “portable studio.” For drawing, painting, or photo editing, this display is as good as it gets.
M4 Power & Performance: A ‘Speed Demon’ Workhorse
Tucked inside the 256GB model is the M4 chip, with its 9-core CPU, 10-core GPU, and 8GB of RAM. (Note: you have to spring for the 1TB or 2TB models to get the full 10-core CPU and 16GB of RAM).
Does it matter? For most people, probably not. This thing is, by all accounts, ludicrously fast.
Users describe it as a “beast,” “so snappy to use,” and, our personal favourite, “if ipads was cars this would be a mclaren.”
One reviewer made the very sharp point that this iPad is “very powerful to the point where the majority of us won’t ever see that full power.” But they rightly see this as a positive, noting “it is great to know how future proof it is, this device will last for years to come.”
For those who can push it—video editors, 3D artists, or serious multitaskers—it’s a “workhorse that delivers in spades.”
Cameras, Audio, and Pro-Level Extras
Apple finally did it. They moved the front-facing camera to the landscape (long) edge. This is a huge quality-of-life fix, meaning you finally look at the camera properly on video calls. The front camera itself is a 12MP Ultra Wide with Centre Stage.
The back camera is a 12MP Wide shooter that can record 4K ProRes video, and it’s paired with a LiDAR scanner for 3D mapping and enhanced AR. The four-speaker audio and “studio-quality” four-mic array round out a package that is genuinely ‘Pro’.
Battery Life and The ‘Bucket Load’ Cost
Here’s the reality check. Apple claims “all-day battery life,” which translates to about 10 hours of web surfing or video watching.
User feedback suggests this is accurate, but not revolutionary. Owners say the “battery is pretty decent” and “can get you through the day,” but one noted it’s “the same as last generation… it would be great to see a battery bump sometime.” It’s perfectly fine, but it’s not the great leap forward that the screen and design are.
And then, the price. At £1,198.99 for the 256GB base model (and that’s before you add the “ridiculously expensive” new Magic Keyboard or Apple Pencil Pro), this is a serious investment.
The user reviews are refreshingly honest. “It costs a bucket load, of course,” says one. Another jokes, “For the price expected it to cook my dinner too!” This is the central conflict of the M4 iPad Pro: it offers a sublime experience at a sublime cost.
iPad Pro (M4) vs. The Competition
The M4 iPad Pro’s biggest rival isn’t from Samsung; it’s from Apple itself.
- vs. 13-inch iPad Air (M2): This is the real decision for most buyers. The new Air has the same 13-inch screen size, also supports the new Apple Pencil Pro, and is significantly cheaper. What do you give up? You get an M2 chip (which is still incredibly fast) and a standard Liquid Retina (LCD) screen. The Pro gives you the much better Tandem OLED display, the (overpowered) M4 chip, and that impossibly thin design. If you’re not a creative professional who lives in design apps, the Air is the smarter buy.
- vs. 11-inch iPad Pro (M4): This is a simpler choice. It has all the same “Pro” tech as its big brother—M4, OLED, thin design—just in a smaller, more portable (and slightly cheaper) package. The 13-inch is a “canvas”; the 11-inch is a “notebook.”
Our Verdict
The 13-inch iPad Pro (M4) is, without a doubt, the most impressive, best-engineered tablet on the planet. The Tandem OLED display is a genuine breakthrough, the M4 chip is wildly powerful, and the 5.1mm design is a feat of engineering that you have to feel to believe.
But it’s not for everyone.
This is a specialist tool for a specialist audience. It’s for the professional illustrator, 3D artist, or photographer who needs a “portable studio” and will use its power to earn a living. It’s for the tech enthusiast who wants the absolute bleeding-edge best, no matter the cost. As one user said, it’s a “workhorse that delivers in spades.”
For students, casual users, or even “pro-sumers” who just want a great big-screen tablet for media, notes, and multitasking, the 13-inch iPad Air (M2) is the far more sensible, and still excellent, choice.
This iPad is a “beast with the finesse of a princess.” It’s an astonishing piece of tech, but one that comes at a truly ‘pro’ price.
iPad Pro 2024 Pros and Cons
Pros:
Cons:
Final Rating: 4.5 / 5
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Additional Information
- Product: Apple iPad Pro 13-inch (M4), 256GB, Wi-Fi
- Manufacturer: Apple
- ASIN (from URL): B0D3J779GQ
- Model Year: 2024
- Dimensions: 281.6 mm x 215.5 mm x 5.1 mm
- Weight: 579 grams