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Internet forums are skewed because they are mostly people who don’t do anything to warrant the purchase of an iPad complaining that it doesn’t do anything “pro”. Meanwhile actual professionals and people who do use it just go about their business oblivious to the hemming and hawing.
 
I bought the 2020 12.9 literally a week before the upgrade. When IOS 15 comes out i expect FULL support. Apple told me this thing was the bee’s knees
 
i have a 2018 11” iPad Pro, and it more than meets my needs,,which are MS Office, web, email and a little design work. I never feel held back in whatever I want to do due to speed or screen quality. Best Apple purchase I ever made.
 
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What are the odds iPadOS 15 will only run on M1s? Thereby forcing you to upgrade your hardware if you want the software to take advantage of the hardware.
 
Looked good until zoomed in...

View attachment 1783235
Jesus, that is bad.

I have a FALD ASUS display (PG27UQ) and it has serious blooming. I knew, even with more zones, there would still be blooming but that’s worse than I thought.

the ASUS monitor is solely a gaming monitor so I feel like real world usage it’s not as prominent. But the second I start consuming media on the display, it’s obvious.

the iPad to me, is a media consumption device.

I’m holding onto my 2020 12” pro until an OLED or microLED model comes out.
 


In our latest YouTube video, MacRumors videographer Dan goes hands-on with the new 12.9-inch 2021 M1 iPad Pro and compares it to the 2020 12.9-inch iPad Pro to answer the question "Is it worth upgrading?"


Compared to the 2020 iPad Pro, the 2021 model features an upgraded M1 chip that's faster, a new Center Stage option powered by an Ultra Wide front-facing camera, a much improved mini-LED display that has much better contrast and blacker blacks, and a Thunderbolt port that improves connectivity with peripherals.

Make sure to check out the video to see what Dan thought and whether it's worth upgrading at this point in time, and watch to the end to see a Magic Keyboard comparison.

For a full rundown on all of the differences between the 2020 and the 2021 iPad Pro models, we have an in-depth iPad Pro Buyer's Guide that's designed to help you decide whether to make a purchase, plus there's also a version that compares the 2021 iPad Pro to the more affordable iPad Air.

Article Link: 2021 M1 iPad Pro vs. 2020 iPad Pro: Is It Worth Upgrading?
Thank you for the inclusion of the Magic Keyboard issue.
 
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I couldn’t imagine trying to accurately edit photos or videos on this “pro” device with local dimming. Contrast on fine detail will be noticeably different than overall contrast.

I could see it being a great consumption device if it fits your needs.
 
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I’ll tell ya what. If they blow me away with WWDC ipadOS announcements, I’ll upgrade my 2020. Otherwise I just don’t think it’s even a FOMO question.
 
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What are the odds iPadOS 15 will only run on M1s? Thereby forcing you to upgrade your hardware if you want the software to take advantage of the hardware.
Zero. Apple is designing iPadOS 15 to run on the vast majority of iPads out there which are running with less than 4GB of RAM. iPadOS 15 will need to run smoothly on iPads far less powerful than the M1 iPad Pros.
 
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All I can say is that I see a huge upgrade from my 2020 iPad 10.2” in every way possible.

I agree with the posts that all of this is subjective. Those who actually use the Pro to the fullest potential will probably never read this thread.
 
If they put macOS on it sure!
No file system
Not able to access ram higher than 5GB

NO!

You are aware that the 5 GB limitation is limited to apps and not the OS itself right? This will probably be lifted by a later software update, not that they need it as most apps likely do not require nearly that much.
 
It’s funny when people say they’re upgrading because they want a new device that is “future proof.”

Isn’t that what you said when you bought the model you already have?

Nope, not at all. I bought my 2017 iPP 512GB because I wanted 12.9 and more storage. I was originally planning to upgrade to 1TB ASAP. Alas, the sudden price jump to $1700/2018 11" 1TB LTE and $1900/2018 12.9" 1TB LTE put the brakes on that.

Ended up keeping the 2017 for 4 years. With M1, 16GB RAM and faster 1TB SSD, the 2021 actually seems like something I can use for another 4 years (probably more).
 
… you’re aware iPadOS can only access 5GB of that 8GB of memory, so it’s not that “huge” of an upgrade, yeah?

That's not true. Any single app is limited to 5GB max but the OS itself can allocate the entire 16GB as needed.

Usage-Memory 2021-05-28 at 1.01.16 PM.png
 
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I’m still waiting on mine to be shipped and replacing my 2020 12.9. If the blooming is as annoying as some people are saying it is, than I’m sticking with my 2020 for another year or so.
It isn't - mine arrived a few days ago and the screen is EXCELLENT. I'm upgrading from the very first 12.9" iPad Pro, so the jump is obviously pretty fantastic, but as one of the lucky few who also has regular access to an XDR ProDisplay as well, I can say with some confidence that you are getting a LOT of screen for your money... (Hard to do a direct comparison with something that's 32" but let's just say that, at their price point, there is not much that compares to either display). The degree to which photos and camera sensors exaggerate the bloom of sharp/bright white on black is significant. Your eyes just don't see it like that.
 
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No, it's not worth upgrading!

Edit: I have never owned an iPad but I feel compelled to share my wisdom.

Edit #2: On second thoughts, as an $AAPL shareholder, I strongly recommend you upgrade.

Edit #3: And if you don't own an iPad, there's never been a better time to get one.

Edit #4: This should not be construed as medical, legal, or financial advice.
Re: Edit #2
I also am fairly invested in AAPL, a little over 5K shares. Why is their stock off $17-18 a share from their high with the numbers they have been putting out? That being said, I was planning on holding until I retired in about 10 years but a cancer doctor that gave me a terminal diagnosis has changed my outlook just a bit. I do wish it would pick up a little steam. Need to make sure wife and daughter are taken care of.
 
Zero. Apple is designing iPadOS 15 to run on the vast majority of iPads out there which are running with less than 4GB of RAM. iPadOS 15 will need to run smoothly on iPads far less powerful than the M1 iPad Pros.

iPadOS 14 works on the Air 2 with A8X/2GB but the experience/smoothness can't compare to even a 2017 iPP with A10X/4GB.

With that said, coming from the 2018 and especially 2020 iPad Pro (6GB RAM standard), there are fewer reasons to upgrade. There's always something better that will be released anyway so if you don't have any complaints with your existing iPad, you could always just wait for an even bigger improvement.
 
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