iPad Pro 2022 vs. iPad Pro 2024 Buyer's Guide: 25 Differences Compared

[MacRumors]

Apple's new iPad Pro models come almost a year and a half after their predecessors, offering 25 significant changes and upgrades.

The 2022 iPad Pro was a minor upgrade that added the M2 chip and Apple Pencil hover, as well as support for Wi-Fi 6E, Bluetooth 5.3, and Smart HDR 4. The 2024 refresh is much more substantial, with more than two dozen changes and generation-over-generation improvements.

The ‌2022 iPad Pro‌ models have now been discontinued by Apple, but they may still be found refurbished and with third-party resellers for lower prices. As such, some customers may be weighing up whether to buy the 2022 ‌iPad Pro‌ or the new 2024 models.

The iPad Pros from 2022 and 2024 share many of their key features, so should you consider buying or sticking with the older model to save money? This breakdown also serves as a way to clearly see all the differences that the new ‌iPad Pro‌ brings to the table.

iPad Pro (2022)	iPad Pro (2024)
11- or 12.9-inch display	11- or 13-inch display
Liquid Retina or Liquid Retina XDR display LED or mini-LED backlit display with IPS	Ultra Retina XDR display Tandem OLED
SDR brightness: 600 nits max	SDR brightness: 1000 nits max
	Nano-texture display glass option on 1TB and 2TB models
M2 chip (5nm, N5P)	M4 chip (3nm enhanced, N3E)
8-core CPU	9- or 10-core CPU
	Hardware-accelerated ray tracing
Hardware-accelerated H.264, HEVC, ProRes, and ProRes RAW	Hardware-accelerated 8K H.264, HEVC, ProRes, and ProRes RAW
ProRes encode and decode engine	ProRes encode and decode engine AV1 decode
100GB/s memory bandwidth	120GB/s memory bandwidth
	Improved thermal design with graphite sheets and copper
10MP ƒ/2.4 Ultra Wide camera
2x optical zoom out and digital zoom up to 5x	Digital zoom up to 5x
	ProRes video recording up to 4K at 60 fps with external recording
True Tone flash	Adaptive True Tone flash
	Rear ambient light sensor
12MP Ultra Wide front-facing camera	Landscape 12MP Ultra Wide front-facing camera
Sub-6GHz and mmWave 5G support	Sub-6GHz 5G support only
Physical SIM card slot	eSIM only
Depth: 5.9mm or 6.4mm	Depth: 5.3mm or 5.1mm
Weight: 1.03 pounds (466 grams) or 1.5 pounds (682 grams)	Weight: 0.98 pounds (444 grams) or 1.28 pounds (579 grams)
Supports Apple Pencil (USB‑C) and Apple Pencil (2nd generation)	Supports Apple Pencil (USB‑C) and Apple Pencil Pro
Supports Magic Keyboard for iPad and Smart Keyboard Folio	Supports Magic Keyboard for iPad Pro (M4)
Available with 128GB, 256GB, 512GB, 1TB, and 2TB storage	Available with 256GB, 512GB, 1TB, and 2TB storage
Available in Silver and Space Gray	Available in Silver and Space Black

Overall, the new iPad Pro is an unusually significant upgrade over the previous generation, offering a large number of improvements that meaningfully improve the hardware experience with the device. The move to a high-end OLED display, thinner and lighter design, Adaptive True Tone flash, and landscape 12MP Ultra Wide front-facing camera are noticeable improvements that almost all users will benefit from. Features like the M4 chip, nano-texture display option, and Apple Pencil Pro support have the potential to enhance specific tasks and processes with the device, which could be particularly important to the likes of content creators and digital artists.

However, it is important to note that the new iPad Pro does not have any software advantages over previous versions of the device. Upgrading to the latest model is unlikely to dramatically change workflows, but it should offer a better overall experience. Users with an older iPad Pro, such as a 2018 model or older, have considerably more to gain by upgrading.

Article Link: iPad Pro 2022 vs. iPad Pro 2024 Buyer's Guide: 25 Differences Compared

 

[averagenerd81]

I am trading in my M1 11" for the 13" 256GB. The M1 is still beyond fast and unless they do something with iPadOS the M4 won't make any difference.

However, I wanted to get away from the 128GB storage option on the 11" and I also wanted the physically larger screen. Trade in is $385 which is likely what I would get from an outright sale.

Here is to hoping that they actually do something with iPadOS to make use of the fact that this really is a convertible with the keyboard/trackpad option.

 

[ShivneelSingh]

I’m tempted to trade-in my 2022 iPad Pro 12.9 1TB for the new 12.9 256 GB.

Thinner; lighter; OLED.

 

[Fuzzball84]

I think the more appropriate comparison would be to an iPad Pro pre magic keyboard compatibility.. or 2018 version at the most. Thats where most users are likely to be upgrading from..

But still nice to see the comparison for people who live on the cutting edge for ipad pro.

Really looking forward to see the display and magic keyboard in store. Nice upgrades if you're due one.

 

[Alphazoid]

Gonna keep an eye out for refurb M1 or M2 12.9 iPP

None of the new iPads interest me at their current price points.

Maybe in 3yrs when they lan in the refurb store

 

[xpxp2002]

They dropped the ultrawide lens and mmWave from the newer Pro models?!

 

[theheadguy]

I'm confused... is the experience going to be worse? If not, how did they compensate? Not clear on that...

 

[cupcakes2000]

Just wish they would offer a bigger size.

 

[d5aqoëp]

What about Wifi specs? Any upgrade to Wifi7 standard?

 

[AlexJaye]

Could’ve been a website update only.

“New iPads, worse pricing, here to rip you off again!”

 

[jaytv111]

View attachment 2375540

I'm confused... is the experience going to be worse? If not, how did they compensate? Not clear on that...

It appears to have one camera, LIDAR, LED, ambient light sensor, and some other small sensor (not a camera, not sure what it is), but not a 2-camera system anymore, no.
Reason must be how few people even use rear-facing cameras on the iPad, so if the ultrawide is improved but the zoom sensor is gone it may be better for its purposes, and it just doesn't need to be a zooming camera for most people. If you need to shoot far away photos get a mirrorless!

 

[BenGoren]

While this is clearly the one to want to buy today … I still don’t see a compelling reason to upgrade from my 3rd generation 12.9” (the last with the A-series chip).

That is … yes, of course, I’d happily take the new one today, but no way am I spending thousands for the privilege for the upgrade.

Indeed, I suspect that I won’t be upgrading my iPad until something catastrophic happens to it, no matter what sorts of improvements Apple makes to new versions … the thing is just such a workhorse.

b&

 

[winxmac]

Checked the article version and forum version but what is /td>

It appears to have one camera, LIDAR, LED, ambient light sensor, and some other small sensor (not a camera, not sure what it is), but not a 2-camera system anymore, no.
Reason must be how few people even use rear-facing cameras on the iPad, so if the ultrawide is improved but the zoom sensor is gone it may be better for its purposes, and it just doesn't need to be a zooming camera for most people. If you need to shoot far away photos get a mirrorless!

It was a main [wide] camera and ultrawide...

 

[henrikhelmers]

Reason must be how few people even use rear-facing cameras on the iPad, so if the ultrawide is improved but the zoom sensor is gone it may be better for its purposes, and it just doesn't need to be a zooming camera for most people. If you need to shoot far away photos get a mirrorless!

With a single camera it would have been nice to get the 48MP camera from the iPhone. Works well in 2x for things like document capture.

 

[kiensoy]

It should've kept two cameras for Spatial Video.

 

[Hogswarts]

What's the weight of the new Magic Keyboards (11" and 13")? The old 12.9" was ~700g and heavier than the iPad Pro. The combo was nearly 3 lbs.

 

[ematerial]

It appears to have one camera, LIDAR, LED, ambient light sensor, and some other small sensor (not a camera, not sure what it is), but not a 2-camera system anymore, no.
Reason must be how few people even use rear-facing cameras on the iPad, so if the ultrawide is improved but the zoom sensor is gone it may be better for its purposes, and it just doesn't need to be a zooming camera for most people. If you need to shoot far away photos get a mirrorless!

Does anyone know if ProRes Log is supported on the new iPad Pros? Assume not since they didn't mention it.

 

[Gengar]

I’m guessing they cut the ultra wide lens and mmWave to keep it more affordable. Most people won’t miss the mmWave 5G, but that sucks for the camera.

 

[ldenning]

What about Wifi specs? Any upgrade to Wifi7 standard?

Nope, 6e.

 

[Crow_Servo]

The lack of mmWave 5G is so weird. You would think the Pro-level iPad would warrant the fastest 5G connection, like the previous 5G iPad Pros. All the more reason to get WiFi-only and hotspot from an mmWave-supported phone.

Plus, I totally agree with henrikhelmers that they should’ve made the remaining camera 48MP to make up for removing the Ultra Wide.

Other than those little nitpicks (which aren’t actually dealbreakers), this is a very nice iPad Pro release. Of course, I wish they’d start with a base 12GB RAM instead of 8GB, but it’s not shocking that they kept the RAM configurations the same as before.

I’m tempted to get the 13” since I’ve never had that iPad size before, but I fear that I wouldn’t find it convenient as a tablet. Even though these new ones are lighter than before, the 13” is heavier than my Air 4, and a little too unwieldy for handheld use.

 

[xpxp2002]

I’m guessing they cut the ultra wide lens and mmWave to keep it more affordable. Most people won’t miss the mmWave 5G, but that sucks for the camera.

Nope, 6e.

I figured as much, but the whole point of the "Pros" is that you're paying a premium for the best. I completely agree with omitting these from the Air and lower models.

And given how long it has been since the 2022 iPad Pro came out, this feels like a fairly incremental upgrade and in some cases, an actual downgrade. I have to admit as a 2022 iPad Pro owner, I feel completely vindicated in not waiting for the new models.

 

[liberte1776]

No WiFi 7, FAIL.

 

[szw-mapple fan]

View attachment 2375540

I'm confused... is the experience going to be worse? If not, how did they compensate? Not clear on that...

They dropped the ultrawide lens and mmWave from the newer Pro models?!

For me personally the experience will be unchanged. I’ve owned my iPad for years and never once used the ultra wide to do anything. I would much prefer to have the main camera be better at document scanning, which the new one offers with the updated flash.

 

[G5isAlive]

They dropped the ultrawide lens and mmWave from the newer Pro models?!

View attachment 2375540

I'm confused... is the experience going to be worse? If not, how did they compensate? Not clear on that...

With a single camera it would have been nice to get the 48MP camera from the iPhone. Works well in 2x for things like document capture.

It should've kept two cameras for Spatial Video.

I’ve never really felt the need to take pictures with my iPad when I have a more capable iPhone on hand. Why pay for cameras on both? How often is your phone not handy?

Not taking away from those that like redundancy.. just offering another perspective

 

[TVreporter]

Hopefully see some refurb deals on the 2022 now.