M1 iPad Pro Offers 8GB or 16GB RAM Options for First Time, Based on Storage Capacity

[Zorori]

The fact that apple would reuse an existing chip doesn’t negate the fact that it really doesn’t take much RAM at all to manage the additional storage. It takes almost no extra RAM, in fact.

It's weird, but they did it before with the 2018 model. I believe the 2018 model had 4gb and 6gb on the largest model (1Tb?). That additional 2gb supposedly for managing storage and the ProCreate devs confirmed it wasn't accessible by applications.

The memory difference doesn't seem to be on the overview or the store/purchase page. It's only on the detailed tech specs page (under CPU), which is also rather strange. You'd think it would be on the purchase page!

Then again, I believe the iPhone / Pro have different amounts of RAM and Apple don't advertise that difference either 😖

 

[joecomo]

I think the new iMac only offers 8GB of RAM.

Yes it is clearly a “home” device - all the people complaining about the ports and the colors do not seem to get that.
For Pro-use the IO of the M1 is Just not sufficient.

This is the machine I am getting for my mother - as she is really struggling with her Mac Mini‘s incapacity to wake up the display and the keyboard lag (these machines are f..... up for non IT savvy users)

 

[joecomo]

They have to have virtualized macOS coming at WWDC, there is no other reason you would need 16GB RAM on an iPad Pro.

Would be good to know now - because that might justify the 2 TB drive. With iOS even 256GB would be enough - honestly I am getting the 1TB just to have 16GB RAM.

 

[stylinexpat]

One has to be a true idiot to buy this over a Macbook Air. I am sorry but those prices are complete madness especially with the 1TB/16GB option. It's an iPad!

You are around $1800 for 1TB,Cell Data, and 16GB of RAM. High end laptop prices here

 

[bradman83]

I was several pages in and didn’t see it yet - so, figured I would ask...

...has it been confirmed how much of the additional 8gb of RAM in the 1TB/2TB models is actually usable or is the increased ram for “managing the increased storage capacity”?

[like the extra 2gb (4gb —> 6gb) the 1TB model iPad Pros received in the past]

Apple’s never openly advertised the RAM specifications for iPads before, it’s usually been through teardowns or other testing that the public finds out. That they’re doing so now tells me that the additional RAM is likely accessible to apps.

 

[bradman83]

I think the new iMac only offers 8GB of RAM.

The new iMac base models start at 8GB and are configurable to 16GB (from the Tech Specs page).

 

[svish]

RAM increase is always nice. But 6 GB on the iPad Pro models are more than enough with the current iPadOS

 

[areudum]

One has to be a true idiot to buy this over a Macbook Air. I am sorry but those prices are complete madness especially with the 1TB/16GB option. It's an iPad!

It seems you dont even know how to use an ipad.

See. its a little thing called “being convenient”.

scribbling on an ipad is not the same as scribbling on a laptop. The ease of use is lightyears ahead. Are you the type of guy who use a fullblown laptop in bed for things other than work?

Try using an ipad. Thats litterally its thing.

I do mostly work on a laptop, but I get enjoyment from my Ipad. In case youre thinking, yes, enjoyment and entertainment purposes can very much make use of better hardware.

also, you dont need to buy a 1TB ipad.
If you think saying ipad is stupid i might as well call you an idiot for wanting a macbook. WindowsOS offers a much wider workarray. but you would still want a macbook, and i would still want an ipad, so whats the harm?


People who keep complaining about the specs, i got two things for you:

1: overkill is future proofing. Saying something is “too good” is stupid.

2: wanting better software is understandable, but please understand this event was for HARDWARE.

WWDC is what you want. Stop complaining, and save that for AFTER WWDC.

 

[Sidtech]

It is very likely too, considering the relative size of the iPad pro in comparison to the iMac and MacBooks, and total absence of fans (at least the MacBook Air has a metal pad which radiates heat away from M1 to the narrow vents below the screen) the M1 big CPU cores in iPad Pro is likely to be running lower than 3.0 GHz instead of 3.2Ghz and the GPU is very likely to be downclocked too

 

[prospervic]

Why are people STILL comparing an iPad to a Mac??

An iPad is not a Mac, and a Mac is not an iPad.

They are very different devices, and the price only matters to those that don't really want or need an iPad.

For God's sake, let it go.

This, exactly!

As I wrote in another forum:
Can an iPad replace a laptop?
No, it cannot. Unless for your particular needs, it can.

Can an iPad replace a laptop?
Yes, it can. Unless for your particular needs, it cannot.

 

[GuruZac]

Looool

So
128gb ipad pro 12.9" - $1849
and
256gb macbook air 13" - $1749


oollolol

Where do you live? A 256GB WiFi 12.9 iPad Pro is $1099 here in the US.

 

[Unregistered 4U]

Yes - that would be heaven for Road-Warriors - one device to rule them all

Road warriors want a device with one thunderbolt port?

 

[Unregistered 4U]

It's weird, but they did it before with the 2018 model. I believe the 2018 model had 4gb and 6gb on the largest model (1Tb?). That additional 2gb supposedly for managing storage and the ProCreate devs confirmed it wasn't accessible by applications.

I do remember reading that article now. I wonder if it was a software imposed limitation that eventually went away or is still true now? Someone get the ProCreate devs on the horn!

 

[cobioguy]

At least the additional ram explains the crazy price between 512 and 1tb a bit more

 

[Zorori]

I do remember reading that article now. I wonder if it was a software imposed limitation that eventually went away or is still true now? Someone get the ProCreate devs on the horn!

Last time I checked it wasn't removed.

More Layers on iPadPro 2018 1TB

This is for community Help & Support - seek answers, share solutions, and help others.

folio.procreate.art

One of the other news sites mentioned that Apple added the ram to those versions because users of those iPads were more likely to open large files in creative applications (videos, etc). Hence it being used for cacheing by the OS and not usable by apps.

So if that's still the case, the 16GB version wouldn't support more layers -- but it might be 'smoother' (for lack of a better word) running more applications. e.g. Using Safari then quickly using another application may not cause all the windows to refresh.

I'd check this thread for the 2021 models:

2021 iPad Pro RAM and Procreate?

This is for community Help & Support - seek answers, share solutions, and help others.

folio.procreate.art

 

[I WAS the one]

I was almost feel bad for myself with my iPad Pro 2018 12.9" and then I remember my iPad Pro was the first with the M1 in disguised! (A12X Bionic) Codename: M1 with 8 Cores Processor and 7 Cores GPU at 64bit Architecture running at 2.5GHZ with a 12mb L1 cache... I know, right! I have the same machine minus the XDR retina display (basically) SOOO if I were you I will be running to eBay to get a 2018 iPad Pro at $300 until they find out it's still a beast. Thank me later.

 

[M1 Processor]

That much RAM for what? Did ANYONE have an issue with 6gb before? Even with multiple windows?

It's STILL iPad OS, nothing there is different. They would have to make the OS far different to justify buying a more expensive iPad for an overkill M1 and mini-LED.

I have ran into performance issues with my 2020 iPad Pro with 6GB of RAM on Affinity Photo. The extra 2GB of RAM will be very useful for me, but I agree there are issues with iPadOS, like you can't even play two audio streams at the same time, file management, ect.

 

[jk1221]

I have ran into performance issues with my 2020 iPad Pro with 6GB of RAM on Affinity Photo. The extra 2GB of RAM will be very useful for me, but I agree there are issues with iPadOS, like you can't even play two audio streams at the same time, file management, ect.

I was really referring to 16gb. They bump it up very year so 8gb is not surprising. I can't image the extra storage needs 8gb extra/double RAM.

But https://www.macrumors.com/2021/04/22/apple-joswiak-no-merging-ipad-mac/. And the iOS 15 rumors today from Gurman so far are a new lock screen and, big showstopper, widgets anywhere on iPad like the iPhone. Big power features for 16gb of RAM and an M1.

It's still just a vastly overpowered iOS device otherwise hamstrung by the OS.

 

[M1 Processor]

I was really referring to 16gb. They bump it up very year so 8gb is not surprising. I can't image the extra storage needs 8gb extra/double RAM.

But https://www.macrumors.com/2021/04/22/apple-joswiak-no-merging-ipad-mac/. And the iOS 15 rumors today from Gurman so far are a new lock screen and, big showstopper, widgets anywhere on iPad like the iPhone. Big power features for 16gb of RAM and an M1.

It's still just a vastly overpowered iOS device otherwise hamstrung by the OS.

I agree with you, and like I said iOS is very limited compared to macOS, Windows or even Android in capability. With all this extra power on tap, I hope the iPad OS gets a major overhaul.

 

[keyofnight]

As a photographer, I would actually buy the iPad pro, maxed out, to use as a travel laptop and for location shooting, but not if it doesn't run Mac OS and Lightroom Classic and Photoshop.

Without Mac OS, it seems wildly overbuilt and overpriced. With Mac OS, this is an ideal tool for me.

I wonder how that will play out? Everything else with an M1 chip runs Mac OS... Any indication this might be able to switch between the two?

Well, you might get your wish. The M1 enables virtualization at the hardware level. If they haven't crippled the M1 (which I'm fairly confident they haven't), then you might see interesting OSes running on the iPad through a port of Parallels. (Imagine Windows ARM running on iPad in tablet mode, with full Apple Pencil support?)

But honestly, I'd rather have the native Lightroom / Photoshop apps on the iPad. I think they're pretty good apps, and they're about to get better with M1.

 

[Burks95]

I like iPad OS as it is. Nice optimized powerful apps. It’s for a new generation of people who like working on touch based apps first and are not constrained by old workflows. There is a full featured affinity suite. With photoshop getting better, Lightroom etc. We have sharper 3D for cad drawings, LumaFusion for video editing (we may see a final cut mini at WWDC). Or directors and film studios can view cuts on the fly. Or people who wanna game. They can but on optimized apps for Apple. I know it will be downvoted. But you know what. iPad OS is a great OS for a lot of people.

Good for you having the guts to go against the grain. I know most people talk about the underpowered iOS, but like you, even coming from a traditional keyboard and mouse workflow, I think the iPad’s are progressing nicely and offer a great combination of powerful apps and modern touch-screen elements.

 

[Steve121178]

They have to have virtualized macOS coming at WWDC, there is no other reason you would need 16GB RAM on an iPad Pro.

Surely if apps like Final Cut are potentially coming, then 16GB is ideal for power hungry apps like that?

Remember, the 2021 iPad Pro is being released with the next few versions of iPadOS very much in mind.

 

[tivoboy]

My understanding of one of the limitations in iOS vs. MacOS is that with the architecture and OS on the ipad, it cannot use the onboard storage as a swap disk or cache for the onboard RAM so therefore when working with very large files, images, videos, content the more RAM one actually has resident the better the experience is going to be vs. doing the same thing with MacOS. If that limatation is going to exist through a couple more IoS versions and or ipad/device versions then apple making higher available RAM even at the base levels seems necessary if they want to continue to push these devices into the professional work device space.

 

[stylinexpat]

My understanding of one of the limitations in iOS vs. MacOS is that with the architecture and OS on the ipad, it cannot use the onboard storage as a swap disk or cache for the onboard RAM so therefore when working with very large files, images, videos, content the more RAM one actually has resident the better the experience is going to be vs. doing the same thing with MacOS. If that limatation is going to exist through a couple more IoS versions and or ipad/device versions then apple making higher available RAM even at the base levels seems necessary if they want to continue to push these devices into the professional work device space.

More RAM is a welcome. Looking to update my older iPad Pro.