Apple is determined to stay on top of the mobile tablet market, and that became clearer than ever at its “Spring Loaded” event. The company has introduced an updated iPad Pro for 2021 with computer-level performance — in part because it’s using more technology designed for computers.
Both the 11- and 12.9-inch iPad Pro for 2021 center on the M1 processor previously found only in the Mac. The chip delivers up to 50% greater performance than in the previous iPad Pro, with as much as 40% faster graphics and up to 16GB of memory. You’ll also get optional 5G data as well as features you might not expect in a mobile tablet, including a Thunderbolt port for high-speed peripherals (including the Pro Display XDR at full 6K) and twice-as-fast storage up to 2TB.
There’s also a stronger incentive to buy the larger iPad Pro in 2021. The 12.9-inch model is Apple’s first device with a mini-LED display, and it promises image quality closer to what you’d get from the Pro Display XDR. The Liquid Display XDR’s 10,000 lights give it 1,600-nit brightness and a 1,000,000:1 contrast ratio that’s exceptionally high for a non-OLED screen. You can better rely on this for color-accurate photo and video work.
Even the front camera has received a welcome update in the 2021 iPad Pro. The 12MP ultra-wide front sensor introduces Center Stage, a Facebook Portal-style feature that keeps people in frame as they move around. You don’t have to stand directly in front of the iPad during a work call or a remote family get-together.
As before, though, you’ll be paying a premium. The 2021 iPad Pro will be available to order April 30 starting at the same $799 for the 11-inch iPad Pro with WiFi and 128GB of storage, and a steeper $1,099 for the 12.9-inch edition. That’s before factoring in accessories like the Magic Keyboard ($299 or $349 depending on size, and now available in white) or the $129 Apple Pencil. The two ship later in May.
Jane Brown 
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Sean Lee