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After Apple directly replaced the Apple M1 processor and mini-LED screen for the iPad Pro 2021, I believe many people are very interested in this new M1 iPad Pro 2021, but they remain on the sidelines. Mr. Crazy has already started with the iPad Pro 2020. I use it, and now I buy the 12.9-inch iPad Pro 2021 again for unpacking and comprehensive comparison. Through this article, I will analyze whether the iPad Pro is worth buying? Can it replace MacBook? What is the difference between the old and new smart keyboards? What is the performance of mini-LED? This iPad Pro 2021 will tell you once out of the box.
In addition to launching new iPad Pro 2021 products at the spring conference, Apple also launched a “white Magic Keyboard” for the 12.9-inch product. The outer packaging box is still quite apple-like, simple, clean and perfect. Be wary, I will analyze and comment for everyone from the outside to the inside, and tell you how fierce this iPad Pro is, the most powerful tablet on the surface.
iPad Pro 2021 unboxing: a comparison of dimensions
This iPad Pro unboxing article mainly compares the 12.9-inch iPad Pro 2021 and the 11-inch iPad Pro 2020 with each other. As for the 11-inch iPad Pro 2021, the screen and design are similar to the previous generation. I want to know more detailed specifications of the new and old models. You can refer to the following article:
iPad Pro 2021 still maintains two sizes, 11-inch and 12.9-inch respectively. Holding the two iPads in your hand, you will obviously feel that the 12.9-inch iPad Pro is quite huge.
If you want to carry it with you, it is better to choose an 11-inch iPad Pro. As for the 12.9-inch iPad Pro, the size has almost reached the size of the 13-inch MacBook screen. Holding it sideways will not feel like a tablet, but like a pen. The size of the electricity.
Due to its size, the 12.9-inch iPad Pro is not suitable for holding it for a long time, because it will get sore if you don’t hold it too much, unless it is used for arm exercises, maybe you can consider it.
So what are the changes in the appearance of iPad Pro 2020 and iPad Pro 2021? The difference between the old and new models will be revealed below.
The biggest difference lies in the number of speaker holes on the top and bottom of the iPad Pro fuselage. The number of holes in the iPad Pro 2020 is relatively large (11-inch reaches 13 holes), while the iPad Pro 2021 model is significantly reduced, 12.9-inch and 11-inch are adjusted to 11 And 8 speaker holes.
As for the top power button and the side of the fuselage, the design is almost the same.
It is the same with the side volume keys, there is not much change, and the materials are almost the same.
Both the new and old iPad Pro main lenses are designed with a 12-megapixel f/1.8 wide-angle lens and a 10-megapixel f/2.4 ultra-wide-angle lens dual-lens design. The size of the entire camera module is exactly the same, and there is not much change.
The smart contact design on the back is exactly the same.
With the help of the M1 chip, the iPad Pro 2021 USB-C can support Thunderbolt / USB 4, which increases the bandwidth of the transmission connection by four times, up to 40Gbps data transfer rate. At the same time, Thunderblot also supports 10Gbps Ethernet and external 6K resolution. Degree Pro Display XDR screen.
The basic appearance of the old and new iPad Pro has not changed much. The difference lies in the speaker design and USB-C transmission efficiency.
Mini-LED display performance of the 12.9-inch iPad Pro
Apple started to add unique lens specifications to the iPhone 12 Pro Max last year. This mechanism has different specifications for the flagship top models, and it has also begun to try to apply it to iPad Pro devices. The only 12.9-inch iPad Pro 2021 is equipped with the new mini-LED. (Mini LED) screen technology, Apple calls this screen “Liquid Retina Display XDR”, and it is also one of the most distinctive highlights of the iPad Pro 2021.
Further reading: What is Mini-LED? What are the advantages?Why Apple should fully adopt
The Liquid Retina Display XDR monitor mainly uses an LED backlight module composed of more than 10,000 mini-LEDs, which is divided into 2,500 locally dimmed LED arrays, and the brightness is precisely adjusted according to the screen.
Compared with the mini-LED screen, compared to the LCD screen, the bright part of the screen is brighter and the dark part is darker, and at the same time it can retain more details for the picture. When the brightness of the OLED screen is too low, there will be stroboscopic and burn-in problems. , Although the iPhone has been equipped with an OLED screen until now, there has been no burn-in disaster under normal use.
As for the 12.9-inch Liquid Retina Display XDR (mini-LED) screen, it can achieve a contrast ratio of 1,000,000:1, a full-screen brightness of up to 1,000 nits, and a peak brightness of 1,600 nits. It also supports original color display and P3 wide color gamut, HDR10, HLG and Dolby Vision (Dolby Vision) and 120Hz ProMotion screen update rate and touch response rate, it is really super cool to watch HDR movies.
As for how to see the obvious difference between mini-LED and LCD?
In the entire dark environment, while playing a pure black video, you can see that the 12.9-inch iPad Pro Liquid Retina Display XDR screen will be significantly different from the 11-inch iPad Pro Liquid Retina Display, and you will find that the mini-LED screen will show a nearly black screen. On the contrary, the iPad Pro 2020 LCD screen will show off-white screen, which is also the biggest advantage of mini-LED.
Two iPad Pro devices simultaneously play SONY 4K HDR video test:
As for the difference in watching the movie? The LCD screens of the two iPad Pro 2020 models and the iPad Pro 2021 mini-LED screens were adjusted to 50% brightness, and the status of YouTuber 4K video playback was compared.
The sharpness, color, and brightness of the iPad Pro 2021 will be significantly better than the iPad Pro 2020 LCD screen, but the mini-LED will have serious problems when playing a brighter picture. You can look at the mini-LED of the DJ station. Loss of control will cause overexposure, which is not the case on LCD screens.
If you compare it in the same main screen state, you will find that the Liquid Retina Display XDR screen is indeed better than the iPad Pro 2020 LCD in terms of vividness, color, brightness and contrast.
In the outdoor comparison, the maximum screen brightness of the two models is 600 nits, but the mini-LED screen has a maximum brightness of 1000 nits and a peak brightness of 1600 nits (HDR). Typing, drawing or handwriting, the actual feeling is not obvious from the previous generation and LCD models.
The mini-LED screen used on the iPad Pro is not 100% perfect. As for the “halo” problem, it is also found, but this situation can only be seen in a completely dark environment, and it is not obvious if there is light.
As for the iPad Pro 2021 halo problem, it is also a natural defect of the mini-LED screen, which cannot be corrected through iPadOS. It is mainly because the partial backlight of the min-LED screen partition cannot accurately reach the pixel level, which will cause the black background and the high-brightness image to be interlaced. At this time, because the backlight under the bright image cannot be blocked, it will cause severe halo at the edge.
How fast is the M1 processor?Rolling the old iPad product line
For users who bought iPad Pro 2020 last year, it should be very uncomfortable now. Last year, the A12Z bionic chip was just like Mr. Crazy said earlier, it is a transitional toothpaste product. The difference in running scores between A12Z and A12X is not obvious, and only an additional core GPU is released.
It’s more surprising that Apple placed the M1 chip on the iPad Pro device, and made the iPad Pro processor the same performance as the entry-level MacBook and iMac models. In this way, there is no need to spend extra time, and another high-end model is developed. For the bionic chip, you only need to focus on the research and development of the A series and M series product lines in the future.
The M1 processor integrates an 8-core CPU, an 8-core GPU, and a 16-core neural network engine. It also enables the iPad Pro to fully utilize its machine learning technology capabilities and become the most effective tablet on the surface.
Using the Geekbench 5 running test, comparing the scores of M1 iPad Pro and Z12 iPad Pro, single-core increased by 51% and multi-core increased by 56%. Indeed, the CPU performance can reach the official claim of 50%, and the graphics processing performance can reach 40%.
- iPad Pro 2020 (A12Z) running points: 1125 points for single core and 4637 points for multi-core
- iPad Pro2021 (M1) running points: 1709 points for single core and 7259 points for multi-core
iPad Pro2021 (M1) running points
The running score is not very accurate. How to determine that the M1’s powerful performance can reduce working time in actual applications? Mr. Crazy recorded a 3-minute iPhone 4K video and dropped it directly into the iPad Pro device. The iMovie App was used for transcoding and output. Compare the total time spent on M1 and A12Z. The results are as follows:
- iPad Pro 2020 (A12Z) time spent: 3 minutes 33 seconds
- iPad Pro 2021 (M1) time spent: 1 minute 48 seconds
The M1 chip is indeed capable of perfect performance in terms of computing conversion speed. The conversion time is almost half the time compared to the previous generation. So don’t talk about the problem of excess performance of the iPad Pro. It can indeed play the M1 performance in some professional-level operations. Advantage.
In addition, we also tested the AR function. Using the Sketchfab tool to compare in AR mode, the loading speed of M1 iPad Pro is significantly better than that of A12Z iPad Pro. In addition, using AR mode for viewing and comparison, I also accidentally found that M1 iPad Pro is used in AR. Significantly improve the LiDAR scene positioning and depth recognition, it will not be easy to drift like A12Z or the 3D model is easy to shake up and down.
With the support of the M1 chip, iPad Pro can indeed handle professional audio-visual or development work such as post-retouching, 3D drawing, AR application, multi-layer drawing, App application development, etc., and even used to play 3A-level games, such as ” All of “Original God” can be run easily.
In this way, there is no need to worry about the follow-up A-series bionic chip of the iPad Air, so as to avoid the embarrassing situation of a single core suddenly surpassing the iPad Pro.
iPad Pro unique character centered
The front TrueDepth lens of the 2021 iPad Pro is significantly different from the old 2020 iPad Pro. The original 7 million pixels are replaced by 12 million pixels. At the same time, it also uses a 122-degree ultra-wide-angle camera lens, which also has an additional extended dynamic range for video recording. Optical zoom zoom and “centering function”, and also supports HDR 3 photo smart.
What’s more noticeable is the “People in the center” function. When you can use the iPad Pro 2021 for video calls, even if you walk around, the device will work with M1 machine learning to keep people in the center of the screen. When other people join, the camera Other people will be detected, and the focus will be automatically zoomed out smoothly, so that everyone can remain in the frame, ensuring that they can participate in the conversation, just like the automatic tracking function of a smart camera lens.
Smart keyboard and stylus purchase suggestions
In the iPad Pro accessories section, there are two options to start with, namely the smart keyboard and Apple Pencil. The following is an analysis and evaluation of these two accessories:
Comparison and advantages and disadvantages of new and old models of smart keyboard
Apple has launched a new generation of “white smart keyboard” for the 12.9-inch iPad Pro model. The main reason is that the mini-LED screen is slightly thicker by 0.5mm, which will not prevent the old smart keyboard from closing tightly.
On the left is an 11-inch smart keyboard, and on the right is a 12.9-inch smart keyboard. In fact, the two designs are almost identical.
The difference between the new and old smart keyboards will be slightly adjusted in the length of the left and right rows of keycaps and the layout of the last row of the keyboard, and the upper and lower widths are exactly the same.
The touch and feedback power of the new and old smart keyboards are exactly the same.
If you are already used to the MacBook touchpad, you will feel that the smart keyboard touchpad is a bit small. Whether it is an 11-inch or 12.9-inch touchpad, the size is about the same. Users who have used Surface Pro will definitely be able to adapt quickly. , But there are still many advantages. The touch is smooth and accurate without delay.
They are all scissor-like structures with 1mm keystroke, so there is really nothing to say about feedback strength and typing experience. Typing on a 12.9-inch smart keyboard is like typing with a MacBook keyboard. As for the 11-inch smart control Typing on the keyboard will feel a little squeezed at first, but will get used to it after a while.
The left is the 12.9-inch iPad Pro smart keyboard, and the right is the 11-inch iPad Pro smart keyboard
The smart keyboard is designed with magnetic attraction and cantilever. It can be attached to the iPad Pro directly. You will see that the iPad Pro will appear tilted and suspended in mid-air, and can be adjusted from 90 degrees to 130 degrees to the most suitable viewing angle.
In addition, there is also a USB-C port on the left that can only be used to charge the iPad Pro. As for the USB-C on the fuselage, it can be connected to other USB-C Hubs, external monitors or other accessories.
Mr. Crazy has been using “Smart Keyboard” for nearly a year, and tells you the biggest design shortcomings of the current Smart Keyboard with experience:
The smart keyboard can only provide a fixed angle of 90 degrees to 130 degrees. The maximum angle is as follows. It is only suitable for typing and fixing additional products placed on the table. It cannot be flipped or folded at 180 degrees. It is often lying on a sofa or bed. It is not recommended to buy a smart keyboard when reading e-books, video e-magazines.
The white smart keyboard is indeed quite beautiful. If you are worried about getting dirty, it is really not recommended to choose the white style, because it is super easy to get dirty. After all, the material is not resistant to dirt. It is recommended that you buy black than you will regret.
The iPad Pro with a smart keyboard weighs 3 pounds, which is also heavier than the MacBook Air 2020 model, so it is not suitable for running around in your hands at any time for a long time. The advantage is that it is very suitable for training arm strength, if it is placed in a backpack There is not much difference within.
Apple Pencil drawing pen also has another option
If you want to use it for notes and drawing, it is recommended to buy Apple Pencil. It can be used with iPadOS for drawing, graffiti, coloring, taking notes, or marking on PDF. In addition, you can also use the side of iPad Pro to absorb and cut charging and pair.
If you think that Apple Pencil is too expensive, you can choose Penoval stylus A4 or A3t, which is quite good.
Apple Pencil is more suitable for professional drawing users, but for general users, it is more recommended to save money and invest in more cost-effective products. Mr. Crazy has opened the Penoval stylus before, with tilt angle and magnetic Functions such as suction, anti-inadvertent touch, etc., and can also support iPadOS handwriting, sliding screenshots in the lower left corner, inserting text between words and words, quickly selecting text, deleting text and other functions.
It can also be directly attached to the side of the iPad Pro. If you are interested, you can “Click me to buy Penoval stylus“.
Is the iPad Pro worth buying? Can it replace the computer?
The iPad Pro hardware specifications are indeed “professional.” With a better mini-LED screen, stronger M1 chip and faster 5G chip speed, the processing performance and visual improvement of the 2021 iPad Pro is very obvious.
But compared to the iPad Pro 2020, it does not seem to be too dazzling. The appearance is completely the same. Even the new smart keyboard does not improve the problem of the previous generation. It is only to solve the problem of the thickness of the mini-LED, and an additional white style that looks good and easy to dirty is added. , If you want to buy a smart keyboard, it is recommended to choose black to resist dirt.
As for the iPad Pro 2021, is it worth buying? The most important thing depends on the needs and budget. Whether it needs to be extensively used in image processing, drawing and development, and often needs to use 4K image editing, 3D drawing, hand-painting, AR design and development, etc., if it is for professional users with these needs , Of course, it is more suitable to buy a 12.9-inch iPad Pro.
If you just want to meet the needs of film and television entertainment, games, note-taking, reading, etc., and the budget is sufficient, you can basically choose the 11-inch iPad Pro 2021. If you have already purchased an iPad Pro 2020 user, it is not recommended to upgrade and wait for the follow-up model More suitable.
On the whole, the iPad Pro is still an iPad, and even Apple executives said that it is impossible to put an iPad device for macOS. This is to avoid product interaction, and there is no way to completely replace professional computers and run macOS software. Everything is the same as iPadOS. The environment has a great relationship.
At present, the iPad Pro is also in the development stage. It is obvious that Apple will continue to slowly put in it bit by bit. Just as Apple’s official website said, it will give you the ultimate iPad experience. Now the powerful Apple M1 hardware is indeed Already possessing the powerful performance of the computer, iPadOS will continue to open and add more functions to be able to play the value of iPad Pro.
There is already news that the appearance of the iPad Pro in 2022 will usher in a major facelift. If you are not in a hurry, it is recommended to wait until next year to start it again. If you are still on the sidelines, so far I can’t think of which iPad to buy. ? The suggestion can be understood by analyzing the article below:
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