In comparison to the M2 iPad Pro, how much better is the new M4 iPad Pro? We’ll be comparing a ton of things today, including performance, design, quality, new cameras, the Apple Pencil, keyboard, and, of course, displays.
Design and Battery Life
From the top it’s hard to tell a difference in both iPad. Apple made a big deal about the new thinness and lightness, and can I tell in the hand? Honestly, not really.
The 13-inch is the one that got really lightweight, but it is a little bit thinner: 5.3 mm compared to 5.9 mm. The weight difference is very tiny. But with that, Apple actually got rid of the ultrawide camera, so you’re missing that now, but honestly, I didn’t really use it.
| M2 11-inch iPad Pro | 10 hours |
| M4 11-inch iPad Pro | 10 bours |
Even though it’s a little thinner, it actually has a 9% larger battery inside, but the battery life ratings have stayed the same.
Display: LCD vs OLED
The new iPad with M4 features enhanced anti-reflectivity, noticeably reducing reflections compared to the M2 iPad Pro, which is a positive improvement.
Previously restricted to LCD, the 11-inch iPad Pro now adopts OLED technology alongside the M4 iPads, a significant upgrade highlighted by Apple. When comparing brightness levels, OLED tends to exhibit a slight yellow tint even with True Tone disabled, and at maximum brightness, it may risk overexposure with around 500 nits compared to 1,000.
This brightness, coupled with improved anti-reflectivity, greatly enhances usability outdoors or in bright settings. For video and HDR content, the difference is striking, with OLED displaying true blacks compared to the LCD’s grayish blacks.
This shift represents a leap from older technologies, delivering superior contrast and vibrant colors. The option for a nano-texture on higher-capacity models enhances tactile feel, although some users report it affects OLED’s deep black rendition negatively.
Apple Pencil 2 vs Apple Pencil Pro
The M4 iPad Pro launched with the Apple Pencil Pro, necessitating its purchase due to compatibility with the new landscape cameras. Despite this requirement, it maintains the same price and offers superior performance.
A notable feature is the new squeeze function, providing haptic feedback upon activation. This allows for seamless selection and menu removal, ensuring smooth performance with the updated Apple Pencil.
The IPS screen has a delay of 54 milliseconds, while the Apple Pencil 2 has 9 milliseconds. The OLED tandem reduces it to just 5 milliseconds.
The Apple Pencil 2 allows quick tool switching with a tap, but settings still require navigation. It offers hover functionality, but the Pro model provides a realistic angle and workspace reflection, ideal for serious artists.
The Apple Pencil Pro supports Find My Device, which is handy for locating lost pencils quickly.
New Magic Keyboard
The new Magic Keyboard for the latest iPad Pro requires purchasing due to updated magnets, rendering older models incompatible. This redesign positions the function row closer for easier access, integrating useful controls like speaker and brightness adjustments.
Notably, the larger trackpad, now employing magnetic force, resembles that of a MacBook, offering a smoother experience than its clickier predecessor. Enhanced by a new aluminum hinge, the keyboard allows for a more adjustable screen tilt.
Charging capabilities have also seen improvements, with the latest model supporting up to 60 watts, eliminating performance limitations previously associated with 20-watt charging. The aluminum finish adds a premium touch, making this iteration a significant upgrade overall.
Camera Comparison
The front-facing camera on the M2 iPad Pro presents a significant issue—it appears I’m not paying attention despite looking directly at the display, essential for video calls or recordings.
Switching to the M4 iPad Pro’s landscape camera while using the keyboard significantly enhances the experience compared to previous models. Thanks to Smart HDR 4, the new software improves overall visual quality.
Although the M4 iPad Pro lacks the ultrawide camera, a feature I rarely utilized, Apple claims the new flash enhances document scan quality. I’m interested to hear if you notice any improvements in document clarity.
SSD Jazz Disc Performance
I want to start out with the storage. The nice thing about the new one, even though you pay more, is it starts out with 256 GB instead of 128 GB. So let’s go ahead and see the performance difference.
| M2 iPad Pro 128GB 8-core | 1,615 |
| M4 iPad Pro 256GB 9-core | 1,635 |
Now, in terms of read speed, you guys can see it’s almost the same, but in terms of write speed, it’s almost double the performance, which would have been the same if you had upgraded the M2 iPad Pro.
Geekbench 6 CPU
In Geekbench, both processors have 8 GB of RAM. Upgrading to at least a terabyte increases this to 16 GB. The M2 runs at 3.49 GHz, while the newer model runs at 4.4 GHz, marking a significant performance difference. The current model features a 9-core CPU, compared to the M2’s 8-core, with two extra efficiency cores but one fewer performance core unless you opt for the pricey 1 TB version.
| M2 iPad Pro 128GB 8-core | 2,601 |
| M4 iPad Pro 256GB 9-core | 3,710 |
| M2 iPad Pro 128GB 8-core | 10,032 |
| M4 iPad Pro 256GB 9-core | 13,251 |
The performance numbers for the M4 are impressive. It is 42% faster in single-core tasks, outperforming even the fastest overclocked Intel water-cooled processors. In multicore tasks, it is 32% faster, despite having only three performance cores compared to four in its competitors.
Geekbench 6 Metal GPU
Both have 10 cores, but the new one uses a second-gen 3-nanometer process compared to the M2’s 5-nanometer process, offering slightly better efficiency.
The difference in graphics performance is about 16%, thanks to the same core count but improved efficiency, impacting general compute performance.
| M2 iPad Pro 128GB 8-core | 46,586 |
| M4 iPad Pro 256GB 9-core | 53,978 |
3DMark Solar Bay Ray Tracing
| M2 iPad Pro 128GB 8-core | 32.4 FPS |
| M4 iPad Pro 256GB 9-core | 58 FPS |
One significant improvement is the addition of ray tracing, along with other enhancements. I’ll test Solar Bay in 3D Mark, which uses ray tracing. It should not only be faster but also more efficient than software ray tracing. The results show 58 FPS compared to 32.4 FPS, indicating an 80% better performance with reduced battery usage.
3DMark Wild Life Extreme
If you are going to be gaming, we will test Wildlife Extreme, a 20-minute stress test, to check for thermal throttling with the increased performance.
| M2 iPad Pro 128GB 8-core | 6,358 |
| M4 iPad Pro 256GB 9-core | 8,557 |
| M2 iPad Pro 128GB 8-core | 4,294 |
| M4 iPad Pro 256GB 9-core | 6,241 |
The performance gap is significant. Instead of a 16% increase in metal, we see a 35% boost in our highest score, jumping from 6358 to 8557. Even after thermal throttling, the graphics performance shows a 45% improvement compared to its predecessor. Despite being thinner, it manages heat better than the M2. Overall, it excels in every aspect, which is a relief, while also conserving battery power. In my tests using Lightroom Mobile, handling 50 raw, effect-laden 42-megapixel images, the M4 proves noticeably faster.
Seek Thermal Camera
Using a thermal camera, we see temperatures at 38°C on the M2 and 39°C on the M4, with the heat spreading out wider on the M4, indicating a more effective dissipation system by Apple. The M2 completed the task in 3 minutes 24 seconds, while the M4 finished in 2 minutes 34 seconds, showing the M2 took approximately 34% longer for this task.
| M2 iPad Pro 128GB 8-core | 3 minutes 24 seconds |
| M4 iPad Pro 256GB 9-core | 2 minutes 34 seconds |
Final Cut Pro For iPad Export
I have Final Cut Pro open with an almost 8-minute project featuring various clips, effects, and corrections. The graphics performance shows a mere 16% difference. Now, we’re testing if Apple updated the encoders or decoders on the new M4 with a 4K project using identical settings.
| M2 iPad Pro 128GB 8-core | 3 minutes 29 seconds |
| M4 iPad Pro 256GB 9-core | 3 minutes 02 seconds |
The M2 iPad took 15% longer at 3 minutes and 29 seconds compared to the M1 iPad’s 3 minutes and 2 seconds. While the encoding speed may not have been updated significantly, there is a noticeable 16% increase in compute performance, possibly due to improved graphics capabilities.
Moreover, the new iPad allows for HDR video editing on an 11-inch device, which was not possible with an LCD screen due to color accuracy limitations. This enhancement makes the device much more capable for high-quality and accurate video editing tasks, although the speed improvement is marginal.
Which iPad Pro Should You Get?
The M4 iPad Pro surpasses the M2 in nearly every aspect. Many users held onto their 2018 iPad Pros due to minimal changes, especially with the 11-inch model retaining an LCD. Now, there’s a compelling reason to upgrade.
While purchasing a new Apple Pencil or keyboard adds to the cost, if you plan to use the device for several years, the investment in the M4 model is worthwhile compared to buying a discounted M2 iPad Pro. I strongly recommend opting for the new M4 version for its significant improvements and longevity.
