The new iPad Pro 2022 has been unveiled, and it packs a new M2 chip that promises a major boost in power.
The new iPad Pro with M2 also features a new Apple Pencil Hover experience and faster Wi-Fi 6E connectivity. Other highlights include iPadOS 16, which delivers a new Stage Manager feature for improved multitasking.
Here’s everything we know about the new iPad Pro M2 for 2022 so far, including specs, release date, pricing and more.
iPad Pro 2022 cheat sheet: What’s new?
- The new iPad Pro 2022 features an M2 chip, which packs an 8-core CPU that’s up to 15% faster than the M1 and a 10-core GPU, which is up to 35% faster.
- The 16-core Neural Engine can process. 15.8 trillion operations per second, which is 40% faster than M1, which means better performance for machine learning tasks.
- You get 100GB/s of unified memory bandwidth — 50 percent more than M1 — and the new iPad Pro supports up to 16GB of fast unified memory.
- All of this power is designed to help with pro-level workflows, including photopraphy, designers, video editors and more.
- The iPad Pro M2 is the first iPad that can record ProRes video, and you can transcode ProRes video 3x faster.
- There’s a new Pencil Hover experience on the iPad Pro M2. You can see previews of marks before you make them, and text fields expand when the pencil gets near the screen.
- The new iPad Pro M2 supports Wi-Fi 6E, which means downloads are up to 2x faster.
iPad Pro M2 release date and price
The iPad Pro M2 is available to order beginning today (October 18) and the release date is October 26.
The 11-inch iPad Pro starts at $799 and it’s $999 for the Wi-Fi + Cellular model. The iPad Pro 12.9-inch costs $1,099 for the Wi-Fi model and $1,299 for the Wi-Fi+Cellular model.
iPad Pro M2 design and display
The iPad Pro M2 series sports an identical design to the previous models, and unfortunately the mini-LED display remains limited to the 12.9-inch model.
You’ll get the same narrow bezels around the display and lightweight designs. The iPad Pro 11-inch weighs 1.04 pounds and the 12.9-inch model is 1.51 pounds.
The 11-inch iPad Pro M2 sorts a Liquid Retina display with 2388 x 1668 resolution, while the 12.9-inch version bumps that up to 2732 x 2048 and includes a 2D backlighting system with 2596 full-array local dimming zones.
Both iPad Pros continue to support ProMotion technology.
iPad Pro M2 Apple Pencil Hover experience
Using the Apple Pencil to write and draw on the iPad Pro should be more seamless and intuitive than ever.
The iPad Pro can detect the Apple Pencil up to 12 mm above the display. This allows users to see a preview of their mark before they make it. According to Apple, this feature makes using the pencil more precise and “effortless.” The company explained how, in Scribble, text fields automatically expand when the pencil gets near the screen and that handwriting converts to text faster. Apple also said third-party apps can also take advantage of this feature.
One of the major draws of using an iPad (and tablets in general) is the ability to write or draw on them. Using the Apple Pencil with the iPad Pro was always a solid experience and, if Apple’s claims are true, the experience should see a significant improvement.
iPad Pro M2 Wi-Fi 6E and 5G support
Apple announced that the iPad Pro 2022 supports Wi-Fi 6E. According to Apple, downloads are up to 2.4Gb/s and twice as fast as the previous generation iPad Pro.
If you need to use your iPad Pro when you’re out and about, you can opt for a model that features Wi-Fi + Cellular support with 5G (sub-6GHz and mmWave4). This should make it easy to use your iPad Pro almost anywhere you go, provided there is a decent enough connection.
iPad Pro M2 cameras
The iPad Pro M2 series comes with a Pro camera system that consists of wide and ultra wide cameras. The 12MP wide camera has a f/1.8 aperture, and the 10MP ultra wide camera has a f/2.4 aperture and 125-degree filed of view. There’s no telephoto zoom, and digital zoom goes to just 5x.
The camera system uses a 5-element lens for both cameras, and there’s a brighter two-tone flash. Video recording is available up to 4K at 60 fps, and there’s support for ProRes recording at 4K up to 30 fps.
iPad Pro M2 Outlook
The iPad Pro M2 looks powerful with the new chip, but otherwise this appears to be an iterative upgrade form Apple. We’re eager to test how well the new Apple Pencil Hover experience works, and if the camera experience is much improved.
Stay tuned for our full iPad Pro M2 review.
