The new iPad Pro’s best improvement is the M2 chip, but is it worth it?

This week, Apple finally released the new M2 iPad Pro. With pretty much the same specs as the 2021 model, there are just a few things that changed with the most expensive tablet that the Cupertino company sells, but are they worth it? Here’s what you should consider before buying this Pro machine.

The M2 iPad Pro has several of the same features as the M1 iPad Pro. For example, it comes with the same storage options (from 128GB to 2TB), LCD, and miniLED displays, meaning that Apple didn’t expand miniLED support to the 11-inch model, and the same camera modules – although it brought a few software tweaks.

Three main functions could make some users consider upgrading to this iPad Pro: the M2 chip, the Apple Pencil hover experience, and connectivity improvements. But are they enough?

• M2 chip: the new iPad Pro features an 8-core CPU — up to 15 percent faster than M1 — with advancements in both performance and efficiency cores, and a 10-core GPU, delivering up to 35 percent faster graphics performance for the most demanding users. Combined with the CPU and GPU, the 16-core Neural Engine can process 15.8 trillion operations per second — 40 percent more than M1;
• Apple Pencil hover experience: Apple Pencil is now detected up to 12 mm above the display, allowing users to see a preview of their mark before they make it. This also enables users to sketch and illustrate with even greater precision.
• Connectivity: The new iPad Pro supports Wi-Fi 6E. Downloads are up to 2.4Gb/s, 2x faster than the previous generation. Wi-Fi + Cellular models with 5G (sub-6GHz and mmWave) now support more 5G networks worldwide.

If you have the M1 iPad Pro, probably not. If you’re coming from the 2018 model, you may be thinking about the beautiful miniLED display of the 12.9-inch model. Still, performance-wise, all these three iPad generations will offer almost the same workflow experience.

In addition to that, the M2 Pro is expensive. If you plan to take advantage of the most features, you’ll need to spend at least $1,199 for the 12.9-inch version with 256GB of storage or $1,799 for the 1TB version to get 16GB of RAM. If you add the Magic Keyboard and the 2nd-gen Apple Pencil, you are spending more than a base-model M2 MacBook Air – that can do more than limit your experience with a buggy Stage Manager.

When should you consider buying an M2 iPad Pro?

If you shoot in ProRes, edit ProRes footage, and have a pretty intense workflow, you should get the M2 iPad Pro. Otherwise, customers can find the M1 iPad Pro – or the 2018 model – with better discounts.

At the end of the day, it depends on your workflow and what you intend to do with the iPad Pro, but for most users – including the Pro ones – the M1 should be more than enough.

More Apple coverage: iPad vs. iPad Pro: Which is best for you in 2022?