13-inch M4 iPad Pro - 2 WEEKS LATER!

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I’ve been using the 13-inch M4 iPad Pro for a couple of weeks now and I’ve got lots of thoughts! Is it worth an upgrade? What is the Apple Pencil Pro and new Magic Keyboard like? Let’s dive in.

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CHAPTERS
00:00 - Intro
01:20 - NordVPN
02:54 - Design and display
06:23 - Performance
08:10 - Accessories
11:12 - Conclusion

[MarkEllisReviews]

Should I keep the 13-inch iPad Pro or switch to the 11-inch version?

[Andy-rcdb]

I upgraded from a 13” 2018 iPad Pro and upgraded to the 13” M4 iPad Pro. I use my iPad as my main machine on the go - and I take lots of notes and use it in tablet mode with the pencil while on the move, standing and meeting with staff, meeting with clients, etc., etc. Given my use case, I can assure you that the reduction in weight (which is a direct result of that thinness) is a significant improvement on what has gone before. I can now comfortably hold the 13” in hand while stood taking notes. That was a tricky (and tiring) proposition with the previous versions.

I also travel a fair bit. This is the machine I take with me. Again, the weight reduction in hand luggage is noticeable and welcome. It’s not as transformative as in a note taking situation. But it’s a help.

Too many reviewers, I think, are concentrating on thinness. The benefit is in weight. And if you are using this as a tablet (rather than keyboard mode) the benefits of that ‘lightness’ are very quickly evident.

[imchtdimachete]

M4 11” iPad Pro is my first iPad Pro. Upgraded from iPad Air 4 and the upgrade is mind blowing in every sense but the thickness 😜 air 4 was already very thin actually. But still it’s impressive!!! Got the mk as well. It’s very premium feeling and functions just awesome. 120hz is so nice in this screen 😊

[slyguyaction]

My wife’s 2nd Gen 12.9” iPad Pro was having some issues. So, we went and looked at the new iPads and she fell in love with the new M4 iPad Pro 13”. Glad we picked up the keyboard and pencil while we were there because she’s thrilled. Amazing machine. Thanks Mark!

[BlackhawkTDI]

Just got the 11 inch M4 Pro w/cellular. Coming from the 12.9 inch M2. I’m glad Apple gave both sizes the same specs. Makes it easier for me to choose the smaller model and not miss out on good specs.

I’ve had the A12Z 11 inch, M1 11 inch, and M2 12.9 inch.

[thomasspurlock]

I have always liked the 11 inch. It just seems to be the best size when taking notes or cuddling up to watch some content. When you are outside is when you really notice the difference on the OLED screen. I never liked using my previous iPad Pro outside because it was hard to read anything if you had any glare. I have been using it outside a lot this past week and couldn’t believe how well I could see the content on my screen.

[uofmtigertech]

I had the 12.9 M1 and updated to the 13 inch M4. I don't have the Magic keyboard because I use it mainly as a tablet, in hand, with the Pencil. If you keep it on the keyboard or on a stand on a table it makes little difference... but handling it in hand....yes, it makes a difference.

[capeman]

The 2 sizes make this decision SO hard! I use my iPad almost exclusively for illustration and vector drawing with Procreate and Affinity Designer, so the big screen on the 13 is awesome for that... but the 11" is so good for EVERYTHING else, especially now that iOS has game emulators. I ended up going with the 13 since it's a tax write-off for my side hustle (and my 2018 pro is showing it's age), but there may be an 11 inch air in my distant future since it's just so easy to carry around. Some people dog on the iPad ecosystem but I really love it.

[astromatt]

I upgraded from a 2018 11-inch iPad Pro to the new 13-inch iPad Pro M4, and I’m absolutely thrilled with it. The Tandem OLED display is incredible, the Magic Keyboard now includes an escape key and function keys, making it a huge improvement, and the performance boost ensures it will be future-proof. Stage Manager makes sense now and it feels good on a 13-inch display. I know it’s all subjective, but in my humble opinion Apple have done good!

[Arcticwolf-UK]

I’m watching this on my first gen iPad Pro and even though it’s no longer supported it’s still going strong, I have ordered the 2TB 13 “ M4, thought after 8 years I would treat myself and hopefully get another 8 years out of that one.

[bostonguy]

Great review, I picked the 13” M4 coming from a 11” 12Z chip, I want to try the bigger one but I love how portable and light the 11” is. I might return mine and go back to the smaller form factor specifically cause now they’re both the same .

[coppensbram]

Go for the 11”, Mark! It will be an excellent companion to your 14” MBP. I also initially ordered the 13”, but… I sent it back and got the 11” instead. It’s just soooo much more portable, especially once you want to use it for casual browsing etc. I do miss the larger canvas for drawing though, but in the end, I’m not doing enough digital artwork to really need that larger screen.

[pipdesignshop]

I've got the 11-inch M2 iPad Pro, and my wife has the 13-inch. She's a tattoo artist and draws on it every day, so it's great for her. I'm a graphic designer and use it for sketching, but nowhere near as much art as she does. The smaller iPad has been perfect for me, she can have the big one.

[JMacGyver]

The one reason I upgraded, and I’m guessing I’m not alone, was the battery life of the M1 and M2 iPad Pro. Not only can I get through a work day on the 13” M4, but I can then use it all night and still have 30% battery remaining in the morning. That was NEVER possible previously.

[jayemery]

I love your videos so much! I could listen to you talk all day :) I grabbed the M4 iPad Pro 13” and have used it for about 2 weeks. I completely agree that at the end of the day, the thinness/weight don’t actually change the way I use it. The 13” is still primarily for use as a laptop (IMO) that’s able to be used as a tablet. I’m coming from a 12.9” 2018 iPad Pro so I assumed the weight reduction would make a difference in use but that’s not been the case. So today I shipped it back to Apple and will be getting an 11 inch. I want to be able to use it as a tablet first, laptop second. Not sure if the 11 inch will enable that but I’ll find out. Please please please publish a video with your thoughts on the 11 vs 13 after you’ve had time to use the 11!

[Pesto-]

I came from the 11" iPad Pro (pre- M series) and then upgraded to M2 iPad Pro 12.9" 512GB. I do a lot of digital sculpting and illustration so I thought the larger screen would be great. So I thought I needed more RAM so I just got the 13" iPad Pro M4 1TB. After using side by side, the differences were so small I had to really look to find them. I returned the 13" the other day. I will however go for the 11" because I never had that much of issue with screen size like so many say. Not to mention because it's smaller, it goes everywhere with me and hence I do more on it. I also came to the realization that no matter how much I want my iPad to replace my Macbook Pro, it won't (for my needs), so the smaller iPad can also be in my bag with my MBP and it's not that much heavier. Just my 2 cents.

[brotherurth]

Having never had a 12.9 / 13” iPad before, now I’ve got the new 13” Air M2, I will never go back to an 11”. I love it

[scottgifford]

I keep iPads for 6-7 years so I’m ordering 2 13” M4 pros for my wife and myself and look forward to another 6-7 years of use. Coming from the 2018 models I think it’s a good choice

[adonaivictor]

I stoped using a 12.9 years ago because it kept getting hot while I taught math at school, I was scared to get this but Apple has done something where the heat is only in the back, I mean I’m even charging while writing and still no heat!! I’m happy with the 13M4 👌🏽👌🏽👌🏽

[c.garison]

Love the Shirt. Sugar Hill Gang is still one of the best groups.

Great Review Mark. From the perspective of a user who uses an M1 iPad Pro 10" and am M2 13" as a part of my daily workflow, I can hold off before I purchase. iPads last a very long time with the right use case. I still have my iPadAir 2 as a part of my work that I also use daily. Perhaps in 6 more years I will need to upgrade my iPads unless we have something compelling to justify the change in WWDC.