iPad Pro M4 13 Inch Review: Thinner, Brighter, Faster

iPad Pro M4 13 Inch Review: Thinner, Brighter, Faster

After a two-year wait, Apple's 2024 iPad Pro arrived with a thinner body, a new M4 chip, and a Tandem OLED display. The 13-inch model is the largest and most ambitious iPad yet, aimed at professionals who want laptop-class performance in a tablet. This review focuses on the 13-inch iPad Pro M4, covering its redesign, display, cameras, performance, Apple Pencil Pro, software, battery, and overall value.

Apple also refreshed the 11-inch model and introduced new accessories, including the Apple Pencil Pro and a redesigned Magic Keyboard. The 13-inch model weighs about 579 grams and measures just 5.1 mm thin, making it one of the thinnest Apple products ever. That slim profile is the first thing you notice, and it changes how the large tablet feels in hand.

Design and Build Quality

The most talked-about change is the thinner profile. Apple shaved roughly 20 percent off the thickness compared with the 2022 model, and the weight dropped by about 15 percent. The result is a large tablet that feels lighter and easier to carry. The body keeps the flat-edged aluminum frame and glass front, with volume buttons on the left near the camera and a dedicated charging area for the Apple Pencil Pro.

Colors and Finish

Color options are Silver and a new Space Black with a matte finish. Both look premium. The aluminum back and glass front maintain the familiar premium feel, and the build is sturdy despite the thinner chassis.

Durability and Water Resistance

Apple does not provide a water-resistance rating, as with previous iPad Pro models, so keep liquids away. The front uses scratch-resistant glass, with a Nano-texture glass option available on 1 TB and 2 TB configurations for reduced glare. The standard glass is glossy and reflective in bright light.

Display: Tandem OLED

The biggest visual upgrade is the Tandem OLED panel. Instead of one OLED layer, Apple stacks two, delivering higher brightness, better longevity, and richer contrast. The 13-inch display supports 120 Hz ProMotion, wide color, HDR10, and Dolby Vision, with a peak brightness of 1600 nits for HDR. Viewing angles are excellent, and blacks are truly black, a clear step up from the mini-LED XDR of the previous generation.

Brightness and ProMotion

ProMotion adapts from 10 Hz to 120 Hz to save battery while keeping motion smooth. The Tandem OLED design also improves sustained brightness, so HDR content stays vivid. For streaming Netflix and Prime Video, the panel is stunning.

Glass Options

The standard scratch-resistant glass is included on 256 GB and 512 GB models. The Nano-texture option, which reduces glare, is reserved for 1 TB and 2 TB models. Choose Nano-texture if you work in bright environments and can afford the higher storage tier.

Camera System

Cameras are largely unchanged from 2022: a 12 MP wide rear camera with 4K recording, a 12 MP ultra-wide front camera, and a LiDAR scanner. The rear camera shoots good daylight photos and cinematic 4K video. The front camera supports Center Stage for video calls.

Rear Camera and Video

The 12 MP wide lens captures sharp photos with natural color and records 4K video. Cinematic 4K capture is supported, useful for creators who want shallow depth of field. The LiDAR scanner aids low-light autofocus and AR apps.

Front Camera

The 12 MP ultra-wide front camera handles video calls well, with Center Stage keeping you in frame. It is positioned for landscape use, which suits the larger tablet.

Performance: The M4 Chip

The M4 is built on a 3-nanometer process and delivers a big leap over M2. It features a 10-core CPU, a 10-core GPU with hardware ray tracing, and an upgraded 16-core Neural Engine. Apple claims up to 50 percent faster CPU performance than M2. Real-world results: apps open instantly, heavy multitasking is smooth, and creative workloads like 4K video editing and 3D rendering are noticeably faster.

Benchmarks and Real-World Use

The iPad Pro M4 is the fastest tablet available and competitive with high-end laptops. Thermal management is good; the thin chassis can warm under sustained load but does not throttle aggressively. For professionals, the M4 makes the iPad a genuine workstation.

Apple Pencil Pro

The new Apple Pencil Pro adds squeeze, barrel roll, haptic feedback, and Find My support. Squeeze brings up a tool palette, and barrel roll rotates brush tips. It charges magnetically on the side. It is the best iPad stylus yet and a major reason to upgrade for artists.

Software: iPadOS 17 / 18

iPadOS brings Stage Manager, improved external display support, and Apple Intelligence features on supported models. The M4 iPad Pro handles these smoothly. The app ecosystem remains a strength, with optimized creative and productivity apps. Stage Manager makes multitasking with overlapping windows practical.

Battery Life

Apple rates the 13-inch model for up to 10 hours of web or video use. The Tandem OLED and M4 efficiency help it reach that in mixed use. Heavy creative workloads drain faster. Charging is via USB-C with fast charging; no adapter is included.

Key Specifications

M4 chip (10-core CPU, 10-core GPU), 8 GB or 16 GB RAM, 256 GB to 2 TB storage, 13-inch Tandem OLED 2752 x 2064, 120 Hz ProMotion, Wi-Fi 6E, Bluetooth 5.3, Thunderbolt 4, Face ID, four-speaker audio. Weight about 579 grams, thickness 5.1 mm.

Pros and Cons

Pros: ultra-thin and light; stunning Tandem OLED; M4 performance; Apple Pencil Pro; great speakers; fast storage. Cons: no water rating; expensive; Nano-texture only on high storage; accessories extra; iPadOS still not macOS.

Verdict

The iPad Pro M4 13-inch is the best tablet Apple has ever made and a meaningful leap over the M2 generation. If you want the ultimate tablet for creative work, media, and productivity, this is it. The price is high, and casual users should look at the iPad Air. For professionals and creatives, the M4 iPad Pro is a worthy investment.

FAQ

Is the iPad Pro M4 worth upgrading from the M2?

Yes if you value the Tandem OLED, thinner body, M4 performance, and Apple Pencil Pro. Otherwise the M2 remains capable.

Does it include a charger?

No. A USB-C cable is included; the adapter is sold separately.

Is it water resistant?

No. Apple does not rate it for water resistance.

What is Tandem OLED?

It stacks two OLED panels for higher brightness and better durability than a single OLED.

Does it support Apple Pencil 2?

It supports Apple Pencil Pro and the USB-C Apple Pencil; the second-gen Pencil is not compatible.

Can it replace a MacBook?

For many workflows yes, but iPadOS still lacks some desktop-class apps and multitasking flexibility.