Summary
- iPad Pro with OLED display, Apple M4 processor starts at pricey $999, maxing out at $2,599 for top-of-the-line experience.
- iPad Pro accessories like Apple Pencil, Magic Keyboard add up to $3,077, almost as costly as 14-inch MacBook Pro.
- iPad Air with Apple M2 processor tops at $1,449 without accessories.
Apple has unveiled its next generation of iPads for the high-end market, including both the iPad Air and the iPad Pro. These new models pack some major improvements, particularly the iPad Pro, which now boasts an OLED display and the all-new Apple M4 processor, which is making its debut on iPad rather than a Mac.
But all of those improvements come at a cost, and indeed, if you want to get the best experience with these tablets, you'll have to spend a lot. Let's break down your options.
The iPad Pro can cost more than a 16-inch MacBook Pro
Let's start with the big one, the iPad Pro, which is packing all the latest and greatest features. With an OLED display, which Apple calls an Ultra Retina XDR panel, and the thinnest design on an Apple product ever, this is a big deal. But if you want to the top-of-the-line experience, you can be paying up to $2,599. For reference, a 16-inch MacBook Pro starts at $2,499, including an M3 Pro processor. Here's the breakdown for all the iPad configurations:
|
Size |
Storage |
RAM |
Display glass |
Price (+ cellular) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
|
11-inch |
256GB |
8GB |
Standard |
$999 ($1,199) |
|
11-inch |
512GB |
8GB |
Standard |
$1,199 ($1,399) |
|
11-inch |
1TB |
16GB |
Standard |
$1,599 ($1,799) |
|
11-inch |
1TB |
16GB |
Nano-textured |
$1,699 ($1,899) |
|
11-inch |
2TB |
16GB |
Standard |
$1,999 ($2,199) |
|
11-inch |
2TB |
16GB |
Nano-textured |
$2,099 ($2,299) |
|
13-inch |
256GB |
8GB |
Standard |
$1,299 ($1,499) |
|
13-inch |
512GB |
8GB |
Standard |
$1,499 ($1,699) |
|
13-inch |
1TB |
16GB |
Standard |
$1,899 ($2,099) |
|
13-inch |
1TB |
16GB |
Nano-textured |
$1,999 ($2,199) |
|
13-inch |
2TB |
16GB |
Standard |
$2,299 ($2,499) |
|
13-inch |
2TB |
16GB |
Nano-textured |
$2,399 ($2,599) |
With cellular support, the maximum price for the iPad Pro alone is $2,599. Yes, you read that right, that's still only for the iPad Pro. But Apple basically advertises the iPad Pro as a laptop replacement and a tool for creators, and at that point, you have to add an Apple Pencil and a Magic Keyboard. At checkout, you can choose either the Apple Pencil (USB-C), which costs $79, or the new Apple Pencil Pro, which adds $129.
Apple's new iPad Pro tablets are thinner than an iPod Nano
The new iPad Pro has an incredibly thin design, a new tandem OLED display panel, and more.
As for the new Magic Keyboard, that adds either $299 for the 111-inch model or $349 for the 13-inch version. All in all, if you want to make the most of your new top-of-the-line iPad Pro, you need to pay a whopping $3,077. That's almost as much as a 14-inch MacBook Pro with an M3 Max chipset.
iPad Pro (M4, 2024)
- Storage
- 256GB, 512GB, 1TB, or 2TB
- Memory
- 8GB or 16GB LPDDR5
- Operating System
- iPadOS 17.5
- Battery
- 11-inch: 31.29Wh, 13-inch: 38.99Wh
- Ports
- Thunderbolt/USB4
- Camera (Rear, Front)
- Front: 12MP ultra-wide, Face ID; Rear: 12MP wide, AF, LiDAR
The 2024 iPad Pro comes with an all-new OLED display along with the new Apple M4 chip, delivering up to twice the performance of its predecessor.
The iPad Air can go up to $1,450
If you want to stick with the cheaper iPad Air, which comes with an Apple M2 processor and in two sizes for the first time, things are a bit more reasonable. However, you still have to spend quite a bit if you want the best experience. Here's the breakdown:
|
Size |
Storage |
RAM |
Price (+ cellular) |
|---|---|---|---|
|
11-inch |
128GB |
8GB |
$599 ($749) |
|
11-inch |
256GB |
8GB |
$699 ($849) |
|
11-inch |
512GB |
8GB |
$899 ($1,049) |
|
11-inch |
1TB |
8GB |
$1,099 ($1,249) |
|
13-inch |
128GB |
8GB |
$799 ($949) |
|
13-inch |
256GB |
8GB |
$899 ($1,049) |
|
13-inch |
512GB |
8GB |
$1,099 ($1,249) |
|
13-inch |
1TB |
16GB |
$1,299 ($1,449) |
And just like with the iPad Pro, you can spend up to $129 on the Apple Pencil Pro and $349 on the Magic Keyboard accessory, which doesn't have any of the enhancements made for the iPad Pro version.
Apple's new iPad Air has a 13-inch version for the first time
Apple fans, get ready; something new is on the horizon.
With those accessories added, you'll be paying a whopping $1,927 to have a proper laptop-like experience. For comparison, that could buy you a 13-inch MacBook Air with the M3 processor, 24GB of RAM, and 1TB of storage.
iPad Air (M2, 2024)
- Storage
- 128GB, 256GB, 512GB, 1TB
- CPU
- Apple M2
- Memory
- 8GB LPDDR5
- Operating System
- iPadOS 17.5
- Battery
- 11-inch: 28.93Wh, 13-inch: 36.59Wh
- Ports
- USB-C
The 2024 iPad Air features the Apple M2 processor and a new design that's available in two sizes for the first time, adding a 13-inch model on top of an improved 11-inch version.
Can iPads replace a MacBook?
With prices like these, you'll probably consider the iPad as an alternative to buying a MacBook, but Apple still insists on limiting iPads via software, which makes this hard to do. iPadOS still isn't an ideal operating system for a laptop-style device, and some important apps like Xcode still aren't there, so billing the iPad as a laptop replacement is still a tough sell. Regardless, these are very impressive new devices, particularly the iPad Pro, and they do things a MacBook can't, like having cellular or touch and pen support. Apple's lineup seems increasingly designed to extract more money from consumers by having every product held back by a notable downside that's covered by another product.