iPad Pro M1 vs M2: What Is the Difference

The M2-powered iPad Pro is 15% faster than the M1 iPad Pro, but is the M2 chip worth buying? This article will dig into the similarities and differences between the iPad Pro M1 vs M2.

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Jean

Updated on Apr 15, 2024

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Key Takeaways

  1. 👉Users might need clarification on whether they should buy the M2 iPad Pro or must settle with the earlier M1 iPad Pro (2021) or iPad Air.
  2. 👉Apple has launched the M2 chip in its 2022 iPad Pro with a faster processor, new Apple Pencil features, and more features alongside a redesigned iPad model. The change in chip should provide a considerable performance boost for those buying it over the previous generation.
  3. 👉The latest iPad Pro with the M2 chip takes performance another step forward with several minor changes. But besides performance, you must consider other factors as well, like design, Pencil, camera, display, processor, and most importantly, price, to help see if it's worth your pick.

The latest iPad Pro with the M2 chip takes performance another step forward with several minor changes. But besides performance, you must consider other factors as well, like design, Pencil, camera, display, processor, and most importantly, price, to help see if it's worth your pick.

Apple released the Apple M3 chip in October 2023 with efficiency cores up to 50 percent faster than those in the M1 family. However, if you are considering upgrading to the M2 chip, this article will answer the question: What is the difference between iPad Pro M1 vs. M2 to understand the distinction between the M1 iPad Pro and the M2 iPad Pro? Read the article below.

M1 iPad Pro vs M2 iPad Pro

Let us compare the M1 iPad Pro vs. M2 iPad Pro on common grounds like design, processor display, performance, Pencil, and price to have a detailed view of the similarities and differences in the upgrade.

Design

The latest iPad Pro is now in its sixth generation with the same design, which was introduced previously in 2018 at a special event in Brooklyn, N.Y. Now, the iPad Pro models will have an iPad Pro label. Users can enjoy high-quality romance movies on Apple TV on this iPad.

ipad pro m1 vs m2 1

Apple offers two sizes, 11-inches and 12.9-inches. The 2022 iPad Pro and 2021 iPad Pro have the exact dimensions, bezels, buttons, speakers, and microphone and have the same color options: Silver and Space Gray.

/ 11-inch iPad Pro 12.9-inch iPad Pro
Dimensions 9.74" x 7.02" x 0.23" inches (or 247.6 x 178.5 x 5.9 millimeters) 1.04" x 8.4 6" x 0.25" inches (or 280.6 x 214.9 x 6.4 millimeters)
Weight (Wi-Fi model) 1.03 pounds (466 grams) 1.5 pounds (682 grams)
Weight (WiFi+Cellular) 1.04 pounds (470 grams) 1.51 pounds (685 grams)

Processor and Display

ipad pro m1 vs m2 2

Here's how the 11-inch iPad Pro (M1/M2) differs from the 12.9-inch iPad Pro (M1/M2) in terms of Display with the Apple Pencil hover feature, including the shared features.

  11" M1 iPad Pro 11" M2 iPad Pro 12.9" M1 iPad Pro 12.9" M2 iPad Pro
Processor Apple Silicon M1 Apple Silicon M2 Apple Silicon M1 Apple Silicon M2
Display 11" 11" 12.9" with miniLED 12.9" with miniLED
Resolution 2388 x 1668 2388 x 1668 2732 x 2048 2732 x 2048
Display Brightness 600 nits 600 nits 600 nits SDR, up to 1600 HDR 600 nits SDR, up to 1600 HDR
PPI (pixels per inch) 264 264 264 264
Rear Camera 12MP wide, 10MP ultra-wide 12MP wide, 10MP ultra-wide 12MP wide, 10MP ultra-wide 12MP wide, 10MP ultra-wide

Performance

ipad pro m1 vs m2 3

The Apple M2 chip has up to an 18 percent faster CPU, 35% faster GPU (10-core vs 8-core), and a two times boost in memory bandwidth from 50GB per second to 100GB per second.

  11" M1 iPad Pro 11" M2 iPad Pro 12.9" M1 iPad Pro 12.9" M2 iPad Pro
Chip Apple Silicon M1 Apple Silicon M2 Apple Silicon M1 Apple Silicon M2
CPU cores 8 8 8 8
GPU cores 8 10 8 10
16-core neural engine Yes Yes Yes Yes
RAM 8 or 16GB 8 or 16GB 8 or 16GB 8 or 16GB
Storage 128GB - 2TB 128GB - 2TB 128GB - 2TB 128GB - 2TB
Memory bandwidth 50GB/s 100GB/s 50GB/s 100GB/s
Thunderbolt/USB 4 Yes Yes Yes Yes
Cellular 5G 5G 5G 5G

Note: 128GB, 256GB, and 512GB 1TB have different RAMs.128GB 256GB 512GB have 8GB RAM, while 1TB and 2TB have 16GB RAM.

Pencil

ipad pro m1 vs m2 4

Apple Pencil is the significant change between the old and new iPad Pro. Fortunately, both models support the second-generation Apple Pencil. The 2022 model has an interesting new feature Apple calls Hover, which is probably the main reason to upgrade.

The 2022 iPad Pro can sense the 2nd-generation Apple Pencil up to 12mm away from the screen, letting users preview a mark for greater precision before applying it. You can also perform adjustments, like resizing a spot before placing it and expanding text fields with Hover. It works as a UI pointer, so you don't need to tap the screen to expand tabs and links repeatedly.

Hover will be unavailable on older iPads. So, if you're dependent on using this functionality, you must stick with M2 and newer iPad Pro models.

Price

The old and new iPad Pro models have the same storage with unchanged pricing. However, you can always check out for discounts on M1 iPad Pro models.

  11" M1 iPad Pro 11" M2 iPad Pro 12.9" M1 iPad Pro 12.9" M2 iPad Pro
128GB WiFi $799 $799 $1099 $1099
128GB + cell $999 $999 $1299 $1299
256GB WiFi $899 $899 $1199 $1199
256GB + cell $1099 $1099 $1399 $1399
512GB WiFi $1099 $1099 $1399 $1399
512GB + cell $1299 $1299 $1599 $1599
1TB WiFi $1499 $1499 $1799 $1799
1TB + cell $1699 $1699 $1999 $1999
2TB WiFi $1899 $1899 $2199 $2199
2TB + cell $2099 $2099 $2399 $2399

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If users' Mac and iOS devices are connected to the same WiFi, turn on AirPlay on the iOS device and let EaseUS RecExperts record apps or other screen activities on the iPad. The software works seamlessly and flawlessly, even on M3 MacBook.

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To Sum Up

We have discussed iPad Pro M1 vs M2 to help you differentiate between them and see if it's worth the upgrade. You must consider the similarities and differences between the M1 iPad Pro and the M2 iPad Pro and pick the new model only if you want to move with the workflows. You can also download and use the EaseUS RecExperts to seamlessly record and enjoy your screen activities.

FAQs About iPad Pro M1 vs M2

We have had a thorough discussion on iPad Pro M1 vs M2. You can find answers here if you still have more queries about the M2 iPad Pro.

1. Will the M1 iPad be good in 2023?

M1 is still overkill since the iPadOS does not use the full capabilities of the Apple M series chips. If you don't mind spending a bit more on the iPad Pro M2, but if you think it is too much, you'll be perfectly fine with the M1 iPad Pro.

2. What is the life expectancy of the iPad Pro M1?

Apple iPads last you longer than two years and work for at least 5 years. Just keep your software as up-to-date as possible. Plan to replace your tablet every 3 years.

3. Is the M2 iPad Pro worth upgrading?

The M1 iPad Pro and iPad Air models still deliver incredible performance, battery life, and portability, all for less money. However, if you're a power user and often use your iPad to render video and 3D graphics, the M2 iPad Pro might be worth it.

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