Apple just released the M2 iPad Pro along with a redesigned base model with a quiet press release and a YouTube video. This alone is enough indication that the new iPad Pro with the M2 chip isn’t a big deal. Despite the updated chip, the new device has the exact same hardware as the M1 iPad Pro. So, in a nutshell, the chip update is the only ‘new’ thing about the new iPad Pro. However, there are some concerns about the M2 chip as well, which raises more red flags about the device.
Most of the M2 iPad Pro’s new features, including the fancy Apple Pencil hover feature, are software updates. Apple is set to release iPadOS 16 on October 24 and is expected to bring most of the M2 iPad Pro features to the M1 iPad Pro and the M1 iPad Air. So here are five reasons why the new iPad Pro with the M2 chip isn’t worth your money.
5 reasons to ditch the new iPad Pro with M2 chip
- Underclocked chip: Max Tech YouTube channel highlighted this point in one of their videos. The M2 chip is 18% faster than the M1 chip in the MacBook Air. However, the same M2 chip in the new iPad is capped to be 15% faster than the last gen. This means Apple has capped the chip’s full potential to prevent overheating or battery drain.
- Limited RAM: The processor isn’t the only thing Apple is limiting the device. The M2 chip supports as much as 24GB of RAM, which is already available in the new MacBook Air. So if someone is looking to unleash the full potential of the M2 chip, a MacBook will serve them better.
- Same hardware as last year: The latest M2 iPad starts at a premium price tag of $1099 (Rs 1,12,900). At this price, users will get the same hardware as last year’s M1 device. In other words, most users will be better off with the previous-gen device along with the Magic Keyboard folio.
- iPad Ultra could launch soon: 2022 is almost over, and Apple could be keeping an ace up its sleeve for the next year. There are rumors of an iPad Ultra coming in 2023. That iPad could pack the same M2 chip with a bigger display, better cameras, and more RAM. In that case, the new iPad Pro M2 could be in the same position as the 13-inch M2 MacBook Pro.
- M1 iPad price drop: The festive season has started, along with holiday discounts coming in soon. The M1 iPad lineup could see decent discounts in the coming days. Even for power users, the M1 iPad Pro should make a sweet deal at discounted rates.
Why should you buy a new iPad with an M2 chip?
There are four reasons to buy the new iPad Pro with the M2 chip. The biggest feature is the M2 chip itself, and then there are software features like the Apple Pencil hover and the new iPadOS features. It can also record ProRes video at up to 4K 30 fps. However, this is a software update and could also trickle down to the older models when Apple releases the new iPadOS 16.
If these reasons are enough for someone, they should buy the M2 iPad Pro. It is also coming with the latest iPadOS 16 out of the box, so buyers should get one more year of updates compared to the last gen iPad Pro.
