Apple Introduces Next-Generation iPad Pro With M1 Chip, Thunderbolt, 5G, XDR Display, and More

Apple today announced the next-generation iPad Pro with the same M1 chip found in the latest Macs, Thunderbolt and USB4 support, 5G connectivity on cellular models with mmWave support in the United States, and more.

ipad pro with m1 chip
With an 8-core CPU and 8-core GPU, Apple says the M1 chip in the new iPad Pro provides up to 50% faster performance and up to 40% faster graphics compared to the A12Z Bionic chip in the previous-generation iPad Pro.

The new iPad Pro is available with up to 2TB of storage, which is double the previous limit. ‌iPad Pro‌ models with 128GB, 256GB, or 512GB of storage will come with 8GB RAM, while ‌iPad Pro‌ models with 1TB or 2TB of storage will feature 16GB RAM, marking the first time that Apple has offered varying amounts of RAM in the iPad Pro.

Exclusive to the new 12.9-inch iPad Pro is an all-new Liquid Retina XDR display, with up to 1,000 nits of full-screen brightness, up to 1,600 nits of peak brightness, and a 1,000,000:1 contrast ratio. As was widely rumored, the display uses mini-LED backlighting with over 10,000 LEDs to deliver true-to-life HDR content.

Newly added support for Thunderbolt and USB4 provides up to 40Gbps total bandwidth. Thunderbolt supports 10Gbps Ethernet, high-performance accessories, and high-resolution displays like Apple's Pro Display XDR at full 6K resolution.


The front-facing TrueDepth camera system in the new iPad Pro features a new 12-megapixel Ultra Wide lens that enables a 120-degree field of view for a new "Center Stage" feature that automatically keeps users perfectly within the frame during video calls.

Cellular models of the new iPad Pro in the U.S. support mmWave, the higher frequency version of 5G, allowing the tablet to reach speeds up to 4Gbps.

The new 11-inch iPad Pro starts at $799, while the new 12.9-inch iPad Pro starts at $1,099. Pre-orders will begin April 30, with availability beginning in the second half of May. No specific release date was provided.

Apple also announced that the optional Magic Keyboard for iPad Pro is being released in a new white color.

Related Roundup: iPad Pro
Buyer's Guide: iPad Pro (Caution)

Popular Stories

iPhone 17 Pro Blue Feature Tighter Crop

iPhone 17: What's New With the Cameras

Friday May 2, 2025 3:52 pm PDT by
We've still got months to go before the new iPhone 17 models come out, but a combination of dummy models and leaks have given us some insight into what we can expect in terms of camera changes. Apple is adding new camera features, and changing the design of the camera bump for some models. You might be skeptical of dummy models, but over the years, they've proven to be a highly accurate...
iphone 17 air iphone 16 pro

iPhone 17 Air USB-C Port May Have This Unusual Design Quirk

Wednesday April 30, 2025 3:59 am PDT by
Apple is preparing to launch a dramatically thinner iPhone this September, and if recent leaks are anything to go by, the so-called iPhone 17 Air could boast one of the most radical design shifts in recent years. iPhone 17 Air dummy model alongside iPhone 16 Pro (credit: AppleTrack) At just 5.5mm thick (excluding a slightly raised camera bump), the 6.6-inch iPhone 17 Air is expected to become ...
AirPods Pro 3 Mock Feature

AirPods Pro 3 Just Months Away – Here's What We Know

Tuesday April 29, 2025 1:30 am PDT by
Despite being more than two years old, Apple's AirPods Pro 2 still dominate the premium wireless‑earbud space, thanks to a potent mix of top‑tier audio, class‑leading noise cancellation, and Apple's habit of delivering major new features through software updates. With AirPods Pro 3 widely expected to arrive in 2025, prospective buyers now face a familiar dilemma: snap up the proven...
iOS App Store General Feature JoeBlue

Epic Games Wins Major Victory as Apple is Ordered to Comply With App Store Anti-Steering Injunction [Updated]

Wednesday April 30, 2025 4:01 pm PDT by
In a victory for Epic Games, Apple was today found to be in violation of a 2021 injunction that required it to allow developers to direct customers to third-party purchase options on the web using in-app links. Judge Yvonne Gonzalez Rogers, who has been handling the Apple vs. Epic Games dispute for the last five years, said that Apple is in "willful violation" of the injunction she issued to ...
General Spotify Feature

Spotify Submits iOS App Update With Out-of-App Purchase Options

Thursday May 1, 2025 3:37 pm PDT by
Spotify today submitted an app update to Apple that will include information on Spotify plan costs and options to subscribe through weblinks without using the in-app purchase system. Spotify will not need to pay a fee to Apple when customers subscribe to the service using alternate payment methods in the Spotify app. In a blog post announcing the changes, Spotify said that yesterday's ruling ...
iphone 16 pro ghost hand

iPhone 18 Rumors: What to Expect From Apple Next Year

Friday May 2, 2025 3:01 am PDT by
Apple's is continually working with suppliers on successive iPhone models simultaneously, which is why we often get rumored features so far ahead of launch. The iPhone 18 series is no different, and we already have a picture forming of what to expect from Apple's 2026 smartphone lineup. If you're skipping this year's upcoming iPhone 17 series, or just plain curious about Apple's plans...
iphone 16 display

iPhone 17's Scratch Resistant Anti-Reflective Display Coating Canceled

Monday April 28, 2025 12:48 pm PDT by
Apple may have canceled the super scratch resistant anti-reflective display coating that it planned to use for the iPhone 17 Pro models, according to a source with reliable information that spoke to MacRumors. Last spring, Weibo leaker Instant Digital suggested Apple was working on a new anti-reflective display layer that was more scratch resistant than the Ceramic Shield. We haven't heard...
iOS 19

Apple Already Testing iOS 19.4 After Delaying Personalized Siri Features

Thursday May 1, 2025 9:03 am PDT by
A subset of Apple's software engineers started internal development of iOS 19.4 last month, according to the MacRumors visitor logs. iOS 19.4 is expected to be released in March or April next year, so the software update is still nearly a year away. However, Apple develops both "Fall" and "Spring" versions of iOS each year, with our website's analytics logs indicating that both iOS 19.0 and...

Top Rated Comments

diddl14 Avatar
53 months ago
Would buy it in a heartbeat if would support dual boot of iPadOS and MacOS
Score: 40 Votes (Like | Disagree)
SW3029 Avatar
53 months ago
Told you all over 6 weeks ago!

Attachment Image
Score: 37 Votes (Like | Disagree)
waydabber Avatar
53 months ago
16GB RAM, 2TB SSD, Thunderbolt, magic keyboard, trackpad. Why can't it run MacOS?
Score: 28 Votes (Like | Disagree)
braintumor Avatar
53 months ago
Soooo ... when do we finally get MacOS on the iPad Pro!!!??? A hybrid iPadOS/MacOS would make me buy this instantly
Score: 18 Votes (Like | Disagree)
thadoggfather Avatar
53 months ago
Honestly didn’t expect this

interesting future ahead for iOS and Mac with the same exact proc moving forward
Score: 16 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Yokon54 Avatar
53 months ago
Huge news...tablet market starts and ends with iPad.
Score: 13 Votes (Like | Disagree)