Video Review: Using the 12.9-Inch M1 iPad Pro for Two Months

Apple in May released the new M1 11 and 12.9-inch iPad Pro models, and they're the first iPads that use Apple's M-series chips designed for Macs instead of A-series iOS chips, and the 12.9-inch ‌iPad Pro‌ has an all-new mini-LED display.


We did a hands-on video back when the ‌M1‌ ‌iPad Pro‌ first came out, but MacRumors videographer Dan has been using it daily since launch, and thought he'd revisit it to give an updated review on how it has fit into his workflow and with his other devices.

If you're still on the fence about one of the ‌M1‌ iPad Pros, Dan's video is worth watching to see how it performs in day to day usage over a period of time and whether it's worth picking up.

Popular Stories

apple intelligence black

Report: Apple's AI Strategy Could Finally Pay Off in 2026

Tuesday December 30, 2025 9:01 am PST by
Apple's restrained artificial intelligence strategy may pay off in 2026 amid the arrival of a revamped Siri and concerns around the AI market "bubble" bursting, The Information argues. The speculative report notes that Apple has taken a restrained approach with AI innovations compared with peers such as OpenAI, Google, and Meta, which are investing hundreds of billions of dollars in data...
apple fitness 2026 1

Apple Teases 'Something Big' Coming Soon to Apple Fitness+

Tuesday December 30, 2025 2:11 pm PST by
The Apple Fitness+ Instagram account today teased that the service has "big plans" for 2026. In a video, several Apple Fitness+ trainers are shown holding up newspapers with headlines related to Apple Fitness+. What's Apple Fitness+ Planning for the New Year? Something Big is Coming to Apple Fitness+ The Countdown Begins. Apple Fitness+ 2026 is Almost Here 2026 Plans Still Under ...
maxresdefault

Hands-On With a Rough iPhone Fold Mockup

Monday December 29, 2025 10:55 am PST by
Apple is rumored to be introducing a foldable iPhone in September 2026, and since it will bring the biggest form factor change since the iPhone was introduced in 2007, curiosity about the design is high. A 3D designer created an iPhone Fold design based on rumors, and we printed it out to see how it compares to Apple's current iPhones. Subscribe to the MacRumors YouTube channel for more ...
maxresdefault

Where's the New Apple TV?

Monday December 22, 2025 11:30 am PST by
Apple hasn't updated the Apple TV 4K since 2022, and 2025 was supposed to be the year that we got a refresh. There were rumors suggesting Apple would release the new Apple TV before the end of 2025, but it looks like that's not going to happen now. Subscribe to the MacRumors YouTube channel for more videos. Bloomberg's Mark Gurman said several times across 2024 and 2025 that Apple would...
iphone 17 pro dark blue 1

iPhone 17 Pro and Pro Max Users Report Static Speaker Noise While Charging

Tuesday December 30, 2025 10:39 am PST by
iPhone 17 Pro and Pro Max owners are having trouble with the speakers of their devices, and have complained about a static or hissing noise that occurs when the iPhone is charging. There are multiple discussions about the issue on Reddit, the MacRumors forums, and Apple's Support Community, where affected users say there is a noticeable static noise "like an old radio." Some people report...
iPhone Top Left Hole Punch Face ID Feature Purple

iPhone 18 Pro Launching Next Year With These 12 New Features

Tuesday December 23, 2025 8:36 am PST by
While the iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone 18 Pro Max are not expected to launch for another nine months, there are already plenty of rumors about the devices. Below, we have recapped 12 features rumored for the iPhone 18 Pro models. The same overall design is expected, with 6.3-inch and 6.9-inch display sizes, and a "plateau" housing three rear cameras Under-screen Face ID Front camera in...
iOS 26

iOS 26.2 Adds These 8 New Features to Your iPhone

Monday December 22, 2025 8:47 am PST by
Earlier this month, Apple released iOS 26.2, following more than a month of beta testing. It is a big update, with many new features and changes for iPhones. iOS 26.2 adds a Liquid Glass slider for the Lock Screen's clock, offline lyrics in Apple Music, and more. Below, we have highlighted a total of eight new features. Liquid Glass Slider on Lock Screen A new slider in the Lock...
macbook air march 2020

Apple Says Final Intel MacBook Air and Apple Watch Series 5 Now 'Vintage'

Wednesday December 31, 2025 8:39 am PST by
Apple today added the final 13-inch MacBook Air powered by Intel processors, the Apple Watch Series 5, and additional products to its vintage products list. The iPhone 11 Pro was also added to the list after the iPhone 11 Pro Max was added back in September. The full list of products added to Apple's vintage and obsolete list today: MacBook Air (Retina, 13-inch, 2020) iPhone 8 Plus 128GB ...

Top Rated Comments

IllinoisCorn Avatar
58 months ago
This is the same story 10+ years in.

"It's getting better but can't completely replace by laptop yet."

And it never will. Give it up. Let it go. It's okay to use a Mac.
Score: 35 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Analog Kid Avatar
58 months ago
If you could include a text review as well it would be a better fit for many of us. I can scan text much more quickly to find interesting bits.
Score: 24 Votes (Like | Disagree)
GuruZac Avatar
58 months ago

Well thought out and presented review Dan, I will be staying with the 2018 until IOS makes use of all that POWER!
Same same. The 2018 is still more powerful than iPadOS so whats the point in spending up. Apple threw the M1 in the iPad Pro for streamlining manufacturing not for any other grand scheme. If they wanted to make the iPad Pro equally capable they could.
Score: 10 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Eorlas Avatar
58 months ago
this is a brilliant idea for a review. i'll chime in another user anecdote as well:

have had mine since launch, i was already in the market for a pro and wanted that screen size.

obviously, it's a fantastic performing device. i absolutely cant help but feel like it's restrained from its full potential given the chip that's quarterbacking its whole operation. i also cant imagine that spending the extra $700 or so markup to get the 1TB for the sake of 16gb ram is helpful in this current iteration. at that point, one is better off getting a MBP that will be better off with the same chip, and the additional ram.

as far as ipads go, bottom line is i think if it's what you're in the market for, specifically for the other features the 12.9" tier offers, then it's hardly a bad buy.

if one specifically wants the performance of the M1, a 13" mbp is the cheaper buy as it has the M1, same amount of ram, the keyboard is attached and part of the cost. it doesnt have as nice a display though, so keep that in mind.

it's all about what specifically you're buying for. purely just to make sure you have a fast ipad....i think the preceding pros were hardly sluggish.
Score: 10 Votes (Like | Disagree)
SonOfaMac Avatar
58 months ago
Well thought out and presented review Dan, I will be staying with the 2018 until IOS makes use of all that POWER!
Score: 7 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Cronbo Avatar
58 months ago
The reviewer is a videographer and didn't speak once about the 4K camera or video editing apps available like LumaFusion 3.0 ? It doesn't matter that you don't personally use the ipad for that, perhaps your readers/viewers do, and THEY would like to know if it's worthwhile? Missed the Titanic on this one...
Score: 6 Votes (Like | Disagree)