Apple has officially announced its next-generation iPad Pro after many months of rumors. The new iPad Pro supports WiFi 6E and ProRes video capture, all powered by the latest M2 Apple Silicon chip.
Announced in a press release, Apple says the iPad Pro with M2 Apple Silicon is “the ultimate combination of portability, versatility, and unbelievable performance.” Powered by the latest M2 Apple Silicon that made its debut in the 2022 MacBook Air and MacBook Pro, iPad Pro with M2 is fifteen percent faster than M1, making it the fastest iPad ever.
The M2 Apple Silicon chip features an 8-core CPU and 10-core GPU. While the CPU delivers fifteen percent faster performance over the M1, the GPU is a staggering 35 percent faster. The M2 chip is also capable of 100GB/s of unified memory bandwidth, and features 16 GB of unified memory.
Alongside the M2 Apple Silicon chip, the new iPad Pro can detect when the Apple Pencil is hovering over the device and will display UI elements that expand when the Apple Pencil is brought closer to the iPad.
“Apple Pencil is now detected up to 12 mm above the display, allowing users to see a preview of their mark before they make it. This also allows users to sketch and illustrate with even greater precision, and makes everything users do with Apple Pencil even more effortless,” says Apple.
The new iPad Pro with M2 Silicon is the first iPad Pro to support WiFi-6E. Apple says the new connectivity standard is two times faster than before, also making it more reliable and lets pro users access to their demanding workflows from anywhere. The new iPad Pro also supports more 5G bands with support for sub-6GHz and mmWave on the WiFi + Cellular models.
The new iPad Pro with M2 Apple Silicon will retail for $799 for the 11-inch model and $1,099 for the 12.9-inch model. Cellular models start at $999 and $1,299, respectively. Pre-orders start today and will be available on October 26th. iPad Pro with M2 can be configured with 128GB, 256GB, 512GB, 1TB, and 2TB storage options. iPadOS 16.1 will be available to download on October 24th. Apple also unveiled a new redesigned iPad and an updated Apple TV 4K.