I Just Upgraded My iPad
My concerns going in, and my thoughts after a couple weeks of using the new iPad.
As many of you who have been following ByteBits may already know or have surmised, my 11” M1 iPad Pro has served as my primary computer ever since I bought it around 4-5 years ago. I’ve used it extensively for my creative work including graphic design, digital art, 3D modeling/sculpting, writing, research, note-taking, some video editing, audio editing, etc., as well as my more personal recreational use like web surfing, book reading, some light gaming, etc. The iPad is the first computer I reach for to do just about everything.
After getting several years of great use out of my 11” iPad, I decided to take the plunge and upgrade to a 13” M4 iPad Pro. After getting to spend some time handling display models at the store, I decided it felt like a good balance of ergonomics and display size now with the lighter design. And I was amazed by the Tandem OLED display when I saw it for the first time on a display model, the blacks are perfect, and the contrast is amazing. It’s every bit a studio-grade display packed into an iPad, and I think that alone makes it a great option for my creative workflows.
The Improvements
Going into this upgrade, there were a few concerns. Having used an 11” iPad Pro for the past 4-5 years, would I end up finding the 13” model too heavy/big? Would the ergonomics be different enough that I wouldn’t pull it out as frequently and take it with me as many places? Would it be harder to use in smaller spaces?
After using the new iPad setup for a bit now, here’s my conclusion so far with this sort of “experiment” of mine.
First, the extra display space makes a big difference for the creative apps I use. Though it may seem like a minor improvement on paper, or even at a first glance at the display models, it really does help to have more workspace, especially for the 3D modeling and sculpting apps I use. I can see more details of the 3D model I’m working on, while still being able to see the entire model (or at least more of it). Both Valence 3D and Nomad Sculpt work perfectly on the 13” display, and less scrolling is required to access options in side toolbars! Affinity Photo and Designer provide much more workspace, and a larger drawing surface for the Apple Pencil.
And the Tandem-OLED display is such a nice upgrade over the LCD display on my 11” M1 iPad Pro. While the 11” iPad Pro’s display was definitely a good quality display, the Tandem-OLED provides much nicer visuals and contrast. As I said before, it’s a full studio-grade display panel on an iPad, which results in the perfect combo for many creative workflows!
Handling the iPad still feels perfectly natural when holding it as a tablet. Prior generations of the 13” model felt too heavy for me, the M4 iPad Pro’s slimmer and lighter design make it feel much better when used as a standalone tablet. And I can even surprisingly thumb-type while holding the iPad in landscape orientation, though it will probably be easier to do so in portrait orientation.
As a tablet, the 13” iPad Pro feels like it’s just as good of a tablet experience as my prior 11” iPad, in many ways, even better. I don’t really see any downsides to the upgrade for my workflow in terms of the tablet experience. It provides a larger display, doesn’t feel significantly heavier or bigger to carry around with me, and is an improvement in every other way. And the accessories sweeten the deal even more.
First, there’s the Apple Pencil Pro. This new Apple Pencil, while not exclusive to the 13” iPad Pro, makes several improvements for my workflow. The new Squeeze gesture is extremely useful, the gesture can perform a variety of different functions in different apps, but many display a small option menu with different quick brush options. And the haptic for it in the pencil (the Apple Pencil has built in haptics now, yay!) is so satisfying I find myself squeezing it just for fun. But the haptics also serve a practical purpose. They provide useful feedback that lets the user know that the gesture actually registered. There were many times in the past when I was unsure of whether or not a double tap on the side of the Apple Pencil 2nd Gen had registered without looking at the tool palette of the app, which took just a little bit more time and intentionality. Now, either of the gestures will trigger a haptic, which allows users to know the gesture worked without having to even really think about it.
Another win for the Apple Pencil Pro is built in Find My support. I’ve never lost my Apple Pencil, but I have had it come loose from it’s magnetic charging position on the top of the iPad by accident, and sometimes I didn’t notice in the shuffle until a bit afterwards. If it ever did come loose from the iPad while in use, it gives me some extra peace of mind to know Find My will alert me before I leave it behind somewhere by accident.
Beyond the Apple Pencil Pro, the new Magic Keyboard Case design also brings several welcome changes and improvements. In terms of the typing experience, I’ve found it is far better on the 13” Magic Keyboard Case than on the 11” version of the case. The Magic Keyboard Case for the 11” iPad does a great job at maximizing the space, but there’s only so much that can be done with the smaller footprint of the 11” case. For shorter typing sessions, the 11” is perfectly fine. And for the average user who’s doing things like drafting emails, or other lighter-duty typing workloads, I still think the 11” keyboard case is perfectly fine for most such use-cases. But I began noticing that for my longer typing sessions, it started to feel a bit more cramped. The 13” keyboard case completely fixes this. It provides a full-sized keyboard that works out better for my increased typing workflow.
One of my favorite improvements with the new keyboard case design is the aluminum palm rests. The silicone material used on the prior case design and the current keyboard case for the iPad Air isn’t a bad material, it’s actually surprisingly durable, but I prefer the feel of the aluminum over the silicone. The aluminum palm rests likely also go a long way towards satisfying some who are switching from a MacBook or Windows laptop. It just feels more laptop-grade.
Another favorite of mine is the larger trackpad. It again, feels much more laptop-grade. And it’s a haptic trackpad, which means the surface actually doesn’t physically click or move at all, the feedback felt when clicking it are purely haptics. It is just as good as the trackpads shipped on the latest MacBooks, and even nearly the same size (it’s only slightly smaller than the trackpad found on the current 13” MacBook Pro). The larger trackpad makes for a nicer experience when using the iPad attached to the keyboard like a laptop.
Another laptop-grade improvement provided by the new keyboard is the row of function keys. I’m still getting used to using the function keys, but they are pretty handy for making quick adjustments to things like screen brightness and controlling media playback. The dedicated Spotlight Search function key is also very handy for quick system searches for apps, files, and such.
I’ve also noticed major improvements to the balance of the whole setup when using the iPad in the Magic Keyboard Case on my lap. It balances better than the 11” model did, which is very surprising, as on previous 13” models, I heard the keyboard combo felt less stable than the 11” model. And since the 13” iPad Pro is a bit heavier than my 11” model was (even though it doesn’t feel noticeably so when actually holding it), I was expecting the balance might be worse when using it in the keyboard on my lap. But it is actually more stable, which is a pleasant surprise.
And this time, unlike last time with my 11” iPad Pro, I bought a cellular configuration. i have not yet purchased a data plan to test out on it, but am excited by the added possibilities of cellular capabilities.
Regrets?
Nope. I really don’t have a single regret about this upgrade. It is a major improvement for my use-case in every single way. To me, it doesn’t really make it feel any less portable, and the extra screen real estate, the improved display, keyboard, pencil, M4 chip, etc. all make solid improvements over my last setup. All of my initial concerns about switching over to a larger iPad have proven to not be an issue for my workflow. And the upgrade provides several improvements that add up to make a big difference.
When I originally bought my 11” M1 iPad Pro, I was still on the fence about how it would end up fitting into my workflow. I assumed it would be more of a secondary device, and I would use it primarily for a few digital art projects here and there, and some content consumption, while using a MacBook for the heavy lifting. But once I began using that first iPad, I was surprised when it became my primary computer, and I hardly ever even wanted to pull out the Mac. The iPad, even with a smaller display won me over due to the simplicity and robustness of iPadOS. And with this new iPad, I think it makes my workflow even better, by offering a “full-sized” iPad experience, while not majorly compromising on all of the aspects that I like about the 11” model. It feels like, with the weight reduction of the 13” M4 iPad Pro, this is the perfect iPad for my use-case. Here’s to another 4-5 years of iPad-primary workflow!