Apple iPad Pro Apple 2022 iPad Pro (11-inch, Wi-Fi, 128GB) - Review

The 2022 11-inch iPad Pro packs a laptop's M2 chip into a stunning tablet, making it incredibly fast for creative work and multitasking. Its standout feature is the pro-grade accessory support with the Apple Pencil and Magic Keyboard. Prices range from $540 to $773, but the full 'Pro' setup costs much more. We recommend it for artists, designers, and power users who will use the accessories; for casual use, a cheaper iPad is a better buy.

Let's talk about the iPad Pro. This isn't your average tablet. It's Apple's flagship, packing their desktop-class M2 chip into a sleek 11-inch frame. It's for the person who wants a laptop's power in a tablet's form, whether you're a creative pro sketching with the Apple Pencil, a student juggling notes and research, or just someone who demands the smoothest, fastest experience possible.

The M2 chip is the star here. It's the same processor you'd find in a MacBook Air, and it makes this iPad feel ridiculously fast. Apps launch instantly, multitasking with Stage Manager is smooth, and you can edit 4K video without a hiccup. It's a tablet that genuinely tries to replace your computer.

But the real story isn't just the raw speed. It's the ecosystem. The magic happens when you pair it with the Apple Pencil for drawing or note-taking, or snap it into the Magic Keyboard for a proper laptop setup. You're buying into a premium, integrated experience. The hardware is top-tier, but the accessories (sold separately, of course) complete the vision.

Benchmarks confirm what you feel: this thing is fast. The M2's CPU and GPU performance land in the 80th percentile against all tablets, which means it's well above average and a standout for graphics-heavy tasks. In our database, it scores higher for productivity and student use than almost anything else. That translates to real-world speed: you can have a dozen apps open, a video rendering in the background, and still scroll through a webpage without any lag.

The catch is that this power comes from a chip designed for laptops, and iPadOS sometimes feels like it's holding it back. You'll get incredible performance in apps like Procreate or Lumafusion, but you can't install full desktop software like you would on a Mac. The battery life, sitting in the 49th percentile, is about average. It'll last a day of mixed use, but if you're pushing the M2 hard with video editing or gaming, you'll see it drain faster. The performance is impressive, but it's best enjoyed within the boundaries of what a tablet can do.

Here's the tricky part. The iPad Pro itself isn't cheap, but prices vary. We found it ranging from $540 to $773 across different vendors. If you can snag it around $540, that's a solid deal for M2 power. At the higher end, you're paying a premium for the brand and the latest model.

The value equation changes dramatically when you consider the full package. The tablet alone is a powerful slate. But to unlock its 'pro' potential, you likely need a $129 Apple Pencil and a $299 Magic Keyboard. Suddenly, you're in the $1,000+ territory. For that price, you need to be sure you'll use those accessories daily. If you're just watching videos and browsing web, a cheaper iPad Air or even a standard iPad gives you most of the experience for much less.

The closest competitor is the Samsung Galaxy Tab S10+. It has a bigger, gorgeous screen, often a better price, and more flexible software that feels closer to a desktop. But its processor isn't as powerful as the M2, and its accessory ecosystem isn't as polished. If you want the absolute best performance and Apple's seamless integration, the iPad Pro wins.

For a true laptop replacement, the Microsoft Surface Pro is a direct fight. It runs full Windows, so you can install any software. Its new Copilot+ chips are also very fast. But as a tablet, its app ecosystem and touch experience aren't as refined as iPadOS. The Surface is a better laptop, the iPad Pro is a better tablet. The Lenovo Yoga Tab Plus offers a huge screen and unique design at a lower price, but with much weaker performance. It's for media consumption, not pro work.

Skip this iPad Pro if you're just a casual user. If your tablet life is mostly watching Netflix, reading books, and checking social media, the premium power here is wasted. Grab an iPad Air or the standard iPad instead and save a lot of money.

Also, avoid it if you're a business user who needs to run specialized enterprise software or deeply integrated Windows applications. Our data shows it's weakest for business use (78/100). iPadOS can't run those programs. In that case, a Microsoft Surface Pro or a traditional laptop is a better fit. This tablet is for a specific crowd that needs its unique blend of power and portability.

If you're a creative professional, a student who sketches and writes, or someone who values the absolute best performance and polish in a tablet, this iPad Pro is your best bet. Pair it with the Pencil and Keyboard, and it's a fantastic hybrid machine. The M2 power is tangible, and the overall experience is slick.

But if your budget is tight, or if you mainly use a tablet for reading, streaming, and light browsing, skip this. The cheaper iPad Air (with an M1 chip) or the base iPad will serve you perfectly and save you hundreds of dollars. Also, if you need to run specific desktop programs like full Adobe Suite or engineering software, look at a Windows tablet like the Surface Pro instead. The iPad Pro excels in its lane, but that lane is premium and specific.