Apple iPad Pro Apple 2021 12.9-inch iPad Pro (Wi‐Fi + Cellular, Review
The 2021 iPad Pro with the M1 chip offers insane performance at a low price, but its battery life and screen can't keep up with newer models.
Overview
The 2021 iPad Pro with the M1 chip is still a beast. It feels like Apple put a laptop brain in a tablet body, and it shows. The 12.9-inch Liquid Retina XDR display is stunning for watching movies or editing photos, and the build quality is exactly what you'd expect from Apple.
But let's be real, this is a 2021 model. The design and core specs are a few generations old now. It runs iPadOS, which is great for apps but still has some limits compared to a full laptop OS. It's a powerful tool that feels a bit held back by its software.
Performance
The M1 chip is the star here. It's incredibly fast for a tablet, landing in the 82nd percentile for CPU power. Apps open instantly, multitasking is smooth, and it can handle heavy creative work without breaking a sweat. The GPU is no slouch either, sitting in the 81st percentile. The battery life is just okay, though, ranking below average at the 48th percentile. Don't expect to go multiple days without a charge.
Pros & Cons
Pros
- Strong feature (94th percentile) 95th
- Strong cpu (82th percentile) 82th
- Strong gpu (81th percentile) 82th
- Strong storage (74th percentile) 77th
Cons
- Below average connectivity (16th percentile) 23th
- Below average screen (30th percentile) 24th
Specifications
Full Specifications
Processor
| CPU | 3.2 GHz |
Memory & Storage
| RAM | 8 GB |
| Storage | 256 GB |
Features
| Stylus Support | Yes |
Physical
| Weight | 0.7 kg / 1.5 lbs |
| OS | iPadOS |
Value & Pricing
At around $518, this is a tricky one. You're getting an M1 chip for a fraction of the original price, which is a steal for raw power. But you're also buying older tech. The battery and screen aren't competitive with today's best tablets. If you need Apple's ecosystem and that M1 power on a budget, it's compelling. If you want the latest and greatest screen or battery life, look elsewhere.
vs Competition
Stack it up against the newer iPad Pro with the M5 chip, and you'll see where the age shows. The M5 model will have better battery, a brighter screen, and support newer Apple Pencil features. Compared to a Windows option like the Surface Pro 11, you lose the full desktop OS but gain app optimization and that slick Apple feel. Against an Android tablet like the Galaxy Tab S10+, you're trading customization and maybe better media consumption for Apple's walled garden and app quality.
| Spec | Apple iPad Pro Apple 2021 12.9-inch iPad Pro (Wi‐Fi + Cellular, | Apple iPad Pro Apple 11" iPad Pro M5 Chip (Standard Glass, 512GB, | Samsung Galaxy Tab S10 Samsung 12.4" Galaxy Tab S10+ 256GB Multi-Touch | Microsoft Surface Pro Microsoft - Surface Pro - Copilot+ PC - 13” OLED | Lenovo Yoga Tab Series Lenovo Yoga Tab Plus | Xiaomi Xiaomi Redmi Pad 2 Only WiFi (No Calls or Text) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| CPU | 3.2 GHz | Apple M5 | MediaTek 9300 | Qualcomm Snapdragon X Elite X1E-84-100 | Qualcomm® Snapdragon® 8 Gen 3, QCM8650 | 2.2 GHz mediatek_helio |
| RAM (GB) | 8 | 12 | 12 | 32 | 16 | - |
| Storage (GB) | 256 | 512 | 256 | 1000 | 256 | 256 |
| Screen | - | 11" 2420x1668 | 12.4" 2800x1752 | 13" 2880x1920 | 12.7" 2944x1840 | 11" 2560x1600 |
| OS | iPadOS | iPadOS | Android 14 | Windows 11 Home | Android 14 | Android 15 |
| Stylus | true | true | true | false | false | false |
| Cellular | false | false | false | false | false | false |
Verdict
Buy this if you're deep in the Apple ecosystem and need a powerful secondary screen or creative tablet without spending a fortune. The M1 is still overkill for most tablet tasks, which is a good thing. Avoid it if battery life is your top priority, or if you need the absolute best display available today. It's a powerhouse from a past generation.