Apple iPad Pro Apple 2021 12.9-inch iPad Pro (Wi‐Fi, 256GB) - Review

The 2021 iPad Pro 12.9-inch is still a beast. It's got the M1 chip, which is the same processor Apple put in its MacBooks at the time. That means it's wildly overpowered for an iPad, and it shows. The big draw here is that Liquid Retina XDR screen. It's incredibly bright and colorful, perfect for watching movies or editing photos. But this is a 2021 model, and the tablet world has moved on a bit since then.

The M1 chip is the star. It scores in the 81st percentile for CPU and 80th for GPU, so it handles everything you throw at it without breaking a sweat. Multitasking, video editing, even some light gaming—it's all smooth. The 8GB of RAM is fine for now. The battery life, however, lands in the 48th percentile. It's not terrible, but you won't be amazed. For a device this powerful, you'd expect more.

At around $514, this is a complicated call. That's a fantastic price for an M1-powered device with this screen. You're getting near-laptop power for tablet money. But you have to remember it's three years old. You're buying into older hardware and missing out on newer iPadOS features that rely on the M2 or M4 chips. If raw power for the price is your main goal, it's a steal. If you want a modern, future-proofed iPad experience, look at newer models.

Stack it up against the newer competition. The current iPad Pro with the M4 chip is in a different league, especially for creative work, but it costs over twice as much. The Microsoft Surface Pro 11 is a more direct laptop replacement running full Windows. The Samsung Galaxy Tab S10+ has a better screen for the money and more flexibility with Android. This 2021 iPad Pro sits in a weird spot: it's more powerful than the base iPad but is now outclassed by Apple's own newer Pros and more versatile Windows/Android rivals.

Buy this if you're on a tight budget but need serious power for drawing, note-taking, or media consumption on a gorgeous screen. It's a powerhouse for artists and students who don't need the latest specs. Don't buy it if you want the best battery life, plan to use it as a true laptop replacement, or care about having the newest features. It's a brilliant device that's starting to show its age.