Apple upgrades iPad Pro to M2 chip, WiFi 6E, and mini LED display

Apple quietly added new iPad Pro models to its lineup. The biggest change is the move to the M2 chip from the previous M1 chips, with a few new features for good measure.

The M1 is the same chip that powers the current MacBook Air and MacBook Pro 13. It sports an 8-core CPU and 10-core GPU, with a healthy performance boost over the last-gen M1.

READ MORE: Apple reportedly working on OLED MacBook Air and iPad Pro

Both the 11- and 12.9-inch versions have the same core, with 16GB of RAM, Wi-Fi 6E, a cellular option, and storage options that include 128GB, 256GB, 512GB, 1TB, and 2TB.

So far, so good, right? Here’s what else is new.

iPad Pro improvements under the hood

As was the case last year, the 12.9-inch iPad Pro gets a mini LED display for better black levels, contrast, and HDR.

The 11-inch model has a more basic screen, but both have ProMotion for up to 120Hz refresh rates.

READ MORE: Is the 10th-gen iPad worth buying? Here’s what reviewers say

The other big change is a new hover feature for Apple Pencil users. Now, the iPad Pro can detect the Apple Pencil up to 12mm from the screen.

“Users [can] see a preview of their mark before they make it.” It also does handy UI tweaks, like expanding text fields as the pencil gets close to the screen.

Design-wise, it utilizes the same design Apple has used since 2018, so nothing new here.

Mainly, all the improvements were made under the hood, whether hardware or software.

And speaking of software, we have a date for iPadOS 16’s release. It’s now coming on October 24.

The new iPad Pro with M2 is available to preorder today, with in-store availability from October 26.

The 11-inch version is $799 for Wi-Fi-only and $999 for Wi-Fi+Cellular.

The 12.9-inch version starts from $1,099 for Wi-Fi-only, or $1,299 for Wi-Fi+Cellular.

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