5 Weird iPad Pro (M4) Decisions

The video begins with Marques Brownlee recounting his two weeks with the new iPad Pro M4, noting that the user experience mirrors the M1 Pro in most everyday tasks like watching videos, web browsing, and productivity, but with subtle shifts that point to Apple’s design philosophy for this generation. He frames the discussion around five unusual decisions Apple made for the iPad Pro, choices that aren’t highlighted in the keynote and aren’t driven purely by rumors. Early on he highlights the physical thinning of the device, explaining how the iPad Pro has become noticeably slimmer at 5.1 mm, and he contrasts this with the Galaxy Tab Ultra to illustrate how aggressive thinness has become a differentiator. He also comments on how this slimness affects internal space, battery life, and speaker voluming, noting that despite a thinner chassis, the 11-inch model actually includes a larger battery than its predecessor while the 13-inch retains a battery size similar to last year’s. This leads into a broader reflection on trade-offs, where Apple could have pursued either even larger batteries or extreme thinness, but chose a balanced approach that keeps battery life robust and the device highly portable. The discussion then shifts to the camera and sensor layout, including the removal of the ultrawide camera on the back, the single camera with LiDAR, and how the camera housing and magnet layout interact with the new Apple Pencil Pro. He investigates internal hardware changes via magnet paper demonstrations and explains how the new quad speaker arrangement contributes to sound quality at the cost of some bass due to reduced internal space. Packaging choices, including the continued inclusion of a USB-C brick and the shift away from plastic, are evaluated for environmental impact and user value, with a suggestion that Apple could have stopped shipping bricks entirely or offered faster charging. The M4’s chip and software story is deconstructed, highlighting the 3-nanometer M4 process, a more powerful neural engine, and the fact that the most meaningful software benefits will roll out later in the year with new apps like Final Cut for iPad, while regular iPad tasks will feel familiar to users upgrading from M1. The video also dives into the deepening “computer-like” nature of the iPad Pro, describing tiered RAM, storage, CPU core counts, and a nano-texture display as options that differentiate models, and notes the potential for an always-on display in future iPadOS. The Apple Pencil Pro is called out for its refined sensing and haptic feedback, a more integrated magnet system, and the practical challenge that current use cases may demand purchasing a more expensive iPad to take full advantage of the new pencil features. The closing segments assess the practical stay-or-upgrade decision for potential buyers, evaluating whether it’s worth waiting for WWDC to learn about iPadOS enhancements and whether the M4 iPad Pro represents a meaningful leap beyond previous generations. The sponsor segment for dbrand is included, praising premium leather iPad skins and encouraging viewers to check the description for the link. Overall, the video presents a nuanced view of incremental hardware improvements, thoughtful design changes, and the real-world value those changes offer to different user groups, from students and professionals to casual consumers and tech enthusiasts.

Topics · technology · consumer_electronics · product_reviews · tablets · display_technology · computer_hardware