Apple iPad Pro 11 (2024) review

Camera

The iPad Pro 11 (2024) has a 12MP rear camera with a 28mm f/1.8 lens and PDAF. Next to it is an LED flash and a LiDAR scanner system for those who need to scan various objects in 3D. 4K@60 video capturing is available here.

There is also a 12MP ultrawide-angle front camera with support for Center Stage. This camera supports up to 1080p@30 video recording. Center Stage works in FaceTime video calls and makes use of the wide lens. The tablet can zoom in and pan to keep you in the center of the frame. And if someone else enters into the frame, Center Stage will zoom out so that both of you are visible.

The 12MP photos we shot with this iPad are okay, but nothing impressive. They have enough resolved detail and excellent dynamic range. The colors are a bit muted, but that has been an Apple thing for quite some time. And so is the artificial look, a result of the over-processing done by Apple's Smart HDR, Deep Fusion or whatever they are calling it here.

Rear camera samples

The photos from the front camera are quite poor, with mediocre detail, abundant noise and an over-processed look.

Front camera

The video quality is a close match to what we've seen in the photos. The rear camera shoots good 4K videos with okay-ish detail and great dynamic range, but the footage is over-processed.

The selfie camera offers so-so 1080p videos, not that detailed and with plenty of unnecessary processing.

Video screengrabs: Rear camera • Front camera

And here is the 4K video sample shot by the rear camera.

Our verdict

The Apple iPad Pro 11 (2024) is an incredibly thin and lightweight powerhouse. Even better, it boasts a class-leading OLED display, superb speaker setup and offers nicely long battery life. Its iPad OS has been slowly growing into a full-fledged desktop operating system, one that is touch optimized. In fact, the only thing that stops the complete transformation is the iOS-like file management.

Overall, the iPads do sell well for the sole reason they are great tablets. Be it the cheapest iPad, the mid-range iPad Air or the most expensive iPad Pro - they are positioned very well and cater to different users. They are also the most popular tablets because the iPad was first way back and now there are already a ton of iPad-optimized apps.

This fully applies to this latest iPad Pro! While it doesn't feel faster than the previous M2-power model, synthetic benchmarks tell such a story. But what we could see and feel were the new superb OLED screen, the thin body, and the long battery life.

Overall, if you are after a powerhouse of a tablet - that is the iPad Pro. But it is going to cost you quite a lot, more than a MacBook Air if you go after the ridiculously expensive Magic Keyboard and/or the Apple Pencil. There are cheaper iPad Airs, too.

Android users will hardly be won by an iPad, so they can explore the Galaxy Tab S models, or the Xiaomi Pad 6 and 6S Pro - really strong offers.

We liked this iPad Pro and kudos to Apple for making a prominent leap forward. We do recommend exploring it as an option and we think a lot of people will like it, especially those who own a pre-2022 model.

Pros

• Superb thin and lightweight no-nonsense design.
• Marvelous OLED screen, bright and fast.
• Excellent battery life.
• Top-notch speakers.
• Class-leading performance and stability.
• LiDAR system, Face ID.
• iPad OS and its apps are better suited to tablet use than Android.

Cons

• Expensive.
• Nothing but a cable in the retail box.
• Unimpressive camera quality.
• iPad OS apps underutilize the M4 chip.
• No ingress protection rating.