Which iPad Pro should you get in 2024?

Saying that Apple's iPad is the best tablet around is an perhaps an understatement - it's more than that. It has been the most popular tablet for years, making the majority of Android tablets it goes up against look amateurish.

And lately the iPad has also become a portable computer that can easily outpace the Microsoft Surface Pro - a full-fledged Windows PC - thanks to the power of Apple's M processor.

But Apple truly knocked it out of the park with the latest iPad Pros for 2024. These are the first OLED tablets by Apple, and they have the latest M4 processor and a new fancy Apple Pencil Pro to push productivity to the next level.

This sounds like a high praise, but as is often the case with Apple products, the iPads are expensive and reach sky-high prices if you go overboard with the upgrades and accessories. So, here is what we think it’s the best value if you have already decided to go for the Apple iPad Pro latest model.

Is the OLED display a must-have?

The new Ultra Retina Tandem OLED display is the single most important reason why you should get the iPad Pro instead of the new Air. The tandem in the name means that Apple put two OLED panels on top of each other to achieve the impressive 1,600 nits of peak brightness.

And, unlike the previous iPad Pro generation, where only the 12.9-inch Pro got the mini-LED display (which wasn't nearly as great to begin with), in 2024 the 11-inch iPad Pro has the same OLED display as its bigger counterpart.

The OLED panel is light-years ahead of any LCD out there and you'll immediately notice a big difference when you pick up the new iPad Pro.

Which display size - 11-inch or 13-inch?

We think the 11-inch iPad Pro is the better option for the vast majority of people out there. It's way easier to hold in hand, which is crucial for a tablet - handling the behemoth that is the iPad Pro 13 is a chore if you have to do it for more than thirty minutes.

And since the iPad is an amazing gaming device, and the 11-inch display is perfectly suited for those corner controls in most modern shooters or racing games.

Should I get the Nanotextured glass?

No - just get the Standard Glass version. It's more legible and generally sharper. And we feel the higher reflectivity is more than made up for by the superior contrast and more vibrant colors.

Not to mention that the Nanotextured glass is a €130 add-on that's only available if you upgrade to the 1TB or 2TB storage option in the first place - it's not available on the 256GB or the 512GB models.

Should I upgrade the storage? How about the M4 processor?

Just like with the Mac, you can upgrade the M4 in the iPad Pro. It's not quite straightforward, though as it's tied to the storage you pick. The base model 256GB and 512GB Pros get a 9-core CPU with 3 performance cores, and 8GB of RAM, while the 1TB and 2TB Pros get a 10-core CPU with 1 more performance core, and 16GB of RAM.

The smart way to go about things is get the base 256GB model - it has the same 120GB/s memory bandwidth, the same 16-core Neural Engine, and the same 10-core GPU with ray tracing.

256GB is more than enough for the majority of apps and games you'll use on the iPad. Not to mention that with network speeds these days, you'll likely stream all your music and videos, while your personal Photo and Video library is in the cloud anyway.

The usage patterns of an iPad are normally different from those on an iPhone, so getting the least available storage makes sense here. Whereas getting the base iPhone will quickly see you run out of storage space you are very unlikely to capture as many photos and videos on the iPad.

Should you get the Cellular model?

That's another largely unneeded, but expensive upgrade. Sharing your iPhone's mobile network with your iPad is as easy as pie, just like you would with your MacBook. And it's almost certain you'll have your phone nearby whenever you'd use your iPad, so you might as well save some money and get the Wi-Fi-only model.

Do you need an Apple Pencil? Should you go for the Apple Pencil Pro?

The iPad is probably the best note-taking device in the world right now. Many students get the tablet for that specific reason. If you plan to take notes or you are an artist and plan on drawing on your iPad - get the Apple Pencil USB-C. But then you probably already knew you needed it before we told you so.

You can also get the new Pencil Pro if money's no object and you really need the enhanced functionality. In all other cases you probably will leave the Pencil idling somewhere so you might as well do without it.

The Pencil Pro is €149 on Apple's website, the USB-C is €89.

Do you need the keyboard?

Apple's Magic Keyboard for the iPad Pro is wonderful. It converts the tablet to a productivity machine, allowing it to stand on its own and giving it a full, backlit keyboard with 14 function keys, and a glass trackpad with haptic feedback.

The €349 price is steep, but the free-floating design is lovely, the keyboard is robust, and made of quality materials, and it adds a whole new productivity element to what is otherwise mostly a media consumption device.

If you plan on doing any sort of typing on the iPad, you should get the Magic Keyboard. Yes, it's expensive, but it's the best keyboard for the iPad Pro and is miles better than any third-party design out there. And if you're getting an Apple Pencil, you'll benefit greatly from the keyboard.

Money's no object? Buy the iPad Pro 13.

We think the iPad Pro 11 WiFi 256GB is the best value for money tablet in 2024 for most of the users. However, if you are a creator and you have the budget for it, you should definitely go for the bigger 13-inch model with more storage.

And if you kit out the bigger tablet with a keyboard, it's now a MacBook Air 13 rival with a faster M4 processor (versus the Air's M3) and a better display.

What about the iPad Air?

The 2024 iPad Air starts at €699 and does all the tablet tasks the €1,199 iPad Pro 11 does. You can use the Apple Pencil with it, there's a Magic Keyboard for it as well, and while it lacks the M4 processor, its M2 chip is fast enough for apps and games, and possibly even serious video editing.

The Liquid Retina IPS LCD of the iPad Air is also plenty sharp, decently bright, and perfectly fine on its own.

But the base model Air only has 128GB storage, and the iPad Pro 11's OLED panel is the best you can find on an Apple-made tablet. We definitely feel those upgrades are worth the price difference.

Conclusion

We truly live in wonderful times, when the iPad has a MacBook-rivaling M4 processor, the brightest OLED display on a tablet, and a set of high-quality accessories that can elevate it from a Netflix binge-watching device to a serious productivity tool.

The 11-inch iPad Pro is the Goldilocks tablet in Apple's lineup that's both fun, but also capable of some real work. We valued it highly in our full review, which you can read here or watch below and we truly believe it's the smartest choice in Apple's current lineup.