The Apple iPad Pro 2022 was slated for fall to coincide with the delayed arrival of iPadOS 16. Rumors suggest that the upcoming premium tablet will pack the Apple M2 chip, the same processor found in the MacBook Pro M2 and MacBook Air M2 laptops. That, combined with the tablet’s expected small 12.9-inch LED display and Magic Keyboard compatibility, makes us ask the age-old question: Can the iPad Pro 2022 replace your laptop?
We asked the same question about the iPad Air 2022. Although I thought the tablet was a decent laptop replacement when paired with the Magic Keyboard, it still couldn’t be as good as the best Windows laptops or the best MacBooks. In other words, the iPad Air 2022 is amazing but it can’t replace your laptop. Senior Editor Henry Casey shared a similar opinion in his review of the iPad Air 2020, as did first writer Kelly Wu, who tried to use the same iPad model for work while at the airport.
But could the iPad Pro 2022 make the dream of a tablet that could replace the laptop a reality? Below, we’ll go over what the iPad Pro 2022 needs to make it happen.
iPad Pro 2022 as a laptop: screen size and display quality
As with previous models, the iPad Pro 2022 is expected to come in sizes 11 and 12.9 inches. The leaker said iPad 2022 could get 14-inch version. Another rumor says that Apple Works on a huge 15 inch iPadand Apple’s partner in display components BOE has adapted its factory to produce 15-inch OLED screens. Since the latter two are rumors, it’s safer to expect 11- and 12.9-inch tablets as we’ve seen before.
This real estate screen, especially the 12.9-inch version, is perfect for a device you want as a laptop replacement. After all, many of the best laptops have 13-inch screens. Not only will this panel be big enough for watching videos, playing games and working, but it also ensures that we don’t carry a bulky device in our backpacks.
The latest iPad Pro features an impressive mini LED display. Rumors suggest that Apple is working on an OLED iPad, but this specific listing is not expected until 2024 at the earliest. But even if the 2022 iPad doesn’t have an OLED screen, little will complain about a tiny LED screen.
iPad Pro 2022 as a laptop: performance
report from 9to5Mac (Opens in a new tab) He says the iPad Pro 2022 can be powered by Apple’s M2 chip. Another report from analyst Jeff Poe claims we’ll see too M2 Pro version of iPad Pro later this year. As I said above, this is the same processor found in the recently released MacBook Air and MacBook Pro 13-inch.
Based on our Apple M2 benchmarks and our hands-on experience with laptops that use the processor, we’ve found it to deliver impressive performance. If we see similar results from an iPad Pro running the M2, this could be a legitimate game-changer.
iPad Pro 2022 as a laptop: Magic Keyboard
If you want to use your iPad as a laptop, you will need the Apple Magic Keyboard. After all, you’ll want to write something physical.
The Magic Keyboard has just enough room to let you type comfortably, although people like me with large hands still find it somewhat cramped. The keys offer a satisfactory amount of resistance when pressed and have a travel distance of up to 1mm. The backlit design and reasonably responsive touchpad make this peripheral easy to operate.
Magic Keyboard largely serves its purpose but is still not perfect. Like I said, those with big hands may find the keyboard to be too small. The small gray circle indicator on the screen is nowhere near as functional or responsive as a traditional arrow indicator. And while the touchpad is responsive enough, it lacks the precision of a traditional laptop touchpad.
iPad Pro 2022 as a laptop: Stage Manager
Hardware and accessories are necessary components to turn tablets into potential laptop replacements. However, we also need suitable laptop/desktop quality software to bundle them together. To that end, Apple offers a feature called Stage Manager for both iPadOS 16 and macOS Ventura that can help improve your productivity with your iPad.
In short, Stage Manager gives you a new way to multitask by putting the application you’re working on front and center while letting you run multiple windows at once and grouping them together in one heap. Stage Manager also allows you to use an iPad with an external display to extend your desktop.
I found Stage Manager to be very impressive during my time with the iPadOS 16 beta releases. The feature really shows its true potential with two screens, where you can have a total of eight apps on the screens (four on the iPad, four on the other screen). I used the feature with my iPad Air 2022 that was connected wirelessly to my MacBook Pro M2. It was easy to move windows and apps across screens after setting up the iPad Air as a secondary display for your MacBook.
You can also connect an external display to your iPad and use it as a secondary display. I’ve found that this works just like the previous example, even if it requires a wired connection. The ability to connect to another screen is critical if your iPad is your primary computing device — and certainly if you want it to replace your laptop.
Can the iPad Pro 2022 replace your laptop?
It is too early to say whether the iPad Pro 2022 will be a replacement for the laptop or not. After all, we had similar hopes with previous Apple tablets — not to mention the Samsung Galaxy Tab S8 Ultra. We haven’t yet seen a tablet become a complete laptop replacement, but perhaps the iPad Pro 2022 can deliver the goods in that regard. This is doubly true if Apple’s next premiere has an M2 chip, as some rumors suggest.
All signs point to a possible October release of the iPad Pro 2022. When that happens, we’ll not only put it through our usual set of benchmarks but also test how well it works as a laptop alternative under real-world conditions. Make sure to come back here when that happens because I’m sure the results will be great one way or another.
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