New Apple iPad Pro puts Android tablets to shame

Apple unveiled a ton of new hardware at its spring event this week, including a new pair of iPad Pro tablets. Apple’s Slates offer desktop performance thanks to the M1 processor, mobile 5G data and high-tech displays. If you look at the Android competition, it’s clear that a deep divide separates Apple’s pro tablets from the best from Google and partners. Will Samsung and other slate makers ever bridge the gap? It is not likely.

A new professional in town

Let’s take a look at the latest hardware from Apple. The new Apple iPad Pros are still available in 11- and 12.9-inch models, the design of which has been adopted since the end of 2018. Almost all new functions are used jointly by both tablets. The main feature is Apple’s M1 silicon, the same processor as Apple’s new iMacs, Macs, and MacBooks. The M1 is the powerhouse of a processor that has achieved impressive benchmark results on Apple’s full-fledged computers. According to Apple, the M1 increases the performance of the new iPads by up to 50% compared to the previous generation – and by 75 times compared to the original iPad 2010. Given the already excellent performance of the previous models, it’s safe to say that the iPad pros of 2021 will perform well.

Some of the other upgrades for the 2021 models include up to 16GB of RAM, up to 2TB of storage that’s twice as fast, audio with four speakers, Thunderbolt USB-C, studio-grade microphones, LiDAR + for advanced augmented reality, and assistance for 5G networks. Apple improved the camera with the user in mind, which is now a super wide-angle 12 megapixel affair and supports a feature called Center Stage. This functionality relies on the wide field of view to follow the subject of the video as it moves in the frame. The idea is to improve video calling (although Apple stopped moving the camera from the top of the tablet to the side where it makes more sense).

It’s safe to say that 2021 iPad pros will perform well.

The 12.9-inch model has a feature that the 11-inch model doesn’t: a mini-LED display. Apple calls it the Liquid XDR display. It has more than 2,500 lighting zones that increase the brightness to 1,000 nits and the peak brightness to 1,600 nits with a contrast ratio of 1,000,000: 1. Why such a screen? Apple says it’s for video and photo work as it gives the most realistic colors and light.

Prices for the iPad Pros in 2021 will range from $ 799 to nearly $ 2,400, depending on storage and WiFi options.

Nothing in the Android world comes close.

The best androids fall short

There’s no question that the Samsung Galaxy Tab S7 and S7 Plus are the Apple iPad’s best competitors – although it’s probably more fair to compare the Tab S7 to the mid-range Apple iPad Air than the full-fledged iPad Pro (especially when it comes to the price goes) is concerned.)

The Tab S7 and S7 Plus are available in 11-inch and 12.4-inch versions. These devices include Super AMOLED displays, Qualcomm Snapdragon processors, dual rear cameras, numerous storage options, and S Pen support, and are compatible with optional keyboards. The two tablets are powerful enough for work, especially thanks to Samsung’s dedicated DeX desktop mode for more PC-like computing.

Prices range from $ 650 to $ 1,100.

If you are looking for a solid Android slate in the market, shop the Tab S7 range.

Almost all other Android tablets such as the Samsung Galaxy Tab A7 or the Lenovo M10 HD fall into the entry-level area. These are good devices for casual media use, but not for getting things done.

Chrome OS computers like the Lenovo Duet Chromebook, a slate-style device with a detachable keyboard, don’t cut it.

Huawei also makes some killer tablet hardware. The Huawei MatePad Pro is excellent hardware, but it doesn’t have access to the Google Play Store and therefore most of the apps required to make it a productivity champion.

You have to jump over to the Microsoft Surface Pro X to find a tablet computer that is just as capable as the Apple iPad Pro.

Why such a gap?

There are two reasons Apple’s slate is superior: silicon and software.

Before the M1, Apple’s A-series Bionic processors were hard to beat. With the M1 on board, Apple has increased the stakes infinitely. Qualcomm’s best Snapdragon processors (think 888) are undoubtedly impressive, but they don’t offer the integration that Apple’s proprietary computing engine can provide. The x86 architecture of Windows computers is a comparable competitor to the M1.

Then there is iPadOS, the App Store, and those two million apps that were designed just for the iPad. Apple was sure to highlight a few of these during its spring event, including an enhanced version of Adobe Photoshop. Google has not taken the tablet version of Android apps seriously for some time. Sure, most of them work on tablets, but not enough of them have fully optimized versions for slates like Samsung.

Can Android ever keep up? The next-generation Samsung Galaxy Tab S8 won’t be due later this year. So we’ll have to wait a little longer to see what Apple’s main competitor for mobile computers has in store.