Apple unveils thinnest iPad Pro ever: Powerful M4 chip, Ultra Retina XDR display, and new nano-texture glass option

At its big iPad event, alongside a new iPad Air, Apple today launched the new iPad Pro boasting an ultra slim, lightweight design. Available in 13-inch and a more portable 11-inch size, the new iPad claims the title of Apple's thinnest device ever.

Weighing less than a pound, the 11-inch model is just 5.3 mm thick, while the 13-inch model is even thinner at just 5.1 mm.

The new iPad Pro is driven by the M4 chip -- the latest leap in the Apple Silicon series, bringing an exponential rise in performance and capabilities. The M4 chip offers 1.5x faster CPU improvement over the previous iPad Pro chip, M2, and houses a state-of-the-art CPU and an advanced GPU with Apple’s improved Neural Engine.

The Ultra Retina XDR display sports state-of-the-art twin OLED technology that combines the light from two OLED panels both to deliver 1000 nits of full-screen brightness for SDR and HDR content, and 1600 nits peak for HDR.

For the first time, iPad Pro offers a new nano-texture glass option, specially designed for expert users working in high-end, color-managed workflows, or in challenging lighting situations. The nano-texture glass, precisely etched at nanoscale, reportedly ensures the maintenance of image quality and contrast, while effectively dispersing surrounding light to minimize glare.

There is an updated camera system with superior quality mics and USB-C connector with support for Thunderbolt 3 and USB 4.

“iPad Pro empowers a broad set of pros and is perfect for anyone who wants the ultimate iPad experience --  with its combination of the world’s best displays, extraordinary performance of our latest M-series chips, and advanced accessories -- all in a portable design," said John Ternus, Apple’s senior vice president of Hardware Engineering. "Today, we’re taking it even further with the new, stunningly thin and light iPad Pro, our biggest update ever to iPad Pro. With the breakthrough Ultra Retina XDR display, the next-level performance of M4, incredible AI capabilities, and support for the all-new Apple Pencil Pro and Magic Keyboard, there’s no device like the new iPad Pro.”

The iPad Pro comes in two finishes, silver and space black, with 100 percent recycled aluminum enclosures, and a choice of capacities -- 256GB, 512GB, 1TB, and 2TB. It is available to preorder from today, with retail availability from May 15. The 11-inch iPad Pro is priced from $999, while the 13-inch model will set you back from $1299.