New Apple iPad Pro 11-inch vs the old: What exactly has changed

Apple has just introduced its brand-new iPad Pro 11-inch and 12.9-inch models that are more feature rich than before and are more powerful as well. To be precise, the new 12.9-inch iPad Pro is in its 4th-generation while the 11-inch model is in its 2nd-generation. Apple, like the last time, is pitching both tablets as a replacement to your laptops for everyday work. And adding to it is the new Magic Keyboard that now comes with a trackpad. So, with the keyboard accessory and the tablet Apple claims to deliver users a similar experience that they get when working on traditional laptops.

With that many claims and the prowess, it is natural that you might be planning to buy them, specially the more compact and affordable 11-inch model. But before you go ahead, here's a brief comparison between the new 11-inch iPad Pro and the 1st-generation model. Is it worth it or not? A basic spec-wise comparison will help you decide.

Design stays nearly the same

The difference between the new and the old iPad Pro 11-inch models are not much. The sharp and flat corners, screen bezels, speakers, ports and everything else stays the same. The only distinguishing factor is the new rectangle camera setup that includes two cameras and a LiDAR sensor. The old one just has a single camera at the back. Both also come in the same Silver and Space Grey colours.

Rear cameras get an upgrade

Yes, there are two rear cameras in the new 11-inch iPad Pro. It has a 12-megapixel and a 10-megapixel ultra-wide sensor with f/1.8 aperture and f/2.4 aperture. The 1st-gen model has just one 12-megapixel rear camera sensor with f/1.8 aperture. There's a minor change in the video recording capabilities as well. The new version can additionally record 4K videos in 24fps and 60fps in ultra-wide, something the 1st-gen cannot. Front camera specs and features stay the same.

Also read: New Apple iPad Pro 11-inch, 12.9-inch get Wi-Fi 6 support before MacBooks: Here's what it indicates

A bit more processing power than before

The new iPad Pro 11-inch is slightly more powerful with a A12Z Bionic chip and M12 coprocessor as compared to the predecessor's A12X Bionic chip with same coprocessor. We can't say how much of a difference will it make but we might be just talking about the clock speed here if nothing else.

Nothing changes for the display

There's no upgrade in the display segment though. Both feature the same 11-inch LED Backlit IPS panel with 2388x1668 pixels resolution and 600nits maximum brightness. They also have the ProMotion tech for smooth animations and UI scrolling.

Expect the same battery performance

That's because the battery performance of the devices are claimed to be similar at up to 10 hours on web surfing over WiFi and up to 9 hours of web surfing over mobile data.

Also read: The coolest tech in Apple's new iPads: What is LiDAR and how does it work?

So, what are you paying extra for?

Clearly, the new 11-inch iPad Pro is a more capable machine than the older one. It has a major bump in the camera department and some minor upgrades in the processing segment since the design, display and battery nearly stay the same. And that is probably why you are paying more. The WiFi models cost ₹71,900, ₹80,900, ₹98,900 and ₹1,16,900 for the 128GB, 256GB, 512GB and 1TB variants. The cellular version cost ₹85,900, ₹94,900, ₹1,12,900 and ₹1,30,900 for the 128GB, 256GB, 512GB and 1TB respectively.