The iPad Pro is Apple’s top-tier iPad, and Apple has finally refreshed it significantly after a year and a half drought. iPad Pro (2024) comes in two sizes — 11-inch and 13-inch — and is equipped with the latest silicon with the powerful M4 chip. The 1TB or 2TB models even have a new nano-texture coating on the display that’s more anti-reflective than the regular models.
But as great as the latest iPad Pro is, you can’t deny it—it’s an iPad Pro a lot expensive. It also still works with iPadOS, which still has its own set of limitations. Here are some great alternatives to consider instead of the iPad Pro (2024).
iPad Air (2024)
The iPad Pro (2024) wasn’t the only new iPad Apple released this year — there’s also the iPad Air (2024).
Apple actually made the new iPad Air closer to the iPad Pro this year. That’s because it now comes in two varieties: 11-inch and 13-inch, just like the iPad Pro. So now if you want the biggest iPad model, you don’t have to shell out more than four figures for one, as the 13-inch iPad Air is well under $1,000.
Although the iPad Air (2024) doesn’t have the new OLED display found in the iPad Pro (2024), the Liquid Retina LED display is still beautiful and perfect for most people. Colors are vibrant, brightness is high enough to use comfortably no matter where you are, and there’s minimal glare.
The only negative aspect of the iPad Air (2024) display is that it still uses a 60Hz refresh rate. It would have been great if Apple had given the iPad Air a ProMotion 120Hz display, even if it made the Air and Pro a bit too similar. Still, for most people this isn’t a problem, as the iPad Air’s screen is still pretty great.
The iPad Air (2024) also got a boost in specs with the M2 chip inside instead of its predecessor’s M1. You get a lot of power and performance with the M2 and for the average person it will be more than enough. The M2 can handle your basic tasks with ease, while providing extra power for intense gaming and entertainment.
While no one should buy an iPad for its camera, the iPad Air (2024) has the same 12MP primary camera as the iPad Pro (2024). It takes decent enough photos as a last resort, but it’s also good for scanning documents. You also have a 12MP front-facing camera that will work well for video calls and selfies.
The iPad Air (2024) may not be as thin as the new iPad Pro (2024) or have an M4 chip, but it now comes in a larger size and is still very capable. It’s also much cheaper!
iPad Pro (2022)
If you’re still holding onto the iPad Pro, you might also want to consider the 2022 models. Even though they’re from the previous generation, they’re still very powerful tablets, and it’s not hard to find them on sale now that the new models are out.
The iPad Pro (2022) still comes in two sizes: 11-inch and 12.9-inch. The 11-inch has a regular Liquid Retina display, not the brighter Liquid Retina XDR display. However, the displays still look great with vibrant colors and deep blacks, crisp and clear text and a 120Hz ProMotion display.
And even though the iPad Pro (2022) uses the older M2 chip, it’s still very fast and has powerful performance. For most people, the M2 chip will be (more than) sufficient for everyday tasks, watching video, playing games, editing photos and videos, drawing, etc. And with up to 2TB of storage, there’s plenty of room for all your files.
If you don’t need the latest and greatest, then the iPad Pro (2022) is still a fantastic tablet. Plus, you can definitely save some money on this model compared to the latest one, as retailers may be trying to get rid of inventory.
iPad (2022)
When you look at the tablet market, it’s very clear that Apple dominates it with the iPad. And even though the iPad Pro is the “best” iPad available, not everyone needs all that power. If you want an iPad Pro just because you want an iPad, you can even consider the standard base model iPad (2022).
With the iPad (2022), you have one size: 10.9 inches. It also only has a Liquid Retina LED display, but like other iPad models we’ve already mentioned, Apple is still impressive with regular LED screens, as colors are bright and vibrant and text looks sharp and clear. Even though you only have a 60Hz refresh rate, it won’t be particularly noticeable to most people.
The iPad (2022) uses Apple’s older A14 Bionic chip, which may not be as beastly as the M-series chips, but still delivers good power and efficiency for the average user. It’s fast enough to run iPadOS 17 and handle your day-to-day tasks, and if you just want to use the iPad to consume media (as most people probably do), then it’s perfectly up to the job.
Plus, if you only need an iPad, this is one you can get that won’t cost an arm and a leg. With the recently reduced price of just $350, there’s never been a better time to buy an iPad.
Samsung Galaxy Tab S9 Ultra
If you’re considering the larger 13-inch iPad Pro (2024), then you might also want to look at the Samsung Galaxy Tab S9 Ultra. As long as you don’t mind switching to Android, of course.
The Samsung Galaxy Tab S9 Ultra is the Android equivalent of the larger iPad Pro. Actually, it actually is even bigger than the 13-inch iPad Pro (2024), if that’s what you’re after. The Galaxy Tab S9 Ultra boasts a massive 14.6-inch AMOLED display that is one of the best displays you can get. It has a resolution of 2960 by 1848 pixels with HDR10+ support and a 120Hz refresh rate. No matter what you’re watching, it’ll look gorgeous with vibrant colors and crisp, clear text. And scrolling will be buttery smooth.
This massive tablet also uses Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 chip for the Galaxy, which means incredible power and performance, especially when paired with 16GB of RAM. It’s an easy laptop replacement if you want it to be. You also get 256GB of internal storage and there’s a microSD card slot so you can expand your storage if needed.
Although Android is not usually optimized for tablets, Samsung solved this problem with Samsung DeX, which turns the normal Android interface into something reminiscent of Windows. This is already a big advantage over iPadOS, which has no such mode to make it more streamlined for power users.
The Galaxy Tab S9 Ultra starts at about the same price as the 13-inch iPad Pro (2024). So if you don’t mind switching platforms, you can find a little more flexibility with the Galaxy Tab S9 Ultra.
OnePlus Pad
Another great tablet option, as long as you don’t mind switching to Android, is the OnePlus Pad. It definitely stands out in the crowded tablet space with a unique design and beautiful color that is sure to turn heads.
The OnePlus Pad has an 11.61-inch LCD display, which is equivalent to the smaller 11-inch iPad Pro (2024). It has a resolution of 2800 by 2000 pixels and an impressive display refresh rate of 144Hz. Now the 144Hz refresh rate will only work in certain apps and games, but for everything else it will be 120Hz. And even though it’s an LCD, it still looks great with bright colors and deep blacks — the OnePlus Pad is great for media consumption.
OnePlus equips the OnePlus Pad with a MediaTek Dimensity 9000 chip, 8 GB of RAM and 128 GB of storage. The company claims that the OnePlus Pad has enough power to run up to 24 apps at once through multitasking. It’s a little over the top for most people, but hey, the ability is there! It definitely beats the slightly more limited capabilities of iPadOS.
Another big strength of the OnePlus Pad is its battery life. Its 9510 mAh battery can easily last a full day or more. It can also last about a month on standby, or up to 50 days if you don’t have any accessories connected or background apps running. With wired charging speeds of 67W, this is one of the fastest charging tablets out there.
The OnePlus Pad is a great alternative to the 11-inch iPad Pro, especially since it’s half the price.
Editors’ recommendations
