Nintendo Confirms It Will Announce Switch Successor Console ‘Within This Fiscal Year’
Nintendo has said it will finally announce its Switch successor console “within this fiscal year,” so at some point before March 31, 2025. From a report: In a statement published to X / Twitter, Shuntaro Furukawa, President of Nintendo, confirmed the new console as Nintendo published its financial report for the fiscal year ending March 31, 2024. Furukawa also confirmed a Nintendo Direct for this June, but said there will be no mention of the Switch successor during that presentation. Instead, it will focus on Switch games for the latter half of 2024.
Read more of this story at Slashdot.
Nintendo has said it will finally announce its Switch successor console “within this fiscal year,” so at some point before March 31, 2025. From a report: In a statement published to X / Twitter, Shuntaro Furukawa, President of Nintendo, confirmed the new console as Nintendo published its financial report for the fiscal year ending March 31, 2024. Furukawa also confirmed a Nintendo Direct for this June, but said there will be no mention of the Switch successor during that presentation. Instead, it will focus on Switch games for the latter half of 2024.
Read more of this story at Slashdot.
Apple’s 2023 iMac drops to a record-low price
It’s been a busy day of Apple news thanks to some new iPads, but the company has plenty of other M-series devices, including the iMac. Apple slotted M3 chips into its desktop computers late last year, and now the base version of the 2023 iMac is cheaper than ever. Thanks to a coupon at Amazon (make sure to clip it!), you can snap up an iMac with an M3 chip, 8GB of RAM and 256GB of SSD storage for $1,149. The deal is available for the silver, pink, green and blue versions of the system.
A word of warning: while this is a decent deal on the surface, we do feel that the specs of the base 2023 iMac aren’t quite up to scratch. It’s difficult in this day and age to earnestly recommend a computer with just 8GB of RAM as apps become more and more demanding. That’s why the iMac didn’t score higher than 86 in our review.
On the plus side, the M3 chipset is very fast and the iMac’s display remains terrific. Although this is a desktop system, it’s lightweight, so it’s not too difficult to move from one room to another or prop it up on something — the inability to adjust the screen vertically is a little disappointing.
There are some caveats to keep in mind here, but if you’re looking for a nice, pretty new computer for relatively basic tasks (you’re not going to be doing much gaming or video editing on a system with these specs) and don’t mind splashing some cash, then this iMac might do the trick for you.
Follow @EngadgetDeals on Twitter and subscribe to the Engadget Deals newsletter for the latest tech deals and buying advice.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/apples-2023-imac-drops-to-a-record-low-price-203841344.html?src=rss
It’s been a busy day of Apple news thanks to some new iPads, but the company has plenty of other M-series devices, including the iMac. Apple slotted M3 chips into its desktop computers late last year, and now the base version of the 2023 iMac is cheaper than ever. Thanks to a coupon at Amazon (make sure to clip it!), you can snap up an iMac with an M3 chip, 8GB of RAM and 256GB of SSD storage for $1,149. The deal is available for the silver, pink, green and blue versions of the system.
A word of warning: while this is a decent deal on the surface, we do feel that the specs of the base 2023 iMac aren’t quite up to scratch. It’s difficult in this day and age to earnestly recommend a computer with just 8GB of RAM as apps become more and more demanding. That’s why the iMac didn’t score higher than 86 in our review.
On the plus side, the M3 chipset is very fast and the iMac’s display remains terrific. Although this is a desktop system, it’s lightweight, so it’s not too difficult to move from one room to another or prop it up on something — the inability to adjust the screen vertically is a little disappointing.
There are some caveats to keep in mind here, but if you’re looking for a nice, pretty new computer for relatively basic tasks (you’re not going to be doing much gaming or video editing on a system with these specs) and don’t mind splashing some cash, then this iMac might do the trick for you.
Follow @EngadgetDeals on Twitter and subscribe to the Engadget Deals newsletter for the latest tech deals and buying advice.
This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/apples-2023-imac-drops-to-a-record-low-price-203841344.html?src=rss
Add a bit of heat to your Xbox setup with the new Fire Vapor Special Edition controller
Xbox has always been on the ball when it comes to aesthetically pleasing controller variations so there’s no surprise that… Continue reading Add a bit of heat to your Xbox setup with the new Fire Vapor Special Edition controller
The post Add a bit of heat to your Xbox setup with the new Fire Vapor Special Edition controller appeared first on ReadWrite.
Xbox has always been on the ball when it comes to aesthetically pleasing controller variations so there’s no surprise that the trend has been continued with the latest addition in the long line of pads — the Fire Vapor Special Edition wireless Xbox controller.
As alluded to by its name, this one has orange hues throughout, with different shades complementing each other to complete the look. It’s not just a single-color faceplate either, it boasts wispy smoke-like effects to again harken back to its title.
The Fire is the fourth addition to the already established Vapor line consisting of the Stormcloud Vapor, Dream Vapor, and Nocturnal Vapor, all sharing the same common smoky theme. All together, these look like a really impressive line up of controllers and if you’re getting some old-school four-player, local multiplayer going, you’ll be battling out pre-match for your pick of the bunch.
If you’re looking for other bells and whistles though, the Fire Vapor has none. It looks fantastic, but it has no additional benefits over a standard Xbox wireless controller. Players do receive a free Dynamic Background for their Xbox device after connecting it.
As for where you can purchase the Fire Vapor, it is only available via the official Microsoft Store at the time of writing. This could change later down the line if it becomes incredibly popular, since the three other Vapor controllers have already made a jump to other storefronts, although it definitely isn’t a certainty.
It will also set you back $69.99 which is slightly more expensive that than of the basic model, but in all honesty, isn’t too much of a difference considering the fancy design. Yes, you aren’t getting any other features such as interchangeable analogue sticks like the Elite 2, however controllers of its ilk are listed at a much higher price point.
The post Add a bit of heat to your Xbox setup with the new Fire Vapor Special Edition controller appeared first on ReadWrite.
Compression-mounted laptop RAM is fast, efficient, and upgradeable
Image: iFixit
The first laptop with LPCAMM2 memory is finally here. The folks at iFixit got their hands on the Lenovo ThinkPad P1 (Gen 7), which uses LPDDR5X memory in an LPCAMM2 module that you can upgrade or replace by simply unscrewing from the laptop’s motherboard.
That’s a major change from existing LPDDR memory in most modern laptops. This type of memory is typically soldered onto the motherboard, making it much more difficult to upgrade. LPCAMM2 — or Low-Power Compression-Attached Memory Module — offers modularity without losing the power efficiency of LPDDR.
Traditional DDR RAM uses SODIMM sticks that slot into the motherboard, much like on desktop PCs. As pointed out by iFixit, LPDDR is much more power-efficient, but it needs to be soldered directly to the mainboard, as close to the processor as possible. Up until now, manufacturers have had to choose between upgradeable RAM and power-efficient RAM. LPCAMM2 attempts to split the difference by cozying up to the motherboard with screws, rather than solder. And unlike SODIMM sticks, each LPCAMM2 module is dual-channel, so you only need one, not two.
As shown in the hands-on video posted by iFixit, you can replace the LPCAMM2 in Lenovo’s new ThinkPad P1 by removing the laptop’s backing and then taking out the battery. From there, you can take out the LPCAMM2 by removing three Phillips-head screws.
In addition to Micron, Samsung and ADATA are also getting in on LPCAMM2. That will hopefully mean you’ll be able to upgrade your memory if it comes with a measly 8GB of RAM, but we likely can’t count on every manufacturer to make the shift.
Image: iFixit
The first laptop with LPCAMM2 memory is finally here. The folks at iFixit got their hands on the Lenovo ThinkPad P1 (Gen 7), which uses LPDDR5X memory in an LPCAMM2 module that you can upgrade or replace by simply unscrewing from the laptop’s motherboard.
That’s a major change from existing LPDDR memory in most modern laptops. This type of memory is typically soldered onto the motherboard, making it much more difficult to upgrade. LPCAMM2 — or Low-Power Compression-Attached Memory Module — offers modularity without losing the power efficiency of LPDDR.
Traditional DDR RAM uses SODIMM sticks that slot into the motherboard, much like on desktop PCs. As pointed out by iFixit, LPDDR is much more power-efficient, but it needs to be soldered directly to the mainboard, as close to the processor as possible. Up until now, manufacturers have had to choose between upgradeable RAM and power-efficient RAM. LPCAMM2 attempts to split the difference by cozying up to the motherboard with screws, rather than solder. And unlike SODIMM sticks, each LPCAMM2 module is dual-channel, so you only need one, not two.
As shown in the hands-on video posted by iFixit, you can replace the LPCAMM2 in Lenovo’s new ThinkPad P1 by removing the laptop’s backing and then taking out the battery. From there, you can take out the LPCAMM2 by removing three Phillips-head screws.
In addition to Micron, Samsung and ADATA are also getting in on LPCAMM2. That will hopefully mean you’ll be able to upgrade your memory if it comes with a measly 8GB of RAM, but we likely can’t count on every manufacturer to make the shift.
The 5 subtle AI announcements Apple made at its big iPad 2024 launch event
Beneath the glitzy product announcements at Apple’s 2024 iPad event, there was some uncharacteristic AI chatter.
Today’s Apple iPad Air and iPad Pro event was big on product launches, but quieter about AI. Or was it?
While there weren’t any AI announcements to rival the launch of the iPad Pro (2024) or new M4 chip, Apple did uncharacteristically mention ‘AI’ on eight different occasions during the event – and those covered five different new announcements about the tech.
Apple has previously been reluctant to join the chorus of AI hype, preferring to stick to the less zeitgeisty (if often more accurate) ‘machine learning’ during its launch events. But back in February, Tim Cook started making unexpectedly bold statements about AI, calling it a “huge opportunity for Apple” and that AI tools would be coming to Apple devices “later this year”.
So what exactly were those subtle AI announcements at the iAPd-centric Apple event? Here are the times the Cupertino crew gave us a taster of what’s to come next month at WWDC 2024…
1. The M4 chip is more powerful than ‘any AI PC today’
(Image credit: Apple)
Apple’s next-gen silicon had been rumored for the iPad Pro (2024), but it was still something of a surprise to see the M4 appear for the first time during a tablet announcement. Naturally, Apple was keen to flag its serious AI potential.
Tim Millet, Apple’s VP of Platform Architecture, said that “the Neural Engine makes M4 an outrageously powerful chip for AI”, pointing to the simple example of it letting you isolate a subject from its background in 4K video with a tap in Final Cut Pro.
Clearly, Apple thinks its silicon makes for a strong foundation for AI apps, with Millet adding that “the Neural Engine is an IP-block in the chip dedicated to the acceleration of AI workloads”. And he finished with the bolder statement that “the Neural Engine in M4 is more powerful than any neural processing unit in any AI PC today”. We can’t verify that yet, but it doesn’t sound like an outlandish claim.
2. The Logic Pro 2 app has AI-powered Session Players
(Image credit: Apple)
The Logic Pro app landed on the iPad about a year ago – and the new version that Apple’s just announced has some AI-powered ‘Session Players’ for you to dabble with.
These are designed to play alongside the existing Drummer feature to give you something like a virtual band. Will Hui, Apple’s Product Manager of Creative Apps, said: “Now Drummer is getting some new bandmates in a feature we call Session Players. We’re introducing an all-new Bass and Keyboard Player, and like Drummer, they’re built using AI.”
Given Apple’s digital audio workstation was already a lot of fun, we’re looking forward to giving them an audition.
3. The iPad Pro uses AI to help you scan documents
(Image credit: Apple)
(Image credit: Apple)
This might not be the most wildly exciting AI use case, but sometimes the tech is best suited to helping us with more mundane tasks – and Apple reckons it does just that with the iPad Pro (2024)’s AI-powered document scanning.
This comes courtesy of a new ‘adaptive’ True Tone flash, which works in tandem with AI algorithms to adjust the lighting depending on the document and ambient lighting. John Ternus, Apple’s SVP of Hardware Engineering said: “We’ve all had the experience of trying to scan a document in certain lighting conditions where it’s hard to avoid casting a shadow – the new Pro solves this problem.”
“It uses AI to automatically detect documents like forms and receipts,” he added. “If shadows are in the way, it instantly takes multiple photos with the new, adaptive flash. The frames are stitched together and the result is a dramatically better scan.”
We’ll have to see how well that works in practice, but because it’s built into iPadOS it’ll also be in the Camera app, Files, Notes, and third-party apps, too.
4. The iPad Air 6 isn’t left out of the AI party
(Image credit: Apple)
Apple was keen to stress that the iPad Pro (2024) isn’t the only tablet in its range suitable for AI-powered tasks or future apps, despite that tablet being the only one with the new M4 chip.
Melody Kuna, Apple’s Director of iPad Product Design, said that “with M2, the new [iPad] Air is also an incredibly powerful device for AI. It’s blazing fast for powerful machine learning features in iPadOS, like Visual Look Up, Subject Lift, and Live Text capture.”
So while the iPad Pro’s M4 chip is capable of an impressive 38 trillion operations per second (which apparently makes it sixty times faster than Apple’s A11 Bionic neural engine from the iPhone 8), the iPad Air 6 won’t be left out of future AI apps and features on Apple’s tablets.
5. iPadOS is just getting started with AI
(Image credit: Apple)
On a similar theme, Apple’s final mention of AI during its long-awaited iPad launch was reserved for iPadOS.
Will Hui, Apple’s Product Manager of Creative Apps, said that “iPadOS has advanced frameworks like Core ML that make it easy for developers to tap into the Neural Engine to deliver powerful AI features, right on device”.
Clearly, Apple is treading carefully with AI in its own apps, with only Logic Pro’s session players and the iPad Pro’s document scanning making much use of it so far. But it also put out a call to developers to tap the potential of its software (and chips) for AI-powered features. And we can expect to hear a lot more about those next month at WWDC 2024.
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Apple just announced a new Apple Pencil Pro, and it’s so much better than I expectedApple iPad event 2024 – 9 things we learned from the Let Loose eventThe iPad Pro (2024) just landed with a super-powerful M4 chipset and new OLED screen
iPad Pro 2024 vs. 2022: What’s changed
You may have heard Apple updated its top-of-the-line tablets at its Let Loose event on Tuesday. The 2024 model has some big improvements, including the new M4 chip, a “noticeably thinner and lighter” build, a superior OLED display and upgraded accessories. We broke down the key differences between the latest iPad Pro and its 2022 predecessor to help you figure out if it’s worth the (hefty) investment.
Display and dimensions
iPad Pro: 13-inch (2024) vs. 12.9-inch (2022)Apple / Will Shanklin for Engadget
In Engadget’s hands-on at Apple’s “Let Loose” event, Deputy Editor Nathan Ingraham said the new iPad Pro’s thinner and lighter build and its Tandem OLED display are the first big changes you’ll notice when you pick up the latest model.
“In Apple’s extremely bright demo area, the iPad Pro screen showed its quality — everything was extremely clear, blacks were pitch-black and colors really popped,” he said after using it at Apple’s event. “After looking at the iPad Air display, it was obvious how much better these screens are.”
iPad Pro: 11-inch (2024 vs. 2022)Apple / Will Shanklin for Engadget
Another change you’ll notice when you compare the two iPad Pros side-by-side is camera positioning. The 2024 model moves its front-facing camera to the top-center when viewed in landscape orientation. The older model used Apple’s original iPad configuration, where the camera was centered above the screen when holding it upright in portrait mode.
The new iPad Pro is also noticeably lighter and thinner than its 2022 predecessor. The 13-inch model is a mere 5.11mm (0.2 inch) thick and weighs only 579g (1.28 lbs), making it 20 percent thinner and 15 percent lighter than the 12.9-incher from 2022. Meanwhile, the new 11-inch variant is 5.3mm (0.21 inch) thick and weighs 444g (0.98 lb), making it 10 percent thinner and five percent lighter than the older one.
Considering the 2022 model was already a svelte machine, it’s no wonder we found the new iPad Pro surprisingly thin and light relative to its processing power. Speaking of which…
Processor
Apple / Will Shanklin for Engadget
The iPhone maker unveiled a new Apple Silicon version on an iPad instead of a Mac for the first time. The all-new M4 chip has up to a 10-core CPU configuration (four performance cores and six efficiency cores), which the company says translates to one and a half times faster performance than the M2 silicon in the 2022 model.
I say “up to” because, similar to MacBooks and some older iPad Pro models, Apple is shipping different chip variants depending on your pricing tier. The 1TB and 2TB versions of the 2024 model have that 10-core chip, while the 256GB and 512GB models drop down to a nine-core M4 with three performance and six efficiency cores.
The lower-tier and high-end M4 variants include a 10-core GPU with hardware-accelerated ray tracing, a 16-core neural engine, 120GB/s memory bandwidth and 16GB of RAM. So the different models don’t sound dramatically different — you just get an extra performance core in the more expensive tiers. We’ll have to wait until we get some extended time with them to see how that translates into real-world experience.
By comparison, the M2 in the 2022 iPad Pro has an eight-core CPU with four performance and four efficiency cores. It also has a 16-core Neural Engine (of course, an older version than the one in the M4), 100GB/s memory bandwidth and either 8GB or 16GB of RAM.
Accessories
Apple / Will Shanklin for Engadget
The new iPad Pro also has some new accessories you can’t use with the 2022 model. That includes a new Magic Keyboard that Apple claims makes “the entire experience feel just like using a MacBook.”
You can thank its bigger trackpad with haptic feedback (like on modern MacBooks) and an aluminum palm rest. The older model used a microfiber-esque material and physically clicking trackpad, so the new one should feel more solid underneath your hands and aligned with MacBooks’ look and feel.
The new Magic Keyboard also adds a new 14-key function row (also similar to a MacBook) with shortcuts for things like brightness, Spotlight search, Siri / dictation and media controls.
Meanwhile, the Apple Pencil Pro — exclusively compatible with the 2024 iPad Pro and iPad Air — looks much like its predecessor but adds some extra goodies. Those include a new sensor in its barrel that lets you squeeze it like the lovely little stylus it is.
The new squeeze gesture can bring up tool palettes or activate shortcuts. Third-party developers can even customize the actions for individual apps. For the first time, it also adds haptic feedback to let you know if your squeeze was accepted or if something you moved has landed in its intended spot.
The new Apple Pencil also works with Find My (another first), so you can check on its most recent location in Apple’s location app if you lose it.
Both models also work with the cheaper ($79) USB-C Apple Pencil from 2023.
Price
Well, it can’t all be good news. With all those upgrades, Apple is once again asking you to consider paying more for a high-end tablet. The 11-inch iPad Pro starts at $999, and the 13-inch model starts at a whopping $1,299. Those are each $200 higher than the starting prices in the 2022 model (when it was available).
But wait, it gets worse. Those prices don’t take into account the $299 (11-inch) or $349 (13-inch) you’ll pay if you want to add the new Magic Keyboard, nor does it factor in the $129 for the Apple Pencil Pro. You’ll have to pony up to make the new iPad Pro as much like a MacBook as possible: It will cost you almost what you’d pay for an entry-level 14-inch MacBook Pro with the M3 chip.
On the slightly brighter side, you get more storage this time around. The 2024 iPad Pro starts with 256GB, double the 128GB in the 2022 model. Moving up from there, the other storage tiers are identical to its predecessor (ranging up to 2TB for those with Scrooge McDuck bank accounts).
Full specs comparison
Here’s a table showing the full specs comparison between the 2024 and 2022 iPad Pro models, including separate charts for the 13 / 12.9-inch and 11-inch variants.
13-inch iPad Pro (2024) vs. 12.9-inch iPad Pro (2022)
12.9-inch iPad Pro (2024)
12.9-inch iPad Pro (2022)
Price
$1,299, $1,499, $1,899, $2,299
$1,099, $1,199, $1,399, $1,799, $2,199
Dimensions
281.16 x 215.5 x 5.1 mm
(11.09 x 8.48 x 0.20 inch)
280.6 x 214.9 x 6.4 mm
(11.04 x 8.46 x 0.25 inch)
Weight
1.28 pounds / 579 grams (Wi-Fi)
1.28 pounds / 582 grams (cellular)
1.5 pounds / 682 grams (Wi-Fi)
1.51 pounds / 685 grams (cellular)
Processor
M4
M2
Display
13-inch Ultra Retina XDR
2752 x 2064 (264 ppi)
12.9-inch Liquid Retina XDR
2732 x 2048 (264 ppi)
Storage
256GB / 512GB / 1TB / 2TB
128GB / 256GB / 512GB / 1TB / 2TB
Battery
38.99 Wh
10 hrs (Wi-Fi), 9 hrs (cellular)
40.88 Wh
10 hrs (Wi-Fi), 9 hrs (cellular)
Camera
Back: 12MP, ƒ/1.8
Front: 12MP, ƒ/2.4
Back: 12MP wide, ƒ/1.8 / 10MP ultrawide, ƒ/2.4
Front: 12MP, ƒ/2.4
Compatible Apple accessories
Magic Keyboard (2024)
Apple Pencil Pro
Magic Keyboard (2020)
Apple Pencil (2nd generation)
11-inch iPad Pro (2024) vs. 11-inch iPad Pro (2022)
11-inch iPad Pro (2024)
11-inch iPad Pro (2022)
Price
$999, $1,199, $1,599, $1,999
$799, $899, $1,099, $1,499, $1,899
Dimensions
249.7 x 177.5 x 5.9 mm
(9.83 x 6.99 x 0.21 inch)
247.6 x 178.5 x 5.9 mm
(9.74 x 7.02 x 0.23 inch)
Weight
0.98 pound / 444 grams (Wi-Fi)
0.98 pound / 446 grams (cellular)
1.03 pound / 466 grams (Wi-Fi)
1.04 pound / 470 grams (cellular)
Processor
M4
M2
Display
11-inch Ultra Retina XDR
Tandem OLED
2420 x 1668 (264 ppi)
11-inch Liquid Retina
LED
2388 x 1668 (264 ppi)
Storage
256GB / 512GB / 1TB / 2TB
128GB / 256GB / 512GB / 1TB / 2TB
Battery
31.29 Wh
10 hrs (Wi-Fi), 9 hrs (cellular)
28.65 Wh
10 hrs (Wi-Fi), 9 hrs (cellular)
Camera
Back: 12MP, ƒ/1.8
Front: 12MP, ƒ/2.4
Back: 12MP wide, ƒ/1.8 / 10MP ultrawide, ƒ/2.4
Front: 12MP, ƒ/2.4
Compatible Apple accessories
Magic Keyboard (2024)
Apple Pencil Pro
Magic Keyboard (2020)
Apple Pencil (2nd generation)
Stay tuned for Engadget’s full review of the 2024 model. In the meantime, you can recap Nathan Ingraham’s initial impressions of the new iPad Pro and Apple Pencil Pro, Devindra Hardawar’s recap of the new model’s features and Sam Rutherford’s run-through of the new M4 chip.
Follow all of the news live from Apple’s ‘Let Loose’ event right here.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/ipad-pro-2024-vs-2022-whats-changed-202056821.html?src=rss
You may have heard Apple updated its top-of-the-line tablets at its Let Loose event on Tuesday. The 2024 model has some big improvements, including the new M4 chip, a “noticeably thinner and lighter” build, a superior OLED display and upgraded accessories. We broke down the key differences between the latest iPad Pro and its 2022 predecessor to help you figure out if it’s worth the (hefty) investment.
Display and dimensions
iPad Pro: 13-inch (2024) vs. 12.9-inch (2022)
In Engadget’s hands-on at Apple’s “Let Loose” event, Deputy Editor Nathan Ingraham said the new iPad Pro’s thinner and lighter build and its Tandem OLED display are the first big changes you’ll notice when you pick up the latest model.
“In Apple’s extremely bright demo area, the iPad Pro screen showed its quality — everything was extremely clear, blacks were pitch-black and colors really popped,” he said after using it at Apple’s event. “After looking at the iPad Air display, it was obvious how much better these screens are.”
iPad Pro: 11-inch (2024 vs. 2022)
Another change you’ll notice when you compare the two iPad Pros side-by-side is camera positioning. The 2024 model moves its front-facing camera to the top-center when viewed in landscape orientation. The older model used Apple’s original iPad configuration, where the camera was centered above the screen when holding it upright in portrait mode.
The new iPad Pro is also noticeably lighter and thinner than its 2022 predecessor. The 13-inch model is a mere 5.11mm (0.2 inch) thick and weighs only 579g (1.28 lbs), making it 20 percent thinner and 15 percent lighter than the 12.9-incher from 2022. Meanwhile, the new 11-inch variant is 5.3mm (0.21 inch) thick and weighs 444g (0.98 lb), making it 10 percent thinner and five percent lighter than the older one.
Considering the 2022 model was already a svelte machine, it’s no wonder we found the new iPad Pro surprisingly thin and light relative to its processing power. Speaking of which…
Processor
The iPhone maker unveiled a new Apple Silicon version on an iPad instead of a Mac for the first time. The all-new M4 chip has up to a 10-core CPU configuration (four performance cores and six efficiency cores), which the company says translates to one and a half times faster performance than the M2 silicon in the 2022 model.
I say “up to” because, similar to MacBooks and some older iPad Pro models, Apple is shipping different chip variants depending on your pricing tier. The 1TB and 2TB versions of the 2024 model have that 10-core chip, while the 256GB and 512GB models drop down to a nine-core M4 with three performance and six efficiency cores.
The lower-tier and high-end M4 variants include a 10-core GPU with hardware-accelerated ray tracing, a 16-core neural engine, 120GB/s memory bandwidth and 16GB of RAM. So the different models don’t sound dramatically different — you just get an extra performance core in the more expensive tiers. We’ll have to wait until we get some extended time with them to see how that translates into real-world experience.
By comparison, the M2 in the 2022 iPad Pro has an eight-core CPU with four performance and four efficiency cores. It also has a 16-core Neural Engine (of course, an older version than the one in the M4), 100GB/s memory bandwidth and either 8GB or 16GB of RAM.
Accessories
The new iPad Pro also has some new accessories you can’t use with the 2022 model. That includes a new Magic Keyboard that Apple claims makes “the entire experience feel just like using a MacBook.”
You can thank its bigger trackpad with haptic feedback (like on modern MacBooks) and an aluminum palm rest. The older model used a microfiber-esque material and physically clicking trackpad, so the new one should feel more solid underneath your hands and aligned with MacBooks’ look and feel.
The new Magic Keyboard also adds a new 14-key function row (also similar to a MacBook) with shortcuts for things like brightness, Spotlight search, Siri / dictation and media controls.
Meanwhile, the Apple Pencil Pro — exclusively compatible with the 2024 iPad Pro and iPad Air — looks much like its predecessor but adds some extra goodies. Those include a new sensor in its barrel that lets you squeeze it like the lovely little stylus it is.
The new squeeze gesture can bring up tool palettes or activate shortcuts. Third-party developers can even customize the actions for individual apps. For the first time, it also adds haptic feedback to let you know if your squeeze was accepted or if something you moved has landed in its intended spot.
The new Apple Pencil also works with Find My (another first), so you can check on its most recent location in Apple’s location app if you lose it.
Both models also work with the cheaper ($79) USB-C Apple Pencil from 2023.
Price
Well, it can’t all be good news. With all those upgrades, Apple is once again asking you to consider paying more for a high-end tablet. The 11-inch iPad Pro starts at $999, and the 13-inch model starts at a whopping $1,299. Those are each $200 higher than the starting prices in the 2022 model (when it was available).
But wait, it gets worse. Those prices don’t take into account the $299 (11-inch) or $349 (13-inch) you’ll pay if you want to add the new Magic Keyboard, nor does it factor in the $129 for the Apple Pencil Pro. You’ll have to pony up to make the new iPad Pro as much like a MacBook as possible: It will cost you almost what you’d pay for an entry-level 14-inch MacBook Pro with the M3 chip.
On the slightly brighter side, you get more storage this time around. The 2024 iPad Pro starts with 256GB, double the 128GB in the 2022 model. Moving up from there, the other storage tiers are identical to its predecessor (ranging up to 2TB for those with Scrooge McDuck bank accounts).
Full specs comparison
Here’s a table showing the full specs comparison between the 2024 and 2022 iPad Pro models, including separate charts for the 13 / 12.9-inch and 11-inch variants.
13-inch iPad Pro (2024) vs. 12.9-inch iPad Pro (2022)
12.9-inch iPad Pro (2024)
12.9-inch iPad Pro (2022)
Price
$1,299, $1,499, $1,899, $2,299
$1,099, $1,199, $1,399, $1,799, $2,199
Dimensions
281.16 x 215.5 x 5.1 mm
(11.09 x 8.48 x 0.20 inch)
280.6 x 214.9 x 6.4 mm
(11.04 x 8.46 x 0.25 inch)
Weight
1.28 pounds / 579 grams (Wi-Fi)
1.28 pounds / 582 grams (cellular)
1.5 pounds / 682 grams (Wi-Fi)
1.51 pounds / 685 grams (cellular)
Processor
M4
M2
Display
13-inch Ultra Retina XDR
2752 x 2064 (264 ppi)
12.9-inch Liquid Retina XDR
2732 x 2048 (264 ppi)
Storage
256GB / 512GB / 1TB / 2TB
128GB / 256GB / 512GB / 1TB / 2TB
Battery
38.99 Wh
10 hrs (Wi-Fi), 9 hrs (cellular)
40.88 Wh
10 hrs (Wi-Fi), 9 hrs (cellular)
Camera
Back: 12MP, ƒ/1.8
Front: 12MP, ƒ/2.4
Back: 12MP wide, ƒ/1.8 / 10MP ultrawide, ƒ/2.4
Front: 12MP, ƒ/2.4
Compatible Apple accessories
Magic Keyboard (2024)
Apple Pencil Pro
Magic Keyboard (2020)
Apple Pencil (2nd generation)
11-inch iPad Pro (2024) vs. 11-inch iPad Pro (2022)
11-inch iPad Pro (2024)
11-inch iPad Pro (2022)
Price
$999, $1,199, $1,599, $1,999
$799, $899, $1,099, $1,499, $1,899
Dimensions
249.7 x 177.5 x 5.9 mm
(9.83 x 6.99 x 0.21 inch)
247.6 x 178.5 x 5.9 mm
(9.74 x 7.02 x 0.23 inch)
Weight
0.98 pound / 444 grams (Wi-Fi)
0.98 pound / 446 grams (cellular)
1.03 pound / 466 grams (Wi-Fi)
1.04 pound / 470 grams (cellular)
Processor
M4
M2
Display
11-inch Ultra Retina XDR
Tandem OLED
2420 x 1668 (264 ppi)
11-inch Liquid Retina
LED
2388 x 1668 (264 ppi)
Storage
256GB / 512GB / 1TB / 2TB
128GB / 256GB / 512GB / 1TB / 2TB
Battery
31.29 Wh
10 hrs (Wi-Fi), 9 hrs (cellular)
28.65 Wh
10 hrs (Wi-Fi), 9 hrs (cellular)
Camera
Back: 12MP, ƒ/1.8
Front: 12MP, ƒ/2.4
Back: 12MP wide, ƒ/1.8 / 10MP ultrawide, ƒ/2.4
Front: 12MP, ƒ/2.4
Compatible Apple accessories
Magic Keyboard (2024)
Apple Pencil Pro
Magic Keyboard (2020)
Apple Pencil (2nd generation)
Stay tuned for Engadget’s full review of the 2024 model. In the meantime, you can recap Nathan Ingraham’s initial impressions of the new iPad Pro and Apple Pencil Pro, Devindra Hardawar’s recap of the new model’s features and Sam Rutherford’s run-through of the new M4 chip.
Follow all of the news live from Apple’s ‘Let Loose’ event right here.
This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/ipad-pro-2024-vs-2022-whats-changed-202056821.html?src=rss
Nintendo Pre-Announces Switch Successor’s Announcement
Nintendo, on Twitter/X:
This is Furukawa, President of Nintendo. We will make an
announcement about the successor to Nintendo Switch within this
fiscal year. It will have been over nine years since we announced
the existence of Nintendo Switch back in March 2015. We will be
holding a Nintendo Direct this June regarding the Nintendo Switch
software lineup for the latter half of 2024, but please be aware
that there will be no mention of the Nintendo Switch successor
during that presentation.
Must be Big News for Beloved Tablets Day.
★
Nintendo, on Twitter/X:
This is Furukawa, President of Nintendo. We will make an
announcement about the successor to Nintendo Switch within this
fiscal year. It will have been over nine years since we announced
the existence of Nintendo Switch back in March 2015. We will be
holding a Nintendo Direct this June regarding the Nintendo Switch
software lineup for the latter half of 2024, but please be aware
that there will be no mention of the Nintendo Switch successor
during that presentation.
Must be Big News for Beloved Tablets Day.
Reddit Posts $575 Million Loss Tied to I.P.O. but Also Strong Growth
Reddit’s first earnings report as a public company showed a loss from expenses related to its initial public offering, along with leaps in users and advertising revenue.
Reddit’s first earnings report as a public company showed a loss from expenses related to its initial public offering, along with leaps in users and advertising revenue.