Apple iPad Pro 11-inch vs. 13-inch (2024): Is bigger better?

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  Portable powerhouse

  Apple iPad Pro 11-inch (2024)

  $944 $999 Save $55

  The 11-inch iPad Pro is the portable powerhouse you’ve been waiting for. It feels somewhat heavier than the 13-inch, mainly due to the weight dispersion (and the fact that the actual tablet is also slightly heavier). Despite this, it’s incredibly portable and the best tablet for media consumption and note-taking on the go.

  Pros

  • Great to use on the go
  • Perfect size for note-taking
  • Ideal if you don’t want to buy the Magic Keyboard

  Cons

  • Magic Keyboard feels cramped
  • Not as good for multitasking

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  The very best

  Apple iPad Pro 13-inch (2024)

  The 13-inch iPad Pro is the perfect touchscreen Mac replacement for most users. The same size and weight as a 13-inch MacBook Air, it’s built to offer the familiarity of iPad OS and iOS in a device that’s more akin to a computer. The result is my new favorite machine for most things, and one I can’t put down.

  Pros

  • Perfect MacBook replacement in size and weight
  • Ideal size for true multitasking with Stage Manager
  • Bigger Tandem OLED display is better for home use

  Cons

  • Not as portable as the 11-inch
  • Too big to use without a Magic Keyboard
  • Magic Keyboard is a costly add-on

I’ve always had a love-hate relationship with the larger iPad Pro. The device offered the right size for usefulness, but its heft challenged long-term comfort. At the same time, the 11-inch version was the better product, but the small screen proved to be less useful than the larger size. But how do the most recent models fare?

The new iPad Pro comes in two sizes nearly identical to the previous generation. The 11-inch display is the same size as last year’s 11-inch, while the 13-inch (2024) is the same size as the 12.9-inch model last year, with a slight decrease in the bezel size. But the real difference comes in a trimmed-down physique, offering a thinner, lighter design.

But does a more svelte iPad Pro change the dynamics of portability? Surprisingly, the answer is yes. While the iPad Pro 11-inch (2024) is the best it has ever been, the iPad Pro 13-inch (2024) is so good that it’s my new favorite size. Here’s why.

Price, availability, and specs

The iPad Pro (2024) starts at $999 for the 11-inch version and $1,299 for the 13-inch version. They come with 256GB of storage, 8GB of RAM, and Wi-Fi connectivity. You can upgrade the storage to 512GB, 1TB, or 2TB, but it’s more than just a storage upgrade. If you opt for the 1TB or 2TB storage versions, you get 16GB of RAM.

The OLED display is fantastic, but if you like the high-accuracy nano-texture Studio Display, you may want to consider the optional nano-texture upgrade. It’s only available in 1TB or 2TB storage options and is an additional $1,899. The cellular version will cost an additional $200.

Here’s how the pricing breaks down:

The iPad Pro (2024) also benefits from the new Apple Pencil Pro; it won’t work with other Apple Pencil models (aside from the entry-level USB-C version). The Apple Pencil Pro costs $139 and is worth purchasing if you’ve used the Pencil a lot with previous iPads. The Magic Keyboard is also a great addition, costing $299 for the 11-inch and $349 for the 13-inch.

Here are each tablet’s specs:

• 	Apple iPad Pro 11-inch (2024)	Apple iPad Pro 13-inch (2024)
  SoC	Apple M4	Apple M4
  Display type	Tandem OLED	Tandem OLED
  Display dimensions	11″	13″
  Display resolution	1668 x 2420	2064 x 2752
  RAM	8GB, 16GB	8GB, 16GB
  Storage	256GB, 512GB, 1TB, 2TB	256GB, 512GB, 1TB, 2TB
  Battery	8,160mAh	10,290mAh
  Charging speed	30W	30W
  Charge options	Wired	Wired
  Ports	USB Type-C 4 (Thunderbolt 3), Magnetic Connector	USB Type-C 4 (Thunderbolt 3), Magnetic Connector
  SIM support	eSIM	eSIM
  Operating System	iPadOS	iPadOS
  Front Camera	12MP	12MP, Center Stage
  Rear Camera	12MP	12MP
  Cellular connectivity	5G	5G
  Wi-Fi connectivity	Wi-Fi	Wi-Fi
  Bluetooth	5.3	5.3
  Dimensions	249.7 x 177.5 x 5.3mm	281.6 x 215.5 x 5.1mm
  Weight	444g (Wi-Fi), 446g (5G)	579g (Wi-Fi), 582g (5G)
  Colors	Silver, Space Gray	Space Gray, Silver
  Stylus	Apple Pencil Pro (not included)	Apple Pencil Pro (not included)

Design, display, and size

Similar, apart from the size

Apple announced the iPad Pro (2024) a month ago, and it launched a week later. For once, the product lives up to Apple’s promise of the “biggest update to iPad.”

We’ve waited years for Apple to bring OLED to the iPad Pro — especially as the best Samsung tablets have used OLED displays for years — and the wait was worth it. The iPad Pro (2024) is the first device from Apple to use a Tandem OLED display, where two OLED displays are stacked on top of each other. Apple calls it the Ultra Retina XDR (because, of course, they do), but it’s Tandem OLED all the same.

The iPad Pro (2024) is also considerably thinner and lighter, completely transforming the experience for the better. That slimming includes the new Magic Keyboard that accompanies it. Apple has moved the magnets that link the Smart Connector, so you can’t use older versions of the Magic Keyboard with the new iPad Pro, but you won’t want to because it’s so good.

Display size is the most obvious difference between the two. The iPad Pro 11-inch (2024) is 0.2mm thicker than the 13-inch model, although both are approximately 15% lighter than last year’s model. This makes a big difference: they’re comfortable enough to carry, even with the Magic Keyboard attached.

The iPad Pro 13-inch (2024) and Magic Keyboard combination weighs 1,246 grams, just six grams more than the M3 13-inch MacBook Air. This is by design. If you’ve been waiting for a truly portable iPad Pro + keyboard combination, it has finally arrived.

Productivity

The larger the size, the better

I’ve written about 15,000 words using both iPad keyboards over the past two weeks, and the 13-inch is better for typing. The 13-inch is 20% wider than the 11-inch, which also translates to the Magic Keyboard. This means the 11-inch feels cramped and less comfortable compared to the 13-inch.

The 11-inch is much better to use on an airplane tray table, but the iPad Pro 13-inch (2024) and Magic Keyboard are stable enough on your lap. The 11-inch isn’t as good when typing in a moving vehicle. While both feel more stable and comfortable than previous generations, the iPad Pro 11-inch (2024) and Magic Keyboard combination still retain some of the wobbliness prevalent in the past.

There’s also a notable difference when using Stage Manager in iPadOS. The answer to which is better will depend on your workflow. If you focus on one app at a time (occasionally switching to another app), either version works extremely well. However, if you want to take full advantage, you’ll need the bigger 13-inch display; you can run multiple app windows, and it doesn’t feel cramped.

Which should you buy?

The iPad Pro 13-inch (2024) is the best choice if you want a powerful yet portable device made for multitasking and an alternative to the MacBook Air. I switched between the size options for over two weeks and found the 13-inch is much better for productivity, media playback, and typing.

Regardless of size, the iPad Pro (2024) is arguably the best tablet you can buy now. It surpasses Samsung’s latest models, which I consider some of the best Android tablets. They’re not cheap, but for once, Apple’s new tablets are worth the premium you’re paying.

If you don’t plan to buy the keyboard and want to rely on the touchscreen keyboard, the iPad Pro 11-inch (2024) is best. This is also true if you spend a lot of time taking notes and want a digital version of a large notebook.

Nirave is a creator, evangelist, and founder of House of Technology, which covers the best health and technology products. Following a heart attack at the age of 33, he’s been focused on the impact of technology in helping us live longer, more fruitful, and happier lives. He can also be found on Instagram and Twitter and publishes the Impact Newsletter at impact.hot.tech.