The Gadget Show has never been one to pull its punches, and their latest assessment of Apple's newest flagship tablet is no exception. Delivering a verdict that is as brutally honest as it is surprising, the show's experts have put the incredibly powerful yet eye-wateringly expensive M4 iPad Pro under the microscope.
A Powerhouse in Search of a Purpose
There's no denying the raw, staggering power of the new iPad Pro. With the cutting-edge M4 chip at its core, it boasts performance that rivals many professional laptops. Coupled with its stunningly thin design and a truly breathtaking Ultra Retina XDR OLED display, it represents the absolute pinnacle of tablet engineering. But The Gadget Show panel posed the critical question: "What is all this power actually for?"
The Staggering Price of Admission
The review zeroed in on the elephant in the room: the price. When configured with sufficient storage and the essential accessories like the Magic Keyboard and Apple Pencil Pro, the cost skyrockets to over £2,500. For that sum, consumers are entering the territory of high-end laptops, creating a significant dilemma over value for money.
iPad Air: The Smart Money's Choice?
In a move that will raise eyebrows in Cupertino, The Gadget Show presenters overwhelmingly suggested that for the vast majority of users, the new iPad Air with the M2 chip is the smarter purchase. It offers a colossal amount of power and a brilliant display for a fraction of the Pro's price, making the Pro's premium harder to justify.
The Final Verdict: A Niche Marvel
The conclusion was clear. The iPad Pro is not a device for the average consumer, or even the average Apple fan. It is a specialised, niche tool designed for a very specific user: the creative professional for whom that unparalleled display and pencil-perfect accuracy are worth the immense investment. For everyone else, it's a breathtaking piece of technology that might just be too powerful for its own good.
