I’ll be honest. For years, the 11-inch iPad Pro felt like the "budget" flagship. It was the one you bought if you couldn't afford the 12.9-inch or if your wrists just couldn't handle the weight of a literal glass slab. You always missed out on the best screen technology. While the big brother got the fancy Liquid Retina XDR with mini-LEDs, the 11-inch was stuck with standard LCD. It was fine, but it wasn't pro.
The iPad Pro M4 11-inch changes that narrative completely.
For the first time ever, Apple didn't gatekeep the display tech. Both sizes now sport the Tandem OLED "Ultra Retina XDR" display. It’s a massive shift. You’re getting the exact same peak brightness, the same perfect blacks, and the same pixel-perfect precision in a footprint that actually fits on an airplane tray table. It’s arguably the most powerful computer per square inch ever built. But is it actually worth the price hike?
Let's get into what really happens when you live with this thing.
The Tandem OLED Reality Check
Marketing speaks in superlatives. Apple says "Tandem OLED," and it sounds like a buzzword. It isn't. Basically, they layered two OLED panels on top of each other. Why? Because a single OLED panel large enough for a tablet usually can’t get bright enough to hit HDR standards without burning out or looking dim. By stacking them, the iPad Pro M4 11-inch hits 1,000 nits of full-screen brightness and 1,600 nits of peak HDR brightness.
It is blinding.
If you’re sitting in a coffee shop with direct sunlight hitting the glass, you can still see every detail of your UI. That’s rare. Most tablets turn into expensive mirrors the second you go outside. The contrast is where it hits you, though. In a dark room, watching a movie or editing photos, the blacks are truly black. There’s no "blooming" around white text like there was on the old mini-LED models. It looks painted on.
Honestly, the screen is so good it almost makes the hardware feel invisible. You're just holding a floating image.
Thinness: Engineering Feat or Structural Flaw?
At 5.3mm, this is the thinnest product Apple has ever made. It’s thinner than the iPod Nano.
When you first pick up the iPad Pro M4 11-inch, it feels wrong. It feels like you’re going to snap it. However, the internal structural layout has been redesigned. Apple added a central rib—a metal cover over the logic board—that acts as a spine. JerryRigEverything, the YouTuber known for torturing tech, confirmed it holds up surprisingly well under pressure, though I still wouldn't recommend sitting on it.
The thinness serves a purpose beyond just looking cool: weight. The 11-inch model weighs less than a pound. 0.98 lbs, to be exact. This matters because the "lapability" of the 13-inch model is famously poor. The 11-inch remains a tablet first and a laptop second. You can actually hold it with one hand to read a book or mark up a PDF without getting forearm fatigue after ten minutes.
The M4 Chip: More Than You'll Ever Use
Let’s talk about the silicon. The M4 chip skipped a generation—moving straight from M2 to M4 for the iPad Pro line. It’s built on a second-generation 3-nanometer process.
In terms of raw benchmarks, it’s a monster. It’s faster than many MacBook Pros. But here is the nuance most reviewers gloss over: the 11-inch model comes in two distinct "tiers" of the M4 chip. If you buy the 256GB or 512GB model, you get a 9-core CPU and 8GB of RAM. If you jump to the 1TB or 2TB versions, you get a 10-core CPU, 16GB of RAM, and the option for that fancy Nano-texture glass.
🔗 Read more: GE Energy Parts Inc: What Actually Happens When Your Turbine Goes Down
Does it matter?
For 95% of people, no. The 9-core M4 is already overkill for iPadOS. You could be editing 4K ProRes video in LumaFusion while exporting a high-res file in the background and the thing won't even get warm. The M4 also introduces hardware-accelerated ray tracing to the iPad, which is great for games like Death Stranding or Resident Evil Village, but the library of games that actually use this is still pretty small.
The real benefit of the M4 isn't speed—it's efficiency. It delivers the same performance as the M2 while using half the power. This helps compensate for the fact that the chassis is much thinner, meaning the battery has to be smaller to fit. You still get the "all-day" battery life (around 9-10 hours of web use), but don't expect it to last longer than the previous generation. It’s a lateral move in longevity, powered by an exponential move in efficiency.
The New Magic Keyboard and Pencil Pro Paradox
The iPad Pro M4 11-inch didn't come alone. It brought accessories that are, frankly, mandatory if you want the full experience, which is where the "Pro" price tag starts to hurt.
- The Magic Keyboard (M4 version): It now has a function row. Finally. You can change brightness or volume without diving into the Control Center. The palm rest is aluminum now, so it feels like a MacBook. The haptic trackpad is also much larger. It makes the 11-inch feel like a tiny, hyper-powered laptop.
- Apple Pencil Pro: This is the one that actually adds new functionality. The "squeeze" gesture is a game-changer for artists. It pops up a tool palette right at the tip of your pencil. No more tapping icons at the top of the screen. The barrel roll (thanks to a gyroscope) lets you rotate shaped pens and brushes as you move.
The catch? Your old Apple Pencil 2 won't work with this iPad. Your old Magic Keyboard won't fit this iPad. If you're upgrading from an older Pro, you're looking at a total ecosystem refresh. It’s a tough pill to swallow.
Why People Get This Choice Wrong
Most people think the 13-inch is the "pro" choice and the 11-inch is the "compromise."
That’s a mistake.
The 11-inch iPad Pro M4 is a better tablet. If you spend your day in meetings, on job sites, or traveling, the 11-inch is superior. The 13-inch is essentially a laptop that can't run macOS. It’s cumbersome. The 11-inch fits in a small tech sling. It’s discrete.
One thing to watch out for is the Nano-texture glass option. It’s only available on the 1TB and 2TB models. It’s incredible for reducing glare, but it does slightly soften the "pop" of the OLED colors. If you aren't a professional illustrator working under studio lights, stick to the standard glossy glass. The contrast is more impressive.
The Software Ceiling
We have to address the elephant in the room. iPadOS.
The hardware of the iPad Pro M4 11-inch is about five years ahead of the software. Stage Manager has improved, but it's still not as fluid as window management on a Mac. You’re still dealing with a mobile file system. You’re still dealing with some apps that are just blown-up phone versions.
Apple’s logic seems to be that the iPad is for "modular" computing. You use it as a tablet when you want to be creative or consume media, and you dock it when you need to type. If you expect this to replace a MacBook for heavy coding or complex Excel work, you’ll be frustrated. If you use it for Final Cut Pro for iPad, Logic Pro, or Adobe Lightroom, it’s arguably better than a Mac because of the direct touch interface.
Actionable Buying Advice
Buying an iPad Pro M4 11-inch is a significant investment. To get the most out of it without overspending, follow these steps:
Check your storage needs first. Don't buy the 1TB model just for the extra CPU core or 16GB of RAM unless you are literally rendering 3D models or massive video projects daily. The 256GB base model is plenty for most, especially if you use iCloud.
Skip the Nano-texture unless you're an artist. The standard glass is beautiful and shows off the OLED’s capabilities better for movies and general use. Plus, it saves you from having to buy the most expensive storage tiers.
Budget for the Apple Pencil Pro over the Keyboard. If you can only afford one accessory, get the Pencil. The iPad's strength is its touch and ink interface. If you just wanted a keyboard and a screen, a MacBook Air is cheaper and arguably better for typing.
Look for the Educational Discount. Apple often runs "Back to School" or educator pricing that can shave $100 off the price or include a gift card. Since this hardware is so overpowered, it will easily last you 5-6 years.
The 11-inch iPad Pro M4 is finally the uncompromising powerhouse we wanted. It’s no longer the "small" Pro; it’s just the Pro that’s easier to take with you. If you value portability but refuse to settle for a second-rate screen, this is the specific model to get. Just be prepared for the fact that your old accessories are now paperweights.