Apple kicked off its “Let Loose” virtual event this morning by unveiling the long-awaited updates to its iPad Pro lineup. The new 13-inch and 11-inch professional tablets usher in a bold new era of design, performance, and display technology for Apple’s flagship slates.

The headlining feature is the switch to OLED panels on both models, finally bringing perfect blacks, punchy colors, and unrivaled contrast to the iPad Pro’s displays. Rumors of Apple abandoning LCD technology for OLED on the high-end iPads had been swirling for months, and today the company made good on that promise.

Apple is utilizing a tandem OLED structure that allows the displays to reach an impressive 1,000 nits of peak full-screen brightness, matching last year’s Mini LED models. For HDR content, peak brightness climbs even higher to 1,600 nits. And in a boon for creative professionals, Apple is offering a nano-texture glass option that provides a matte finish for reduced glare.

But the improvements aren’t just skin deep. Apple has unleashed the full potential of its latest M4 chip in this generation, skipping the M3 entirely. The 6-core CPU is a staggering 50 percent faster than the M2 found in the previous models, with up to 20 percent better thermal performance. Remarkably, the M4 can also deliver performance on par with the M2 while consuming just half the power.

Apple has clearly set its sights on further positioning the iPad Pro as a legitimate laptop replacement. The 13-inch model measures just 5.1mm thin – the company’s thinnest device ever. Even the 11-inch comes in at a svelte 5.3mm. Yet despite the wafer-thin profiles, Apple has managed to increase the base storage to a generous 256GB on both sizes.

Prices start at $999 for the 11-inch iPad Pro and $1,299 for the 13-inch, available to order today ahead of a May 15th retail launch. Maxing out the top configuration with 5G, 2TB of storage, and the new nano-texture glass will set customers back a breathtaking $2,599 – firmly in premium laptop territory.

Beyond the striking new industrial design and performance gains, Apple has introduced some welcomed usability enhancements as well. The front-facing camera has finally been repositioned to the landscape orientation, alleviating the awkward off-axis positioning that has plagued video calls on previous models.

The rear camera system has also been improved, with better document scanning capabilities thanks to image stitching technology and an adaptive flash. Apple isn’t neglecting accessories either – a redesigned Magic Keyboard now includes an aluminum palm rest and full function key row, while the new Apple Pencil Pro adds sophisticated touch gestures like squeeze controls and even haptic feedback akin to Microsoft’s Surface Pen.

By transitioning its pro-grade tablets to OLED panels, Apple has effectively eliminated one of the few remaining advantages the larger 12.9-inch models held over their smaller counterparts. Since the introduction of the first M1 iPad Pro in 2021, the 12.9-inch size has featured a superior Mini LED display with higher brightness, better contrast, and other enhancements.

That distinction is now gone, as both the new 11-inch and 13-inch models benefit from OLED’s perfect blacks, precise brightness control, and total mitigation of blooming – when bright content bleeds into surrounding dark areas. For creative professionals and media enthusiasts, this newfound display parity could make the more portable 11-inch form factor a much more appealing option.

Apple’s courageous move to embrace OLED displays on the iPad Pro marks the most substantial upgrade to these premium tablets in years. With vastly improved displays, unprecedented performance, and an impossibly thin new design, the latest iPad Pros aim to cement Apple’s leadership in the high-end tablet space while providing a suitable laptop alternative for those willing to pay a premium for the company’s uncompromising vision of computing mobility.