The latest Apple Spring event has just announced the launch of two stunning new premium tablets from the tech giant. If all goes as planned, new iPad Pro 2021 preorders will be going live on April 30th and shipping for a date in mid-May.
With a host of hefty upgrades under the hood (hello 5G and the M1 chip), it’s likely these new top-end tablets from Apple could sell out in short order. That said, it’s not just Apple that will be stocking up for new iPad Pro 2021 preorders and you’ll find plenty of alternative options should the official store sell out.
Since we’re always covering the best iPad deals here at TechRadar on a weekly basis, we always know where to get your hands on the latest devices – and fast. We’re of course not expecting any juicy price cuts on release just yet with these new Apple tablets, but if availability proves to be an issue we’ll point you to a couple of good alternatives you might want to consider. There’s going to be a lot of people wondering where to buy the latest iPad Pro range, so it could be worth bookmarking a few of the smaller retailers before they launch their iPad Pro 2021 preorder pages.
In case you were wondering what all the fuss was about, we’ll also be doing a quick-fire breakdown of the new features and specs on these latest Apple tablets. We do have a main page on the New iPad Pro (2021) release date and price to check out if you’d like to do a bit of further reading, but this article will cover all the basics – especially if you’re already dead-set on pre-ordering these new premium Apple tablets.
New iPad Pro 2021 preorders: where to buy
New iPad Pro 2021 preorders going live at Apple on April 30th
Retailers that will have iPad Pro (2021) preorders
Apple will most likely be the first retailer to publish new iPad Pro 2021 preorders on the 30th of April, although it’s also likely that a number of leading retailers will quickly follow in their stead. Just below you can see our recommended retailers, along with the pages you’ll want to refresh/bookmark on the 30th of April to bag yourself a tablet.
We expect the new iPad Pro (2021) to launch at full price at these non-Apple retailers for the initial wave of preorders but don’t automatically write these retailers off. If availability proves troublesome at Apple or Amazon then it’s often worth considering picking up your new device from one of the smaller or lesser popular retailers. While they don’t tend to have a lot of stock on hand, they can be the last retailers to sell out in general.
New iPad Pro 2021 preorders: How much does it cost?
Release date prices on the iPad Pro range are as follows. Interestingly the 2021 iPad Pro 11 is retailing for the same base price as last year’s model, while the 2021 iPad Pro 12.9 is retailing for about $100 / £30 more (due to the new screen upgrade, most likely). The higher capacity storage models are ever-so-slightly more expensive as well.
- iPad Pro 11-inch (2021)
- 128GB – $799 / £749
- 256GB – $899 / £849
- 512GB – $1099 / £1049
- 1TB – $1499 / £1399
- 2TB – $1899 / £1729
- iPad Pro 12.9-inch (2021)
- 128GB – $1099 / £999
- 256GB – $1199 / £1099
- 512GB – $1399 / £1299
- 1TB – $1799 / £1649
- 2TB – $2199 / £1999
It’s worth mentioning that these are just starting prices for the Wi-Fi only models, if you want to include the option for cellular capabilities then you’ll be spending an extra $200 / £150 on top of the above asking prices.
When will we see price cuts on the new iPad Pro?
Last year it took about a month before retailers started to offer the very first price cuts on the 2020 iPad Pro models, with the first big discounts dropping over Black Friday. That is, of course, quite a long time to wait overall, and if these new iPad Pro 4 models are particularly popular it could be an even longer wait before we see a significant discount drop.
New iPad Pro 2021 preorder: Specs and features
- iPad Pro 11-inch (2021)
- Capacity: 128GB, 256GB, 512GB, 1TB
- Size: 247.6 x 178.5 x 5.9 (mm)
- Weight: 1.03 pounds (466 grams)
- Connectors: USB-C, Thunderbolt
- Display: 11-inch Liquid Retina, 2388×1668 resolution at 264ppi
- Chip: Apple M1
- Camera: Up to 12MP, ƒ/1.8 aperture, 60 fps 4K Video recording
- Battery: 28.65-watt-hour rechargeable lithium-polymer battery
- iPad Pro 12.9-inch (2021)
- Capacity: 128GB, 256GB, 512GB, 1TB
- Size: 280.6 x 214.9 x 5.9 (mm)
- Weight: 1.5 pounds (682 grams)
- Connectors: USB-C, Thunderbolt
- Display: 12.9-inch LR XDR, 2732×2048 resolution at 264ppi
- Chip: Apple M1
- Camera: Up to 12MP, ƒ/1.8 aperture, 60 fps 4K Video recording
- Battery: 40.88-watt-hour rechargeable lithium-polymer battery
The new Apple iPad Pro 2021 comes in a selection of storage sizes (128, 256, 512GB, 1TB, and the new 2TB) and two colors at launch (Silver, Space Gray). On the outside, the aesthetic hasn’t changed too much, keeping with the more ‘squared off’ design of the previous generation. Inside, however, the iPad Pro 2021 is absolutely packed to the brim with new tech.
The much-heralded Apple M1 chip, a processor only previously seen on MacBooks, has now been squished into these latest tablets. Put simply, that means a lot more power on tap here and a performance increase of upwards of 75% if Apple’s press statements are to be believed. Another fantastic upgrade is the USB-C port from last year’s model has now been fully upgraded to support Thunderbolt – which means much, much speedier file transfers overall.
Other key upgrades are the inclusion of 5G connectivity on the LTE models – an expected but much welcome addition, a new ultrawide front camera on both models, and an upgraded Liquid Retina XDR display on the 12.9-inch model. Apple has made a lot of fanfare about this latest mini-LED display, especially its incredible brightness and contrast, and it’s definitely looking like a designer’s dream indeed.
Software-wise these new 2020 iPad Pros come with the latest iPadOS 14 and can, of course, be expected to be supported with the latest upgrades from Apple for many years to come.
What about older Apple iPad Pro prices?
A new iPad launch is also great news if you’re looking for something a little older – specifically the last generation models, which are sure to have some nice little price drops to make way for the newer, shinier offerings.
For those on the hunt for a cheap iPad Pro, you could definitely consider last year’s 2020 iPad Pro 11 and 2020 iPad Pro 12.8. We’ve seen price cuts of up to $100 / £100 on these devices already and it’s likely they’ll be reduced even further in the following months as retailers look to shift out that old stock. While not quite as powerful as the new iPad Pro 4 range, these tablets are still absolutely stellar choices if you want something that’s premium and will last a good few years.