Apple’s newest high end tablet arrives at a time when the company’s broader reputation feels mixed among parts of its audience, with some long time fans questioning leadership decisions even as the hardware itself keeps getting more impressive. The iPad line has evolved from a simple media device into a premium productivity machine, yet its operating system still trails the raw capabilities of its chips. That gap between what the hardware can do and what the software is allowed to do has become the real story for many people considering whether a tablet can finally replace their laptop.
In recent testing, the latest iPad Pro running an M series processor performs roughly on par with a similarly specced MacBook Pro, about a couple of percentage points ahead in single core benchmarks, close to 10% faster in multi core workloads and only a hair behind in graphics. On paper, that means it is easily powerful enough for demanding tasks like development tools, data work or complex simulations. Yet in practice, the tablet is largely confined to creative apps and light office tasks because the operating system blocks things like virtual machines and traditional desktop software, while cheaper devices such as Chromebooks or Android tablets can at least experiment with these heavier workloads even on weaker chips.
The bigger picture is that Apple’s strategy looks like it keeps the iPad Pro in a carefully fenced off role so it complements rather than competes with the MacBook line, even though the numbers suggest it could handle far more. For professionals who write code, run test environments or juggle multiple operating systems, that approach turns a premium tablet, often hundreds of dollars more than an entry level laptop once you add a keyboard and stylus, into a partial solution instead of an all in one machine. If Apple ever relaxed those software limits and fully embraced virtualisation and broader app freedoms on the iPad Pro, it seems likely the device could shift from a niche tool for designers and filmmakers into a true primary computer for many more people and reshape how the whole lineup fits together.
