I’ve been testing Apple’s new 12.9-inch iPad Pro for the past several days. It hits store shelves Oct. 26 and comes in 11-inch and 12.9-inch sizes.
The biggest upgrade is the M2 chip, which is faster than the M1 processor used in last year’s Pro model. It also supports the new Apple Pencil Hover feature. That means the screen can now detect the tip of the Apple Pencil up to 12 millimeters above the surface of the screen, which might make it attractive to digital artists who often sketch on their iPads.
Unlike the entry-level iPad, the iPad Pro’s price didn’t increase from last year’s model. The 11-inch iPad Pro starts at $799, and the 12.9-inch iPad Pro starts at $1,099.
If you’re a 2021 iPad Pro user, it might be hard to justify upgrading to this year’s model, as there aren’t all that many noticeable improvements. And if you’re a standard iPad user – meaning you stream, read, play basic games and surf the web – shelling out $800 or more for the Pro is probably overkill.
This is more for video and photo editors, or for people who just want the best iPad with the biggest screen available.
Here’s what you need to know about Apple’s new 12.9-inch iPad Pro.
What’s good
The M2 processor is fast, which you’ll notice if you’re editing videos, or running multiple complex applications at the same time. I tried editing a video on the Pro. It quickly imported large video files and didn’t hiccup when I added filters to specific frames and rendered the video. Exporting my video file was also super fast. This was just a video capturing highlights of a trip to Europe; it was by no means a complex video project.
The screen is massive and the picture quality is excellent, but it’s not an upgrade from last year’s model. And if you opt for the 11-inch over the 12.9-inch Pro, you’ll notice the picture isn’t as good. The 11-inch model doesn’t have a “Liquid Retina XDR” display, which is just a fancy way of saying it uses mini LEDs that get super bright and colorful.
I noticed the screen was brighter on the 12.9-inch Pro than any iPad I’ve used before. While watching HBO’s “House of the Dragon” on my TV at home, I often have to go into a dark room to see everything because the show is shot in dark locations and it’s often hard to see if there’s too much light reflecting on the screen. When I watched the show on the new iPad Pro, however, I noticed it was much easier to see the details on the screen, even when I was in a bright room.
The large screen also makes it easier to multitask on the iPad Pro. I liked reading the news while keeping YouTube TV open at the same time.
iPad Pro split screen view.
Sofia Pitt
The Apple Pencil Hover experience is useful if you’re using your iPad to draw. Let’s say you want to mix colors. In the picture below, you can see a demo where I’m hovering red paint over a blue circle. The iPad Hover mode shows what the purple color will look like before I tap my Apple Pencil on the screen.
iPad Pro Apple Pencil Hover experience.
Sofia Pitt
The speakers are clear and loud and better than on any other iPad I’ve used. I tried streaming music from the Pro in the bathroom while blow-drying my hair and I could easily make out a song’s lyrics.
The iPad Pro’s camera is excellent, but it’s also not an upgrade from last year’s model.
2022 iPad Pro camera.
Sofia Pitt
What’s bad
The iPad Pros’ two major improvements are the M2 chip and the Apple Pencil experience. New iPad models often get camera upgrades, or an increase in the screen’s brightness, but this year’s models didn’t.
This year’s entry-level iPad has a new placement of the front-facing camera. It’s now on the long side of the tablet, instead of the short side, which helps you look more centered on the camera during video chats, not to mention it’s more flattering. I’m not sure why Apple didn’t choose to do the same thing on this year’s iPad Pro.
The offset cameras cause it to appear as if I’m not looking directly at someone else during a video chat, since I have to look off to the left to look at the camera. It’s distracting.
I’m a big fan of the Magic Keyboard because it transforms the iPad Pro into a laptop. But the keyboard drains the battery faster. I was watching “The Stranger” on Netflix and started with 78% battery. I kept my keyboard attached the whole time and by the end of the movie, my battery was at 19%.
Should you buy it?
Pick the 2022 iPad Pro if you want the extra power and better screen over other iPads. It’s very fast, the screen display and speakers are excellent for kicking back and watching movies, and it’s a great tablet for creatives who need added power for video or photo editing. It gets expensive at the high end. If you opt for the maximum storage space of 2TB and choose the 12.9-inch iPad with Wi-Fi and cellular, you’re looking at a price tag of $2,400, and that doesn’t even include the $129 Apple Pencil (2nd generation) or the $350 Magic Keyboard.
Signage at 23andMe headquarters in Sunnyvale, California, U.S., on Wednesday, Jan. 27, 2021.
David Paul Morris | Bloomberg | Getty Images
The House Committee on Energy and Commerce is investigating 23andMe‘s decision to file for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection and has expressed concern that its sensitive genetic data is “at risk of being compromised,” CNBC has learned.
Rep. Brett Guthrie, R-Ky., Rep. Gus Bilirakis, R-Fla., and Rep. Gary Palmer, R.-Ala., sent a letter to 23andMe’s interim CEO Joe Selsavage on Thursday requesting answers to a series of questions about its data and privacy practices by May 1.
The congressmen are the latest government officials to raise concerns about 23andMe’s commitment to data security, as the House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform and the Federal Trade Commission have sent the company similar letters in recent weeks.
23andMe exploded into the mainstream with its at-home DNA testing kits that gave customers insight into their family histories and genetic profiles. The company was once valued at a peak of $6 billion, but has since struggled to generate recurring revenue and establish a lucrative research and therapeutics businesses.
After filing for bankruptcy in in Missouri federal court in March, 23andMe’s assets, including its vast genetic database, are up for sale.
“With the lack of a federal comprehensive data privacy and security law, we write to express our great concern about the safety of Americans’ most sensitive personal information,” Guthrie, Bilirakis and Palmer wrote in the letter.
23andMe did not immediately respond to CNBC’s request for comment.
More CNBC health coverage
23andMe has been inundated with privacy concerns in recent years after hackers accessed the information of nearly 7 million customers in 2023.
DNA data is particularly sensitive because each person’s sequence is unique, meaning it can never be fully anonymized, according to the National Human Genome Research Institute. If genetic data falls into the hands of bad actors, it could be used to facilitate identity theft, insurance fraud and other crimes.
The House Committee on Energy and Commerce has jurisdiction over issues involving data privacy. Guthrie serves as the chairman of the committee, Palmer serves as the chairman of the Subcommittee on Oversight and Investigations and Bilirakis serves as the chairman of the Subcommittee on Commerce, Manufacturing and Trade.
The congressmen said that while Americans’ health information is protected under legislation like the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act, or HIPAA, direct-to-consumer companies like 23andMe are typically not covered under that law. They said they feel “great concern” about the safety of the company’s customer data, especially given the uncertainty around the sale process.
23andMe has repeatedly said it will not change how it manages or protects consumer data throughout the transaction. Similarly, in a March release, the company said all potential buyers must agree to comply with its privacy policy and applicable law.
“To constitute a qualified bid, potential buyers must, among other requirements, agree to comply with 23andMe’s consumer privacy policy and all applicable laws with respect to the treatment of customer data,” 23andMe said in the release.
23andMe customers can still delete their account and accompanying data through the company’s website. But Guthrie, Bilirakis and Palmer said there are reports that some users have had trouble doing so.
“Regardless of whether the company changes ownership, we want to ensure that customer access and deletion requests are being honored by 23andMe,” the congressmen wrote.
A motorcycle is seen near a building of the Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company (TSMC), which is a Taiwanese multinational semiconductor contract manufacturing and design company, in Hsinchu, Taiwan, on April 16, 2025.
“TSMC is not engaged in any discussion with other companies regarding any joint venture, technology licensing or technology,” CEO C.C. Wei said on the company’s first-quarter earnings call on Wednesday, dispelling rumors about a collaboration with Intel.
Intel and TSMC were said to have been looking to form a JV as recently as this month. On April 3, The Information reported that the two firms discussed a preliminary agreement to form a tie-up to operate Intel’s chip factories with TSMC owning a 21% stake.
Intel was not immediately available for comment when contacted by CNBC on Wei’s comments on Thursday. The company previously said it doesn’t comment on rumors, when asked by CNBC about the reported discussions.
TSMC’s denial of tie-up talks with Intel comes as President Donald Trump is pushing to address global trade imbalances and reshore manufacturing in the U.S. through tariffs. The Department of Commerce recently kicked off an investigation into semiconductor imports — a move that could result in new tariffs for the chip industry.
TSMC reported a profit beatfor the first quarter thanks to a continued surge in demand for AI chips. However, the company contends with potential headwinds from Trump’s tariffs — which target Taiwan — and stricter export controls on TSMC clients Nvidia and AMD.
A motorcycle is seen near a building of the Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company (TSMC), which is a Taiwanese multinational semiconductor contract manufacturing and design company, in Hsinchu, Taiwan, on April 16, 2025.
Here are TSMC’s first-quarter results versus LSEG consensus estimates:
Revenue: $839.25 billion New Taiwan dollars, vs. NT$835.13 billion expected
Net income: NT$361.56 billion, vs. NT$354.14 billion
TSMC’s reported net income increased 60.3% from a year ago to NT$361.56 billion, while net revenue in the March quarter rose 41.6% from a year earlier to NT$839.25 billion.
The world’s largest contract chip manufacturer has benefited from the AI boom as it produces advanced processors for clients such American chip designer Nvidia.
However, the company faces headwinds from the trade policy of U.S. President Donald Trump, who has placed broad trade tariffs on Taiwan and stricter export controls on TSMC clients Nvidia and AMD.
Semiconductor export controls could also be expanded next month under the “AI diffusion rules” first proposed by the Biden administration, further restricting the sales of chipmakers that use TSMC foundries.
Taiwan currently faces a blanket 10% tariff from the Trump administration and that could rise to 32% after the President’s 90-day pause of his “reciprocal tariffs” ends unless it reaches a deal with the U.S.
As part of efforts to diversify its supply chains, TSMC has been investing billions in overseas facilities, though the lion’s share of its manufacturing remains in Taiwan.
In an apparent response to Trump’s trade policy, TSMC last month announced plans to invest an additional $100 billion in the U.S. on top of the $65 billion it has committed to three plants in the U.S.
On Monday, AMD said it would soon manufacture processor chips at one of the new Arizona-based TSMC facilities, marking the first time that its chips will be manufactured in the U.S.
The same day, Nvidia announced that it has already started production of its Blackwell chips at TSMC’s Arizona plants. It plans to produce up to half a trillion dollars of AI infrastructure in the U.S. over the next four years through partners, including TSMC.
Taiwan-listed shares of TSMC were down about 0.4%. Shares have lost about 20% so far this year.