How fast are the iPad Pro 11" (2nd Gen) and iPad Pro 12.9" (4th Gen) compared to one another? How fast are they compared to earlier iPad Pro models and the iPad Air?

In the corporate press release for the iPad Pro 11" (2nd Gen) and iPad Pro 12.9" (4th Gen) models released in 2020, Apple declares that the tablets provide "pro performance" and further boasts:

Built for the most demanding tasks, like editing 4K video or designing 3D models, iPad Pro gets another performance boost with the new A12Z Bionic chip. The eight-core GPU in the A12Z Bionic, along with an enhanced thermal architecture and tuned performance controllers, gives iPad Pro the highest performance ever in an iPad. Combined with the eight-core CPU and the powerful Neural Engine, which enables next-generation apps, there's no other chip that can offer the incredible performance found in the thin and light design of iPad Pro. With great battery life lasting up to 10 hours, faster Wi-Fi connectivity and gigabit-class LTE that's 60 percent faster with support for more LTE bands than any other tablet, customers can stay productive and creative all day.

Although this performance blurb sounds impressive -- especially the boost in LTE speed -- without a specific overall performance claim, it is a safe bet that these iPad Pro models are not dramatically faster than their predecessors. If they were, Apple would have said so proudly.

Photo Credit: Apple, Inc. (iPad Pro 12.9" 4th Gen - 2020)

As a quick review of the EveryiPad.com comparison of the iPad Pro 11" (2nd Gen) and iPad Pro 12.9" (4th Gen) explains, both tablets have the same 2.5 GHz Apple A12Z Bionic processor and 6 GB of RAM. The performance of these two devices should be quite similar.

Because Apple does not provide an official performance claim, independent benchmarks are particularly worthwhile to objectively compare the performance of the iPad Pro models released in 2020 to earlier ones.

Benchmark Performance Overview

For a helpful general overview of the performance differences between the iPad Pro 11" (2nd Gen) and iPad Pro 12.9" (4th Gen) compared to each other as well as other iPad, iPhone, and iPod touch devices, Everyi.com's own Ultimate iComparison makes it quick to compare side-by-side Geekbench benchmark averages for hundreds of possible performance comparisons.

The Geekbench 5 benchmark confirms that the two iPad Pro models released in 2020 essentially are the same speed.

Compared to other recent iOS devices, these iPad Pro models perform accordingly:

iPad Pro 2020 Compared To:	Percent Faster (Single Core)	Percent Faster (Multicore)
iPad Pro 11"/12.9" (3rd Gen) - 2018	=	1%
iPad Pro 12.9" (2nd Gen)	34%	102%
iPad Pro 12.9" (Original)	71%	283%
iPad Air 3rd Gen	=	60%
iPad 7th Gen	46%	227%
iPhone 11	-16%	43%

With a review of the above, you can see clearly that the Geekbench 5 benchmark shows the iPad Pro 2020 models effectively are the same speed as the iPad Pro 11" (Original) and iPad Pro 12.9" (3rd Gen) models released in 2018, but are much, much faster than earlier iPad Pro lines.

The Geekbench 5 benchmark also shows that the iPad Pro 2020 models are much faster than the entry-level iPad 7th Gen, but the mid-range iPad Air 3rd Gen holds its own with the more expensive iPad Pro models in single-core tasks. It's only in multicore tasks -- the iPad Pro models have eight cores whereas the iPad Air models only have six -- where the iPad Pro models pull ahead substantially in performance.

Compared to the iPhone 11, the iPad Pro 2020 models actually are slower in single core tasks, perhaps because the iPhone 11 uses a newer processor design, but much faster in multicore tasks because the iPhone 11 only has six cores like the iPad Air 3rd Gen.

Performance Summary

Ultimately, the iPad Pro 11" (2nd Gen) and iPad Pro 12.9" (4th Gen) models released in 2020 are the fastest iPad models Apple ever has made, but they only are slightly faster than their predecessors from 2018.

The 2020 iPad Pro models also have LiDAR support for potentially more advanced AR creation and experiences, an improved rear-camera system that adds an ultra-wide angle camera, faster Wi-Fi, and better microphones, but for those who want performance on a budget, earlier iPad Pro models -- particularly those from 2018 -- definitely remain well worth consideration.

In the US, site sponsor Adorama sells new iPad Pro models with free shipping across the US.

In the UK, site sponsor Hoxton Macs has a large number of used and refurbished iPad models with a one-year warranty and free next day delivery throughout the UK. Delivery across Europe also is available starting at just £9.99 for two-day delivery to France and Germany.

Also see: What are all the differences between the current iPad Pro 11" (2nd Gen) and iPad Pro 12.9" (4th Gen)? Which is best for my needs?