Apple's 12.9-inch iPad Pro with MiniLED backlighting was announced earlier this year. I knew it was time for me to upgrade from my 2018 model. I was not disappointed. Even though iPadOS continues to disappoint and underwhelm in many other areas, the iPadOS has been able to provide a better viewing experience. It's a beautiful screen that makes me want the iPad to be my laptop instead.
Mini LEDs are tiny LEDs that are thousands of times smaller than the ones in LCD or conventional TVs. This allows for precise backlighting. This allows for deeper black levels, as well as all the other benefits previously mentioned. Apple's iPads and MacBooks already have excellent displays that reproduce accurate colors in a wide range of hues. The Mini LED elevates their display quality. These machines are in high demand because of their 120Hz refresh rate and all the ports.
The pros finally heard from Related Apple
The iPad Pro's transition to Mini LED was not without its challenges. The new MacBook Pros, both 14-inch and 16,-inch models, now use the same Pro Display XDR (Mini LED), technology. It is worth keeping an eye on whether these same issues have been addressed in Apple's laptops.
In his review, Dieter addressed the issue of blooming. If you use the iPad Pro in a dark area, you might notice a halo around bright objects when they are surrounded by black backgrounds. This is a tradeoff inherent in full-array, local dimming. While it can be annoying for some, it has never been an issue with me when I've used the iPad Pro. It is worth it for the additional brightness and contrast gains.
On a $6,000 laptop that is fully loaded for professional editing, blooming may prove to be more frustrating. I'm curious to know if Apple has made any changes to address the problem on its new MacBook Pros.
Shadowing is another problem with Apple's Mini LED iPad Pro display. The new iPad was on its way to customers when they noticed the shadowing along the edges. It is not something that is only found on certain iPads. This shadow is visible on every M1 12.9 inch iPad Pro. Although the majority of the panel is uniform, the shadow falls at the edges where the dimming areas trail off. This is a similar phenomenon to blooming. My eyes tend to be closer to the center of the screen where everything looks amazing, so I don't pay too much attention.
These shadows can also appear on Apple's Pro Display XDR premium monitor. Marco Arment, an Overcast developer, has called them the biggest problem with the display. This is a problem that could be more irritating on a laptop that's expensive and marketed at professionals. Apple may have found a way around this problem by moving the backlighting further beyond the bezels in order to avoid such a noticeable drop in brightness.
The pros of the new MacBook Pro screen should outweigh any cons. The new MacBook Pro screens are brighter and sharper than ever, with the same eye-searing HDR highlights that were on the iPad Pro. If you are a sticker for small things, it may be worth waiting to see if Apple has made any improvements to its display tech.
