Comparing Apple's iPad Pro 2021 and iPad Pro 2020 is a complicated task; the iPad Pro 2021 has different screens depending on which one you're looking at, but both seem to offer significant performance improvements over last year's iPad Pro.

In our review of the iPad Pro 2021 (12.9-inch), we found a great deal to like about the 12.9-inch tablet's surprisingly bright display and speedy performance with the M1. 11-inch versions also have the same M1 chip, but the 12.9 inch iPad Pro 2021 is the only one with the new mini LED display.

This means that the 12.9-inch iPad Pro is a stronger competitor in the best tablet rankings, as the 11-inch version is quite similar to the already great iPad Air.

The disparity ends there. Both new iPad Pros boast a new front-facing TrueDepth camera with a sharper ultrawide camera. This new camera aims to improve video calls through Center Stage, a feature that aligns the camera with your face. Both 2021 iPad models also feature optional 5G connectivity, which is not available on previous models.

Find all the information you need in this iPad Pro 2021 vs iPad Pro 2020 guide.

The iPad Pro 2021 starts at $799 for the 11-inch model, while the 12.9-inch iPad Pro 2021 is $1,099. This is a modest $50 price increase over the previous iPad Pro ($749), but the 12.9-inch 2020 model was $100 cheaper at $999. [But the 12.9-inch iPad Pro's mini LED display, M1 chip, and improved TrueDepth camera may be worth the extra for some people.

Only one of the iPad Pro 2021 models has a better or different display than the iPad Pro 2020. That is the 12.9-inch iPad Pro 2021, which features Liquid Retina XDR with Mini LED technology.

Apple promises an overall screen brightness of 1,000 nits (559 nits for the 2020 model) and a peak brightness of 1,600 nits for HDR content.

Apple also rates the mini-LED iPad Pro 2021's contrast ratio at 1,000,000:1. This improvement is made possible by the higher density of mini-LEDs, with 10,000 mini-LEDs inside the new 12.9-inch iPad Pro, 120 times smaller than the LEDs in the 2020 iPad Pro.

The 11-inch iPad Pro 2021 has the same display as the 2020 model down to the pixels. And while it's a great display, the lack of mini-LEDs and XDR technology make it seem like a less interesting upgrade.

But in terms of pixel count, both panels have the same resolution as before: almost 4 million pixels (2388 x 1668) for the 11-inch iPad Pro and almost 5.6 million pixels (2732 x 2048) for the 12.9-inch iPad Pro.

Here, one of the upgrades that both the iPad Pro 2021 and iPad Pro 2020 get is the M1 chip that Apple uses in the iMac 2021, MacBook Air, Pro, and Mac mini.

Apple rates the CPU performance of the M1 chip as 50% faster than the performance of the A12Z Bionic in the iPad Pro 2020. Graphics performance is expected to be 40% better year over year.

Apple touts that these improvements will enable better games and compelling real-world applications such as programs that can track whether a tennis ball lands in the court (and keep score in the game). While this is a fairly specific use case, the aforementioned performance gains should be visible in everyday use.

Another under-the-hood change is found in the new 16-core Apple Neural Engine, which is an upgrade over the 2020 Neural Engine. Apple also claims that storage access will be twice as fast.

Another big news is that the 2020 model's USB-C port has been replaced with a higher-performance port, compatible with Thunderbolt and USB-4, which will provide four times faster bandwidth from this port.

This is a category where no differences or changes are expected. Apple rates the iPad Pro 2021 at up to 10 hours of surfing the web over Wi-Fi, the same as the 2020 model.

And the 2020 model lives up to that prediction, logging 10 hours and 16 minutes in Tom's Guide battery tests. Our test was based on surfing the web with Wi-Fi at 150 nits brightness.

The iPad Pro 2021 is virtually identical to the iPad Pro 2020 except for one very small change. All models share a machined aluminum back and thin bezels, with the 2021 and 2020 11-inch iPad Pro measuring 9.74 x 7.02 x 0.23 inches.

The difference is the 12.9-inch iPad Pro 2021, which is slightly thicker at 11.04 x 8.46 x 0.25 inches, compared to the previous model's 11.04 x 8.46 x 0.23 inches.

However, no one will notice this slight thickness change (which is rumored to be the result of the new mini LED display); the iPad Pro Magic Keyboard made for the 12.9" iPad Pro 2020 will not work with the slightly thicker iPad Pro 2021 Apple is releasing a new Magic Keyboard designed to fit better.

A major change in the iPad Pro 2021's camera is found on the front with a new 12 megapixel selfie camera. To better endless stream of video calls, Apple has not only upgraded the resolution from the 7MP sensor of last year's model, but also increased the camera's viewing angle to 122 degrees.

And this viewing angle comes in especially handy with Center Stage, a new feature that zooms in on you as you move around during a video call. It can also recognize and zoom out when someone else appears at your side. This is not exclusive to FaceTime and is already supported by other video calling clients such as Cisco Webex.

Apple has also highlighted the improved LiDAR performance in the iPad Pro 2021, focusing on low-light performance and faster capture times.

The iPad Pro 2021 also adds optional 5G cellular connectivity, an upgrade from the iPad Pro 2020's 4G LTE option. According to Apple, this will provide speeds of up to 3.5 GBps "under ideal download conditions."

The iPad Pro 2021 and iPad Pro 2020 support the same first-party accessories, including the iPad Pro Magic Keyboard and the first- and second-generation Apple Pencil.

However, the 12.9-inch iPad Pro 2021 is a bit thicker and will be a bit tight when fitted into the previous Magic Keyboard. Apple has updated the 12.9-inch Magic Keyboard to fit more accurately.

The new iPad Pro 2021 offers a significant speed boost in both sizes, but the real upgrade is the 12.9-inch model. It is also difficult to pit the iPad Pro 2021 against the iPad Pro 2020, as these new tablets do not share all the same features.

The 12.9-inch iPad Pro 2021 has an all-new screen with mini-LED technology, which should make watching shows, movies, and everything else on the tablet better than ever.

But if you prefer the 11-inch iPad Pro, there is little reason to think you need this upgrade; only those who feel the iPad Pro is not fast enough or are seriously impressed with the Center Stage should consider upgrading this year I guess. If the 2022 11-inch iPad Pro comes out with a mini LED screen, you'll probably be glad you waited.