Geekbench listings briefly previewed Apple’s 2024 iPad Pro with an M4 processor, showing roughly 3,600–3,800 single-core points and 13,000–15,000 multi-core points. The scores were unusually high for a fanless tablet, but they were synthetic results—not a guarantee that every app, game or professional workflow would be 20–30% faster.
The event is now historical: Apple announced the M4 iPad Pro on May 7, 2024, and began selling it on May 15. In 2026, “new iPad Pro” describes that launch-period story, not a current product announcement.
What appeared in Geekbench
The database entries were Geekbench 6 CPU submissions identifying an 11-inch or 13-inch iPad Pro with an Apple M4 chip. Representative Geekbench 6.7 listings included:
| Configuration | Geekbench version | Single-core | Multi-core | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 9-core M4 | 6.7.0 | 3,667 | 13,620 | Geekbench result |
| 10-core M4 | 6.7.0 | 3,713 | 15,019 | Geekbench result |
Other launch-era entries produced 3,743/13,342 for a 9-core model and 3,736/14,684 for a 10-core model in Geekbench 6.4 (9-core listing; 10-core listing). That spread is why no single submission should be presented as the definitive speed of every M4 iPad Pro.
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- WHY IPAD PRO — iPad Pro is the ultimate iPad experience in an impossibly thin and light design. Featuring the breakthrough Ultra Retina XDR display, outrageous performance from the M4 chip, superfast wireless connectivity,* and compatibility with Apple Pencil Pro.* Plus powerful productivity features in iPadOS.
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- 13-INCH ULTRA RETINA XDR DISPLAY — Ultra Retina XDR delivers extreme brightness and contrast and exceptional color accuracy and features advanced technologies like ProMotion, P3 wide color, and True Tone.* Plus a nano-texture display glass option is available in 1TB and 2TB configurations.
- PERFORMANCE AND STORAGE — Up to 10-core CPU in the M4 chip delivers powerful performance, while the 10‑core GPU provides blazing-fast graphics. And with all-day battery life, you can do anything you imagine on iPad Pro.* Up to 2TB of storage means you can store everything from apps to large files like 4K video.*
- IPADOS + APPS — iPadOS makes iPad more productive, intuitive, and versatile. With iPadOS, run multiple apps at once, use Apple Pencil to write in any text field with Scribble, and edit and share photos.* Stage Manager makes multitasking easy with resizable, overlapping apps and external display support. iPad Pro comes with essential apps like Safari, Messages, and Keynote, with over a million more apps available on the App Store.
Scores can change with Geekbench revisions, iPadOS builds, temperature, power state and the particular device. The database also contains later uploads under newer software, so launch reporting should distinguish those from results available in May 2024.
Why the iPad Pro had two M4 CPU versions
The storage tier was tied to the processor configuration. Lower-storage models used a nine-core CPU; higher-storage models used ten cores. Geekbench identifies the layouts as follows:
| Model configuration | CPU topology | Benchmark tendency |
|---|---|---|
| 9-core version | 3 performance cores + 6 efficiency cores | Lower multi-core result |
| 10-core version | 4 performance cores + 6 efficiency cores | Higher multi-core result |
The extra performance core matters most in multi-threaded tests. Comparing a nine-core and ten-core tablet without labeling them makes the M4 range look more inconsistent than it is. Storage, memory and CPU choice were linked by Apple’s configurations rather than independently selectable in every tier; buyers should verify the exact regional specification.
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How the M4 compared with M3—and Apple’s M2 claim
Contemporary comparisons generally put the M4 about 20–25% ahead of M3 in single-core Geekbench and about 25–30% ahead in multi-core, depending on the M4 version and reference result. MacRumors reported an aggregate around 3,647 single-core and 13,135 multi-core for the nine-core model, with ten-core results reaching about 14,500 multi-core (MacRumors benchmark context).
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One TechPowerUp comparison cited 3,767 single-core and 14,677 multi-core for M4 versus approximately 3,087 and 11,702 for M3—about 22% and 25% higher in that particular comparison (TechPowerUp report). Those are benchmark deltas, not promised application gains.
Apple made a different, broader statement: the M4 iPad Pro could deliver up to 1.5 times the CPU performance of the previous M2 iPad Pro. That is Apple’s “up to” claim, measured under Apple’s stated conditions, and should not be treated as an independent result (Apple’s launch announcement).
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- 13" Screen size
- iOS Operating System
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Why M4 in an iPad was significant
M4 was Apple’s fourth-generation Apple-silicon family, and the iPad Pro was its debut platform rather than a Mac. Beyond CPU improvements, Apple described a newer GPU architecture derived from the M3 generation, hardware-accelerated ray tracing, a faster Neural Engine and a display engine intended for the new tandem OLED panel.
That combination made the tablet a notable early look at M4 capability. It did not, however, make the iPad a Mac. iPadOS software, windowing, file handling and background-task rules still determine what the hardware can accomplish in practice.
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The iPad Pro is a thin, passively cooled tablet. A short Geekbench run measures peak or near-peak CPU performance; it does not establish how quickly the device will complete a multi-hour export or render after heat builds up. A MacBook or Mac mini with the same silicon can have a larger thermal envelope, active cooling and different power limits.
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- Peak performance: what a brief benchmark run captures.
- Sustained performance: output during long exports, renders or compilations, which may be reduced by thermal limits.
- Power conditions: battery operation and charging can produce different behavior.
- Platform behavior: an iPadOS app may use the chip differently from a macOS application.
The M4 result was impressive precisely because it came from a fanless tablet, but it should not be read as proof that the iPad matches a MacBook in every sustained workload.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.What the benchmark did—and did not—prove
Geekbench is useful for comparing general CPU performance under a consistent test, but it does not establish:
- video-export times, 3D-rendering throughput or gaming frame rates;
- battery life or thermal-throttling behavior;
- iPadOS multitasking performance in a particular workflow;
- how well a professional application was optimized for M4;
- Neural Engine speed in a named AI feature;
- Mac-level software compatibility or whether the tablet can replace a Mac.
For photo and video editing, illustration, music production, 3D work, demanding Safari sessions and supported local machine-learning apps, the extra headroom can be valuable. Email, streaming, notes and ordinary documents generally do not require the Pro’s maximum CPU configuration.
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- PERFORMANCE AND STORAGE — iPad Pro with M5 brings next-generation speed and the power of on-device AI to all your tasks.* Featuring up to 2TB of storage, 16GB of memory, and Neural Accelerators for next-level AI performance.*
- IPADOS — Run pro apps and get more done with iPadOS 26 with Liquid Glass design and game-changing capabilities.* With an intuitive and flexible windowing system, you can control, organize, and manage your workflows like never before.
- APPLE INTELLIGENCE — Apple Intelligence is the personal intelligence system that helps you communicate, express yourself, and get things done effortlessly with groundbreaking privacy protections at every step.*
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The rest of the 2024 iPad Pro redesign
The benchmark arrived alongside a major hardware update, not a chip swap in the old chassis. Apple offered 11-inch and 13-inch models with a tandem OLED “Ultra Retina XDR” display, a much thinner enclosure, a landscape-oriented front camera, Apple Pencil Pro support and a redesigned Magic Keyboard. Buyers could choose Wi‑Fi or cellular versions, silver or Space Black finishes and storage from 256GB to 2TB. Availability began May 15, 2024, following the May 7 announcement (Apple).
Should you buy an M4 iPad Pro?
Choose it for demanding iPadOS work
The M4 iPad Pro makes the most sense when you will use the OLED display, Pencil Pro, high-end creative apps, external-display workflows or sustained multitasking on iPadOS. The ten-core configuration is the faster choice for multi-core work, but it also comes through higher storage tiers.
Choose an iPad Air for a less specialized tablet
An iPad Air is the more economical route to iPadOS and Pencil support when you do not need the Pro’s tandem OLED display or maximum storage and memory. Apple’s current lineup should be checked directly for the exact model and price at the time of purchase (iPad Air store).
Choose a MacBook Air when macOS is the requirement
If your priority is desktop software, conventional file management, broad peripheral support or long-running laptop workloads, a MacBook Air is the better fit even if the iPad’s Geekbench score looks competitive (MacBook Air store).
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Apple Pencil Pro is relevant to artists, designers and handwritten-note users (Apple Pencil Pro). Magic Keyboard is useful for a tablet-first laptop substitute, but it adds cost and cannot supply macOS software (Magic Keyboard). Cellular service, storage upgrades and accessories should be evaluated against the complete purchase rather than the tablet’s headline benchmark.
The Bottom Line
The M4 iPad Pro’s Geekbench appearance was a credible preview of unusually strong tablet CPU performance: roughly 3,600–3,800 single-core and 13,000–15,000 multi-core, with the ten-core model leading. The result showed what Apple’s new silicon could do in a fanless design, but software, cooling, accessories and workflow—not one synthetic score—determined whether it was the right alternative to an iPad Air or MacBook Air.
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