You can also upgrade your iPad Pro processor now

The newly announced iPad Pro hides a sneaky upgrade option that Apple didn’t mention during today’s event. When you shell out the $600 it costs to jump from the base 256GB iPad Pro model to the 1TB version, Apple doesn’t just double the RAM along with it – it also puts a faster chip insidegoing from a nine-core M4 chip to a 10-core version.

This is the first time Apple has offered a processor upgrade on a specific tablet model – in the past, no matter what other options you chose on a given tablet, you knew you were getting the same chip as in every other configuration. In the past, Apple only tied RAM upgrades to increased storage; that’s still true here, with the amount doubling from 8GB to 16GB. You also have the privilege of purchasing Apple’s anti-glare nanotexture glass for $100 (lucky you!), which isn’t available on lower-end models. So if you really want the best-performing iPad Pro, you’ll need to increase your storage to the 1TB or 2TB configuration.

Realistically, you probably won’t lose much processing power by sticking to the 256GB and 512GB storage tiers. Both versions of the chip feature a 10-core GPU, the same 120GB/s memory bandwidth, and each supports hardware-accelerated ray tracing. With six efficiency cores each designed to handle more mundane and less demanding daily tablet tasks, you’d be hard-pressed to notice much of a difference in normal use.

So far, Apple has not really It even justified the power of the M1 chip in my iPad Pro, but the company is trying. The new aluminum Magic Keyboard really makes the tablet feel more like a laptop, especially with this feature on top. And some of the features Apple has introduced for Final Cut Pro and Logic Pro for iPads really seem to need some real horsepower to work well.

But as with Apple’s “Pro” MacBooks and its high-end desktops, it will be difficult for most people to feel the need for the power of these new tablets. I’m still not sold on the upgrade to the new iPad Pro, even with its OLED screen, but at least there’s more than a spec bump and Apple Pencil exclusivity hovering this time around.