[Munechika Nishida's RandomTracking] Why did Apple adopt mini LED for "new iPad Pro"?-AV Watch

Redesigned processor, more than 10,000 LEDs under the display

First, let's review the overview of the new iPad Pro 12.9-inch model. The design has not changed much from the current model. It's 0.5mm thicker and 40g heavier, but it's safe to assume that this is due to the use of mini LEDs.

The processor has changed from "A14 series" to "M1". This area is considered to be due to Apple's strategy to reduce the number of processors. In the first place, the iPad Pro often used a high-performance special version processor with an "X" or "Z" at the end, but rather than making a special version every time, we used the high-power M1. is more cost effective.

There is talk of "does M1 be necessary for tablets?", but if you can come to an agreement on the price side, no one will have trouble with high performance. The iPad Pro is originally expensive as a tablet, and there is no big fluctuation in the price range even with this product. If so, using the M1 would be welcome.

Compared to the original iPad, the performance of the M1-equipped iPad Pro is 75 times faster in CPU speed and 1,500 times faster in GPU speed. ” was adopted. Apple calls the mini-LED display a "Liquid Retina XDR display." Only 12.9 inches are used, not 11 inches. This is based on consideration of segregation based on price and weight.

Apple calls the display on the 12.9-inch iPad Pro a "Liquid Retina XDR display." Backlight”. Liquid crystal displays for general PCs and tablets are of the sidelight type, and a light guide plate is used to diffuse and illuminate the entire display. Instead, a large number of LEDs are placed directly under the liquid crystal to illuminate the "direct type", and a very small LED element achieves this with a "mini-LED".

In the case of the new iPad Pro, more than 10,000 blue LEDs are placed throughout, and several of them are set to create areas, and the entire screen is divided into areas to control the light. According to the content of the announcement, the number of area divisions is 2,596. Conventionally, the number of LEDs used for sidelights is "72", which is a huge difference.

More than 10,000 mini LEDs are installed. This divides the entire display spread under the display into more than 2,500. According to the materials released by Apple, the number of area divisions is "2,596"

Naturally, by driving the area division, the bright and dark parts of the image can be illuminated separately. As a result, the contrast between bright and dark areas is stronger compared to the general sidelight type that controls the brightness of the entire display. According to Apple, the contrast as catalog specs is "1 million to 1", the peak brightness is 1,600 nits, and the brightness of the entire screen is 1,000 nits.

Contrast ratio is 1,000,000 to 1

These specs are great. In terms of peak brightness and contrast, it is comparable to "Pro Display XDR" sold for 580,000 yen. Of course, the sizes and resolutions are different, so a simple comparison cannot be made, but you can expect "the highest class image quality as a portable display".

The weight and thickness are slightly higher than the previous iPad Pro, but it is acceptable considering the value of what has been achieved. Wax