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iPad Pro 12.9-inch (3rd generation)
The Face ID redesign in the large 12.9-inch size.
Overview
The 12.9-inch iPad Pro of 2018 was almost 25 percent smaller by volume than its predecessor, even though the screen area barely changed. Shrinking the bezels and removing the home button let Apple fit the same large display into a body similar in footprint to a sheet of letter paper.
It shared the A12X Bionic chip, TrueDepth camera and USB-C port with the 11-inch model, and 1 TB models got 6 GB of RAM. The new Liquid Retina screen had rounded corners, and Apple Pencil 2 attached magnetically along the right edge.
Battery life stayed at about ten hours, and the larger body held a bigger battery. Many creative professionals picked this model for drawing, photo editing and video work.
Why it mattered
Shrunk the large iPad Pro dramatically, making the big canvas far more portable.
At a glance
- Announced
- October 30, 2018
- Released
- November 7, 2018
- Discontinued
- March 18, 2020
- Launch price
- $999
- Chip
- Apple A12X Bionic, 8-core
- Display
- 12.9"
- Storage
- 64GB, 256GB, 512GB, 1TB
- Status
- Vintage
Highlights
- Large Liquid Retina display in a much smaller body
- A12X Bionic with USB-C port
- Face ID with TrueDepth camera
- Magnetic Apple Pencil (2nd generation)
Tech specs
Specifications as published at launch. Some values (like battery life) are manufacturer estimates.
Display
- Size
- 12.9-inch
- Type
- Liquid Retina IPS with ProMotion, True Tone, wide color (P3)
- Resolution
- 2732 x 2048 (264 ppi)
- Refresh rate
- Up to 120 Hz
- Brightness
- 600 nits
Chip
- Chip
- Apple A12X Bionic, 8-core CPU (4 performance + 4 efficiency)
- Graphics
- 7-core GPU
- Coprocessor
- Neural Engine
Memory
- RAM
- 4 GB (6 GB on 1TB model)
- Storage options
- 64GB, 256GB, 512GB, 1TB
Camera
- Rear camera
- 12 MP f/1.8, 4K video at 60 fps
- Front camera
- 7 MP TrueDepth
Battery
- Battery life
- Up to 10 hours of web, video or music
- Capacity
- About 36.7 Wh
Connectivity
- Wi-Fi
- 802.11a/b/g/n/ac with MIMO
- Cellular
- Optional Gigabit-class LTE model
- Connector
- USB-C and Smart Connector
- Bluetooth
- Bluetooth 5.0
Accessories
- Apple Pencil
- Apple Pencil (2nd generation)
- Keyboard
- Smart Keyboard Folio
Audio
- Speakers
- Four speakers
Design
- Dimensions
- 280.6 x 214.9 x 5.9 mm
- Weight
- 633 g (Wi-Fi), 641 g (cellular)
Security
- Authentication
- Face ID
Software
- Launch OS
- iOS 12.1
- Latest supported OS
- iPadOS 26 (final supported version)
How it compares
More in the iPad Pro family
iPad Pro 12.9-inch (1st generation)
A giant-screen iPad built for work, drawing and four speakers.
iPad Pro 9.7-inch
Pro power and a True Tone screen in the familiar 9.7-inch size.
iPad Pro 10.5-inch
ProMotion arrives, filling a larger screen into the same body.
iPad Pro 12.9-inch (2nd generation)
The big Pro gains ProMotion, a faster chip and a better camera.
iPad Pro 11-inch (1st generation)
A new look: no home button, Face ID and USB-C.
iPad Pro 11-inch (2nd generation)
Dual cameras and a LiDAR scanner join the Pro.
iPad Pro 12.9-inch (4th generation)
The large Pro gains LiDAR, dual cameras and an A12Z Bionic.
iPad Pro 11-inch (3rd generation)
An M1 Mac chip arrives in the iPad Pro.
iPad Pro 12.9-inch (5th generation)
Mini-LED Liquid Retina XDR brings HDR to the biggest iPad.
iPad Pro 11-inch (4th generation)
M2 speed and Apple Pencil hover in an unchanged body.
iPad Pro 12.9-inch (6th generation)
The M2 refresh keeps the mini-LED display and the big canvas.
iPad Pro 11-inch (M4)
Impossibly thin, with a tandem OLED display and the first M4 chip.
iPad Pro 13-inch (M4)
The thinnest Apple product ever, in the large size.
iPad Pro 11-inch (M5)
M5 speed and Apple's own wireless silicon in the OLED Pro.
iPad Pro 13-inch (M5)
The 5.1 mm OLED Pro, upgraded to M5 and Wi-Fi 7.