What's Stopping Me From Getting An M4 iPad Pro? OLED Issues

2112st

Tinkerer
Oct 8, 2023
274
102
43
Northeastern New Jersey, USA
I posted this elsewhere, but I'm going to do so here as well...

I've been looking around for an iPad to do illustration on. I've been doing quite a bit of research, and it had boiled down to 2 choices: the 13-inch M3 iPad Air and the 13-inch M4 iPad Pro.

I was starting to lean towards the Pro-until I learned of two issues. Both have to do with problems related to the OLED display.

The first had to do with screen burn, which surprisingly seems analogous to the issue CRT screens had back in the day. With Apple's technology, the chances of this happening are very small with the iPad.

But there was a much more serious issue that I came across, after doing further digging-

Eye strain. Here is one place where it's discussed, and I'm sure you can find others:


Understand that I'm in front of my devices a LOT. I've never had a problem with LCDs. My M2 MacBook Air and M3 MacBook Pro have great displays that have never caused me any issues. Still, I remember back in the day decades ago when I was using my very first computer, a Macintosh SE/30. Because those old devices used CRTs, I suffered from eyestrain and headaches.

So, that's a very strange thing to have to go through again with modern technology.

Even more dismaying to me is the fact that none of the videos I've seen so far dealing with iPads for artists have discussed this issue. This is no joking matter. If you're going to spend this kind of money on a device, you'd better damned well have all the information you need at your fingertips-particularly if you're going to go on YouTube and pitch this device to potential customers. But thinking on this further, many of these people might be looking for likes so they can get eyes on their videos-and negatives like eye strain might not be a good thing for them to bring up. It seems stupid, I know-but at the same time, such an attitude wouldn't surprise me. I know how people can be.

I already have issues with my eyes and given what these devices cost, I'm not going to take chances with my hard earned money.

So-I'm leaning towards the 13-inch iPad Air.

iPad Air Vs. iPad Pro.jpg
 

caver01

Tinkerer
Oct 30, 2021
148
87
28
Hmmm. I own the 13 inch M4 Pro and have not had any issues. I do almost all of my daily computing on it and spend many hours every night in bed holding it just inches in front of my face. Just another anecdote, I suppose, and maybe I don’t have the same eye strain sensitivities as the next guy, but hands down, it’s the best Apple device I have ever owned. Given the fact I spend any time here, that’s saying a lot.