The new iPad Pro 2021 will likely be the best tablet ever. The slate has a lot to offer, including the same M1 chip as the latest MacBook Pro M1.

The Liquid Retina XDR boasts a 12.9" screen with 10,000 LEDs, a peak brightness of 1,600 nits, and a million-to-one contrast ratio.

Add to that optional 5G connectivity, Thunderbolt support, and a new 12MP ultrawide front camera that will keep you in the frame during video chats, and you have plenty of reasons to consider switching from a MacBook Pro to an iPad Pro.

But even with all these advantages, I'm sticking with my MacBook Pro and waiting for the new MacBook Pro 2021. The reasons are as follows.

The 12.9" iPad Pro has jumped in price from $999 to $1099. If you need the Magic Keyboard (a must for me), the total jumps to $1,448. The 13-inch MacBook Pro, on the other hand, starts at $1,299.

Note that the iPad Pro starts at 128GB of storage, while the MacBook Pro is 256GB; getting 256GB on the iPad Pro costs an additional $100; the Apple Pencil costs an additional $129.

I would skip the Pencil, but if you got the same amount of storage and Magic Keyboard as the M1 MacBook Pro, the price difference would be $249.

The iPad has gotten better at multitasking in the last few years, and I like the redesigned widgets and Smart Stack feature that allows the home screen to display more information. In addition, the design of apps has been improved, with pull-down menus for quicker access to more functions.

However, I still prefer macOS when it comes to pure multitasking. Sure, the iPad OS allows you to work on several different apps at the same time, but features like Slide Over and Split View don't offer the versatility of a full-fledged desktop OS.

While I don't expect Apple to transform iPadOS into macOS, it would be great if the iPadOS interface automatically converted to "window friendly" mode when the Magic Keyboard is attached.

Apple rates the new 12.9-inch iPad Pro as capable of surfing the web for 10 hours on Wi-Fi. That's pretty good endurance, but the MacBook Air M1 claims 15 hours of wireless web and the MacBook Pro M1 claims 17 hours of battery life.

In our review of the MacBook Air M1, Apple's laptop lasted a very impressive 14 hours and 41 minutes; the MacBook Pro M1 recorded an even higher 16:32. 4.5 to 6.5 hours of extended runtime would be sufficient for the new iPad.

The Magic Keyboard for the iPad Pro offers very good usability for a tablet accessory, but its touchpad is small compared to the MacBook Pro's trackpad. A larger trackpad would allow more room for scrolling, text selection, and other things you might want to do.

Indeed, the iPad Pro 2021 has a touch screen, while the MacBook Pro has a lousy Touch Bar that can't do much. But when I'm in productivity mode, I prefer the larger touchpad.

I'm glad the new iPad Pro 2021 supports Thunderbolt. That means you can now connect external storage, display, and dock. If you have the budget, you can even connect Apple's 6K Pro Display XDR display.

But for me, a single port is not enough. When I'm at home, a single port is usually enough, as I connect to a CalDigit dock that connects everything from microphones and webcams to ring lights. But when I'm on the move, I don't want to be limited to a single port on my iPad Pro.

The MacBook Pro has two Thunderbolt/USB 4 ports and a headphone jack.

There are several things about the new iPad Pro that I find very attractive, including the mini LED display and optional 5G connectivity. Additionally, the iPad Pro supports Face ID, while the MacBook Pro still relies on Touch ID.

Speaking of cameras, the MacBook Pro really needs an upgrade to 1080p; the iPad Pro's 12MP sensor and 122-degree viewing angle seem much better suited for video calls.

But for now I'm sticking with the MacBook Pro. Especially since there are rumors of a new 14" MacBook Pro with its own mini LED display.