iFixit Digs Into M1 iPad Pro in New XDR Display Teardown

iFixit has started one of its traditional teardowns on the 12.9-inch M1 iPad Pro, which began arriving to customers on its May 21 launch date. iFixit's teardown delves into the new "XDR" mini-LED display, which is one of the iPad's major new features.


The ‌M1‌ ‌iPad Pro‌ features new 5G antennas at the sides to enable 5G connectivity, and there's a 10566 mAh (40.33Wh) battery inside.

As for the display, it's slightly thicker than the Liquid Retina display from the prior-generation ‌iPad Pro‌ (0.5mm), and "quite a bit heavier." Unlike a traditional LED display, the mini-LED display in the ‌iPad Pro‌ features a giant grid of tiny LEDs that introduce the contrast and quality improvements seen in the 2021 ‌iPad Pro‌.

There are 2,596 local dimming zones in the ‌M1‌ ‌iPad Pro‌, and each one is a square with four tiny LEDs inside. The non-XDR ‌iPad‌ display, meanwhile, uses a single strip of LEDs along one side, so this inside look at the display gives a great explainer on what's different between the 2020 ‌iPad Pro‌ and the 2021 12.9-inch version.

iFixit shared a YouTube video opening up the ‌iPad Pro‌, and the full teardown with photos, writeup, and repairability score isn't yet available, but it should be coming in the future.

Related Roundup: iPad Pro
Buyer's Guide: iPad Pro (Buy Now)

Popular Stories

airpods pro 3 purple

New, Higher End AirPods Pro Coming This Year

Tuesday January 20, 2026 9:05 am PST by
Apple is planning to debut a high-end secondary version of AirPods Pro 3 this year, sitting in the lineup alongside the current model, reports suggest. Back in September 2025, supply chain analyst Ming-Chi Kuo reported that Apple is planning to introduce a successor to the AirPods Pro 3 in 2026. This would be somewhat unusual since Apple normally waits around three years to make major...
smaller dynamic island iphone 18 pro Filip Vabrous%CC%8Cek

iPhone 18 Pro Leak: Smaller Dynamic Island, No Top-Left Camera Cutout

Tuesday January 20, 2026 2:34 am PST by
Over the last few months, rumors around the iPhone 18 Pro's front-panel design have been conflicted, with some supply-chain leaks pointing to under-display Face ID, reports suggesting a top-left hole-punch camera, and debate over whether the familiar Dynamic Island will shrink, shift, or disappear entirely. Today, Weibo-based leaker Instant Digital shared new details that appear to clarify the ...
Apple Logo Spotlight

Apple Expected to Unveil Five All-New Products This Year

Wednesday January 21, 2026 10:54 am PST by
In addition to updating many of its existing products, Apple is expected to unveil five all-new products this year, including a smart home hub, a Face ID doorbell, a MacBook with an A18 Pro chip, a foldable iPhone, and augmented reality glasses. Below, we have recapped rumored features for each product. Smart Home Hub Apple home hub (concept) Apple's long-rumored smart home hub should...
Liquid Glass App Store Feature

App Store and Apple TV Experiencing Outage

Tuesday January 20, 2026 4:36 pm PST by
Apple's App Store, iTunes Store, and Apple TV service are experiencing an outage at the current time, according to Apple's System Status page. Apple says that some users may be experiencing issues with the App Store and iTunes Store. Apple also says some users may be seeing intermittent issues with Apple TV. The Apple TV Channels feature is down too, and users may be unable to access some...
airtag prime day 2

Apple Developing AirTag-Sized AI Pin With Dual Cameras

Wednesday January 21, 2026 12:31 pm PST by
Apple is working on a small, wearable AI pin equipped with multiple cameras, a speaker, and microphones, reports The Information. If it actually launches, the AI pin will likely run the new Siri chatbot that Apple plans to unveil in iOS 27. The pin is said to be similar in size to an AirTag, with a thin, flat, circular disc shape. It has an aluminum and glass shell, and two cameras at the...

Top Rated Comments

A MacBook lover Avatar
61 months ago
So I went and checked out an M1 iPad display in person. In dark mode, at its highest brightness, I couldn’t see any of the clouding people posted online. It looked identical to my iPhone 12 Pro display in dark mode on its highest brightness.

I hate how people intentionally lie, and photoshop images to make them look nothing like reality. It sickens me honestly.

It makes me sad, because I actually believed it until I saw it in person. This display is perfect.
Score: 17 Votes (Like | Disagree)
mazz0 Avatar
61 months ago

2017 12.9 is 677 grams (1.49lbs)
2021 12.9 is 682 grams (1.50lbs)
2020 12.9 is 643 grams (1.41lbs)

Dang the 2021 is marginally heavier than the 2017, although pretty much the same.

I would say you're splitting hairs there comparing weight of 2020 vs 2021, but... the 2017 was always heavy feeling so it seems it has returned
That’s a strange order you’ve put those in!
Score: 15 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Apple_Robert Avatar
61 months ago

So I went and checked out an M1 iPad display in person. I’m dark mode at its highest brightness I couldn’t see any of the clouding people posted online. It looked identical to my iPhone 12 Pro display in dark mode on its highest brightness.

I hate how people intentionally lie, and photoshop images to make them look nothing like reality. It sickens me honestly.

It makes me sad, because I actually believed it until I saw it in person. This display is perfect.
Just because you didn't see it in person, that doesn't mean everyone else was lying or purposefully exaggerating, although some may have done so.
Score: 14 Votes (Like | Disagree)
spyguy10709 Avatar
61 months ago

Any word on Wi-Fi 6E support ?

If I was AAPL, I'd include it & NOT specify it, so that it could be "Field Tested" by AAPL (& select others) BEFORE officially releasing products with it !

50/50 chance is includes Wi-Fi 6E support !
that's not how the FCC works.
Score: 7 Votes (Like | Disagree)
thadoggfather Avatar
61 months ago

That’s a strange order you’ve put those in!
its sorta how my brain is operating today: making no sense
Score: 6 Votes (Like | Disagree)
timerickson Avatar
61 months ago
I only buy products with a coolness factor of 10/10
Score: 6 Votes (Like | Disagree)