Apple iPad Pro (M5)

T TechRadar Article · Oct 2025

It’s expensive, and the color options remain limited, but for power users who want the ultimate iPad experience, the 11-inch iPad Pro M5 is hard to beat – and I’m happy to report that the starting prices of $999 / £999 / AU$1,699 for the 11-inch, or $1,299 / £1,299 / AU$2,199 for the 13-inch iPad Pro with M5, are the same as last year. That said, the rest of the iPad lineup – the entry-level iPad with A16 , the iPad mini , and the iPad Air with M3 – remain especially strong.

T Trusted Reviews Max Parker · reviewer · Jun 2026

The iPad Pro M5 feels like one of Apple’s most luxurious products. It’s beautifully crafted, with a seriously thin and light design that just wants to be held and interacted with. All the tablet boxes are ticked: stunning screen, plenty of power, portable build. iPadOS remains somewhat limited, and of course, all these high-end features make for a very expensive slate – but I can’t help but want to use it constantly.

C CNET Article · Apr 2026

The M5 iPad Pro was also awarded a CNET Editors’ Choice award on Nov. 24, 2025, for being the very best product in Apple’s iPad lineup. While its price can run very high, anyone who isn’t budget-concerned and wants the best display and performance on an iPad will find an excellent experience here. It’s not the same as a Mac, but with a keyboard case and iPadOS 26, it’s becoming extremely versatile.

M Mashable Timothy Beck Werth · reviewer · Oct 2025

Like the new M5 iPad Pro, the new MacBook Pro offers only iterative improvements over its predecessor, but that hardly matters with a device this good. With a beautifully crisp display and M5 silicon, the MacBook Pro surges even further ahead of Windows laptops.

L Large Tablets Dan Mercer Best · reviewer · Aug 2026

The M4’s progress bar stalled on an 8K ProRes export for the third time that week, so I switched to the M5 to see if the 3.5x AI claim held up.

S Stuff Dan Grabham · reviewer · Oct 2025

The iPad Pro M5 may ‘just’ be an upgraded version of last year’s redesigned version, but it takes the best tablet out there and reinforces its superiority. Last year I questioned a little why the iPad Pro had a later generation chip than any Mac at the time but it’s now clear that Apple wants to keep it a step ahead as an appealing option for people who would have otherwise bought a laptop. And – years late – it has finally listened to those of us who wanted better multitasking, though this won’t be a Pro exclusive feature of course.

C CNET CNET · 4.1M subscribers · Oct 2025

I mean, the iPad Pro M5 is a beautiful tablet.

T TOM ANDERSON Tom Anderson · reviewer · Oct 2025

Did Apple make the right call going for thinness over increased battery life? I think so. I don't use my iPad for more than a few hours at a time, so the current battery life (Apple says ~10 hours) is still plenty for me. But I understand why we'd want longer battery life, and 10 hours isn't all that spectacular, especially in comparison with today's MacBooks, which provide 18 hours or more.

The M5 iPad Pro has a beautiful tandem OLED display, M5 cpu, 16GB RAM and 1TB of storage and I use it with Apple Pencil Pro and the Magic Keyboard.

T TOM ANDERSON Tom Anderson · reviewer · Oct 2025

Did Apple make the right call going for thinness over increased battery life? I think so. I don't use my iPad for more than a few hours at a time, so the current battery life (Apple says ~10 hours) is still plenty for me. But I understand why we'd want longer battery life, and 10 hours isn't all that spectacular, especially in comparison with today's MacBooks, which provide 18 hours or more.

K Karl Conrad Karl Conrad · 1M subscribers · Oct 2025

Great option if you are coming from an M1/M2 iPad Pro.

T Thurrott.com Thurrottfeed/ · reviewer · May 2026

Given my experiences with multiple generations of iPad Airs in both 11- and 13-inch form, the iPad Pro M5 is immediately impressive. I chose Space Black to match the Magic Keyboard, and though scratching/chipping is a concern, I will never use it without this case, so hopefully that will be OK. It is, as noted, incredibly thin and light for its size. And the screen, for an iPad, is epic.

9 9to5Mac 9to5Mac · 975K subscribers · Oct 2025

And while it's not the most revolutionary product of all time, it definitely is Apple's most refined iPad experience. And there's a couple things that jumped out at me over my oneweek span with it that I think everybody should know about, especially if you're considering upgrading to the M5 from an older iPad. So, without further ado, let's talk about the M5 iPad Pro in its totality.

P Phonearena Article

There's palpably better battery life in terms of standard usage, web browsing, and video streaming, where the older M4 model performed worse. Even the Galaxy Tab S11 Ultra performs slightly worse here. The only one of our battery life tests where the iPad Pro M5 isn't exemplary is the gaming one, where it lags behind the iPad Pro M4 and the Galaxy Tab S11 Ultra.

M MobileTechReview MobileTechReview · 970K subscribers · Nov 2025

The display itself is the same as last generation, which is just fine because it's a highresolution tandem OLED 120 Hz display.

T ThruMyLens Article · Feb 2026

The difference is huge . I noticed it immediately when I started web surfing – all my web pages just snapped right open with almost no delay. The latency dropped by more than half from 19ms in the M4 iPad Pro to 9ms in the M4 iPad Pro. Thaaaaat’s what I’m talkin’ about! Web surfing is so nice on this device – it’s a noticeable improvement.

Y YugaTech YugaTech · 675K subscribers · Dec 2025

Holding the tablet feels nice and premium and the rounded corners make it a bit comfortable to hold.

T The Disconnekt Britta O'Boyle · reviewer · Oct 2025

The Apple iPad Pro (M5) is an exceptional tablet, just like its predecessor was. The slim design remains impressive despite no longer being new; the display is absolutely glorious; and there is more power than many will know what to do with. And that’s before you consider the fast charging capabilities and Wi-Fi and Bluetooth upgrades.

A Andru Edwards Andru Edwards · 666K subscribers · Oct 2025

After a week of pushing it to its limits, my answer is yes. It’s not about a radical redesign, but about unlocking everything the hardware - and now, the software - can actually do.

T The Newsprint Josh Ginter · reviewer · Aug 2026

The M5 iPad Pro has reignited my love for the iPad. I have used iPads since the beginning of time, and no iPad has been more fun for longer than this 11-inch M5 iPad Pro . But, it's likely not due to the M5 chip. For me, it's a return to the 11-inch format, and the introduction of nano-texture to my iPad usage.

M Mark Ellis Reviews Mark Ellis Reviews · 307K subscribers · Oct 2025

It's basically a very serious upgrade from the M1 version. So, if you use your iPad Pro for video editing, for graphics work, for illustration, for music production, going from the M1 to the M5 is a serious upgrade. And if that stuff is linked to you making money, so that's your job, it's a really good investment.

D Digital Foundry Digital Foundry · reviewer · Feb 2026

Nevertheless, the results impress against other Apple devices I've tested, like the M4 Mac Mini and the iPhone 17 Pro, packing the A19 Pro silicon.

B Byte Review Byte Review · 256K subscribers · Nov 2025

But what you need to know is it's Apple's latest and greatest chip for the iPad, and it's going to make everything just a little bit faster as well, but especially in kind of two key areas. One is AI workloads, and the other is in your graphical workloads.

G Gizmodo Kyle Barr · reviewer · Oct 2025

Even if we didn’t see those small enhancements, this is the best the iPad has ever been, and one that’s infinitely more usable.

N Noah Herman Noah Herman · 253K subscribers · Nov 2025

The iPad Pro M5 finally lives up to the promise Apple’s been chasing for years.

M MPU Talk Article · Oct 2025

Yes, the M2 is sufficient, but man, the iPad Pro M5 with the tandem OLED display and its slim form factor is just mind-blowing.

P Prithwiraj | PR75K Prithwiraj | PR75K · 186K subscribers · Nov 2025

From the ultra-powerful M5 chip and stunning Tandem OLED display to the new Apple Pencil Pro and redesigned Magic Keyboard, this is the most premium iPad experience yet.

T Tom's Guide Article · Feb 2026

But even if that doesn’t happen, I can’t complain too much since the current iPad Pro design is so great.

B Bobby Tonelli Bobby Tonelli · 185K subscribers · Oct 2025

The new iPad Pro M5 takes everything Apple’s done before and pushes it further — thinner, faster, and more immersive than ever. In this first impressions video, I share what stood out, what surprised me, and the one mistake I made before that you’ll want to avoid when choosing your display.

P Pcmag Eric Zeman · reviewer

Performance: The Tablet to Beat

K Kyle Erickson Kyle Erickson · 155K subscribers · Jan 2026

After 3 months, I barely use it for work — and that turned out to be the best thing about it.

M Mark's Tech Mark's Tech · 138K subscribers · Apr 2026

Floating windows, the new menu bar, desktop-class multitasking — Apple finally made the iPad feel like the powerhouse it always should have been.

T Teoh on Tech Teoh on Tech · 87.1K subscribers · Dec 2025

So, this is actually quite a significant upgrade.

F Faiz Aly Faiz Aly · 85K subscribers · Sept 2026

I’ll Save You Time: Buy the M5 iPad Pro

R Rjey Tech Rjey Tech · 82.2K subscribers · Mar 2026

But I went with the 11-in and I haven't looked back once. Here's why. As a content creator, portability isn't just nice to have. It's a requirement. I'm constantly moving between my desk, the couch, a coffee shop, or even the back of a car editing scripts on the way to a shoot. The 11-in just fits everywhere.

T Tech Dad Tech Dad · 62.4K subscribers · Oct 2025

This iPad is absolutely flawless. It has the best display. It has the slimmest, lightest design. It's got the most powerful chip you can get in an iPad, the best speakers, hardware bumps, you name it, this iPad has it. There are absolutely no compromises. And like I said, even if you have the M4 iPad Pro, there might be some tempting reasons why you should upgrade to this one.

T Tech Dad Tech Dad · 62.4K subscribers · Jan 2026

So, I went with that 11 in and I got what I wanted. I got a heck of a lot more portability. I got an iPad that was much easier to hold in hand. And so, I was pretty satisfied for about a month.

T Tech Dad Tech Dad · 62.4K subscribers · Dec 2025

Well, the M5 iPad Pro is supposed to have the best cellular ever. And oh my gosh, it does. It is ridiculously fast. I'm talking like rocket ship melt your face off internet speeds, especially for cellular. I was blown away by how fast it is. So, we got to talk about that as well. But with all that being said, there is actually still one thing that I don't like about this iPad. So, we're going to talk about that also.

T Tech Dad Tech Dad · 62.4K subscribers · May 2026

If you're looking into that M5 iPad Pro, I'm telling you right now if you buy it, you are not going to be disappointed. But, you need to be prepared to drop some big money on the right model, like at least two grand.

T Tech Dad Tech Dad · 62.4K subscribers · Sept 2026

So the M5 iPad Pro does really well with ethernet because it has that Thunderbolt 4 port.

U Unboxing Plus Unboxing Plus · 56.6K subscribers · Oct 2025

Powered by the M5 chip, this stunning tablet features an ultra-bright OLED display, next-gen performance, and incredible design precision.

T Tech Vả Tech Vả · 40.5K subscribers · Sept 2026

For me, this was one of the most worthwhile upgrades.

J Jon Adams Jon Adams · 24.2K subscribers · Aug 2026

Now, this iPad is absolutely incredible and the absolute most incredible thing that Apple may have ever made in their product lineup ever is the iPad Pro.

S STORM GAMING STORM GAMING · 10.7K subscribers · Mar 2026

Experience PUBG Mobile like never before on the iPad Pro M5!

J JoshsWayOfLife JoshsWayOfLife · 6.6K subscribers · Oct 2025

Okay, I just picked up this 11in M5 iPad Pro and so far I am in love with it.

M Made on iPad Made on iPad · 2.5K subscribers · Oct 2025

I'd always choose iPad over a MacBook every day of the week because this thing is the perfect laptop, the perfect MacBook Replacement.

J Joshua Dake Joshua Dake · 835 subscribers · Oct 2025

And I can tell too that just like the M4, everything is buttery smooth here with the 120 Hz refresh rate

E Engadget Nathan Ingraham · reviewer · Oct 2025

The caveat with all of this is that while the M5 is incredibly powerful, it's also overkill for most things that people are going to use an iPad for. An iPad Pro with the M2 chip from 2022 still feels plenty responsive for most standard tasks that don't require exceptional speed or power. Yes, there are definitely people buying an iPad Pro and maxing out its impressive capabilities, and those who do so will appreciate the performance here. But for everyone else, the M5 alone isn't going to change how you use the iPad Pro on a day-to-day basis.

J Jon Rettinger Jon Rettinger · 1.7M subscribers · May 2026

The screen is the best portable display I've ever used, but the M5 is more chip than most people will ever need. Let's break down whether it's actually worth $1,300, and which iPad you should buy instead.

S Sixcolors Jason Snell October · reviewer

That’s a pretty substantial upgrade—but of course, it’s also a very specific upgrade for apps that are using local AI models. Most people and apps aren’t, at least not today. Still, I expect Apple to push hard in this area, since its commitment to user privacy and its chip-design skill both favor a world where as much AI functionality as possible is happening on your private device. Right now, we don’t live in that world, but if apps begin to take advantage of chips like the M5, it may yet come into being.

V Victor Abarca Victor Abarca · 1M subscribers · Feb 2026

Hablamos de la increíble pantalla OLED, de lo que realmente aporta el chip M5 en el día a día, de cómo rinde con apps como DaVinci Resolve o Pixelmator Pro, y de por qué, a pesar de sus fricciones con la gestión de archivos, sigo eligiendo esta "lámina de cristal" una y otra vez.

M MacStories Federico Viticci The · reviewer · Oct 2025

For all these reasons, the M5 iPad Pro is not a very exciting iPad Pro to review, and I would only recommend this upgrade to heavy iPad Pro users who don’t already have the (still remarkable) M4 iPad Pro. But there are a couple of narratives worth exploring about the M5 chip on the iPad Pro, which is what I’m going to focus on for this review.

B Brian Tong Brian Tong · 368K subscribers · Oct 2025

So, not enough to blow your mind, but improvements

W WIRED Julian Chokkattu · reviewer · Oct 2025

But if you’re regularly in apps like Final Cut Pro or generating all sorts of weird AI images, you may like the extra power the M5 iPad Pro provides—though you can certainly get by with the older M4 model and maybe save some cash.

M Mark Ellis Reviews Mark Ellis Reviews · 307K subscribers · Nov 2025

Now, in fairness, Apple intelligence is getting better. I did a test between these two in terms of removing something or a few a few things from a photo, and they were relatively on par. They they were both, in fairness, in this particular example, not particularly good, but this demonstrates how hard AI is. But, we are getting to a stage where Apple intelligence is starting to bite at the heels of Galaxy AI. But, Galaxy AI, in my opinion, is still the best on the market. So, if you want AI stuff, get this. Reason number three is that you get several things on this that you will never get, I don't think anyway, on an iPad.

That's true, and I would have gone for a 13" iPad Air when they were introduced, but ultimately went for the iPad Pro because I liked the OLED and 120Hz.

B Better Creating Better Creating · 265K subscribers · Dec 2025

OK: I tried the M5 iPad Pro and wow - it's powerful. this is why you shouldn't buy this iPad Pro for today, and what makes my ultimate iPad Pro Setup. AI workflows, creative tips and the best setup accessories!

M Macrumors Article

Yeah they tested the 11", so unfortunately they improved them on the 11" and made them quieter on the M5 (although the difference is not huge on the 13)

A Andrew Clare Andrew Clare · 110K subscribers · Apr 2026

Prior to that, I was using the M5 iPad Pro, the best iPad I've ever used, or so I thought.

P Pete Matheson Pete Matheson · reviewer · Nov 2025

After spending time with the iPad Pro M5 , I can say this: Apple has finally perfected the hardware , but the software is still playing catch-up.

A André Creates André Creates · 8.2K subscribers · May 2026

The iPad Pro M5 is one of the best Apple devices to use… and one of the hardest to recommend.

T Think Different by Jakub Jirák Jakub Jirák · reviewer · Jun 2026

The typing experience is comparable to the MacBook Air, though the smaller trackpad and shallower key travel are noticeable for heavy typists.

S Sixcolors Jason Snell February · reviewer

I'm probably going to trade my iPad Pro M2 in for the M5 iPad Pro this year — but I won't get the 5G version, mostly to save money.

S SlatePad Article · Nov 2025

In some scenarios, yes, but I wager for anyone on an M3 or M4 powered device, they won’t be enough to really matter.

The artificial RAM limitations are pretty damning, and I would love to see Apple let the iPad Pro soar in 2026.