Apple is stuck with iPad Pro

Reviews show the iPad Pro M5 is still the best tablet despite lackluster upgrades.

The iPad Pro M5 was introduced by Apple in mid-October. When the first devices reached users, international news sites shared their opinions after experiencing the company's most powerful tablet.

Overall, the design of the iPad Pro M5 is not too different from its predecessor. The important improvement comes from the M5 chip, which provides significantly faster processing and graphics performance. This is also the general assessment of news sites about the new iPad Pro.

The M5 chip is too powerful to compare

“Last year, Apple greatly improved the iPad Pro with a thin and light design, a quality screen, upgraded accessories and a high-speed chip. It was the most perfect iPad ever, I wonder what Apple could do to make it even better,” author David Pierce from The Verge shared.

Pierce begins his review by admitting that this year is not the case. At first glance, the product design is identical to the iPad Pro M4, the only difference being the removal of the “iPad Pro” text on the back.

Gizmodo reporter Kyle Barr agrees, admitting that no tablet can surpass the iPad Pro. However, the lack of change means this year's device is very similar to its predecessor.

iPad Pro M5 when connected to Magic Keyboard. Photo: The Verge .

The big changes on the iPad Pro M5 come from the hardware. In addition to the processor, Apple has integrated its own network chips such as C1X (5G connection) and N1 (Wi-Fi, Bluetooth and Threads connection). While Pierce admits that everything is a little faster, he says that this “doesn’t make a significant difference” in everyday use.

In terms of performance, The Verge 's review shows that the M5 chip is about 11% more powerful than the M4 in CPU-intensive tasks, and 34% more powerful in GPU-intensive tasks.

In the Geekbench 6 test, the M5's single-core performance score is 470 points higher than the M4, and 1,655 points higher in multi-core tasks. Compared to the iPad Air M3 and iPad Pro M2, multi-threaded tasks on the M5 are 27% and 38% faster, respectively.

Similar to the 3DMark graphics test, the iPad Pro M5 is significantly faster than the iPad Pro M2 but only slightly faster than the iPad Pro M4. Writer Kyle Barr admits this is “one of Apple’s most lackluster GPU upgrades.”

Back of iPad Pro M5. Photo: The Verge .

In Engadget 's Geekbench AI test, the CPU-intensive tasks saw the M5 only slightly outperform the M4. However, when switching to the GPU, the M5 chip was 22.4% faster in the single-precision category. In the half-precision and quantized AI tasks, the M5 was 85% and 101% faster than the M4, respectively.

“Unless you’re using a powerful GPU or AI tasks, the M5 doesn’t really outperform the M4. This isn’t surprising, and most iPad Pro buyers over the past 18 months have been very happy with the device,” said Engadget editor Nathan Ingraham.

If you use an older chip like the M1, you will see a clear difference in performance. When editing photos or videos , tasks that previously required caching data can now be loaded and processed immediately. If you upgrade from the M4, the noticeable improvement only appears when processing large amounts of video or rendering 3D graphics.

“For most workflows except for high-demand professional creative work, the M4 chip is still more than enough,” Pierce emphasized.

Small but worthwhile upgrade

Not only the processor chip, the review shows that the internet speed on the iPad Pro M5 is faster thanks to the new network modem. Although it is not possible to evaluate in depth, news sites affirm that users do not have to worry about speed and stability when the iPad switches to an internal network chip.

In the review, Kyle Barr used the iPad Pro to broadcast 5G while making a FaceTime call with the Vision Pro, and the call only dropped once in 30 minutes.

iPad Pro M5 still supports trackpad control when attached to the keyboard. Photo: Gizmodo .

The device also doesn’t consume much battery, with more than 60% remaining after a call and 3 hours of web browsing. Of course, this number isn’t enough to confirm that the iPad Pro M5 can last all day, especially if you have high usage needs like a computer. After about 7 hours of opening apps, running benchmarks, and playing games, the battery on the device is about 10%.

“That’s a pretty good number for a tablet. If you use it infrequently or with light intensity, the iPad Pro M5 can last you a long time without having to find a power outlet at the end of the day,” Barr added.

Apple also includes a 40W charger with the iPad Pro M5, which can go up to 60W if you need to charge quickly. The Verge 's testing shows that with this charger, the device can reach 50% battery in 30 minutes. If used with the iPad Pro M4, the battery will charge to 33% in 30 minutes.

The iPad Pro M5 uses the same tandem OLED display technology as its predecessor, providing a maximum brightness of 1,600 nits when viewing HDR content. Users still have the option of a nano coating to reduce glare, priced at $100 .

Playing games on iPad Pro M5. Photo: Gizmodo .

“Despite its thinness and lightness, the iPad Pro M5 is powerful enough if you want to use it as an entertainment device. It has a total of four speakers, which means you can hear the sound clearly no matter which way you hold it. While not outstanding, the volume from the speakers is still quite loud compared to its size,” said Kyle Barr.

The iPad Pro M5 still has a 12 MP front camera in landscape mode. Similar to the iPad Pro M4, this design makes the device incompatible with the old Apple Pencil. Users can only connect the Pencil Pro or Pencil USB-C.

The back of the device still has a 12 MP camera, with enough quality to scan documents. According to Barr, those who demand high camera quality will be disappointed when the photos are quite blurry, even broken when zooming.

Who is iPad Pro M5 for?

The iPad Pro M5 still has its own interesting points, but not the hardware. According to Pierce, the biggest reason comes from iPadOS 26. This version integrates many features for a computer-like experience such as multitasking windows, menu bar, and the completely new Files app.

“There are still many things that are simple on the Mac but complicated on the iPad, not to mention the flawed Liquid Glass interface, but it's clear that Apple wants the iPad to be more and more like the Mac,” The Verge writer emphasized.

However, iPadOS 26 is not exclusive to the iPad Pro M5. Users can install this version on other iPad models. The price is still a factor to consider, which can be up to $ 1,500 if purchased with the Apple Pencil or Magic Keyboard.

“If you need a computer, most people should still buy a Mac. But if you want the best iPad, this is the only option,” Pierce emphasized.

Window multitasking mode on iPad Pro M5. Photo: Gizmodo .

Writing on Gizmodo , Kyle Barr emphasized that the M5 chip is only really important if you need to use apps that take full advantage of the performance.

“If you're just watching Netflix or reading a book, it's not worth spending $1,000 on a tablet,” Barr added.

Similarly, Nathan Ingraham from Engadget notes that the iPad Pro M5 should last for the next 4-5 years. This isn't a yearly replacement, but you should consider switching to the iPad Air unless you really appreciate the benefits of the M5 chip.

Overall, the decision to upgrade to the iPad Pro M5 depends on which device you own. Unless you need to take advantage of the M5 chip for graphics, AI processing, or running the Foundation Model, there are not many reasons for users to choose this model.

“If you’re looking to buy an iPad Pro, I recommend most people consider the lower-priced iPad Pro M4. It’s still a very good and powerful device for most needs,” said David Pierce of The Verge .

Source: https://znews.vn/apple-be-tac-voi-ipad-pro-post1597146.html