Apple is at a standstill with the iPad Pro.

Reviews indicate that the iPad Pro M5 remains the best tablet despite its lackluster upgrades.

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

Overall, the design of the iPad Pro M5 isn't drastically different from its predecessor. The key improvement comes from the M5 chip, which delivers significantly faster processing and graphics performance. This is also the general consensus among news outlets regarding the new iPad Pro.

The M5 chip is too powerful to compare.

“Last year, Apple significantly improved the iPad Pro with a thinner and lighter design, a high-quality display, upgraded accessories, and a faster chip. It’s the most perfect iPad ever, and I wonder what Apple could have done to make it even better,” shared David Pierce from The Verge .

At the beginning of the review, Pierce acknowledges that this didn't happen this year. At first glance, the product design is identical to the iPad Pro M4, the only difference being the removal of the "iPad Pro" lettering on the back.

Sharing the same view, Gizmodo reporter Kyle Barr acknowledges that no tablet can surpass the iPad Pro. However, the lack of significant changes means this year's device is very similar to its predecessor.

iPad Pro M5 with Magic Keyboard connected. Photo: The Verge .

The major changes on the iPad Pro M5 come from the hardware. Besides the processor, Apple integrated its own network chips such as the C1X (5G connectivity) and N1 (Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, and Threads connectivity). While acknowledging that things are slightly faster, Pierce argues 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 was 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, the M5's multi-threaded performance was 27% and 38% faster, respectively.

Similarly 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 acknowledges this as "one of Apple's most underwhelming GPU upgrades."

The back of the iPad Pro M5. Photo: The Verge .

In Engadget 's Geekbench AI benchmark, CPU-intensive tasks showed the M5 performing only slightly better than the M4. However, when it came to GPU performance, the M5 chip was 22.4% faster in single-precision tasks. For 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 isn’t really superior to the M4. This isn’t surprising, and most iPad Pro buyers in the last 18 months are still very happy with their devices,” said Engadget editor Nathan Ingraham.

If using an older chip like the M1, users will notice a significant difference in performance. When editing photos or videos , tasks that previously required caching can now be loaded and processed instantly. If upgrading from the M4, the noticeable improvement only appears when processing large amounts of video or rendering 3D graphics.

"For most workflows, except for highly demanding professional creative work, the M4 chip is more than sufficient," Pierce emphasized.

A small but worthwhile upgrade.

Beyond just the processor chip, reviews indicate faster internet speeds on the iPad Pro M5 thanks to the new network modem. While a more in-depth assessment isn't yet possible, news sites assert that users don't need to worry about speed or stability now that the iPad has switched to an internal network chip.

In the review, Kyle Barr used an iPad Pro to broadcast a 5G network while making a FaceTime call using Vision Pro glasses. The results showed that the call only dropped once in 30 minutes.

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

The device also doesn't drain the battery much, with over 60% remaining after a call and 3 hours of web browsing. Of course, this figure isn't enough to confirm that the iPad Pro M5 can last all day, especially if you have high usage demands like a computer. After about 7 hours of running apps, benchmarks, and playing games, the battery was down to about 10%.

"This is a very good number for a tablet. If used infrequently or lightly, the iPad Pro M5 can last long enough that you won't have to look for a power outlet at the end of the day," Barr added.

Apple also includes a 40W charger with the iPad Pro M5, which can reach a maximum of 60W for fast charging. The Verge 's tests showed that with this charger, the device can reach 50% battery in 30 minutes. When used with the iPad Pro M4, the battery will charge to 33% in 30 minutes.

The iPad Pro M5 uses the same stacked OLED display technology as its predecessor, offering 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 the iPad Pro M5. Photo: Gizmodo .

“Despite its slim and lightweight design, the iPad Pro M5 is powerful enough if you want to use it as a device for consuming entertainment content. It has a total of four speakers, ensuring clear sound regardless of how you hold it. While not outstanding, the speaker volume is still quite loud for its size,” Kyle Barr stated.

The iPad Pro M5 still features a 12MP front camera in landscape mode. Similar to the iPad Pro M4, this design means it's not compatible with older Apple Pencil models. Users can only connect Pencil Pro or Pencil USB-C.

The back of the phone still features a 12MP camera, sufficient for scanning documents. According to Barr, those demanding high camera quality will be disappointed as photos are quite blurry, and even lose focus when zoomed in.

Who is the iPad Pro M5 for?

The iPad Pro M5 still has its own unique appeal, but it's not the hardware. According to Pierce, the biggest reason is iPadOS 26. This version integrates many features for a PC-like experience, such as multi-window multitasking, a menu bar, and a 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 Apple wants the iPad to become more and more like the Mac," the writer from The Verge emphasized.

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

"If you need a computer, most users 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 its performance.

"If you're only going to watch Netflix or read books, it's not worth spending $1,000 on a tablet," Barr added.

Similarly, Nathan Ingraham from Engadget emphasizes that the iPad Pro M5 is sufficient for the next 4-5 years. It's not the kind of device that needs replacing annually, but users should consider switching to the iPad Air unless they truly understand the benefits of the M5 chip.

Overall, the decision to upgrade to the iPad Pro M5 depends on which device you currently own. Unless you need to utilize the M5 chip for graphics, AI processing, or running the Foundation Model, users don't have many reasons to choose this model.

"If you're looking to buy an iPad Pro, I'd recommend most users consider the lower-priced iPad Pro M4. It's still a very good and powerful device for most needs," says David Pierce from The Verge .

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