M5 iPad Pro review summary: Closer to Mac than ever

Many early reviews of the iPad Pro 2025 with Apple’s new M5 processor share a common theme. Thanks to the new chip, the device is faster, and in conjunction with the major redesign of iPadOS 26, the tablet can compete with the MacBook.

Read M5 iPad Pro reviewers’ comments.

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First M5 iPad Pro review: The tablet is more Mac-like than ever

The iPad Pro is Apple’s ultimate tablet for creators—and, increasingly, a MacBook clone. Coupled with the Apple Pencil, it’s a fantastic tool for visual artists. It’s a hybrid tool for writers, photo editors, or anyone else who would otherwise work on a laptop, tucked into Apple’s excellent Magic Keyboard. And with its incredible computing power, iPad Pro can handle resource-intensive tasks like professional video and audio editing.

The M5 chip inside the iPad Pro 2025, which Apple unveiled on October 15, is the tablet’s main upgrade over the previous M4 model. In addition to the speed boost from the new M5, some variants have 50% more RAM. The premium tablet includes an OLED screen in both 13-inch and 11-inch versions.

It hasn’t made its way to customers or store shelves yet, but luckily a few got review units ahead of release.

The M5 brings the expected performance boost

The whole point of the new processor is a jump in speed, and according to the first reviews, the Apple M5 brings the iPad Pro to the M5.

“If you’re coming from an iPad Pro with the M1, for example, you’ll immediately notice the performance improvement,” he said The Verge reviewer. “Things that used to load and level now render and save almost instantly.”

“In the Geekbench 6 tests, the multi-core number I got with the 10-core M5 is 16,116, compared to 14,672 for last year’s higher-end iPad Pro M4. That’s about 10% faster,” he noted Overhanguser reviewer. “Compared to the M3 iPad Air from earlier this year, which scored a multi-core score of 11,643, it’s 38% faster.”

iPadOS 26 makes the iPad more like a Mac

All reviewers praised the changes in iPadOS 26, which launched last month.

“After spending the better part of a week using the 13-inch iPad Pro, I’m drawn to it more than I expected,” he said The Verge reviewer. “The biggest reason is far from the new hardware, but iPadOS 26, which finally gives the iPad some PC-like capabilities, from free multitasking to the menu bar to a vastly improved Files app.”

“There are things about this iPad Pro that I like better than my laptop,” he said Overhang review. “Signing in with FaceID is smooth and easy. The sharp OLED touchscreen is better for movies and overall better than any Mac so far. The M5 processor is on point.”

“I have been working on this machine for the last few days and I feel like I have been able to work faster than ever before on iPad,” he said Wireduser reviewer.

More new Apple chips

The M5 isn’t the only Apple silicon inside—the tablet includes the N1, a new wireless networking chip designed by Apple.

“My internet speeds are consistently faster on the M5 Pro than the M4 Pro. Sometimes.” way faster,” he said The Verge.

M5 iPad Pro variants configured with cellular and wireless use the C1X, a cellular modem designed by Apple.

“I’ve worked mostly on mobile networks with no problems,” he noted Wired. “My speed tests in downtown Manhattan were stellar.

Order the M5 iPad Pro today

The M5 iPad Pro starts arriving in stores on October 22. The 13-inch model starts at $1,299, while the 11-inch model starts at $999.

• Order the 11-inch M5 iPad Pro from: Amazon
• Order the 13-inch M5 iPad Pro from: Amazon

Configuring tablets with additional storage increases prices.