The iPad Pro was already Apple’s top tablet, so the M5 version was never going to reinvent it. What reviewers found instead is a set of focused upgrades: a faster chip with clear gains in graphics and AI work, Wi-Fi 7, and the first fast charging on an iPad, inside the same tandem OLED design that critics still rank at the top of its class.
This is a documented review: I brought together Apple’s official specs and the measured results published by testers such as Tom’s Guide and Engadget, then added my own verdict.
At a glance
| Item | Details |
|---|---|
| Price | USD 999 (11-inch Wi-Fi) and USD 1,299 (13-inch Wi-Fi), both with 256GB |
| Arab market availability | Gulf availability for the M5 model and its local launch price were not confirmed at the time of writing |
| TechKahwa rating | 8.3/10 |
| Best for | Artists, video editors and heavy iPad users coming from an older iPad Pro |
| Skip if | You own the M4 iPad Pro, or the total cost with Magic Keyboard and Pencil Pro is beyond your budget |
Design and the tandem OLED screen
Apple did not touch the shape. The 11-inch Wi-Fi model weighs 444 g and is 5.3 mm thick; the 13-inch Wi-Fi model weighs 579 g and is 5.1 mm thick. Reviewers still describe it as remarkably thin and light, and it remains an object that makes most laptops feel heavy.
The Ultra Retina XDR screen is a tandem OLED panel. Apple quotes 2420 x 1668 on the 11-inch and 2752 x 2064 on the 13-inch, both at 264 ppi, with 1000 nits full-screen SDR and 1600 nits peak HDR.
Tom’s Guide measured the 13-inch model at 561 nits in SDR and 965 nits in HDR. Color results were excellent: 116% of sRGB, 82.1% of DCI-P3, and a Delta-E of 0.27, where lower means more accurate color. For anyone who grades photos or draws on the screen, those numbers explain why this panel keeps being called the best on a tablet.
Other hardware is largely familiar: a 12MP Wide rear camera, a 12MP Center Stage front camera, and a Thunderbolt / USB 4 port. The newer parts are inside. Apple’s N1 chip brings Wi-Fi 7, and cellular models use Apple’s C1X modem. The tablet runs iPadOS 26.
Performance, battery and charging
The M5 comes in two versions depending on storage. The 256GB and 512GB models get a 9-core CPU with 12GB of memory, while the 1TB and 2TB models get a 10-core CPU with 16GB. All versions have a 10-core GPU. Tom’s Guide recorded 4,155 single-core and 16,517 multi-core in Geekbench 6.
Battery is where the two main reviews read differently, and I think both views are worth hearing. Apple rates the iPad Pro for up to 10 hours of Wi-Fi web or video. Tom’s Guide’s Tony Polanco ran continuous web surfing at 150 nits on the 13-inch model and got “13 hours and 18 minutes”, well above Apple’s figure. Engadget’s Nathan Ingraham, describing typical use with the Magic Keyboard attached, reported 7 to 8 hours and called battery life only modest for the price. These are different methods, so the numbers are not directly comparable: one is a steady lab loop, the other is real work with a keyboard.
Charging is new territory for an iPad. Apple says an optional 40W adapter reaches about 50% in about 30 minutes; that is Apple’s claim, not a test result. Engadget measured its own run with a 60W adapter and went from 23% to 70% in 35 minutes.
| Test | Result | Tested by |
|---|---|---|
| Geekbench 6 single / multi | 4,155 / 16,517 | Tom’s Guide |
| SDR / HDR brightness (13-inch) | 561 / 965 nits | Tom’s Guide |
| Color accuracy (Delta-E) | 0.27 | Tom’s Guide |
| Web surfing at 150 nits (13-inch) | 13 h 18 min | Tom’s Guide |
| Typical use with Magic Keyboard | 7 to 8 hours | Engadget |
| Charging with 60W adapter | 23% to 70% in 35 min | Engadget |
What reviewers agree on
Strengths:
- A class-leading tandem OLED screen.
- Clear M5 gains in graphics and AI tasks.
- A very thin, light body.
- The first iPad with fast charging.
- Wi-Fi 7 through Apple’s N1 chip.
Weaknesses:
- Very expensive, and the Magic Keyboard and Pencil Pro add a lot to the bill.
- A small upgrade over the M4 model.
- Battery life that Engadget calls modest for the price, even though Tom’s Guide measured a long web-surfing runtime.
Who should buy it
The obvious buyer is someone on an older iPad Pro. The class-leading screen, plus a much faster chip and fast charging, adds up to a genuine upgrade.
If you bought the M4 iPad Pro, what caught my attention is how little reason reviewers gave you to switch. The design and screen are the same, and the gains are real but narrow.
Budget honestly. The starting price already sits at laptop level, and the keyboard and stylus push it further. If you mainly read, stream and take notes, an iPad Air will likely serve you just as well. For readers in the region, I could not confirm Gulf availability for this model at launch or its local price, so check Apple’s regional store before planning a purchase.
Verdict
The M5 iPad Pro is the best tablet hardware you can buy, and also one of the hardest to justify for most people. The screen is outstanding by Tom’s Guide’s measurements, the chip is faster, and fast charging removes one of the long-standing iPad annoyances. Engadget scored it 85/100.
In my view the price and the modest step over the M4 keep it from a higher score. For creative professionals on older hardware it is an easy yes; for everyone else, it is a luxury. TechKahwa rating: 8.3/10.
Sources
- Apple Newsroom, iPad Pro with M5 announcement, October 15, 2025, https://www.apple.com/newsroom/2025/10/apple-introduces-the-powerful-new-ipad-pro-with-the-m5-chip/
- Apple, iPad Pro technical specifications, October 2025, https://www.apple.com/ipad-pro/specs/
- Tom’s Guide, Tony Polanco, iPad Pro M5 review, October 21, 2025, https://www.tomsguide.com/computing/ipads/ipad-pro-m5-review
- Engadget, Nathan Ingraham, iPad Pro M5 review, October 21, 2025, https://www.engadget.com/mobile/tablets/ipad-pro-m5-review-speed-boost-130046249.html