iPad Pro M5 review: A top-notch tablet that's simply too powerful for most

Apple's iPad Pro M4, from 2024, was already a supremely tough tablet to beat thanks to a stunning slimline design, crisp Ultra Retina XDR display and ultimate power from its Apple silicon. Of course, Apple wasn't just going to stop there, slap itself on the back and hang up its iPad Pro gloves. The blisteringly quick M4 has now been superseded by another premium device from Apple, and it's even better than before. The new iPad Pro M5 has arrived and takes what was already one of the best tablets ever made up yet another notch.

I've been using the bigger 13-inch model (you can also get it with an 11-inch display), and it's impossible not to be impressed.

Now, before you get too excited, nothing has changed on the outside of the iPad Pro M5, with things looking identical to last year. That's no bad thing, as this tablet is just as stunning as when it got the massive refresh last May. It really does feel like a slim sheet of glass in your hand, with the 11-inch model measuring in at just 5.3mm thick.

Those opting for the more expensive 13-inch version that I tested - get all the bragging rights as it is even thinner - 5.1mm to be precise. Despite being mind-bogglingly skinny, it's made of tough stuff, and there are no concerns about it breaking in your backpack.

It still comes in just two metal shades, Space Black and Silver - if you want something more colourful, you'll need to opt for the standard iPad or latest iPad Air.

So, the outside looks the same, but head under the hood and you'll find some mighty changes. The iPad Pro is now powered by the incredibly quick M5 processor. That's the very same chip tucked inside the new MacBook Pro laptop and Vision Pro headset.

This means you are getting incredible PC performance in a wafer-thin tablet. To put it into perspective, the new iPad has 3.5 times the AI performance of the M4 iPad Pro and up it's over 5 times faster than iPad Pro with M1. That helps with tasks such as image creation and upscaling low-quality content.

This new model also gets faster 3D rendering with ray tracing, improved video editing performance, and it's quicker at AI image generation.

I've been putting this 2025 Pro through endless memory-hungry tasks such as high-resolution image retouching, 4K video editing, gaming and running multiple apps at once.

It will come as no surprise to learn that everything is performed with undeniable ease. The Apple-made M5 chipset is clearly a beast that can outrun many Windows PC laptops, and I'm never going to whinge about having too much grunt.

However, there is a recurring theme here, as with all previous iPad Pros who really needs them? The iPad continues to be a truly amazing tool, but the vast majority of users simply grab their tablets when they want to send a quick email, watch a box set in bed, waste a few hours playing games or fancy browsing the web.

You don't need a Pro tablet for that, and the recently released £599 iPad Air (or even the £329 iPad) will perform all those tasks for a much cheaper price.

You'll also probably find that many of the older Pro models (you can buy refurbished models from Apple for around £600) will cope just as well with what you need them to do.

Of course, if you are a serious professional - such as a photographer, artist or filmmaker - then this latest premium machine is going to offer some amazing gains, and there are other bonuses tucked inside as well.

Thanks to a C1X modem, the new Pro gets Wi-Fi 7 support and, if you opt for the cellular models, there's also better 5G connectivity due to the inclusion of the new Apple-designed N1 wireless networking chip.

The new iPad Pro offers up to 2x faster storage read and write speeds, and the 256GB and 512GB models start with 12GB of unified memory - 50 percent more than before

So, that's everything going on inside, but what else do you get?

Just like the older M4, the new M5 also offers an Ultra Retina XDR screen with 'tandem OLED' technology. This uses two panels, which are combined to provide truly impressive visuals and exceptional brightness.

Once you see this screen in action, you really won't want to go back - it really is that good. It's clearly superior to the LCD displays on the iPad and iPad Air.

Along with a standard display, Apple continues to offer the Pro with a Nano-texture glass that reduces glare.

Sadly, it's only available on the 1TB and 2TB versions - which start from £1,599 - and adds £100 extra to the bill, so only opt for it if you think you really need it.

The front-facing camera is still great for calls, plus there's the Face ID scanner for seamless screen unlocking and more secure payments.

There's a single 12MP rear camera, should you need to snap images and videos can be shot in 4K with sound recorded via the studio-quality mics.

It ships straight out of the box with iPad OS 26 installed, which offers a new Liquid Glass appearance, an improved way to manage files and new apps, including Preview, so you can view and edit PDFs. Apple also now offers a redesigned windowing system so you can manage your windows exactly the way you want.

Finally, it is compatible with the latest Apple Pencil Pro (£129) and market-leading Magic Keyboard (£299) accessories so you can draw, sketch and annotate in pro apps or turn the tablet into a laptop-style device.

Now, let's get onto the price. The 13-inch model we tested starts from £1,299 for 256GB of memory, but things can soon start to mount up.

Boost things to 2TB of storage, add the Nano glass, Pencil Pro and Magic Keyboard and suddenly your bill will be just shy of £3,000. In the UK, the Pro also only has a USB-C cable in the box, so you might need to buy a plug as well.

It's a serious amount of cash, and despite iPad OS26 being leaps ahead of previous operating systems, I still can't fully work on an iPad. That means I need a Mac laptop as well.

That's still the Pro's biggest issue, as it remains a tablet and a very expensive one at that.

Have I loved every minute of using the Pro M5? Absolutely yes. Do I want one on my desk and to use for the nightly boxset binges? That's an even bigger yes.

This is a gorgeous device that the minute you see, pick up and touch, you instantly want to own.

Could I honestly justify sending that much money on an iPad? Probably not, especially when cheaper models from Apple do all I need them to. Of course, there will be professionals who will push the iPad Pro M5 to the limit and get their full money's worth.

But for most, the iPad or iPad Air are simply good enough.