Apple iPad Pro 11" M5 Space Black 2025

The iPad Pro M5's OLED display is gorgeous and the M5 chip smokes nearly every tablet out there. If you need loads of storage and a top-tier screen, it's the one to get. But the high price and iPadOS limitations make it overkill for many.

The iPad Pro M5 is basically Apple flexing. It's thin, it's got a 1TB storage option that's literally best-in-class (we're talking 100th percentile in our database), and that new OLED screen is just ridiculous. Colors pop, blacks are truly black, and the 120Hz refresh rate makes scrolling feel like butter. If you want the best media consumption tablet on the planet, this is it.

But let's be real: it's still running iPadOS, which holds it back when you try to do real work. File management is a game of compromise, and external monitor support is still more of a mirror than an extension. For pure entertainment and drawing, though, nothing touches it.

Underneath that glass, the M5 chip chews through anything you throw at it. Rendering 4K video, multitasking with dozens of apps, or playing demanding games. It doesn't break a sweat. Our benchmarks place it in the 96th percentile overall for CPU and 95th for GPU, which puts it ahead of most laptops, honestly. The 16GB RAM keeps things snappy, and the neural engine crunches AI tasks like a pro. The only real bottleneck is iPadOS itself, which doesn't always let that power run wild.

Let's talk money. Prices swing wildly from $968 to $2300 depending on where you buy, which is a huge spread. If you can snag it near the low end, it's a steal for a tablet with this much storage and that OLED. But at full price, you're paying a massive premium for the Apple name and the top-tier specs. Unless you absolutely need that 1TB (or 2TB) and the absolute best screen, the base storage M5 iPad Pro, or even an M4 model, saves you a bundle without sacrificing 90% of the experience.

Next to the Samsung Galaxy Tab S11 Ultra, the iPad Pro has a better chip and a more polished app ecosystem for creative pros, but Samsung's DeX mode gives it a functional desktop-like experience that iPadOS lacks. The Microsoft Surface Pro runs full Windows, so if you need legacy software, that's the obvious pick. Even the Xiaomi Pad 7 Pro gives you a great screen and pen support for less cash. The iPad Pro's real edge is that display and the seamless Apple integration. If you're already in the ecosystem, it's tempting.

If you're a power user who relies on multiple windows, drag-and-drop file management, or desktop-grade apps, save your money and pick up a Surface Pro. Also, if you're not in a rush, Apple's packaging quality control on some units may make you nervous. Buy from a retailer with a solid return policy.

This is the tablet for artists, photographers, and anyone who prioritizes a gorgeous screen and snappy performance over a laptop-like OS. If you're deep into note-taking, drawing, or just want the best Netflix machine money can buy, you'll love it. But if your work demands genuine multitasking or you're on a budget, the iPad Pro will feel like a Ferrari limited to school zones.