Apple iPad Pro 13" M5 Space Black 2025

The iPad Pro M5's OLED screen is in the 100th percentile with a blinding 1600 nits, and the M5 chip delivers top 4% CPU and 5% GPU performance across all tablets. It scored a perfect 100/100 in every single one of our tests and lasts for days on a charge. Just know that entry costs $1000 and maxed-out configurations soar over $4000.

The 13-inch iPad Pro M5's screen is the best we've ever measured on a tablet — it lands in the 100th percentile with a 1600-nit, 120Hz OLED that's simply jaw-dropping. Paired with the M5 chip (96th percentile CPU, 95th percentile GPU) and 16GB of RAM, this slab of glass scored a perfect 100 out of 100 across every use case in our database, from reading and student work to entertainment. It's not just a tablet; it's a benchmark-destroying monster that Apple somehow squeezed into a 582g body that feels like a sheet of paper.

Apple's M5 10-core chip is in the top 4% of all tablet CPUs we've tracked, and its 10-core GPU isn't far behind at the 95th percentile. That raw horsepower translates to real-world tasks like 4K video rendering without a hiccup, instant layer-heavy Photoshop exports, and buttery-smooth 3D modeling in apps like Shapr3D. The 16GB of memory, sitting in the 88th percentile, handles heavy multitasking between pro apps gracefully, though we did notice that running multiple memory-hungry virtual instruments and enormous ProRes files can occasionally flirt with the limit. Apple's Neural Accelerators also mean on-device AI features run natively fast, not as a sluggish afterthought.

Pricing is a rollercoaster. We've spotted the base 256GB Wi-Fi model for as low as $1000 on Amazon, while a maxed-out 2TB cellular variant with nano-texture glass will set you back $4089 — that's a $3089 spread. For the entry-level price, you're getting the best tablet display on the planet and workstation-class performance, which is actually a strong deal compared to premium Windows laptops. But once you start ticking those storage and 5G boxes, the value proposition gets shaky unless your workflow depends on that extra space or connectivity. If you want the sweet spot, grab the base model from Amazon and skip the cellular markup.

Next to the Samsung Galaxy Tab S11 Ultra, the iPad Pro M5's 1600-nit OLED puts Samsung's display to shame — it's just brighter and more color-accurate, and Samsung's included S Pen can't close the performance gap. The Microsoft Surface Pro EP2-20077 runs full Windows, which is a real advantage for desktop apps, but its Intel silicon can't touch the M5's GPU muscle or efficiency, and the Surface is heavier with hours less battery life. Budget picks like the Xiaomi Pad 7 Pro or Lenovo Idea Tab Pro have decent panels, but they're miles away from the iPad's 100th percentile screen and 96th percentile CPU. If you're chasing pure tablet excellence, the iPad Pro M5 is in a league of its own.

Skip the iPad Pro M5 if the price makes you wince — even the $1000 entry point is steep. The 88th percentile RAM is solid but won't satisfy extreme virtualization or container-heavy dev workflows, and the lack of a headphone jack is a real annoyance for some. If you need a full desktop OS for legacy software, grab a Microsoft Surface Pro instead. Budget-minded students and casual users will be perfectly happy with the 11-inch iPad Air and can pocket the savings.

The 2025 iPad Pro M5 is the undisputed champion of tablets, and the numbers back that up with a clean sweep of perfect scores. Its 100th percentile display, top-tier performance, and surprisingly great battery life make it the go-to for artists, video editors, and anyone who wants the absolute best mobile computing experience. Yes, it's expensive, but the price essentially buys you a portable creative studio that outperforms many laptops. If you can stomach the cost and don't need a full desktop OS, there's nothing else like it.