Apple iPad Pro Apple 11" iPad Pro M5 Chip (Standard Glass, 1TB, Review
The 11-inch iPad Pro M5 is the fastest tablet you can buy, with a gorgeous OLED screen. But its high price and iPadOS limitations make it a tough sell against full Windows 2-in-1s.
Overview
The 11-inch iPad Pro with the M5 chip is the most powerful tablet you can buy, full stop. It's got a stunning OLED screen, a ton of storage, and enough power to handle just about any creative or professional task you throw at it.
But it's still an iPad. You're locked into iPadOS, which means you can't run full desktop apps like you can on a Surface or a laptop. It's a trade-off between raw power and software flexibility.
Performance
Performance is top-tier. The M5 chip, 16GB of RAM, and that 1TB of storage put it in the 94th percentile for CPU and GPU. It'll breeze through 4K video editing, 3D modeling, or multitasking with a dozen apps. The only real letdown is the battery, which lands right in the middle of the pack at the 50th percentile. It's fine, but not amazing for a device this expensive.
Pros & Cons
Pros
- Strong screen (94th percentile) 98th
- Strong cpu (94th percentile) 96th
- Strong gpu (94th percentile) 96th
- Strong storage (92th percentile) 96th
Cons
Specifications
Full Specifications
Processor
| CPU | Apple M5 |
| Cores | 10 |
| GPU | Apple (10-Core) |
Memory & Storage
| RAM | 16 GB |
| Storage | 1000 GB |
| Expandable | No |
Display
| Size | 11" |
| Resolution | 2420 |
| Panel | OLED |
| Refresh Rate | 120 Hz |
| Brightness | 1000 nits |
Connectivity
| Wi-Fi | WiFi 7 |
| Bluetooth | Bluetooth 6.0 |
| Cellular | Yes |
Features
| Stylus Support | Yes |
Physical
| Weight | 0.4 kg / 1.0 lbs |
| OS | Apple iPadOS |
Value & Pricing
This is a premium device with a premium price, ranging from $1685 to $1799 depending on the vendor. You're paying for that top-tier Apple silicon and the best tablet screen on the market. If you need a portable creative powerhouse and live in the Apple ecosystem, it's worth it. Just know you're buying into a walled garden, and the accessories will cost you extra.
vs Competition
Compared to the 13-inch iPad Pro, you're getting the same power in a more portable package, but with less screen real estate. The Microsoft Surface Pro 11 runs full Windows, so it's a true laptop replacement for productivity, but its ARM chip can't match the M5's raw performance yet. The Samsung Galaxy Tab S10 Ultra has a bigger, beautiful screen and more RAM flexibility, making it a better pure media consumption device. The Lenovo Legion Go and Panasonic Toughbook are for very different, niche audiences (gaming and rugged use).
| Spec | Apple iPad Pro Apple 11" iPad Pro M5 Chip (Standard Glass, 1TB, | Apple iPad Pro Apple 11" iPad Pro M5 Chip (Standard Glass, 512GB, | Samsung Galaxy Tab S10 Samsung 12.4" Galaxy Tab S10+ 256GB Multi-Touch | Microsoft Surface Pro Microsoft - Surface Pro - Copilot+ PC - 13” OLED | Lenovo Yoga Tab Series Lenovo Yoga Tab Plus | Xiaomi Xiaomi Redmi Pad 2 Only WiFi (No Calls or Text) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| CPU | Apple M5 | Apple M5 | MediaTek 9300 | Qualcomm Snapdragon X Elite X1E-84-100 | Qualcomm® Snapdragon® 8 Gen 3, QCM8650 | 2.2 GHz mediatek_helio |
| RAM (GB) | 16 | 12 | 12 | 32 | 16 | - |
| Storage (GB) | 1000 | 512 | 256 | 1000 | 256 | 256 |
| Screen | 11" 2420x1668 | 11" 2420x1668 | 12.4" 2800x1752 | 13" 2880x1920 | 12.7" 2944x1840 | 11" 2560x1600 |
| OS | Apple iPadOS | iPadOS | Android 14 | Windows 11 Home | Android 14 | Android 15 |
| Stylus | true | true | true | false | false | false |
| Cellular | true | false | false | false | false | false |
Verdict
Buy this if you're a creative pro or power user who needs maximum portable performance and is fully invested in the Apple ecosystem. Don't buy it if you need to run desktop software or want the absolute best battery life. For everyone else, a high-end laptop or a more versatile 2-in-1 might be a smarter spend.