Apple Unveils New iPad Pro With Powerful M5 Chip Apple has launched its latest 11-inch and 13-inch iPad Pro models, headlined by the introduction of the company’s next-generation M5 chip. While the new tablets are largely identical in design to their M4 predecessors from last year, the new processor promises a significant performance boost, particularly for content creators and power users considering a tablet as a laptop replacement. Following the strategy set with the M4, Apple is once again debuting its newest silicon in the iPad Pro before its MacBooks, with the exception of a new entry-level 14-inch MacBook Pro that also features the M5. This reinforces Apple’s positioning of the iPad Pro as a viable high-performance computing device. The new M5 processor is built on TSMC’s 3-nanometer process. It comes in two configurations for the iPad Pro. Models with 256GB or 512GB of storage feature a 9-core CPU with three performance cores and six efficiency cores, a 10-core GPU, and 12GB of RAM. The higher-end 1TB and 2TB models gain an additional performance core for a 10-core CPU and 16GB of RAM. The most substantial upgrade appears to be in graphics and AI performance. Apple states that each of the ten GPU cores now includes a Neural Accelerator, allowing for significantly faster GPU-based AI processing compared to the M4. The company claims the M5 delivers over four times the peak GPU compute performance of the M4 and offers graphics performance that is about 45 percent higher. Overall multithreaded CPU performance is said to be 15 percent faster, and video transcoding is reported to be six times faster than the 2021 M1 iPad Pro. Battery life remains rated at 10 hours, consistent with previous iPad models. However, the new iPad Pro introduces fast charging for the first time, allowing users to charge up to 50 percent in just 30 minutes using a 60W USB-C power adapter. The tablets also feature new connectivity hardware, including the C1X modem, first seen in the recent iPhone Air, for optional 5G cellular data. A new Apple-designed N1 chip handles Wi-Fi 7, Bluetooth 6, and Thread connectivity, promising improved reliability for features like Personal Hotspot and AirDrop. Physically, the 2025 iPad Pros retain the ultra-thin and light design of their predecessors. The 11-inch model is 5.3mm thick and weighs just under one pound, while the 13-inch model is 5.1mm thick and weighs 1.29 pounds. Both continue to feature the tandem OLED Ultra Display XDR screens with 1,000 nits of full-screen brightness and 1,600 nits of peak brightness for HDR content. Pricing remains unchanged from the previous generation. The 11-inch iPad Pro starts at $999 for the 256GB Wi-Fi model, while the 13-inch model starts at $1,299. Adding 5G connectivity increases the price by $200 for each model. Pre-orders are available now, with availability beginning on October 22.
