Apple’s latest M5 iPad Pro has arrived, powered by the new M5 chip, and as expected, it’s being marketed as “the most powerful iPad ever.” But let’s be honest, that line gets trotted out every single time there’s a new launch, and we can’t take their word for it. So, let’s take a look at what is actually new here and wonder if these updates actually count as something new.
First off, yes, the M5 chip is better than the previous one. It handles AI tasks better and offers smoother performance across the board. But unless you are from a creative field editing videos on the daily, designing 3D models, using demanding apps, or someone with OCD, you might not even notice the extra horsepower.
Apple also claims improvements in battery life—it’s now fast-charge capable, offering up to 50% charge in 35 minutes when using the new 40W Dynamic Power Adapter (60W max) or any USB-C adapter of 60W or higher (sold separately, of course). The display is slightly brighter too—but these updates are too insignificant to even pretend that this new iPad model is revolutionary.
If you put the M4 and M5 chips side by side, they look… suspiciously similar. Both offer a 9- or 10-core CPU, a 10-core GPU, and the same 16-core Neural Engine. Apple insists the M5’s version is “more advanced” with Neural Accelerators borrowed from the iPhone 17’s A19 chip which supposedly make AI handling 3.5× faster than the M4. But they say a lot of things, and if we listen to all of that, this device is practically on par with the Shaka Laka Book Boom pencil—bringing your designs to life.
Want a dose of reality? Don’t look at the launch page—head to Apple’s product comparison page. That’s where the smoke clears. Aside from the M5 chip, the M5 iPad Pro is basically last year’s model with a slightly different core. Same design, same camera, same accessories. Even the “new” features are more refinements than innovations.
The one other decent thing they have done is bumping the base RAM by 50%. So the entry-level M5 iPad Pro now comes with 12GB instead of 8GB.
Final thoughts? Apple has clearly focused only on the chip and let everything else stay the same with the M5 iPad Pro. Unless you really are a sucker for power, this feels less like a new product and more like a fancy marketing for some very minor upgrades. Speaking of marketing, the tagline for the M5 iPad Pro is— “Mmmmm. Power.” Unfortunately, it looks like Apple’s marketing team is also tracing the footsteps of their R&D team and have given up on innovation. Mmmmm. Lazy much?
The new iPad Pro is available in two sizes—11-inch and 13-inch—and two colors: Space Black and Silver. Prices start at ₹99,900 for the 11-inch model and ₹1,29,900 for the 13-inch model. Pre-orders are open now, and it will be available in stores from October 22, 2025.
