Apple has unveiled the latest iPad Pro which moves to the M5 chip and puts on-device AI front and center. Each GPU core now includes a Neural Accelerator, delivering up to 3.5× faster AI performance than M4 and up to 5.6× over M1-based iPad Pro, with a faster 16-core Neural Engine to match.
What’s new under the hood
M5 brings a next-gen GPU with third-gen ray tracing and a CPU Apple calls its fastest ever (up to 10 cores).
Apple cites up to 1.5× faster 3D rendering vs. the prior iPad Pro, plus gains in Final Cut Pro for iPad, Draw Things, and DaVinci Resolve AI tasks. Unified memory bandwidth climbs past 150 GB/s, storage read/write is up to 2× faster, and 256/512GB configs now start with 12GB of unified memory.
Plus, this latest model features faster fast-charging, repowering your iPad Pro back up to ~50% in ~30 minutes with a high-wattage USB-C adapter.
Design and display
The iPad Pro design remains ultra-thin at 5.3 mm on the 11-inch model and 5.1 mm on the 13-inch model. The device comes in space black or silver.
The Ultra Retina XDR tandem-OLED panel supports 1000 nits full-screen HDR/SDR and 1600 nits HDR peak, with a nano-texture glass option for glare reduction. New on the M5 iPad Pro is support for external displays up to 120Hz and Adaptive Sync for lower latency—nice updates for gaming and professional application use.
Faster wireless: N1 and C1X
M5 iPad Pro also adds the N1 wireless chip with Wi-Fi 7, Bluetooth 6, and Thread for better hotspot/AirDrop reliability. Cellular versions get Apple’s C1X modem with up to 50% faster data and up to 30% less power for active cellular use, plus GPS.
iPadOS 26 highlights
iPadOS 26 debuted earlier this year with a new windowing system and menu bar that make multitasking and command access more desktop-like. Plus there’s an upgraded Files app (default app setting, improved List view, Dock folders), and the Preview app for PDFs with Apple Pencil Markup.
Background Tasks and audio input controls tap Apple silicon more effectively, and Apple Intelligence adds features like Live Translation and smarter Shortcuts actions while keeping processing on device where possible.
Sizes, accessories, price, availability
The M5 iPad Pro is available in 11-inch and 13-inch sizes with 256GB–2TB storage. Apple Pencil Pro and Apple Pencil (USB-C) are supported, and the thin-and-light Magic Keyboard (with floating design and function row) returns. Pricing (U.S.): 11-inch Wi-Fi $999, Wi-Fi + Cellular $1,199; 13-inch Wi-Fi $1,299, Wi-Fi + Cellular $1,499. Education pricing lowers each by $100–$200. Pre-orders start today; in-store availability begins Wednesday, October 22.
