Apple iPad Pro 13" M5 2025, 12GB, 256GB, Cellular, Space Black

The iPad Pro M5 has the best display we've ever tested and enough power to embarrass most laptops. It's expensive, but if you're a creative, it's worth every penny.

The M5 10-core chip paired with 12GB of RAM chews through everything we threw at it. It lands in the top tier of our CPU and GPU charts, which means pro apps like DaVinci Resolve and Procreate feel instant. What surprised us most is the battery. A 39Wh cell doesn't sound huge on paper, but it ranks in the top 2% of all tablets we've tested. Apple's silicon efficiency is doing some heavy lifting here.

The Samsung Galaxy Tab S11 Ultra is the only real competitor here, and it's a genuine toss-up if you prefer Android. Samsung's 14.6-inch panel is gorgeous and the S Pen comes in the box, which Apple still makes you pay extra for. The Microsoft Surface Pro 11 runs full Windows, which matters if you need desktop apps, but its display and battery life don't touch the iPad. The Xiaomi Pad 7 is a great budget alternative at roughly a third of the price, but it's not in the same performance league.

Pricing is all over the place right now. We're seeing USD 1,000 to USD 1,700 across 30 US listings, which is a massive spread. Best Buy has the most consistent pricing if you want new, but Newegg's refurbished units are the real value play if you don't mind a lightly used device. At the low end of that range, this is a no-brainer for creatives. At the high end, you're paying early adopter tax.

The iPad Pro M5 is the best tablet display we've ever tested, bar none. That 13-inch Ultra Retina XDR OLED panel hits 1600 nits and sits at the absolute top of our screen rankings. If you do anything visual, from editing photos to watching movies, this thing will ruin other screens for you. The M5 chip is predictably absurd too, but let's be real, the display is the headline here.

If you just want a tablet for Netflix, browsing, and light email, this is massive overkill. Go get an iPad Air or even a base iPad and spend the savings on something else. Same goes if you need a real desktop OS, the Surface Pro 11 runs full Windows and will serve you better for actual computer work.

Buy it if you're a creative professional or anyone who values the best screen on a portable device. The M5 iPad Pro is overkill for most people, but that's kind of the point. If you're editing video, drawing, or doing serious photo work, this is the tablet to get. Everyone else should save their money and grab an iPad Air.