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The M5 iPad Pro scores a 23 out of 100 in our database, which is rough for a $2,199 tablet. Connectivity and features are near the bottom of the pack. Unless you are deep in the Apple ecosystem, look elsewhere.

The M5 chip should be a monster, but our database shows the CPU at the 35th percentile and the GPU at the 36th. That is middle of the pack, not top of the charts. RAM sits at the 31st percentile, which is underwhelming for a pro machine. Storage is at the 30th percentile, so you are not getting class-leading capacity either. The battery lands at the 30th percentile, which means you will be hunting for a charger more than you would like. For a device marketed as a pro workflow beast, these numbers are a letdown.

Stacked against the Samsung Galaxy Tab S11 Ultra, the iPad Pro falls behind in raw screen size and feature set. The Microsoft Surface Pro 11 offers a more traditional laptop experience with better productivity chops. The Xiaomi Pad 7 and Lenovo Idea Tab Pro both deliver solid performance at a fraction of the price. Even the Vekfulpc T60 Pro, a budget option, manages to compete in some areas. The iPad Pro's connectivity score in the 9th percentile is a real problem when rivals are shipping with better wireless options.

At $2,199, this thing is a tough sell. You are paying flagship money for a tablet that scores below average in nearly every category we measure. The productivity score of 13.2 out of 100 is the weakest area, which is ironic for a device called iPad Pro. If you are spending this kind of cash, you expect best-in-class performance, not middle of the pack. The value proposition here is shaky at best.

Apple's new iPad Pro with the M5 chip is a weird one. The hardware is undeniably impressive on paper, but our scoring puts it in a strange spot for a flagship tablet. The entertainment score of 23.3 out of 100 is the best thing it has going, and even that is not exactly a flex. The total score of 23 out of 100 tells the real story here. This is a device that costs $2,199 and somehow lands below average in almost every category we track.

Skip this if you need strong connectivity or a rich feature set. The 9th percentile connectivity score means spotty wireless performance, and the 7th percentile feature score means you are missing out on extras that cheaper tablets include. If productivity is your main use case, the 13.2 out of 100 productivity score should send you running to the Microsoft Surface Pro 11 instead.

This iPad Pro is for Apple loyalists who want the latest M5 chip and do not care about our scoring. If you live in the Apple ecosystem and need iPadOS specifically, it will get the job done. But if you are shopping across brands, there are better values out there. The entertainment score is the highlight, so media consumption is fine. Just do not expect it to blow away the competition in productivity or features.