A tandem-OLED, M5 powerhouse that finally outruns what iPadOS can ask of it.

Apple iPad Pro 13-inch (M5)

Apple

The best screen and fastest chip in any tablet make this the one to buy if you edit video, draw professionally, or want a device that stays fast for years. But iPadOS still can't fully use the M5, so most people should save the money and get the Air.

The iPad Pro 13-inch is the tablet every other tablet is measured against, and the M5 model widens that lead. The tandem-OLED Ultra Retina XDR display is the headline: genuine OLED black levels, 1600 nits of HDR peak brightness, and 120Hz ProMotion that almost nothing else in the category matches. For watching, drawing, and color work, nothing looks better. Underneath, the M5 chip is laptop-grade — it chews through 4K and ProRes video, 3D rendering, and aggressive multitasking, paired with 12GB of RAM, Thunderbolt/USB 4, Wi-Fi 7, and up to 2TB of storage. Add the Apple Pencil Pro and the Magic Keyboard and you have the most complete create-and-type setup on any slate, backed by the best app library and the longest update runway in tablets. The catch is the one reviewers have flagged for years: iPadOS still can't fully exploit this hardware. Outside a handful of pro creative apps, you're buying headroom you may never reach, and the real price stings once the keyboard and pencil push the total past a capable laptop. If you're a professional creator or want a device that won't feel slow until the 2030s, it's worth it. If not, the iPad Air gives you most of this for less than half the money.

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Last reviewed Jun 25, 2026

What we like

• ✓The best display in any tablet — tandem OLED with true blacks, 1600-nit HDR, and 120Hz ProMotion
• ✓M5 handles 4K/ProRes editing, 3D, and heavy multitasking without breaking a sweat
• ✓Apple Pencil Pro plus the Magic Keyboard make the most complete creative-and-typing setup on a tablet
• ✓Thunderbolt/USB 4, Wi-Fi 7, and up to 2TB cover serious pro workflows
• ✓Best app library and the longest software support in the category

Trade-offs

• −iPadOS still can't fully exploit the M5 — the chip outruns what the software lets you do
• −Brutally expensive once you add the $300+ Magic Keyboard and Apple Pencil Pro
• −Overkill for streaming, reading, and email — you pay for headroom you may never use
• −The 13-inch size is less comfortable as a handheld reader than smaller tablets