M5 iPad Pro after five days: Was upgrade from M4 worth it?

Apple’s M5 iPad Pro arrived in users’ hands last week, and I’ve been using the 13-inch model ever since. Here are my early impressions of the new M5 iPad Pro after upgrading from the M4 model.

Upgrading to M5 iPad Pro from last year’s M4 model

For nearly 18 months, my primary computer of choice has been the 13-inch M4 iPad Pro.

Apple packed a ton of upgrades into its M4 model, from the chip, to a gorgeous tandem OLED display, ultra-thin new design, and more.

The M5 iPad Pro builds on that foundation, keeping all of the best features of the M4 model while pushing further in key areas.

Ultimately, the M5 iPad Pro offers seven improvements over last year’s M4:

1. powerful M5 chip
2. more and faster RAM
3. C1X 5G modem
4. N1 wireless chip
5. fast charging
6. battery improvements for heavy cellular users
7. 120Hz external display support

By outward appearance, the new model is nearly identical to its predecessor. The only difference is the missing ‘iPad Pro’ words on the back.

Inside though, there are clearly a lot of changes.

Do they really make a difference though? That all depends on your needs. But so far for me, they certainly have.

My experience with the M5 iPad Pro so far

Most people who own an M4 iPad Pro probably shouldn’t upgrade to the M5.

But of course, depending on your needs, and your budget, you might be interested anyways. I certainly was.

And so far, I’ve been pretty happy with what the M5 model has offered.

The allure of performance gains from the M5 chip, combined with more and better RAM, was a big part of what made me want to upgrade in the first place.

For years, iPad hardware has handily outpaced the software. But with iPadOS 26, I finally started seeing my M4 iPad Pro struggle at times.

Window management and resizing has been smoother so far with my M5 model, and I’ve yet to see Safari tabs need to reload. Those were two key improvements I’d hoped the new iPad would offer—and M5 has delivered.

Safari tabs reloading is probably a minor annoyance for most iPad users. For me, however, it can be a big problem when I’m working on a new article and the WordPress editor loses my latest changes.

If I had opted for a higher-tier iPad Pro last year, with 16GB of RAM, I’m not sure how noticeable this year’s changes would actually be. But my M4 model had just 8GB of RAM, and now I have 16GB with my 1TB M5 model.

I also use my iPad Pro on cellular a lot. While I haven’t noticed any differences—for better or worse—with the C1X’s 5G speeds, I have absolutely seen my iPad’s battery last longer.

How much of that is due to having a fresher battery versus the C1X’s better efficiency? It’s hard to say. But I’ve loved not having to worry about battery life nearly as much as with my M4.

Fast charging support on the M5 iPad Pro has similarly been a great addition. Often throughout my week, I’ll be out the first half of the day, then come home briefly for lunch before going out again.

Thanks for fast charging, I can top up my iPad Pro quicker than ever.

Another big draw of the M5 model for me was the chance to get the nano-texture option that I passed on last year. So far, that’s been a welcome upgrade as I often work in environments with lots of sunshine.

Finally, though I haven’t benefited from it yet, I’m also glad for the iPad Pro’s 120Hz external display support.

I don’t yet own a monitor that supports 120Hz, but I’m hopeful that will change with the new Studio Display coming soon. Until then, I know my iPad is future-proofed in that department.

M5 iPad Pro wrap-up: Who should upgrade?

If you have an older iPad Pro, like the 2018 model, or an M1 or M2, the new M5 is a compelling upgrade. Getting all the benefits of the M4 redesign, plus Apple’s latest changes and iPadOS 26, add up to a strong M5 package.

For current M4 users, however, you really have to be a very specific type of iPad power user to consider upgrading to the M5. If the unique gains of the M5 model line up with changes you’ve been wanting on your iPad already, maybe it’s worth considering. But for most people, due to the hefty iPad Pro price tag, I’d recommend holding off for the next model.

Have you been using the M5 iPad Pro, and if so, what did you upgrade from? Let us know in the comments.

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