The Apple iPad Pro featuring the M5: Unapologetic Power

The latest model of the iPad Pro by Apple exemplifies the potential that arises when ambition is unrestrained.

Apple concluded 2025 triumphantly with the grand introduction of its innovative M5 processor. In its official news release, the title states, “Apple unveils M5, the next significant advancement in AI performance for Apple silicon,” and indeed, they have introduced a formidable chip. The 14-inch MacBook Pro, Apple Vision Pro, and iPad Pro have been equipped with the M5 chip, enhancing the performance of each device uniquely. Today's emphasis is on the latest iPad Pro, now in its eighth generation and the most impressive version to date.

Following the iPhone's remarkable debut on January 9, 2007, Steve Jobs aimed to connect Apple's laptop and smartphone product lines. It was ultimately prepared on 27 January 2010 when that idea manifested in the form of the iPad during Jobs' keynote address. Jobs characterised the iPad with the terms “magical and revolutionary” and designated it as a “third category of device” (i.e., a tablet) to address that void. Fifteen years later, that disparity has significantly diminished, reflecting the advancements in the personal computing sector.

How can a technology behemoth such as Apple maintain its competitive edge in the tablet market? Through iteration and innovation. The endeavour was significantly more challenging, requiring a deeper understanding of the iPad's target audience and therefore providing more value to its customers. In 2015, Apple unveiled the first-generation iPad Pro, which offered enhanced computing capabilities for professionals and creatives. A delineation was abruptly established within the identical product lineage, akin to the standard iPhone, Pro, and Pro Max models. The iPad Pro 1st Generation was equipped with the A9X CPU, boasted a 12.9-inch display (the largest on any iPad at the time), and supported Apple Pencil compatibility.

Throughout the years, advancements such True Tone display, ProMotion, and Liquid Retina display were unveiled, alongside enhancements in chipsets, RAM, internal storage, battery capacity, and camera in later versions. In 2021, Apple significantly transformed its offerings by launching the M1 chip for the iPad Pro 5th Generation, which dramatically enhanced its processing capabilities. The iPad Pro 5th Gen was close to rivalling the laptop's domain, but it was not until the release of the iPad Pro 8th Gen this year that it truly achieved that status.

The M5 is important to the direction in which the user manoeuvres the iPad Pro 8th Gen, and it can withstand significant force. The official press release characterises the M5 chip as a "10-core GPU [which] introduces a novel architecture featuring a Neural Accelerator in each core, yielding a substantial enhancement in GPU performance for AI tasks." Official processing data indicates that the iPad Pro 8th Gen provides up to 3.5 times the AI performance of the iPad Pro with M4 and up to 5.6 times faster performance than the iPad Pro with M1. What are the real-world applications of this? Tasks in Final Cut Pro, DaVinci Resolve, Adobe Illustrator, Procreate, and others are executed with remarkable performance and efficiency.

Adjacent to the M5 is iPadOS 26, considered the most proficient collaborator to elevate the iPad experience significantly. The newly designed Liquid Glass interface prioritises seamless multitasking. I emphasise seamlessness because, for the first time, the operating system includes "Windowed Apps," enabling the simultaneous opening of numerous resizable and moveable application windows on your screen. Indeed, that implies streaming a YouTube video concurrently while utilising another application. There are several methods to accomplish this: by long-pressing an application and selecting “New Window,” or by dragging an application icon from the dock to the primary window. When utilising any application, swiping down unveils the menu bar together with the red, yellow, and green window buttons. Additional advantages of iPadOS 26 encompass an enhanced Files application and improved integration with Apple Intelligence.

The iPad Pro 8th Gen features an 11-inch or 13-inch display (5.3mm and 5.1mm in thickness, respectively) and offers storage options of 256GB, 512GB, 1TB, and 2TB, available in silver or space black finishes. The 256GB and 512GB models utilise the M5 chip with a 9-core CPU, 10-core GPU, and 12GB of RAM, and the 1TB and 2TB models are equipped with the M5 chip comprising a 10-core CPU, 10-core GPU, and 16GB of RAM.

The iPad Pro 8th Gen features an Ultra Retina XDR display, ProMotion, and True Tone, offering 1000 nits of full-screen brightness for SDR and HDR video, with a peak brightness of 1600 nits for HDR content. A nano-textured display glass option is offered for individuals engaged in high-end, color-managed workflows or operating in difficult lighting environments. The battery capacity has been enhanced to around 10 hours of usage and provides rapid charging, achieving 50% in 30 minutes with an optional high-wattage USB-C power converter, such as Apple's new 40W Dynamic Power converter with a maximum output of 60W.

The Apple-designed N1 wireless networking chip offers markedly enhanced connectivity, supporting Wi-Fi 7, Bluetooth 6, and Thread. N1 enhances performance while linked to 5GHz networks, hence augmenting the general efficacy and dependability of functionalities such as Personal Hotspot and AirDrop. The C1X modem enhances cellular models of the iPad Pro, providing up to 50 percent improved cellular data throughput compared to its predecessor, while also increasing efficiency, enabling users to accomplish more while mobile. The iPad Pro 8th Gen is compatible with the Apple Pencil Pro, Apple Pencil USB-C, and the newly designed Magic Keyboard.

The primary conclusion regarding the iPad Pro 8th Gen is its demonstration of the potential achievable when desire is unrestrained. The advantages of acquiring the iPad Pro 8th Gen are justified for creatives and professionals who consistently challenge the capabilities of a high-performance ultraportable gadget. The rationale behind the existence of a Pro version of the iPad for the average customer parallels the preference for a Mercedes-AMG over a regular sedan or Balenciaga’s couture over ready-to-wear fashion. The distinction is not essential, but pertains to talent, purpose, and the enjoyment of performance elevated to its farthest limit. The iPad Pro 8th Gen, powered by the M5 and enhanced by iPadOS 26, is a significant turning point in personal computing. It does not supplant a laptop but rather redefines the concept of a portable computer with remarkable assurance. The iPad Pro 8th Gen is a transformative device that subtly redefines the parameters of its category.