Worth a lot of money!

Experiencing the iPad Pro M5 after 1 month confirms the power of the M5 chip and superior battery life compared to its predecessor.

Last month Apple just launched the iPad Pro M5, I decided to “upgrade” from the old M4. At first, when I first held the camera, I felt good, but it was only after a month of “plowing” with this 13-inch version that I really felt its “deliciousness”.

If your “type” is a warrior of strength, here is a suggestion for you:

Small but “powerful” changes

If you place the iPad Pro M5 next to the M4, at first glance you will see that they are… no different. There is no new design, nor are there any flashy external features other than the M5 chip.

However, after a month of actual use, I realized that those small upgrades combined created a completely different experience.

Instead of dry lists, I will tell you what I feel. That’s the power of the new M5 chip, faster and more RAM, better 5G modem, new wireless chip, fast charging and super smooth 120Hz discrete screen output. At first glance, it doesn’t seem like a must-have, especially for those using M4. But for someone like me who uses an iPad to work all day, these changes are really worth it.

Smoother performance and longer battery life thanks to the new chip

Apple has equipped the new C1X modem chip into this iPad, and we must admit that it works very well.

My job requires using 4G/5G for hours every day. Although I haven’t measured it with specialized machinery, the connection feels much more stable than the old model. Most important is battery life. I clearly feel that the battery lasts longer thanks to this C1X chip that manages energy very well.

In the past, every time I took my phone out to work, I always had to pay attention to the battery percentage. But now I feel much more comfortable. Apple says that the new chip saves 30% more power than the M4 when using the mobile network, and I believe this number is true.

In addition to battery and signal, the M5 chip and large amount of RAM help the iPadOS 26 operating system run “smooth as velvet”. The slight pauses or lags that were sometimes encountered on old machines have now completely disappeared. In addition, the fast charging feature is also a big plus, a lifesaver for me when I only have time to stop by the house for a bit and then have to leave immediately.

A machine ready for the future

Previously, when reviewing the iPad Pro, people often said that the device’s hardware was too powerful and too far ahead of its time compared to the software.

With the iPad Pro M5, the “ahead of its time” story still holds true, but in a much more positive direction.

The iPadOS 26 operating system is finally powerful enough to take full advantage of the hardware’s capabilities. For the first time, I see the hardware and software of the iPad as a perfect pair, equally talented.

Moreover, with the excess power of the M5 chip and the latest technologies inside, this device is more than capable of “balancing” all the features that Apple will launch in the future. It has a huge performance margin that older models have a hard time keeping up with.

Should I upgrade?

If you’re using older iPads, switching to the iPad Pro M5 will be a great leap. If you own an M4, you can completely skip this one to save money because your device is still very good.

However, for my personal and specific work needs, this iPad Pro M5 is a much better upgrade than expected.