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Apple has quietly upgraded its iPad Pro lineup with fresh silicon and improved connectivity, bringing the 11-inch and 13-inch models up to speed with the company's latest chips and fast-charging features. These updates focus on raw performance, AI gains, and better external display support—without changing the design users already know.
What’s new under the hood: the M5 takes center stage
The headline change is the new M5 chip, which Apple is also deploying in the 14-inch MacBook Pro and Vision Pro. The M5 packs a flexible 10-core CPU—up to four performance cores and six efficiency cores—paired with a 10-core GPU. Each GPU core includes dedicated neural accelerators, a move designed to accelerate AI workloads directly on device.
Apple says the M5 boosts AI performance by as much as 3.5x compared with the M4 thanks to these neural accelerators. Ray-traced 3D rendering is up about 1.5x, and video transcoding in Final Cut Pro is roughly 1.2x faster. Memory bandwidth jumps to 153GB/s, helping feed the CPU and GPU for sustained workloads.
Better external displays and adaptive sync
One practical upgrade: the new iPad Pro models can now drive external displays at up to 120Hz. Apple also added Adaptive Sync (variable refresh rate/VRR) support for compatible monitors—useful for smoother motion in games and video or lower latency for creative apps.
Memory, wireless and modem upgrades
Apple bumped RAM in the mainstream storage tiers: 256GB and 512GB iPad Pros now ship with 12GB of memory instead of 8GB, while the 1TB and 2TB configurations stay at 16GB. Networking gets a refresh too, with the N1 wireless chip and the C1X modem—components that debuted earlier in this year’s iPhone models—bringing faster, more efficient connectivity.
Faster charging that actually matters
Charging sees a notable improvement. The new iPad Pros support the same fast-charging standard used by the iPhone 17 line. With a compatible power adapter—Apple’s 40W Dynamic Power Adapter with 60W Max, for example—the company claims the 11-inch iPad Pro can reach 50% in about 30 minutes, and the 13-inch model in roughly 35 minutes.
What hasn’t changed: displays, cameras and ports
Aside from the internal upgrades, the new iPad Pros remain unchanged externally. You’ll still get Apple’s Tandem OLED Ultra Retina XDR displays, a 12MP rear camera, a 12MP Center Stage front camera, a four-speaker audio system, and Thunderbolt/USB4 connectivity. In short: this is an iterative refresh that focuses on performance, AI, and connectivity rather than a redesign.
Pricing and availability
Apple isn’t moving prices. The 11-inch iPad Pro starts at $999, while the 13-inch model begins at $1,299. Cellular variants carry the expected premium, starting at $1,199 for the 11-inch and $1,499 for the 13-inch.
For professionals and power users who prioritize on-device AI tasks, faster external display support, and quicker charging, the M5 iPad Pro is an attractive upgrade. If you own a recent M4-powered iPad Pro, the decision will come down to whether those specific improvements matter for your workflow.
Source: gsmarena
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