In their early days, the iPad and MacBook were distinct devices that served completely different purposes. Recently, Apple began blurring the lines between the two, with the tablet gaining power-user features once exclusive to laptops.
The latest iPad Pro with the M5 chip marks another milestone in this transition, featuring upgraded technology that allows more users to actually use it as a practical MacBook substitute. At this point, the iPad Pro is thinner, lighter, and more portable than a MacBook Air—and even surpasses it in performance and so many other aspects.
Performance: M5 power, with more AI
When buying a new computer, you typically look into its processing power first. You wouldn’t want the operating system to lag or apps to crash while you get everyday work done. While, for good reason, one would assume a MacBook Air is more capable than a tablet, the latest iPad Pro just changed the game.
The new iPad Pro packs Apple’s latest M5 chip, currently exclusive to it, the 14-inch MacBook Pro, and the second-gen Vision Pro. According to Apple, the 10-core CPU’s multithreaded performance is up to 15 percent faster than that of its predecessor. Similarly, the M5’s 10-core GPU’s peak performance can surpass the M4’s by up to 30 percent. That’s not to mention the all-new Neural Accelerators embedded in each core, which supercharge AI-centric, on-device workflows.
The iPad Pro’s M5 chip enables better graphics and AI processing.
Apple
While the everyday CPU and GPU performance of the M4 and M5 chips may be somewhat comparable, the Neural Accelerators could make the iPad Pro more future-proof. After all, Apple and third parties are actively rolling out fresh batches of AI features, many of which work completely offline.
So, if the tasks you run don’t require the power of a Pro or Max variant of the M chip, the iPad Pro M5 should be sufficient for your computing needs. Apple’s MacBook Pro will almost certainly get the M5 chip next year, but it’ll just be catching up with the high-end capabilities of Apple’s new tablet.
Memory: More RAM, faster SSD
The M5 chip’s perks extend beyond just the superior CPU, GPU, and Neural Engine. The base iPad Pro model now boasts 12GB of RAM—a notable increase from its predecessor’s 8GB—and the 1TB and 2TB models get 16GB, as much as the entry-level MacBook Air.
Other M5 privileges include the faster 153GB/s memory bandwidth, a welcome increase from the M4’s 120GB/s rate. If you actively handle large files on your computing device, you’ll appreciate the iPad Pro M5’s swifter read and write speeds. Beyond that, both the iPad Pro M5 and MacBook Air M4 support data transfers at up to 40Gb/s via their Thunderbolt ports. So, just like the MacBook, the iPad should work with external storage devices reliably.
Connectivity: Apple-made, efficient chips
Another key reason you’d want an iPad Pro is the exclusive cellular connectivity absent from Air and Pro MacBooks. If you work on the go, your MacBook would need to connect to your iPhone’s hotspot, which isn’t always reliable or energy efficient. Meanwhile, the cellular edition of the iPad Pro can connect directly to 5G cell towers, sparing you the aforementioned hassle.
With the M5 iPad Pro, Apple is making 5G connectivity less power-hungry by adopting its in-house C1X modem. In a similar fashion, it bumps the Wi-Fi generation from 6E to 7 and Bluetooth from 5.3 to 6 through its more dependable, all-in-one N1 networking chipset.
To make using the iPad Pro M5 outdoors even more feasible, Apple has also finally introduced fast charging support. Using a 60W adapter, you can now top up half of your iPad’s battery in about 30 minutes.
The iPad Pro can now power 120Hz external displays.
Apple
Display: 120Hz external monitors
Apart from the size difference, the iPad Pro’s display outshines that of the MacBook Air in every relevant way. With the tablet, you’re getting a touch-enabled OLED panel with a pixel density of 264 ppi, 1,600-nit peak brightness, 120Hz ProMotion refresh rate, Apple Pencil support, nano-texture glass option, and more. And with the M5 edition, Apple is finally letting iPad Pro users drive external displays at up to 120Hz.
The MacBook Air, on the other hand, gets an LED panel with a lower pixel density of 224 ppi, 500-nit brightness, 60Hz refresh rate, and no touch or stylus input. Its external display refresh rate is also limited to 60Hz, resulting in sluggish graphics-related workflows. While the MacBook Pro addresses many of these restrictions, certain users simply want a gorgeous screen without paying for Pro power they don’t necessarily need.
iPadOS 26: Lightweight macOS
When Apple first retired iOS on the iPad in favor of the iPadOS branding, it was essentially still the same OS with very few exclusive features. Since then, Apple has been annually boosting iPadOS with more advanced tools and capabilities, bringing it closer to macOS.
iPadOS 26, for example, introduces a comprehensive windowing system that mimics that on the Mac. Apple has also unified the user interface on the two platforms with the latest Liquid Glass overhaul, so both look and behave in a corresponding manner. And when paired with a Magic Keyboard, it’s tantalizingly close to a touch-screen running a slimline version of macOS.
While iPadOS 26 still doesn’t support sideloading software like the Mac, the iPad’s App Store is jam-packed with well-optimized apps that utilize the larger canvas and power of M chips. As such, you’ll find most of the popular productivity suites, like Apple’s Final Cut Pro and Adobe’s various apps. The latest OS version also supports a new Background Tasks API, making multitasking even more convenient. iPadOS is no longer the restrained, stretched iOS clone it once used to be.
