If you’ve been holding out for a tablet upgrade, 2025 turned out to be a weirdly busy year for Apple. We didn’t just get one "new" tablet; we basically saw the entire lineup shift under our feet. Honestly, the ipad new generation 2025 updates aren't just about faster chips. It's about Apple finally drawing a line in the sand between "this is a toy for Netflix" and "this is a computer that happens to be thin."
Between the surprise March refresh of the iPad Air and the massive M5-powered Pro launch in October, there's a lot of noise. Some of it is marketing fluff. Some of it, like the new iPadOS 26 features, actually changes how you'll use the thing every day.
The M5 iPad Pro: Total Overkill or Just Right?
Let's talk about the October 2025 launch. Apple dropped the iPad Pro with the M5 chip, and the specs are frankly ridiculous. We’re talking about a 10-core GPU that has a "Neural Accelerator" in every single core.
Apple claims it’s 3.5x faster at AI tasks than the M4 model from last year. That sounds like a big number, but what does it actually mean for you? Basically, if you aren't doing heavy diffusion-based image generation in apps like Draw Things or masking 4K video in DaVinci Resolve, you’re never going to see that power. It’s like buying a Ferrari to drive to the grocery store.
The stuff you'll actually notice
- The 1-Nit Display: The Ultra Retina XDR can now drop down to just 1 nit of brightness. If you’ve ever used your iPad in a pitch-black room and felt like you were staring into the sun, you’ll love this.
- Charging Speeds: The 11-inch model can hit a 50% charge in about 30 minutes now.
- Wireless Tech: It finally has Wi-Fi 7 and Bluetooth 6 thanks to the new N1 chip.
- RAM Bump: The base models (256GB/512GB) now come with 12GB of RAM, up from 8GB. This is huge for multitasking.
The M5 iPad Pro starts at $999 for the 13-inch and $949 for the 11-inch. Is it worth it? If you have an M4, no. If you’re still rocking an M1 or an older A-series Pro? Yeah, it feels like a different species of device.
The iPad New Generation 2025: Budget Choices
In March 2025, Apple quietly updated the entry-level iPad. This is the 11th-generation model, and it’s basically the "everything for everyone" tablet. They swapped the old A14 chip for the A16 Bionic.
Here is the catch: it still doesn't support Apple Intelligence.
If you want the fancy AI writing tools or the new Siri, this isn't the one. But for $349, you get a tablet that starts with 128GB of storage (finally!) and handles 99% of what most people do—web browsing, schoolwork, and Roblox. It’s a solid workhorse, even if it feels a little "safe" compared to the Pro.
iPad Air (M3): The Middle Child Gets Faster
The 2025 iPad Air update was all about the M3 chip. It launched alongside the base iPad in March. It’s a bit of a weird spot in the lineup now. It supports the Apple Pencil Pro and the new Magic Keyboard, which makes it a "Pro Lite" for about $599 (11-inch) or $799 (13-inch).
The big news here wasn't just the chip. Apple introduced a black color option for the Magic Keyboard later in the year, and they’ve kept the design identical to the 2024 models. It's arguably the best value in the lineup if you want a big 13-inch screen without paying the $1,299 price tag of the Pro.
Why iPadOS 26 Changed the Game
Hardware is fine, but the real story of the ipad new generation 2025 cycle is iPadOS 26. For years, we’ve complained that the iPad is "just a big iPhone."
Not anymore.
Apple finally added a proper menu bar and a dock that behaves like macOS. You can actually resize windows properly now. They even added the red, yellow, and green buttons for closing and minimizing windows. It’s much more flexible. If you’re using an M-series iPad, you finally have a "Files" app that doesn't feel like it’s fighting you.
What’s Missing? (The OLED Mini Wait)
If you were hoping for a brand-new iPad Mini in 2025, you’re out of luck. The iPad Mini 7 (A17 Pro) from late 2024 is still the current model. Rumors from Bloomberg and supply chain analysts like Ross Young suggest the iPad Mini 8 won't arrive until early 2026.
That future model is expected to be the big one—OLED screen, maybe even water resistance. For now, the 2025 lineup is settled.
Actionable Buying Advice
Shopping for a tablet right now is mostly about matching your budget to your patience.
If you need a "real" computer replacement, go for the M5 iPad Pro, but only if you need the 120Hz ProMotion screen or the extra RAM for professional apps. Most users will find the M3 iPad Air is the "Goldilocks" zone—it has the power for Apple Intelligence and supports all the best accessories without the "Pro" tax.
Avoid the 11th-gen base iPad if you care about AI features. It’s a great kid’s tablet or a "couch device," but it’s technically "last-gen" tech the moment you take it out of the box. If you want the smallest possible device, wait for 2026. The current Mini is fine, but that OLED upgrade next year is going to be a massive jump in quality for reading and gaming.
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Check your current battery health before you buy. If your iPad is from 2022 or later, you might be better off sticking with what you have and just updating to iPadOS 26 to get the new software features.