Buying a tablet shouldn't feel like a math exam, but here we are. Honestly, the iPad Pro 5th Gen—specifically the 12.9-inch powerhouse released in 2021—remains one of the weirdest, most capable, and occasionally frustrating devices Apple ever built. It was the moment the iPad stopped being just a "big iPhone" and started pretending to be a MacBook.
You probably remember the hype. Apple shoved the M1 chip, the same silicon powering their laptops, into a slim piece of glass. It was overkill. Pure, unadulterated overkill. Even now, years later, most apps barely scratch the surface of what that 8-core GPU can actually do. But does that mean you should buy one today, or is it just a glorified Netflix machine with a fancy screen?
The Liquid Retina XDR Reality Check
Let’s talk about that display. If you’re looking at the 12.9-inch iPad Pro 5th Gen, you’re getting the Liquid Retina XDR. It uses Mini-LED technology.
What does that actually mean for your eyeballs? Basically, Apple packed over 10,000 tiny LEDs into the back of the screen. It hits 1,000 nits of full-screen brightness and can peak at 1,600 nits for HDR content. It’s gorgeous. Deep blacks. Vivid colors.
But there’s a catch.
"Blooming" is a real thing. If you’re watching a movie in a pitch-black room and there’s a white logo on a black background, you might see a faint glow around the bright parts. Some people hate it. Most people don't notice it until a tech reviewer points it out with a macro lens. If you’re a professional colorist or a photographer like Austin Mann, who famously tests these things in the field, this screen is a mobile dream. If you just want to scroll TikTok, the 11-inch model with its standard LCD is honestly fine.
That M1 Chip is Still Ridiculous
The M1 transition changed everything. Before the iPad Pro 5th Gen, iPad chips were "A-series" variants. Fast, sure, but limited. The M1 brought a desktop-class architecture that basically told developers, "No more excuses."
Here is the thing: iPadOS is still the bottleneck.
You have all this power, but you're still working within Apple's walled garden. Stage Manager improved multitasking, and yes, the iPad Pro 5th Gen supports it fully because of that M1 chip and the 8GB (or 16GB on higher storage models) of RAM. But it’s not macOS. You can’t just run whatever you want.
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- Video Editing: LumaFusion and DaVinci Resolve fly on this thing. 4K 60fps footage? It doesn't even get warm.
- Gaming: Resident Evil Village and Death Stranding run on this hardware. It’s a console in your backpack.
- Daily Tasks: Overkill. Your emails won't send any faster.
The 5th Gen was also the first to introduce 5G connectivity and Thunderbolt 4. If you have a high-speed external drive, you can move files at up to 40Gbps. That’s a niche feature, but for creators like Peter McKinnon or anyone moving massive video files, it was the "Pro" feature they actually needed.
The Battery and Portability Trade-off
Weight matters. The 12.9-inch iPad Pro 5th Gen is heavy. Add a Magic Keyboard, and you’re carrying more weight than a MacBook Air. It’s a dense sandwich of aluminum and glass.
Battery life is "all day," which in Apple-speak usually means about 10 hours of web browsing. If you’re pushing the M1 chip with high-brightness HDR video or heavy rendering, expect that number to drop fast. It's a powerhouse, but it's thirsty.
- You've got the Center Stage camera. The 12MP Ultra Wide front camera literally follows you around during FaceTime calls. It’s creepy but cool.
- The speakers. Four of them. They sound better than most mid-range laptops.
- Apple Pencil 2 support. It’s still the gold standard for digital artists.
Why People Get This Model Wrong
A common misconception is that the 5th Gen is "old" because the M2 and M4 models exist. Technically, yes, it's a few years old. But the performance gap between M1 and M2 in daily use is almost imperceptible for 90% of users.
The 5th Gen was a "leap" year. Everything after it has been an "iterative" year.
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If you find a refurbished 12.9-inch 5th Gen, you are getting the Mini-LED screen for hundreds less than the newer M4 OLED models. The M4 is thinner and lighter, sure, but does that justify a $1,000 price difference when you include the accessories? Probably not for most people.
Expert Nuance: The RAM Factor
Most people don't realize the iPad Pro 5th Gen comes in two flavors of RAM. If you buy the 128GB, 256GB, or 512GB models, you get 8GB of RAM. If you shell out for the 1TB or 2TB storage versions, Apple bumps the RAM to 16GB.
Does it matter?
For Procreate artists, yes. More RAM means more layers. If you're working on a massive 300 DPI canvas, those extra layers are the difference between finishing a project and hitting a "memory limit" wall. For everyone else, 8GB on iPadOS is plenty.
What to Watch Out For
If you’re buying used—which is the smartest way to get an iPad Pro 5th Gen right now—check the battery health. iPadOS doesn't make this easy to see like the iPhone does. You usually need a Mac and an app like CoconutBattery to see the actual cycle count.
Also, check the charging port. Since it’s a Thunderbolt port, people tend to plug and unplug heavy docks, which can wear the port down over time. Give it a wiggle. If it feels loose, skip it.
Your Next Steps
If you are looking to upgrade from an older A-series iPad or a base-model iPad Air, the 5th Gen Pro is a massive jump. It’s the "sweet spot" of the secondary market right now.
1. Identify your size. If you want a laptop replacement, get the 12.9-inch for that XDR screen. If you want a tablet for the couch, the 11-inch is much more comfortable to hold for long periods.
2. Hunt for refurbished deals. Look at Apple’s official refurbished store or reputable vendors like Back Market. Since the M4 release, prices for the 5th Gen have dropped significantly.
3. Budget for the Pencil. Don't buy this device without the Apple Pencil 2 unless you strictly use it for media consumption. The pencil is what makes the "Pro" experience feel complete.
4. Check the storage. Remember that iPadOS doesn't have a trash bin that empties itself like a PC. 128GB fills up fast if you're downloading 4K movies or large games. Go for 256GB if you can.
The iPad Pro 5th Gen isn't just a tablet; it’s a long-term investment. Even in 2026, the M1 chip is likely to receive iPadOS updates for several more years, making it one of the most sustainable tech purchases you can make today. It has plenty of life left.