New iPad Pro Has Six Key Upgrades Beyond M5 Chip

[DEMinSoCAL]

I guess we’ll see cellular Macbooks soon with Apple’s in house custom chip.

Funny how Windows laptops had cellular chips in them for YEARS and due to low demand, you're hard-pressed to find one now that does (and when you do, it's some uber-expensive business model), but so many Mac users are clamoring for a cellular MacBook! One has to wonder if Apple sees a big enough market to add the expense to a MBP and the additional power draw cellular brings?

I see it as a business-user request, mainly, because consumers have cell phones with hotspot included for the times here or there that you don't have WIFI. Will Apple cater to the business-user Mac consumer? Would it be a configurable option for extra $$$ or does every MBP get cellular?

 

[switz]

My M4 11" iPad Pro cellular with 2TB and Apple keyboard seems faster than my M4 MacBook Air. The display is fast and does the job. No need for the same configuration M5 iPad Pro.

My wallet will not be dispensing any dollars to Apple for any M5 gear this year nor the iPhone 17 Pro Max.

 

[whatta]

I have iPad Pro 11” 1TB so 16 GB ram. It will be very hard to justify an upgrade any time soon. It’s an amazing device. From the improvements listed I mostly miss the WiFi 7 from my iPad..

 

[whatta]

User Profiles - that's the only thing I'm waiting for yet Apple refuse to announce'n'deliver it

At least a guest profile with safari browsing without handing over my whole life (iMessage, email, social media, photos etc)

 

[ratspg]

Funny how Windows laptops had cellular chips in them for YEARS and due to low demand, you're hard-pressed to find one now that does (and when you do, it's some uber-expensive business model), but so many Mac users are clamoring for a cellular MacBook! One has to wonder if Apple sees a big enough market to add the expense to a MBP and the additional power draw cellular brings?

I see it as a business-user request, mainly, because consumers have cell phones with hotspot included for the times here or there that you don't have WIFI. Will Apple cater to the business-user Mac consumer? Would it be a configurable option for extra $$$ or does every MBP get cellular?

It's more about Apple controlling the majority of the chips inside their devices.
Edit: Most likely also the blending of iPadOS and MacOS, too.

 

[rp2011]

The biggest bottleneck for these machines have always been the RAM. The12GB for the regular modes is a huge improvement that will help the M5 models not become quickly obsolete like the M4 8GB certainly are.

No one expects to be doing extended large workloads on these machines, but you should at least be able to open larger files, modify and save them. With only 8G it's dubious anyone can do much with the extra power of the M4. Hopefully the next version comes standard with 16

 

[platinumaqua]

I'm not sure if I'm the only one experiencing this but on iOS and iPadOS devices I have never really noticed RAM bumps. I have the M2 iPad Pro, which has 8GB of RAM and I have tabs and apps having to refresh/reopen all the time, with all kind of apps (I know there are apps that are made to refresh constantly for security or other reasons). So I think that that added 4GB of RAM can easily be overrated, unless it can actually be used to good effect for intensive single tasks like exports (don't know for sure).

And I have had the same experience with iPhones, I have an old iPhone 13 here which I use to read stuff in my bed while my 17 is charging sometimes. Both devices keep as many apps in memory while my 17 has 4GB more.

I think that in some strange way RAM is more useful on iPhones because apparently the device needs it for processing images fast enough. To run those calculations of those camera features.

Concur. My M1 iPad Pro still had refreshes day1 in 2021 when apps were designed for 4GB/6GB maximum RAM.

 

[DragonRider]

Sticking with my M1 iPad Pro for now.... really want wireless charging. Event though my iPad Pro only charges via usbc with specific cables to my Mac or via this.

KU XIU Magnetic Wireless Charger for iPad Pro 11 (1st/2nd/3rd/4th) & iPad Air 11 (M2/M3) & iPad Air 10.9 (4th/5th), 18W Fast Charging Smart Connector Charger Pad with 5.56ft USB-C Cable (Adapter Not)

KU XIU world's first magnetic wireless charging pad for ipad charger, wired to wireless, plug to snap. Compatibility: M30 for ipad wireless charger is only compatible with the iPad Pro 11 (1st/2nd/3rd/4th) & iPad Air 11 (M2/M3) & iPad Air 10.9 (4th/5th). Important Notes: 1) Not compatible with iP...

www.amazon.com

 

[dotzero123]

I'm surprised that there was no RAM bump in the TB models.

 

[Downundermac]

I’d like one but it’s so ridiculously overpriced down here in NZ and is that OS small business ready without multiple workarounds…? A 512gb 13“ wifi with the keyboard and Apple Pencil is $4000 excl AppleCare (a full $1k more than a base M5 MBP 14” 512gb at just under $3k). You pretty much need those two accessories for creative and productivity workflows.

 

[FriendlyMackle]

The WiFi 7 spec only gets half the WiFi 7 speed because of no 320 mhz channel. The cellular, meh, and the ram if you had a M4 with 1-2 TB you already have 16 GB ram.

A very small improvement for a very large price IMHO. Easy skip unless on a M2 or older device.

I’m still on an M1 ipad pro 13” and I’m not sure I see much of an improvement here (for me), other than a new battery! For it’s capabilities, the M1 ipad pro still feels very speedy, even with ‘only’ 8GB of RAM. And while I did look at the stated core speed and processing measurement improvements, do most users notice any actual improvement in daily use — web browsing, reading documents, writing, emails? Just curious to hear people’s thoughts. And yes, why is the WiFi “7” gimped at half speed/bandwidth??

 

[FriendlyMackle]

My M1 iPad pro is seems to be doing just fine - what can the M5 bring?

My feeling EXACTLY. I have a 13” M1 Ipad Pro, I would like to update simply because my battery life feels like it is shorter than it was a year ago, but other than a new battery that comes as part of a new device, this doesn’t sound compelling. And the limited quasi- WiFi 7 with 50% bandwidth just bothers me in a new $1K+ device.

 

[FriendlyMackle]

Funny how Windows laptops had cellular chips in them for YEARS and due to low demand, you're hard-pressed to find one now that does (and when you do, it's some uber-expensive business model), but so many Mac users are clamoring for a cellular MacBook! One has to wonder if Apple sees a big enough market to add the expense to a MBP and the additional power draw cellular brings?

I see it as a business-user request, mainly, because consumers have cell phones with hotspot included for the times here or there that you don't have WIFI. Will Apple cater to the business-user Mac consumer? Would it be a configurable option for extra $$$ or does every MBP get cellular?

I remember when I bought my first ipad back in 2010 (I think it was?), Apple handed out surveys while we waited to ask what features we’d like to see in upcoming macbooks — and cellular was one of the questions (to which I answered ‘extreme’ interest!). So they have been considering it for at least 15 years. I imagine that the battery impact of cellular while using Intel chips was too severe. Not to mention the need for a Qualcomm cellular chip; now that they’re making their OWN cellular chips, and are optimizing for battery life, maybe we’ll see this happen. But given that people can so easily use their phones and ipads as hotspots, I wonder if there is much of a market, as it would also necessitate yet another add-on cost for cell service! Whereas my iphone cell plan now includes a huge amount of hotspot allocation.

 

[Reason077]

Apple's custom N1 chip for Wi-Fi 7 and Bluetooth 6.

Why doesn’t the MacBook Pro M5 use the N1 chip?

It’s getting weird that iPhones and iPads have better WiFi support than the flagship MacBook Pro.

 

[Reason077]

And the limited quasi- WiFi 7 with 50% bandwidth just bothers me in a new $1K+ device.

Not really. 160 MHz is the same max channel width as WiFi 6e, but will still get you faster speeds and many other benefits due to other improvements in WiFi 7.

Besides, public and commercial WiFi hotspots are almost never configured with such wide channels (even 160 MHz is a very wide channel) because it makes it very difficult to support large numbers of devices reliably. So in most scenarios there is no practical difference.

Anyway, if it’s just the battery thats bothering you I’d recommend getting it replaced. Highly worthwhile for $99 or whatever they charge.

 

[FriendlyMackle]

Not really. 160 MHz is the same max channel width as WiFi 6e, but will still get you faster speeds and many other benefits due to other improvements in WiFi 7.

Besides, public and commercial WiFi hotspots are almost never configured with such wide channels (even 160 MHz is a very wide channel) because it makes it very difficult to support large numbers of devices reliably. So in most scenarios there is no practical difference.

Anyway, if it’s just the battery thats bothering you I’d recommend getting it replaced. Highly worthwhile for $99 or whatever they charge.

Will they just replace the battery? I wasn’t sure I could do that. I know Apple gives people a hard time about replacing iphone batteries.
*Also, good to know that about the WiFi in general. Butl…if you’re at home using your own router, couldn’t you (me) take advantage of a full width channel?

 

[switz]

WiFi connections are enough of a security issue to not add a modem that NSA can monitor your exact location at all times. I doubt that the tracking stops on my iPhone when cellular is off. Same concern for a Mac laptop with modem.

At least with my iPhone completely off, my laptop is not connected via cell service. If the hotspot on my iPhone is on, my laptop can use cell service.

Today, we have to consider lots of variables in the use of our electronics.

A Timex windup watch, an old style magnetic compass and no electronics does give one a sense of freedom from being tracked when out for a walk in the woods.

 

[jjudson]

This is all cool. But really?

These things keep getting stupid powerful. Who's doing El Capitan-level analysis on an iPad...?

 

[dannys1]

I remember when I bought my first ipad back in 2010 (I think it was?), Apple handed out surveys while we waited to ask what features we’d like to see in upcoming macbooks — and cellular was one of the questions (to which I answered ‘extreme’ interest!). So they have been considering it for at least 15 years. I imagine that the battery impact of cellular while using Intel chips was too severe. Not to mention the need for a Qualcomm cellular chip; now that they’re making their OWN cellular chips, and are optimizing for battery life, maybe we’ll see this happen. But given that people can so easily use their phones and ipads as hotspots, I wonder if there is much of a market, as it would also necessitate yet another add-on cost for cell service! Whereas my iphone cell plan now includes a huge amount of hotspot allocation.

A huge amount of allocation? Is it still not the norm then in the US for unlimited data?

My contract is £20 a month ($26) and I get unlimited 5G data, unlimited calls and unlimited SMS/RCS (not that they ever get used) - and this extends worldwide, recently I was on holiday in the Dominican Republic and I got unlimited data and tethering there which was handy as the free hotel wifi was capped at 7mbps whilst the cellular data was around 180mbps.

 

[segfaultdotorg]

The Fire HD10 is a better value, overall.

 

[zenmacx]

Amen to the max!!! I abhor the mass and clunkiness of the "Magic" keyboard that is anything but...Steve Jobs would roll over in his grave over this monstrosity. The lack of the "Smart Folio" keyboard has kept me from upgrading.

I concur. Monstrosity is the perfect word to sum up my experience with the dreadful “Magic” keyboard.

Previously I enjoyed years of satisfying use with the “Smart Folio” only to have Apple discontinue it. Those who haven’t had the pleasure, don’t know what they’re missing.

 

[kempathonnodge]

User Profiles - that's the only thing I'm waiting for yet Apple refuse to announce'n'deliver it

Absolutely. my iPad has work stuff on it, but allowing the kids to use it for their own work or gaming is impractical without user profiles.
It may be a strategy to sell more iPads, but I’m never buying my kids an iPad Pro, so all that power will never be accessible to them.

How about them enjoying an iPad’s amazing power, and becoming a future customer when they leave home, rather than always experiencing playing on an old, worn out iPad that gives them a clunky experience?

Multi user iPads for the win.

 

[zenmacx]

My wallet will not be dispensing any dollars to Apple for any M5 gear this year nor the iPhone 17 Pro Max.

My position as well, being all-in on Apple I was an early adopter on an annual upgrade basis of many of my devices and related accessories.

But this year it changes.

Due to a comedy of errors, the iOS/ ipadOS/ macOS 26 debacle, reverting from titanium to aluminum and other missteps it’s time to reevaluate.

The Cupertino company has sucked all the excitement and fun out of buying their latest gear.

Now it’s wait and see, with the emphasis on waiting at least a year or more. Many of my colleagues have made the same decision.

 

[kfury77]

when you compare all the specs of the M5 iPad Pro to the M1 iPad Pro you realize there aren't really many changes/improvements. I would have liked to have seen GPS included on all models (since the Apple Watch does), would be useful for navigation/driving and hiking etc. An always on screen like the iPhones would be great too. And the cameras are still only 12 Megapixel, the same as they were on the M1... 24 Megapixel would have been nice.

 

[The Game 161]

the fast charging is a nice touch and glad it's here. ipads do take so long to charge