Do you want an iPad Pro? Or do you want a MacBook? That’s a line that has been increasingly blurring these past few years, and while the two machines still aren’t on par—the M5 MacBook Pro’s extra fans and higher clock speeds can deliver more oomph—the latest iteration of Apple's flagship tablet feels more capable than ever, thanks to drastic changes in iPadOS 26.
The changes are not massive when compared to an M4-powered iPad Pro. Heck, most of this tablet is largely the same as its predecessor. It still feels niche—the 13-inch model I’m typing on starts at $1,299, and that’s without Apple’s Magic Keyboard case, while the 11-inch is $999. Few will really need and appreciate the power gains of the M5 in the iPad Pro; most will be perfectly happy with the iPad Air. Still, if money is no object and you want the best slate that excels in every category, from entertainment to work, there’s not much competition at this level.
Windowing Apps
Photograph: Julian Chokkattu
iPads have had so much power, but the operating system felt hampered, so much so that it was hard to see it as a viable laptop replacement (I’m sure many folks have been able to replace their clamshells just fine). But iPadOS 26 brought a solution that makes these machines much more capable: windowed apps. This isn’t a feature exclusive to the M5 iPad Pro, but it works the best on a big screen, and your only options there are the iPad Pro or iPad Air. I want to take a second to appreciate it.