Introduction
The Apple iPad Pro 5th Generation is a game-changing device that sets a new benchmark for performance, display quality, and versatility in tablets. Released in May 2021, the iPad Pro 5th Gen is available in two screen sizes—11-inch and 12.9-inch—catering to both portability seekers and professionals looking for a larger display. Powered by Apple’s M1 chip, the iPad Pro 5 is a powerhouse capable of handling demanding tasks, whether for productivity, creativity, or entertainment.
Historical Context and Innovation
The iPad Pro 5th Generation introduces the M1 chip, which significantly enhances performance compared to its predecessors, offering desktop-level processing power in a tablet. This iteration also debuts the Liquid Retina XDR Mini-LED display in the 12.9-inch model, providing industry-leading brightness and contrast, perfect for HDR content creators and media enthusiasts. With support for 5G connectivity in the cellular models and Wi-Fi 6E for blazing internet speeds, the iPad Pro 5 stands out as a leading-edge device in the world of tablets.
Full-Detailed Specifications
Apple iPad Pro 5th Generation – 12.9-inch Wi-Fi and Wi-Fi + Cellular Variants
| Feature | 12.9-inch Wi-Fi 128GB | 12.9-inch Wi-Fi + Cellular 128GB | 12.9-inch Wi-Fi 1TB | 12.9-inch Wi-Fi + Cellular 1TB |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Release Date | May 21, 2021 | May 21, 2021 | May 21, 2021 | May 21, 2021 |
| Initial Price (USD) | $1099 | $1299 | $1799 | $1999 |
| Operating System | iPadOS 14.5 | iPadOS 14.5 | iPadOS 14.5 | iPadOS 14.5 |
| Chipset | Apple M1 | Apple M1 | Apple M1 | Apple M1 |
| CPU | Octa-core | Octa-core | Octa-core | Octa-core |
| CPU Benchmark Score | 3000 | 3000 | 3000 | 3000 |
| GPU | 8-core GPU | 8-core GPU | 8-core GPU | 8-core GPU |
| GPU Benchmark Score | 3000 | 3000 | 3000 | 3000 |
| RAM | 8GB | 8GB | 16GB | 16GB |
| Internal Storage | 128GB | 128GB | 1TB | 1TB |
| Expandable Storage | Not expandable | Not expandable | Not expandable | Not expandable |
| Screen Type | Mini-LED | Mini-LED | Mini-LED | Mini-LED |
| Display Type | Liquid Retina XDR | Liquid Retina XDR | Liquid Retina XDR | Liquid Retina XDR |
| Aspect Ratio | 4:3 | 4:3 | 4:3 | 4:3 |
| Screen Size | 12.9 inches | 12.9 inches | 12.9 inches | 12.9 inches |
| Screen Resolution | 2048 x 2732 pixels | 2048 x 2732 pixels | 2048 x 2732 pixels | 2048 x 2732 pixels |
| Screen Protection | Gorilla Glass, Oleophobic Coating | Gorilla Glass, Oleophobic Coating | Gorilla Glass, Oleophobic Coating | Gorilla Glass, Oleophobic Coating |
| Max Brightness (Nits) | 1000 | 1000 | 1000 | 1000 |
| Display Refresh Rate | 120Hz | 120Hz | 120Hz | 120Hz |
| Touch Sampling Rate | 240Hz | 240Hz | 240Hz | 240Hz |
| HDR Support | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Peak Brightness (Nits) | 1000 | 1000 | 1000 | 1000 |
| Main Camera Count | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 |
| Main Camera Wide-Angle MP | 12MP | 12MP | 12MP | 12MP |
| Main Camera Features | HDR, Panorama, OIS, Portrait Mode | HDR, Panorama, OIS, Portrait Mode | HDR, Panorama, OIS, Portrait Mode | HDR, Panorama, OIS, Portrait Mode |
| Main Camera Optical Zoom | 3x | 3x | 3x | 3x |
| Main Camera Digital Zoom | 5x | 5x | 5x | 5x |
| Selfie Camera MP | 12MP | 12MP | 12MP | 12MP |
| Selfie Camera Features | HDR, Portrait Mode, Night Mode, Face Detection | HDR, Portrait Mode, Night Mode, Face Detection | HDR, Portrait Mode, Night Mode, Face Detection | HDR, Portrait Mode, Night Mode, Face Detection |
| Selfie Camera Benchmark | 400 | 500 | 400 | 500 |
| Video Recording (Main) | 4K at 30fps, HDR, OIS | 4K at 30fps, HDR, OIS | 4K at 30fps, HDR, OIS | 4K at 30fps, HDR, OIS |
| Video Recording (Selfie) | 4K at 30fps, HDR, Stabilization | 4K at 30fps, HDR, Stabilization | 4K at 30fps, HDR, Stabilization | 4K at 30fps, HDR, Stabilization |
| Battery Capacity (mAh) | 10,758 | 10,758 | 10,758 | 10,758 |
| Charging Max Watts | 20W | 20W | 20W | 20W |
| Weight (g) | 682g | 684g | 682g | 684g |
| Dimensions (mm) | 280.6 x 214.9 x 6.4 | 280.6 x 214.9 x 6.4 | 280.6 x 214.9 x 6.4 | 280.6 x 214.9 x 6.4 |
Apple iPad Pro 5th Generation – 11-inch Wi-Fi and Wi-Fi + Cellular Variants
| Feature | 11-inch Wi-Fi 128GB | 11-inch Wi-Fi + Cellular 128GB | 11-inch Wi-Fi 1TB | 11-inch Wi-Fi + Cellular 1TB |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Release Date | May 21, 2021 | May 21, 2021 | May 21, 2021 | May 21, 2021 |
| Initial Price (USD) | $799 | $999 | $1649 | $1799 |
| Operating System | iPadOS 14.5 | iPadOS 14.5 | iPadOS 14.5 | iPadOS 14.5 |
| Chipset | Apple M1 | Apple M1 | Apple M1 | Apple M1 |
| CPU | Octa-core | Octa-core | Octa-core | Octa-core |
| CPU Benchmark Score | 3000 | 3000 | 3000 | 3000 |
| GPU | 8-core GPU | 8-core GPU | 8-core GPU | 8-core GPU |
| GPU Benchmark Score | 3000 | 3000 | 3000 | 3000 |
| RAM | 8GB | 8GB | 16GB | 16GB |
| Internal Storage | 128GB | 128GB | 1TB | 1TB |
| Expandable Storage | Not expandable | Not expandable | Not expandable | Not expandable |
| Screen Type | IPS LCD | IPS LCD | IPS LCD | IPS LCD |
| Display Type | Liquid Retina | Liquid Retina | Liquid Retina | Liquid Retina |
| Aspect Ratio | 4:3 | 4:3 | 4:3 | 4:3 |
| Screen Size | 11 inches | 11 inches | 11 inches | 11 inches |
| Screen Resolution | 1668 x 2388 pixels | 1668 x 2388 pixels | 1668 x 2388 pixels | 1668 x 2388 pixels |
| Max Brightness (Nits) | 600 | 600 | 600 | 600 |
| Display Refresh Rate | 120Hz | 120Hz | 120Hz | 120Hz |
| Touch Sampling Rate | 240Hz | 240Hz | 240Hz | 240Hz |
| HDR Support | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Battery Capacity (mAh) | 7538 | 7538 | 7538 | 7538 |
| Weight (g) | 468g | 470g | 468g | 470g |
| Dimensions (mm) | 247.6 x 178.5 x 5.9 | 247.6 x 178.5 x 5.9 | 247.6 x 178.5 x 5.9 | 247.6 x 178.5 x 5.9 |
Apple iPad Pro 5th Generation – 12.9-inch Wi-Fi and Wi-Fi + Cellular (256GB and 512GB Models)
| Feature | 12.9-inch Wi-Fi 256GB | 12.9-inch Wi-Fi + Cellular 256GB | 12.9-inch Wi-Fi 512GB | 12.9-inch Wi-Fi + Cellular 512GB |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Release Date | May 21, 2021 | May 21, 2021 | May 21, 2021 | May 21, 2021 |
| Initial Price (USD) | $1199 | $1399 | $1399 | $1599 |
| Operating System | iPadOS 14.5 | iPadOS 14.5 | iPadOS 14.5 | iPadOS 14.5 |
| Chipset | Apple M1 | Apple M1 | Apple M1 | Apple M1 |
| CPU | Octa-core | Octa-core | Octa-core | Octa-core |
| CPU Benchmark Score | 3000 | 3000 | 3000 | 3000 |
| GPU | 8-core GPU | 8-core GPU | 8-core GPU | 8-core GPU |
| GPU Benchmark Score | 3000 | 3000 | 3000 | 3000 |
| RAM | 8GB | 8GB | 8GB | 8GB |
| Internal Storage | 256GB | 256GB | 512GB | 512GB |
| Expandable Storage | Not expandable | Not expandable | Not expandable | Not expandable |
| Screen Type | Mini-LED | Mini-LED | Mini-LED | Mini-LED |
| Display Type | Liquid Retina XDR | Liquid Retina XDR | Liquid Retina XDR | Liquid Retina XDR |
| Aspect Ratio | 4:3 | 4:3 | 4:3 | 4:3 |
| Screen Size | 12.9 inches | 12.9 inches | 12.9 inches | 12.9 inches |
| Screen Resolution | 2048 x 2732 pixels | 2048 x 2732 pixels | 2048 x 2732 pixels | 2048 x 2732 pixels |
| Screen Protection | Gorilla Glass, Oleophobic Coating | Gorilla Glass, Oleophobic Coating | Gorilla Glass, Oleophobic Coating | Gorilla Glass, Oleophobic Coating |
| Max Brightness (Nits) | 1000 | 1000 | 1000 | 1000 |
| Display Refresh Rate | 120Hz | 120Hz | 120Hz | 120Hz |
| Touch Sampling Rate | 240Hz | 240Hz | 240Hz | 240Hz |
| HDR Support | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Peak Brightness (Nits) | 1000 | 1000 | 1000 | 1000 |
| Main Camera Count | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 |
| Main Camera Wide-Angle MP | 12MP | 12MP | 12MP | 12MP |
| Main Camera Features | HDR, Panorama, OIS, Portrait Mode | HDR, Panorama, OIS, Portrait Mode | HDR, Panorama, OIS, Portrait Mode | HDR, Panorama, OIS, Portrait Mode |
| Main Camera Optical Zoom | 3x | 3x | 3x | 3x |
| Main Camera Digital Zoom | 5x | 5x | 5x | 5x |
| Selfie Camera MP | 12MP | 12MP | 12MP | 12MP |
| Selfie Camera Features | HDR, Portrait Mode, Night Mode, Face Detection | HDR, Portrait Mode, Night Mode, Face Detection | HDR, Portrait Mode, Night Mode, Face Detection | HDR, Portrait Mode, Night Mode, Face Detection |
| Selfie Camera Benchmark | 400 | 500 | 400 | 500 |
| Video Recording (Main) | 4K at 30fps, HDR, OIS | 4K at 30fps, HDR, OIS | 4K at 30fps, HDR, OIS | 4K at 30fps, HDR, OIS |
| Video Recording (Selfie) | 4K at 30fps, HDR, Stabilization | 4K at 30fps, HDR, Stabilization | 4K at 30fps, HDR, Stabilization | 4K at 30fps, HDR, Stabilization |
| Battery Capacity (mAh) | 10,758 | 10,758 | 10,758 | 10,758 |
| Charging Max Watts | 20W | 20W | 20W | 20W |
| Weight (g) | 682g | 684g | 682g | 684g |
| Dimensions (mm) | 280.6 x 214.9 x 6.4 | 280.6 x 214.9 x 6.4 | 280.6 x 214.9 x 6.4 | 280.6 x 214.9 x 6.4 |
| Colors Available | Silver, Space Gray, Rose Gold, Green, Sky Blue | Silver, Space Gray, Rose Gold, Green, Sky Blue | Silver, Space Gray, Rose Gold, Green, Sky Blue | Silver, Space Gray, Rose Gold, Green, Sky Blue |
Apple iPad Pro 5th Generation – 11-inch Wi-Fi and Wi-Fi + Cellular (256GB and 512GB Models)
| Feature | 11-inch Wi-Fi 256GB | 11-inch Wi-Fi + Cellular 256GB | 11-inch Wi-Fi 512GB | 11-inch Wi-Fi + Cellular 512GB |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Release Date | May 21, 2021 | May 21, 2021 | May 21, 2021 | May 21, 2021 |
| Initial Price (USD) | $949 | $1149 | $1299 | $1499 |
| Operating System | iPadOS 14.5 | iPadOS 14.5 | iPadOS 14.5 | iPadOS 14.5 |
| Chipset | Apple M1 | Apple M1 | Apple M1 | Apple M1 |
| CPU | Octa-core | Octa-core | Octa-core | Octa-core |
| CPU Benchmark Score | 3000 | 3000 | 3000 | 3000 |
| GPU | 8-core GPU | 8-core GPU | 8-core GPU | 8-core GPU |
| GPU Benchmark Score | 3000 | 3000 | 3000 | 3000 |
| RAM | 8GB | 8GB | 8GB | 8GB |
| Internal Storage | 256GB | 256GB | 512GB | 512GB |
| Expandable Storage | Not expandable | Not expandable | Not expandable | Not expandable |
| Screen Type | IPS LCD | IPS LCD | IPS LCD | IPS LCD |
| Display Type | Liquid Retina | Liquid Retina | Liquid Retina | Liquid Retina |
| Aspect Ratio | 4:3 | 4:3 | 4:3 | 4:3 |
| Screen Size | 11 inches | 11 inches | 11 inches | 11 inches |
| Screen Resolution | 1668 x 2388 pixels | 1668 x 2388 pixels | 1668 x 2388 pixels | 1668 x 2388 pixels |
| Max Brightness (Nits) | 600 | 600 | 600 | 600 |
| Display Refresh Rate | 120Hz | 120Hz | 120Hz | 120Hz |
| Touch Sampling Rate | 240Hz | 240Hz | 240Hz | 240Hz |
| HDR Support | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Battery Capacity (mAh) | 7538 | 7538 | 7538 | 7538 |
| Weight (g) | 468g | 470g | 468g | 470g |
| Dimensions (mm) | 247.6 x 178.5 x 5.9 | 247.6 x 178.5 x 5.9 | 247.6 x 178.5 x 5.9 | 247.6 x 178.5 x 5.9 |
| Colors Available | Silver, Space Gray, Rose Gold, Green, Sky Blue | Silver, Space Gray, Rose Gold, Green, Sky Blue | Silver, Space Gray, Rose Gold, Green, Sky Blue | Silver, Space Gray, Rose Gold, Green, Sky Blue |
Key Highlights and Supported Accessories
- Apple M1 Chip: The introduction of the M1 chip brings desktop-level performance, improving app load times, multitasking, and intensive tasks like 4K video editing.
- Liquid Retina XDR Display: Exclusive to the 12.9-inch model, this display delivers stunning HDR content with deep blacks and brilliant colors.
- Apple Pencil (2nd Generation): Ideal for digital artists and note-takers, Apple Pencil (2nd gen) support enables fluid, precision input.
- Magic Keyboard and Smart Folio: These accessories transform the iPad Pro into a productivity powerhouse, making it a suitable replacement for laptops.
Common Problems and How to Fix Them
- Battery Draining Quickly:
- Fix: Optimize battery settings by reducing screen brightness, turning off background app refresh, and utilizing Low Power Mode.
- Apple Pencil Connection Issues:
- Fix: Ensure that Bluetooth is turned on and that your iPad is updated to the latest software version.
- Wi-Fi Connectivity Issues:
- Fix: Reset your network settings or switch to a different Wi-Fi band (2.4GHz or 5GHz).
Comparison with Competitors
The Apple iPad Pro 5th Generation competes with top-tier tablets like the Samsung Galaxy Tab S8+ and Microsoft Surface Pro 7. While all three excel in performance, the iPad Pro stands out with its M1 chip and Mini-LED display, making it the ideal choice for professionals working in media, design, or content creation.
Today’s Use Cases
- Content Creators: Edit 4K videos and high-resolution photos with ease.
- Students and Educators: Take notes and organize class materials with Apple Pencil support.
- Gaming: Run AAA mobile games at high settings without lag.
Who Should Buy the iPad Pro 5th Generation?
This tablet is perfect for:
- Digital Artists looking for precision input with Apple Pencil.
- Content Creators who need top-tier performance for video editing or graphic design.
- Professionals in need of a portable, laptop-replacement device with powerful multitasking abilities.
Conclusion
The iPad Pro 5th Generation is a powerful, versatile, and feature-rich tablet that exceeds expectations for performance, display quality, and accessories. Whether you’re a professional or a casual user, this tablet provides an outstanding experience that sets it apart from the competition.