Review: The Latest iPad Pro (M5) – Is it a Laptop Replacement?

For years, Apple has been on a mission. With every new iteration of the iPad Pro, it has pushed the device closer and closer to the holy grail of mobile computing: becoming a true replacement for the traditional laptop. With each new, impossibly powerful chip, the hardware has felt ready. But the software and workflow limitations have always held it back.

Now, Apple has launched the new iPad Pro with the M5 chip, alongside a revamped Magic Keyboard and the most significant update to its tablet software in years, iPadOS 19.

The hardware has never been more powerful, and the software has never been more capable. But has Apple finally closed the gap? Is the M5 iPad Pro finally a true laptop replacement? We’ve spent a week trying to replace our MacBook with one. Here’s our verdict.

The Hardware: Nearing Physical Perfection

The M5 iPad Pro is a marvel of industrial design. It’s thinner and lighter than ever before, yet it feels incredibly rigid and durable. The tandem OLED display is, without exaggeration, the most beautiful screen on any mobile device, with perfect blacks and stunning HDR brightness.

Inside, the new M5 chip provides absurd levels of performance. For standard tasks like Browse and email, it’s overkill. But for creative professionals, it’s a monster. Editing multi-stream 4K video in Final Cut Pro or sculpting high-polygon models in ZBrush is not only possible; it’s desktop-fast. From a pure hardware perspective, this device is more powerful than 95% of the laptops on the market.

The Software: iPadOS 19’s Big Step Forward

The biggest change comes from iPadOS 19, which finally addresses some of the longest-standing complaints from pro users.

• A More Flexible “Stage Manager”: Apple’s multitasking system has been improved. You now have more control over window sizes, and apps can overlap more freely, making it feel closer to a traditional desktop experience.
• A Real Desktop-Class Browser: Safari on the iPad now functions almost identically to its desktop counterpart, with better support for browser extensions and more reliable performance on complex web apps like Google Docs or Figma.
• Improved File Management: The Files app has received a much-needed overhaul, with better support for external drives, more robust search, and background file transfers.

The “Laptop” Experience: The Magic Keyboard and Pro Apps

When paired with the new, slightly redesigned Magic Keyboard with Function Row, the iPad Pro looks and feels like a futuristic laptop. Typing is excellent, the trackpad is responsive, and for tasks that live within a single app—like writing in Ulysses, drawing in Procreate, or editing photos in Lightroom—the experience is flawless and often more enjoyable than on a Mac.

Major creative software companies have also fully embraced the platform. The iPad versions of apps like Adobe Photoshop, DaVinci Resolve, and Logic Pro are no longer “lite” versions; they are full-featured, professional-grade applications.

The Verdict: So, Is It a Laptop Replacement?

This is where the answer gets complicated. The iPad Pro M5 is, without a doubt, a professional-grade computer. But whether it can replace your laptop depends entirely on your workflow.

• It IS a laptop replacement if: You are a creative professional like an artist, photographer, or video editor who works primarily within a few key apps. If your work revolves around drawing, photo editing, or writing, the iPad Pro’s powerful, touch-first interface is likely superior to a traditional laptop.
• It is NOT a laptop replacement if: Your work requires you to constantly juggle many different windows, manage complex file systems, or use specialized software that is only available on desktop operating systems. For many programmers, financial analysts, and researchers, the fundamental limitations of iPadOS’s multitasking and file management still make a traditional laptop (like a MacBook) a more efficient and flexible tool.

The M5 iPad Pro is the closest Apple has ever come to fulfilling its laptop-replacement promise. It’s a phenomenally powerful and versatile machine. But in 2025, it’s still not a universal replacement. It is a new, different kind of computer that is better than a laptop for some tasks, and still more limited for others.