Apple iPad Pro 11-inch (M5) vs Apple iPad Pro 11-inch (3rd generation, M1)
Apple iPad Pro 11-inch (M5) ($1,199) vs Apple iPad Pro 11-inch (3rd generation, M1) ($412) — side-by-side specs, weight, pros and cons to help you pick the right pro tablet.
Spec-by-spec
| Spec | Apple iPad Pro 11-inch (M5) | Apple iPad Pro 11-inch (3rd generation, M1) |
| Price | $1,199 | $412 |
| Weight | 444g | 466g |
| Chip | M5 | Apple M1 |
| Display | 11" Ultra Retina XDR tandem OLED | 11" Liquid Retina, 120Hz ProMotion |
| Thickness | 5.3 mm | — |
| Security | Face ID | — |
| Accessories | Apple Pencil Pro, Magic Keyboard | — |
| Weight | 444 g (Wi-Fi) | 466g (Apple published, Wi-Fi) |
| Port | — | Thunderbolt / USB 4 |
| Camera | — | 12MP Wide + 10MP Ultra Wide, LiDAR |
| Pencil | — | 2nd generation Apple Pencil |
Pros & Cons
Apple iPad Pro 11-inch (M5)
- Full Pro display and chip under a pound
- One-handed reading is actually comfortable
- Fits bags the 13-inch cannot
- $300 less than the 13-inch
- Cramped for serious illustration
- Still $1,199 before accessories
- Same iPadOS limits as the 13-inch
Apple iPad Pro 11-inch (3rd generation, M1)
- M1 chip, genuinely desktop-class performance that still feels fast
- Thunderbolt/USB 4 port supports external displays and fast storage
- 120Hz ProMotion display
- LiDAR scanner for AR and improved autofocus
- No mini-LED XDR display, that arrived on the 12.9-inch model only
- 466g plus a Magic Keyboard adds real bag weight
- M1 is now several generations behind current iPad Pro silicon
- Costs meaningfully more used than the iPad Air it visually resembles
Apple iPad Pro 11-inch (3rd generation, M1) is the better value at $412. If weight matters most, Apple iPad Pro 11-inch (M5) carries lighter at 444g. Both are part of our curated pro tablet index — tap through to check current pricing.