Apple iPad Pro 13-inch (M5) vs Apple iPad (9th generation)
Apple iPad Pro 13-inch (M5) ($1,499) vs Apple iPad (9th generation) ($155) — side-by-side specs, weight, pros and cons to help you pick the right pro tablet.
Spec-by-spec
| Spec | Apple iPad Pro 13-inch (M5) | Apple iPad (9th generation) |
| Price | $1,499 | $155 |
| Weight | 579g | 487g |
| Chip | M5 | A13 Bionic |
| Display | 13" Ultra Retina XDR tandem OLED | 10.2" Retina |
| Thickness | 5.1 mm | — |
| Security | Face ID | — |
| Accessories | Apple Pencil Pro, Magic Keyboard | — |
| Weight | 579 g (Wi-Fi) | 487g (Apple published, Wi-Fi) |
| Camera | — | 12MP Center Stage front, 8MP rear |
| Port | — | Lightning |
| Pencil | — | 1st generation Apple Pencil |
Pros & Cons
Apple iPad Pro 13-inch (M5)
- Best display in any portable device
- 5.1 mm — the thinnest Apple product ever
- M5 handles genuine creative workloads
- Apple Pencil Pro support is best-in-class
- $1,499 before keyboard or Pencil
- iPadOS still limits the hardware
- 579 g wants two hands or a stand
Apple iPad (9th generation)
- Cheapest working iPad with a modern-enough chip for everyday apps
- Home button and Touch ID, familiar to anyone coming from an older iPhone
- Center Stage front camera for video calls
- Compatible with the 1st-gen Apple Pencil and Smart Keyboard
- Lightning port, not USB-C
- Thick bezels around a smaller 10.2-inch display
- 487g is heavier than every iPad Air or Pro on this list
- No longer sold new, so accessories will thin out over time
Apple iPad (9th generation) is the better value at $155. Both are part of our curated pro tablet index — tap through to check current pricing.