There are valid arguments on both sides of the “tablet vs laptop” debate, especially now as each generation of tablet becomes a little more laptop-like in its performance. But none come closer to achieving full laptop-replacement status than Apple’s newest iteration of the iPad Pro. The 11-inch M5 iPad Pro with 256GB storage is marked down by $100 right now at Amazon, and worth every penny of the new $899 price.
The M5 chip that powers this iPad Pro is the same class of silicon that powers Mac laptops, which means the iPad Pro handles workloads that would have required a desktop not long ago — multilayer photo editing, 4K video, demanding creative apps — all without the stutter that signals a tablet operating past its limits. The Neural Accelerators built into the chip are specifically tuned for on-device AI, which is what makes the Apple Intelligence features run locally rather than round-tripping to a server, with the privacy advantages that come from keeping data on the device.
Best Screen Anywhere
The M5 iPad Pro’s 11-inch Ultra Retina XDR display is a serious showstopper. Extreme brightness, precise contrast, ProMotion’s 120Hz refresh, P3 wide color, and True Tone combine into a panel that’s genuinely class-leading — HDR content has real punch, scrolling is glass-smooth, and color accuracy is good enough for professional photo and video work. For anyone whose tablet doubles as a portfolio device or a primary screen for creative output, the display alone justifies the step up. Needless to say, the streaming is next-level.
iPadOS 26 is where the M5 hardware finally gets software that’s worthy of its immense power. The redesigned windowing system makes the iPad meaningfully better at the multitasking that always felt constrained on earlier versions — controlling, organizing, and managing multiple apps works closer to a desktop now, which narrows the gap between “tablet” and “laptop replacement.” Paired with the Magic Keyboard and its haptic trackpad, or the Apple Pencil Pro for drawing and note-taking, the iPad Pro adapts to whatever workflow you bring to it.
Multimedia Superstar
You’ll have to dip back into your pocket for the Magic Keyboard or Apple Pencil Pro, but the M5 iPad Pro has more than enough built-in multimedia hardware to keep you happy. Inside the slender body there’s a landscape 12MP Center Stage front camera that keeps you framed during video calls, a 12MP rear camera with LiDAR, four studio-quality mics, a four-speaker system, and Wi-Fi 7 via Apple’s N1 chip for fast transfers of large files. Face ID handles authentication with a glance.
Who should be giving this deal serious consideration? Everybody, but more specifically, anyone with an older laptop who’s on the fence about upgrading to a newer laptop or possibly going the tablet route. The M5 iPad Pro won’t have you pining for your old laptop anytime soon, especially not while it’s available at this $100-off price at Amazon.
