Should You Upgrade to iPad Pro M5 in India? Full M4 vs M5 Breakdown
If you’re in India and considering one of Apple’s flagship tablets, the comparison between the Apple iPad Pro (M4) and the newly launched iPad Pro (M5) is timely. Imagine you’re a video editor in Mumbai, racing to meet a client’s deadline for a short film, or a student in Delhi juggling online classes and AI-powered note-taking apps. The iPad Pro has been a game-changer for professionals and creatives across India, and Apple’s relentless innovation keeps raising the bar.
With the M4 iPad Pro’s groundbreaking debut in May 2024 and the M5 iPad Pro’s recent launch in October 2025, the question looms: is upgrading to the M5 worth your hard-earned rupees? This article dives deep into the specs, performance, pricing, and real-world value in India to help you decide. From design to AI-driven features, we’ll break down every angle to see if the M5’s upgrades justify the cost or if the M4 remains the smarter pick.
1. A Quick Recap: The M4 iPad Pro Legacy
When Apple unveiled the M4 iPad Pro in May 2024, it was a showstopper. Billed as Apple’s thinnest device ever at 5.1mm for the 13-inch model, it debuted the M4 chip, originally slated for Macs, with hardware-accelerated ray tracing for stunning graphics. The tandem OLED Ultra Retina XDR display delivered vibrant colors and deep blacks, while the Apple Pencil Pro introduced squeeze gestures and barrel roll precision. For Indian users, the M4 iPad Pro became a go-to for hybrid work, from architects sketching in Bengaluru to filmmakers editing in Chennai. Its timing aligned with India’s post-pandemic demand for portable, pro-grade tools.
As of October 2025, the M4 iPad Pro remains a powerhouse. With the M5’s arrival, retailers like Amazon and Flipkart are slashing M4 prices, making it a tempting option for budget-conscious buyers. But how does it stack up against the shiny new M5?
2. Design and Build: Familiar Form, Subtle Tweaks
At first glance, the M4 and M5 iPad Pros look identical. Both sport sleek aluminum chassis in Space Black or Silver, with the same dimensions: 11-inch models measure 249.7 x 177.5 x 5.3mm, while 13-inch versions are 281.6 x 215.5 x 5.1mm. Weights are unchanged, with the 11-inch Wi-Fi model at 444g, perfect for tossing into a backpack for a train ride from Pune to Mumbai.
The M5 introduces subtle thermal management improvements, ensuring sustained performance during intensive tasks like 4K video exports or machine learning model training. However, there’s no change to the USB-C port (still Thunderbolt/USB 4) or button layout. Neither model offers IPX water resistance, but their sturdy builds handle India’s humid climates well. The M5 enhances Apple Pencil Pro integration with new haptic feedback for precise drawing in apps like Procreate, a boon for Indian illustrators.
Verdict: Design-wise, there’s no compelling reason to upgrade from the M4. If aesthetics or portability are your priority, save your money and stick with the M4.
2. Display Showdown: OLED Excellence Meets Incremental Polish
Both iPad Pros boast Ultra Retina XDR tandem OLED displays, delivering 1,000 nits of full-screen brightness (1,600 nits for HDR) and ProMotion’s buttery-smooth 120Hz refresh rate. The 11-inch model has a 2420×1668 resolution, while the 13-inch offers 2752×2064, both at 264 ppi for crisp visuals. These displays are a dream for Bollywood editors color-grading films or architects using AR apps like Morpholio Trace.
The M5 tweaks the formula with a slightly better anti-reflective coating, making it easier to use in bright sunlight, think working outdoors in Delhi’s summer heat. It also optimizes True Tone for warmer, more accurate colors, a subtle win for video graders. Compared to competitors like the Samsung Galaxy Tab S10, the iPad’s OLED remains unmatched for contrast and vibrancy.
| Feature | M4 iPad Pro (11″) | M5 iPad Pro (11″) | M4 iPad Pro (13″) | M5 iPad Pro (13″) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Display Type | Tandem OLED | Tandem OLED | Tandem OLED | Tandem OLED |
| Brightness (SDR/HDR) | 600/1,000 nits | 600/1,000 nits | 600/1,000 nits | 600/1,000 nits |
| Refresh Rate | 120Hz | 120Hz | 120Hz | 120Hz |
Verdict: The M5’s display upgrades are marginal. Unless you work in bright outdoor settings or need pinpoint color accuracy, the M4’s screen is just as stunning.
3. Performance Deep Dive: Newer M5’s AI Edge Over M4
The heart of the M5 iPad Pro is its new chip, which trades the M4’s 10-core CPU for a 9-core setup optimized for efficiency. The 10-core GPU, however, steals the show with up to 45% faster rendering and enhanced ray tracing for games like Resident Evil 4. The M5’s unified memory bandwidth jumps to 153GB/s (a 30% boost over the M4’s 120GB/s), and faster NAND flash ensures snappy app launches and file transfers. Storage options remain 256GB to 2TB.
The M5’s Neural Engine is the real game-changer, delivering 38 TOPS (trillions of operations per second) for Apple Intelligence. This powers on-device AI tasks like image generation or multilingual text processing in Hindi, Tamil, or other Indian languages, perfect for local app developers or content creators. Benchmarks tell the story:
- Geekbench 6: M5 scores ~3,800 single-core (15% over M4’s 3,300) and ~14,500 multi-core (20% gain).
- 3DMark Wild Life: M5’s GPU is 45% faster, ideal for 120fps gaming in Genshin Impact.
- Real-world tests: Exporting a 4K Premiere Pro timeline is 25% quicker on the M5; machine learning in Jupyter notebooks feels snappier.
For users, the M5’s power efficiency shines in areas with unreliable electricity, offering longer unplugged sessions for freelancers in Tier-2 cities like Jaipur or Kochi.
Verdict: The M5’s AI and GPU boosts are significant for power users, but casual users won’t notice much difference over the M4.
4. Battery Life and Charging: Marginal Gains in Endurance
Both models share the same battery capacities: 8,160mAh for the 11-inch and 10,300mAh for the 13-inch, rated for 10 hours of web browsing or video playback. The M5 squeezes out 11-12 hours in mixed workflows thanks to optimized power management. Charging speeds are identical at 30W via USB-C, hitting 80% in about 60 minutes.
In testing, the M5 sustains 4K playback for 13 hours compared to the M4’s 12, a minor edge for pros using Final Cut Pro on long flights. For Indian users, pairing either iPad with affordable power banks from Mi or Boat ensures uptime during travel between cities like Bangalore and Hyderabad.
Verdict: Battery life improvements are incremental. If you’re managing with the M4’s endurance, the M5 won’t sway you.
5. Cameras, Audio, and Accessories: Pro Tools Refined
The rear camera setup is unchanged: a 12MP f/1.8 sensor with LiDAR for AR apps like interior design tools. The M5 adds computational photography tweaks for better low-light shots, handy in dimly lit Indian homes or offices. The front 12MP Ultra Wide camera, now landscape-oriented, supports Center Stage for Zoom calls, with the M5’s AI enhancing tracking for hybrid work setups.
Audio remains top-tier with four speakers and spatial audio. The M5 supports lossless playback via USB-C, a treat for audiophiles streaming on Apple Music India. Both iPads fully support the Magic Keyboard (₹29,900) and Apple Pencil Pro (₹12,900), but the M5 introduces Pencil hover gestures for 3D modeling in apps like Shapr3D, great for Indian designers.
Verdict: Camera and accessory upgrades are niche. The M5’s AI-driven camera and Pencil features are cool but not must-haves for most.
6. Software and Ecosystem: iPadOS 19’s AI Revolution
Both iPads run iPadOS 19, but the M5 unlocks the full potential of Apple Intelligence. Features like Genmoji, Writing Tools, and on-device image generation run smoother on the M5’s beefier Neural Engine. This is a big deal for Indian users leveraging multilingual AI for Hindi dictation or regional language translations in apps like Google Translate. The M5’s hardware ensures 6-7 years of updates, while the M4 gets 5+ years but may lag in future AI features.
In India, iPadOS 19 integrates seamlessly with UPI payments in banking apps and educational tools like BYJU’S AR modules, making both devices versatile for students and professionals.
Verdict: The M5 is more future-proof for AI-driven workflows, but the M4 handles iPadOS 19 just fine for now.
7. M4 Vs M5 iPad Pro Pricing Comparison: Value Breakdown
Pricing is where the decision gets tricky in India’s cost-sensitive market. Post-M5 launch, M4 prices have dropped (but not much):
- M4 iPad Pro:
- 11-inch 256GB Wi-Fi: ₹94,900 (Amazon/Flipkart).
- 13-inch 256GB Wi-Fi: ₹1,19,900 (deals at ₹1,10,000 during sales).
- Cellular models add ₹20,000-25,000.
- M5 iPad Pro (launch prices):
- 11-inch 256GB Wi-Fi: ₹99,900.
- 13-inch 256GB Wi-Fi: ₹1,29,900.
- Education discount: Up to ₹10,000 off via Apple’s Education Store.
Financing options make both iPads accessible. Zero-interest EMIs via Bajaj Finserv or Amazon Pay break down to ~₹4,158/month for the 11-inch M5 over 24 months. Trading in an M3 iPad Pro fetches ₹30,000-50,000 on Apple’s trade-in program. The M5 is available for pre-order since October 15, 2025, with shipping from October 22 via Apple Stores in Mumbai and Delhi, plus online retailers like Reliance Digital.
| Model | Base Price (11″ Wi-Fi) | Base Price (13″ Wi-Fi) | EMI (24 months) |
|---|---|---|---|
| M4 iPad Pro | ₹99,900 | ₹1,19,900 | ₹4,158 |
| M5 iPad Pro | ₹99,900 | ₹1,29,900 | ₹4,158 |
Verdict: M5’s iPad pro pricing is excellent for a new release.
8. Is the Apple iPad Pro M5 Upgrade Worth It? Scenario-Based Advice
- Upgrade if: You’re a power user, app developers using Xcode for ML models, gamers chasing 120fps in ray-traced titles, or editors needing 25% faster 4K exports. The M5’s AI and performance gains deliver ROI in 6-12 months through productivity.
- Stick with M4 if: You use your iPad for casual browsing, streaming on Netflix, or note-taking with GoodNotes. The M4 is overkill for these tasks and cheaper with current deals.
- India-specific factors: High import duties keep prices steep. A refurbished/used M4 from Cashify (~₹80,000) saves 20% for cost-conscious buyers in Tier-2/3 cities. (But We are against second hand purchase)
Conclusion – M5 iPad Pro Brings Meaningful Upgrades for High-End Workflows
The M5 iPad Pro brings meaningful upgrades, AI-driven performance, faster GPU, and subtle display tweaks, making it a beast for creators and professionals. However, the M4 iPad Pro remains a stellar choice. Assess your needs using Apple’s comparison tool on their website, and consider your workflow and financing options before deciding.
What’s your take, will you upgrade to the M5 or stick with the M4? Drop your thoughts in the comments! Looking ahead, rumors of a foldable iPad Pro in 2026 are swirling, so subscribe for the latest updates to stay ahead of the curve.
