Apple’s 2021 iPad Pro arrived with the M1 chip, promising Mac-level power in a tablet. Five years later, it holds its own. Benchmarks from that era showed Geekbench 5 multicore scores around 7,318 on high-end configs, outpacing the prior A12Z by double digits. Scott Stein at CNET called the hardware “just about perfect,” though iPadOS couldn’t fully tap it.
The 12.9-inch model dazzled with Liquid Retina XDR mini-LED, delivering OLED-like blacks and HDR punch. The 11-inch stuck to standard Liquid Retina. Both ran ProMotion at 120Hz. Battery lasted a full day, even under AR loads that drained rivals. Pricing started at $799 for 11-inch Wi-Fi/128GB, $1,099 for 12.9-inch. Add 5G for $200 more. Accessories? Magic Keyboard pushed totals past $1,500.
Fast-forward to April 2026. iPadOS 26 runs on M1 Pros, per Apple’s site. New windowing and multitasking mimic macOS—swipe for traffic-light controls, resize apps freely. Users on X report smooth sails. Aki Joensuu posted, “the M1 iPad Pro still rocks very well for everything you need.” Battery concerns crop up after years, but replacements fix that.
Performance That Endures Against M5 Newcomers
M5 iPad Pros claim 2x CPU, 2.5x GPU over M1 in real tests, per MacRumors forums and YouTube benches. AI tasks? Up to 3.5x faster. Yet M1 handles 2026 workflows—video edits, 3D renders, Apple Intelligence—without stutter. Reddit threads affirm: M1 outpowers iPadOS limits. No thermal woes in fanless design.
Refurb deals abound. Apple’s store lists M4 Pros at $759, but third-parties offer M1 models under $500. Back Market has 11-inch M1 128GB for $402. Amazon renewed units hover $400-700. Compare to M5’s $999 start (now $899 on sale at The Verge deals).
Stein noted iPadOS gaps: “still isn’t flexible enough.” iPadOS 26 bridges that. Multitask three apps. External displays via USB-C. Pencil Pro hovers. Cameras? Ultra-wide front auto-zooms for calls; LiDAR boosts AR.
But compromises linger. No full macOS apps. File management clunky. Pros who code or run VMs stick to laptops. For creatives—Procreate, LumaFusion, Final Cut—it’s gold.
X chatter echoes value. Chizi shared, “My m1 finally gave me a reason to replace it, swerved me 5 years.” Fernando Silva raved on M5 but implied M1’s baseline holds.
Buy, Hold, or Upgrade? The 2026 Math
New M5 brings tandem OLED, slimmer chassis, Wi-Fi 7. Battery matches M1 ratings. Worth double the refurbished M1 price? Only for OLED obsessives or AI pros.
Industry insiders snag M1s cheap. Pair with Magic Keyboard ($300). Total under $800. Runs iPadOS 26 features like Liquid Glass effects. Support likely through 2028-29, based on patterns.
Apple shifted tablets skyward. M1 started it. In 2026, it delivers pro punch without M5 premium. Smart buy for budgets. Proven staying power.
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