Reviews arrived today for Apple’s M5 iPad Pro, MacBook Pro, and new Vision Pro. When comparing the new M5 iPad Pro and MacBook Pro models especially, one historic trend is clearly continuing: iPad hardware innovation keeps outpacing the Mac.
M5 iPad Pro gains cutting-edge new tech while the MacBook Pro lags behind
Let me be clear up front. This article is not intended to bash the Mac and praise the iPad. Both platforms have their strengths and weaknesses.
On the software side, iPadOS has been playing catch-up to macOS for years. And even though iPadOS 26 is a huge leap forward, macOS still has plenty of its own advantages.
On the hardware side though, it’s pretty hard to deny that the iPad is where Apple tends to innovate more.
That’s not new with the M5 line, rather it’s a trend that’s continued for years.
Here’s are some examples of differing hardware features in Apple’s latest M5 products:
| M5 iPad Pro | M5 MacBook Pro |
| Tandem OLED Ultra Retina XDR | non-OLED Liquid Retina XDR |
| Touch support | No touch support |
| Face ID | Touch ID |
| Ultra thin, 1-year-old design | Ultra bulky, 4-year-old design |
| Apple’s N1 wireless chip | Standard third-party wireless chips |
| Apple’s C1X modem | No cellular option |
Is there a good reason for the M5 MacBook Pro to lag behind in these areas?
Apparently not, as most (or all) of these iPad Pro advantages are expected to arrive in the Mac too—eventually.
Rumors say the MacBook Pro will get:
- OLED late next year, though tandem OLED is a question mark
- Touch support late next year
- Face ID some day, but it’s “years away”
- A new thinner design next year
- Apple’s N-series wireless chip eventually
- and possibly a C2 modem in the future
All the mentions of “next year” make it easy to see why the M6 MacBook Pro has me more excited than any Mac in a long time.
But for now, what Mac users are left with is more of the same.
Apple’s M5 product differentiators: wrap-up
Apple being slow to bring new tech to the MacBook Pro isn’t necessarily a big problem. The Mac is mature, stable, and continues to be a fantastic computing platform overall.
The M5 MacBook Pro, by all appearances, turned out just fine.
But for one reason or another, Apple opted to give its cutting-edge new N1 chip to the M5 iPad Pro while leaving the MacBook Pro with older tech. And it continues to leave the Mac without a cellular option, despite now building its own 5G modems.
Maybe Apple has a good reason for these decisions. Maybe not. But one thing’s clear: iPad Pro hardware benefits from Apple’s latest innovations far more than Mac hardware does.
If you’re a Mac user, do the M5 iPad Pro’s hardware advantages bother you, or not so much? Let us know in the comments.
Best Mac and iPad accessories
- AirPods Pro 3
- 100W USB-C power adapter for fast charging
- Apple Pencil Pro (now only $99, down from $129)
- tomtoc Tablet sleeve bag for protection and style
- Twelve South aluminum laptop stand for MacBooks
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