We all knew this day was coming. Apple has officially confirmed in statements to publications like CNBC that the RAM crisis has come for its devices and that MacBook and iPad devices are going up in price by as much as $500. Some high-end devices are going up by more than $1,000.

That's a significant bump for anyone looking to get their hands on Apple's latest hardware.

Apple's online store went down for a few minutes and came back with higher prices on many of its devices.

Of course, it wasn't done silently, as Apple offered a statement explaining the difficult decision to increase prices: "The consumer electronics industry is facing an unprecedented challenge. The rapid expansion of AI data centers has created an extraordinary surge in demand for memory and storage. We have never seen a component price increase this much, this quickly."

New Mac prices

Price increases are hitting across both U.S. and U.K., and since it's the same number on both sides of the pond, I can't help but feel especially hard done by in Britain given it's an apples-to-apples significantly larger number!

U.S. Increases

• MacBook Neo: $699 (up from $599, $100 increase)
• 13-inch MacBook Air: $1,299 (up from $1,099, $200 increase)
• 15-inch MacBook Air: $1,499 (up from $1,299, $200 increase)
• M5 MacBook Pro: $1,999 (up from $1,699, $300 increase)
• M5 Pro MacBook Pro: $2,499 (up from $2,199, $300 increase)
• M5 Max MacBook Pro: $4,099 (up from $3,599, $500 increase)
• iMac: $1,499 (up from $1,299, $200 increase)
• M4 Max Mac Studio: $2,499 (up from $1,999, $500 increase)
• M3 Ultra Mac Studio: $5,299 (up from $3,999, $1,300 increase)

U.K. increases

• MacBook Neo: £699 (up from £599, £100 increase)
• 13-inch MacBook Air: £1,299 (up from £1,099, £200 increase)
• 15-inch MacBook Air: £1,499 (up from £1,299, £200 increase)
• M5 MacBook Pro: £1,999 (up from £1,699, £300 increase)
• M5 Pro MacBook Pro: £2,499 (up from £2,199, £300 increase)
• M5 Max MacBook Pro: £4,099 (up from £3,599, £500 increase)
• iMac: £1,499 (up from £1,299, £200 increase)
• M4 Max Mac Studio: £2,499 (up from £1,999, £500 increase)
• M3 Ultra Mac Studio: £5,299 (up from £3,999, £1,300 increase)

New iPad prices

U.S. Increases

• iPad: $449 (up from $349, $100 increase)
• 11-inch iPad Air: $749 (up from $599, $150 increase)
• 13-inch iPad Air: $949 (up from $749, $200 increase)
• 11-inch iPad Pro: $1,199 (up from $999, $200 increase)
• 13-inch iPad Pro: $1,499 (up from $1,299, $200 increase)
• iPad mini: $599 (up from $499, $100 increase)

U.K. Increases

• iPad: £429 (up from £329, £100 increase)
• 11-inch iPad Air: £749 (up from £599, £150 increase)
• 13-inch iPad Air: £949 (up from £749, £200 increase)
• 11-inch iPad Pro: £1,199 (up from £999, £200 increase)
• 13-inch iPad Pro: £1,499 (up from £1,299, £200 increase)
• iPad mini: £599 (up from £499, £100 increase)

Apple TV, HomePod and Vision Pro

U.S. Increases

• Apple TV 4K: $199 (up from $129, $70 increase)
• HomePod: $349 (up from $299, $50 increase)
• HomePod mini: $129 (up from $99, $30 increase)
• Vision Pro: $3,699 (up from $3,499, $200 increase)

U.K. Increases

• Apple TV 4K: £199 (up from £129, £70 increase)
• HomePod: £349 (up from £299, £50 increase)
• HomePod mini: £129 (up from £99, £30 increase)
• Vision Pro: £3,499 (up from £3,299, £200 increase)

That's a lot of money, especially for ultra-high-end devices like the Mac Studio, which is up to $2,499/£2,499. For MacBooks, the largest increase comes to the M5 Max MacBook Pro, which is going up by $500/£500. In those cases, it's a matter of ultra-expensive devices becoming even more expensive.

While not the biggest increase, the MacBook Neo's $100/£100 price jump could be the most impactful. The Neo is Apple's attempt to target more budget-conscious laptop shoppers who would otherwise opt for a cheap Windows laptop or Chromebook. An extra $100 there could potentially put the laptop out of reach for some buyers.

Thankfully, iPhone prices are unchanged with this adjustment, but who knows for how long that will last. Perhaps the company will hold off until the iPhone 18 Pro hits the market.

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Even before ChatGPT went mainstream Siri has been the butt of jokes for not being very smart. And it’s been justified. Trying anything beyond the basics — playing music, getting the weather, setting timers — has been an exercise in futility. That (hopefully) changes with Siri AI, which is coming to iPhones, iPads and Macs with iOS 27.

I had a chance to see some in-person demos of the new Siri AI in action, and while these were very much rehearsed, there’s real potential here to save you time and make your life easier. However, the new Visual Intelligence is no Gemini Live, and Siri can take its time with certain tasks (at least in the beta stage). Here’s what I like so far, and what needs work.

Siri AI on iPhone

The first thing you should know about Siri AI is that it understands personal context. So you can ask questions about pretty much anything on your device, and the assistant is smart enough to dig through apps for you to surface the right info.

During one demo, an Apple rep asked “Which podcast did my sister recommend recently.” And Siri AI then pulled up the answer from a text message. Even better, you can just say “Play it” and Siri will fire up Apple Music and help you dive right in. (Apple will open up this capability to other developers in case you have another favorite music or podcast app.)

Siri can also get stuff done on your behalf across multiple apps, including performing multiple tasks with a single prompt.

The second demo started with just a couple of items on a camping list, but an email from a friend had a lot more recommendations. You can just say “add this stuff to my camping gear list and remind me to pack for my trip when I get home.”

Siri then got to work, updating the list in the Notes app and then setting a location-based reminder. However, it did take a while to complete these tasks. Hopefully, the final Siri will be faster.

I was pretty impressed by the improved Visual Intelligence experience, too. You can now access it via a dedicated Siri mode within the camera app, so you don’t have to use the Camera Control button shortcut. I think that’s huge for ease of use and discoverability.

During the demo, an iPhone captured an image of two books. You could then ask which book you should read first if you really liked Hyperion and Siri gave its recommendation. The Apple rep then asked which of these books had been turned into a movie and Wool had been adapted into the ‘Silo’ TV series. Cool, yes, but yeah I told you it was canned.

What’s not clear is whether this works with live video and I’m following up on that.

Siri AI on Mac

Accessing Siri AI on Mac is as easy as just pulling up Spotlight or typing command + Shift + Space. When you start typing Spotlight will know what sorts of queries should go to Siri versus say just launching apps.

Let’s say you’re looking for vacation spot and type “What’s the best Hawaiian Island for a young family.” Siri will get to work and pull up recommendations in a new window, which you can then expand and park on either side of the screen.

You can then ask follow-up questions like “Which is best for sea turtles” to narrow your selections. From there you can hit a button in the top right corner to bring you into the dedicated Siri app.

The dual-pane app will have your chat in the right window and your history of all Siri chats in the left window. It’s pretty easy to navigate.

To help you save time on productivity tasks, you can use Siri AI wherever you can use a cursor. The demo showed how you can be looking at a messy note with a bunch of info and then use a secondary click to bring up the Ask Siri menu.

After typing “Draft an email that summarizes this and include the action items,” Siri did just that. It’s definitely a timesaver. I just wish it worked with Gmail as well Apple Mail. Google would have to plug into Siri AI’s framework.

My favorite Siri AI on Mac demo came when a mock summer schedule appeared on screen with dates, times and locations for the matches. You can use Command + Shift + Space and then click the Add to Calendar button that automatically appears.

From there Siri AI will let you add all of the games to your calendar. Or you could tell Siri to only add the home games to your calendar if you wanted. Where was this when my kids were playing sports?

Siri on iPad

Last but not least, Siri AI on iPad works in much the same that it does on the iPhone, but having a larger canvas has its benefits.

You can access Siri AI at any time just by swiping down from the top middle of the display. As you begin to type “Who are the top golfers in the PGA right now,” the text “Ask Siri” appears right after it because Apple’s assistant knows that it can help.

Siri AI will then tap into Apple’s Broad World Knowledge and bring back answers, complete with citations you can click on.

Apple’s Siri AI can also help you plan a trip and you make the query pretty specific, like “What are the best national parks to visit in the US in July with my family? Recommend something that’s not too hot or crowded.”

Siri AI recommended where to go, including North Cascades National Park in Washington. You can then pop into the full Siri app if you like to ask follow-up questions, or use the Slide Over feature to keep the Siri conversation just a swipe away.

Siri AI outlook

Overall, Siri AI isn't just a rebranding for Apple. It’s a much more capable and personal assistant that's more deeply integrated into the apps you use.

I’m especially impressed by Siri AI’s use of personal context, and the ability to complete multiple actions at once. And while Visual Intelligence doesn’t seem quite as robust as Gemini Live in terms of having a real-time conversation about whatever’s in your camera view or on your screen, it’s certainly much improved.

In addition to a bit more speed, I just want to see what happens when developers get their hands on Siri AI so that you’re not just locked into Apple’s own apps.

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WWDC 26 is in the books (or at least, the keynote is), and as is tradition, we got a good look at OS updates across the Apple ecosystem.

iPadOS 27 is one such release, and developer beta 1 is out as of right now. Here’s what’s new, and why you might want to give it a try — and why you might want to skip it for now.

What’s new in iPadOS 27?

As with iPhone and Mac, the big draw here is the reinvented Siri, which is now much more capable. It’s context-aware, understands what’s on your screen, and can search through your data via on-device processing to find key data from your contacts, messages, Mail, and more.

There are also new child safety features like allowed apps, and a laundry list of tweaks under the hood to things like memory usage, display rendering, and more granularity over the Liquid Glass interface, which debuted last year.

A word of warning

As with any beta, iPadOS or otherwise, you should be wary of features (both new and old) working inconsistently. It’s not uncommon for even a tech giant like Apple to go through multiple rounds of testing before the public beta, which tends to be a little more stable (at least historically speaking).

It’s also possible that running the beta will cause a drop in your battery expectancy. If you find yourself needing to charge more regularly, it could be because you’re on the beta.

Supported iPadOS 27 models

iPadOS 27 is compatible with the following devices:

• iPad Pro 2nd Gen or later
• iPad Air 4th Gen or later
• iPad Mini 6th Gen or later
• iPad 9th Gen or later

It’s worth noting that the new Siri AI features are only supported on M4 or later iPad models.

How to get the iPadOS 27 beta

With those considerations out of the way, the process of enrolling your iPad is very similar to that in prior years.

First, you’ll need to enroll in the Apple Developer Program. You may already be enrolled from prior years, but if not, visit the sign-up page to get the ball rolling.

You’ll need to log your name and address, then set your entity type as an individual. When the payment screen appears, back out, and you’ll be on the free developer tier.

With that done, open your iPad and follow these instructions:

• Open Settings > General > Software Update
• Tap Beta Updates
• Select ‘iPadOS 27 Developer Beta’
• Then download it and install via the on-screen instructions

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Apple's annual developer conference, WWDC 2026, is happening right now, and there are plenty of announcements covering all of the company's major operating systems.

Apple recently switched to an annual naming convention with its operating systems, naming them after the following year. That includes iPadOS 27, which runs on the company's incredibly popular tablets.

Apple is constantly moving ahead with the iPad, and we know that WWDC 2026, which is likely to be outgoing CEO Tim Cook's last, will feature news and info on the latest version of Apple's slate OS.

The company's big focus with iPadOS 27 seems to be on improvements rather than adding new features, which makes it less exciting at first, but will be great for longtime users with sticking points.

Liquid Glass improvements

Liquid Glass is one of Apple's most divisive design choices in recent memory, and the company is showing no signs of ditching it in iPadOS 27. Instead, the company is leaning into it more with more Liquid-focused icons.

However, Apple is also adding a slider that provides better control over Liquid Glass, allowing you to go more transparent or increase the tint so it's barely transparent.

This seems like a smart design move for iPadOS 27 (and other Apple operating systems), as it allows people who really love the transparent look and feel to lean into it, while everyone else can limit it.

Child Safety features

Apple is making a massive expansion to its parental controls features for iPadOS 27. Screen management time is getting some notable upgrades, and developers will have better access to parental control tools within their apps.

"At Apple, our mission has always been to create technology that empowers people and enriches their lives, while helping keep them safe,” said Sumbul Desai, M.D., Apple’s vice president of Health and Fitness. “Our approach to helping families create safer digital experiences is grounded in the belief that every child is unique."

Apple Intelligence

Apple is running new models that will run both on a server and on your device, which Apple says will offer powerful image understanding and more. The most powerful version of its on-device model will only support iPad devices with M4 chips, so older and more affordable iPads will be left out.

The biggest change here for iPad users is that everything is integrated into the OS, including the new Siri, so you can use speech to find what you're looking for. And of course, it can also go online to find answers and then provide them (much like ChatGPT and other AI chatbots).

Siri AI is Apple's name for its new personal assistant, which seems like the obvious choice. Apple promises more conversational features, a dedicated Siri app and a new visual design for the personal assistant.

The new Siri is more conversational, so you can go back and forth with it to get what you need done. Apple demonstrated how to use the conversation feature to plan a World Cup watch party, including a match schedule, menu items, and even searching conversations to find a suggestion from his daughter.

On iPadOS, Apple showcased a pop-out window showing a conversation with Siri and the Siri AI app. It also showed cross-platform conversations, so if you use an iPad, iPhone or other Apple devices, you can switch between them and keep your AI queries going.

On-screen awareness, a feature discussed previously, sounds useful, but Apple didn't go into much detail on how it will work.

Siri AI will also offer writing advice and a proofreading system-wide, which sounds useful if you write on an iPad.

Apple says privacy is a major focus for its AI features on iPad, which is important.

iPadOS 27 release date

Apple appears to be following its typical release schedule, with Tim Cook rounding out the keynote citing a Fall release date for the latest version of its iPad operating system and the beta is scheduled to launch

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WWDC 2026 is upon us, which means we’re about to learn all the upgrades coming to various Apple operating systems. Naturally, one of these will be iPadOS 27. If rumors are correct, we won’t get major iPad-specific upgrades as we saw with iPadOS 26. However, there should be plenty for iPad users to get excited about.

The biggest upgrade should be for Siri and Apple Intelligence, which is also expected for iOS 27 and macOS 27. Apple has lagged in the current AI race, but with Google Gemini powering Siri and Apple Intelligence, Cupertino might finally catch up. We also expect some enhancements to core apps, along with some performance updates.

We’ll officially learn what Apple has been cooking when WWDC kicks off on June 8. For now, here are the three biggest iPadOS 27 announcements we expect.

Siri and Apple Intelligence overhaul

Similar to iOS 27 and macOS 27, iPadOS 27 should see an Apple Intelligence overhaul, specifically targeting Siri.

One of the biggest rumored upgrades is Apple turning Siri into a full-fledged chatbot capable of complex, multi-turn dialogue. This will be possible thanks to Apple’s partnership with Google, which will use Google’s Gemini model to power Apple Intelligence. Expect advanced text- and image-generation features.

We should also see on-screen awareness, which will allow Siri to understand what is happening on your iPad screen. For example, if you’re looking at a document or photo, you can ask Siri to edit it or send it to a specific contact without manually dragging and dropping.

Similarly, Siri should also gain the ability to execute multi-step actions across different apps, such as cross-referencing information in Calendar and drafting an email response in Mail.

Core app enhancements

As with iOS 27, expect some core app upgrades. One such app is Photos, which is expected to receive a major Apple Intelligence boost. A new Extend tool will use generative AI to fill in background scenery beyond a photo's original crop. Meanwhile, a Reframe tool will let you manipulate the perspective of spatial photos.

Apple is also reportedly adjusting system-wide app layouts to better leverage the iPad’s large display. To that end, apps like Apple Music, Podcasts, and Apple TV will see their navigation sidebars and tab bars consolidated, merging the search function right into the main navigation interface.

Performance and stability

Since iPadOS 27 is more of an iterative update than a substantial one like iPadOS 26, Apple’s engineers have focused most of their efforts on under-the-hood optimization.

For example, the team is reportedly removing outdated code, squashing long-standing bugs, and improving battery life efficiency and system responsiveness.

Liquid Glass was the major UI overhaul last year, and it’s expected to stick around. However, Apple is reportedly expanding its custom layout tools. This includes a system-wide opacity slider that lets you precisely adjust the appearance of interface elements to your liking.

iPadOS 27: Outlook

Even if iPadOS 27 isn’t as monumental as iPadOS 26, features like a smarter Siri, easier search, and a more stable operating system should make using iPads smoother.

Naturally, this is all based on rumors and reports, so we’ll have to wait until WWDC kicks off on Monday, June 8, to see what Apple has in store for us. Stay tuned!

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As the first half of 2026 winds down, it feels as though Apple has been relatively quiet while we wait for the big Fall product releases. WWDC 2026 is right around the corner in June and as is often the case, it marks the shift between the barren Apple months and the fruitful ones.

With that in mind, based on rumors and leaks, I expect Apple to debut at least 15 new devices between now and the end of the year.

Some like the iPhone and Apple Watches are your typical annual updates (save the over-rumored iPhone Fold), and potential updates to the MacBook Pro lineup. Others, like Apple's long-awaited smart home lineup, all depend on whether Apple has finally figured out Siri 2.0.

All of these devices could give us an idea if the recently reported hardware shakeup is ready to bear fruit.

So, here are the 15 Apple devices we could see this year in order of potential release date.

iPhone 18 Pro models and iPhone Fold - September

On the whole, the iPhone 18 Pro and 18 Pro Max probably won't be a big divergence from the iPhone 17 versions. A new color, a better chip, possibly a revamped Camera Control button and a smaller Dynamic Island are all on the table. Decent updates, but not terribly exciting.

The iPhone 18 is, we expect, a gap year until 2027's 20th anniversary iPhone, which could truly shake up the iPhone design.

However, the bigger news is that Apple is expected to split the iPhone 18 release with the Pro models this year and the iPhone 18, 18 Plus, and 18e launching in the new spring window next year.

If it launches, and there is debate about that, the iPhone Fold (or Ultra) will be the headline stealer as Apple finally steps into the foldable phones market.

The allegedly crease-free foldable could feature a squat 7.7-inch inner display that is reminiscent of an iPad mini. Apple is reportedly developing iOS 27 to be tailored for the folding iPhone. We'll most likely hear more about that at WWDC 2026, depending on how coy Apple wants to be.

Apple Watches - September

Unlike the iPhone 18 family, there has been a dearth of rumors regarding the Apple Watch Series 12 and Apple Watch Ultra 4. They typically launch in September alongside the iPhone.

Here's what we know so far.

The Series 12 could feature new holistic sensor tech on the bottom of the watch, including a new eight-sensor array. If true, this could indicate that new health metrics might be coming to the Series 12, or at the very least, more accurate ones. The big change might be an overhauled Health app featuring an AI-powered, personalized wellness concierge.

Otherwise, it should be largely the same as the Series 11, though it might feature Touch ID, which has been disputed.

The Apple Watch Ultra 4 may or may not launch this year, the rumors are unclear on this part. If not, we might see the Ultra 4 in 2027.

As for the design, rumors hint at a thinner case, fingerprint scanner and improved Hypertension Alerts. But that's about it for now.

iPads - September/October

The iPad mini is one of the best tablets available today and the eighth iteration could launch this year. Apple hasn't had a consistent release schedule for its tiny iPads, but most rumors suggest the iPad mini 8 could launch around October, maybe late September.

It's rumored to get the A20 Pro, the same chip as the iPhone 18 Pro series. It could also be the first iPad mini to feature an OLED display.

As for the larger entry-level iPad 12, it could launch this year with an A19 chipset. It's looking like it will be a simple refresh with Apple Intelligence features and possibly Apple's N1 wireless chip. Design-wise I expect it to look the same as its predecessor. Outside of that, I only have speculation on possible increases in RAM and storage but with the memory crisis, that may take a back seat.

OLED MacBook Pro M6 and other Macs - October

If they launch this year, I expect to see at least four Mac devices, most likely in October.

The most interesting one is the potential MacBook Pro M6 feature an OLED display.

• Mac Studio
• Mac mini
• iMac
• MacBook Pro M6

Beyond the MacBook, all of the other devices will likely just be chip upgrades going from their current versions to the M5 family.

The Pro model might get a new name the MacBook Ultra, which is meant to differentiate it from the MacBook Neo acting as an even higher-end counterpart to the Pro. It should feature an OLED display and the new M6 chipset.

The design should be similar to previous Pro models. The big upgrades will be the display with a touchscreen and the chipset.

Smart Home devices with a catch

Apple has been rumored to be developing its own suite of smart home devices, including the overhauled HomePod. This could come in the form of a new HomePod mini, a new HomePod 3 and the Home Hub.

The long-awaited Apple TV 4K set-top box update would be part of this update, with new features meant to connect it to your smart home. We're expecting Apple to kit out the next Apple TV with an upgraded chip, possibly an A17 Pro chip, though that rumor is nearly a year old now, so a potentially more powerful chip could be in the cards. The device could also get the N1 chip for Wi-Fi and Bluetooth connectivity.

Here's the thing, though, this all depends on whether Apple has finally figured out Apple Intelligence and Siri. Using AI to control your smart home with your voice and other tools is supposed to be a main part of the experience. That promise could finally arrive with the Gemini-powered version of Siri that is supposed to launch this year.

Additionally, Apple may have a smart security camera and Face ID doorbell in the works. Apple was reportedly in the early stages of development of those at the end of 2024, but it's not clear where Apple is regarding that now.

If Apple finally reveals the new HomePod and other smart home devices, it likely won't happen until after Siri 2.0 actually launches this fall.

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Apple has started sending out invites for the WWDC 2026 keynote on June 8 and it could have some hints about the future of Siri. The image, seen above, is clearly Apple Park, but the glowing symbol and the taglines like "coming bright up" give a hint at a potential visual overhaul for Siri.

It's two years late, but Siri 2.0 is finally supposed to arrive this year. Most rumors have hinted at Siri's potential capabilities, but this little teaser suggests that Siri could also get a visual overhaul.

Here's how Siri could be evolving.

iOS 27 and Gemini

Notably, Apple and Google have already promised that Gemini-powered Siri will debut this year with iOS 27. Google could help turbocharge Siri by offering the same multimodal performance that can be found in other AI chatbots.

With Gemini Live already available on some of the best Android phones, we already have an idea of how Siri could perform. For instance, the Galaxy S26 got advanced task automation to perform complex actions like placing a Dunkin’ Donuts order through DoorDash via voice.

Since the rocky launch of Apple Intelligence in 2024, Apple has been scrambling to refine what already exists rather than introducing new features. Still, this is the system that's supposed to undergird Siri, so new features are likely to be announced that would presumably integrate with Apple's virtual assistant.

That could include AI-based photo editing tools and things like the Galaxy S26’s Now Nudge.

Bloomberg's Mark Gurman has previously said that Siri 2.0 will offer a more "chatbot-like experience" acting as more of an on-device agentic AI for your iPhone.

However, he's also noted that Apple is making privacy a centerpiece of Siri, which would stand out from AI rivals like OpenAI's ChatGPT.

WWDC 2026: When and how to watch

Apple's latest iteration of its Worldwide Developers Conference runs from June 8 to 12, with the keynote starting on Monday, June 8.

Apple hasn't confirmed the exact start time, but the presentation usually starts around 10 a.m. PT / 1 p.m. ET. As usual, the event will take place at Apple Park in Cupertino, CA.

The live keynote has generally been streamed on the Apple website, the Apple Developer app and its YouTube channel.

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Six years after Apple dropped Intel in favor of its own M-series processors, the two tech giants are reportedly partnering again on new silicon.

Last week, The Wall Street Journal that Apple and Intel had struck a preliminary deal to produce chips after a year of bargaining. That report did not include what devices those processors would fill.

But now a new report from supply chain analyst Ming-Chi Kuo claims that Apple and Intel have already started initial production of processors for iPhones, iPads and some Macs. Per Kuo, roughly 80% of the chips are meant for iPhones.

Prior to 2020, Apple had a long history with Intel having switched to the company's chips in 2006. Intel-based Macs only just stopped receiving Apple support last year with the release of macOS 26. When macOS 27 drops later this year, it will not support any Intel Macs.

Kuo's report is a read and mostly covers how the Intel deal will impact Apple's partnership with TSMC which makes all of Apple's CPUs currently. But there are some noteworthy bits about where the Intel chips could end up.

The Intel chips are based on the 18A nodes which are used in the company's Panther Lake silicon. This deal apparently is using the chips for Apple's "low-end/legacy" devices.

Kuo's phrasing likely means that Intel is building chips for older models that are still on sale. TSMC would still "retain 90% of supply share" for Apple's more high-end processors.

If the deal works out, I expect we'll see a split between higher-end TSMC Apple devices like the Pro model iPhones and MacBooks. Intel would feature in the more budget-friendly devices like the e-series iPhones and the new MacBook Neo which is already struggling to keep up with demand due to a lack of chips.

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The iPad Air is, to my mind, the perfect iPad for most people. It has just the right blend of price to performance to make it the Goldilocks device in Apple's tablet line-up. The iPad Pro is overkill, and the base iPad 11 lacks features for those wanting more than a content consumption device.

So when the iPad Air M4 arrived last month, I was primed to head down to my nearest Apple store and trade in my aging 2020 Air for the new model. But one thing has given me pause: the iPad Air still lacks an OLED screen.

According to a new report from ETNews citing an industry source, Samsung Display (which manufactures panels for Apple's tablets) is set to begin mass-producing new displays for an iPad Air OLED expected to be announced in March 2027.

Moving to an OLED display would presumably bring with it a 120Hz ProMotion refresh rate. Apple finally brought that feature to the regular iPhone 17 last September, so I'd be mighty glad to see the iPad Air get the same treatment.

Currently, if you want the best display on an iPad, you need to go for the iPad Pro for those deeper blacks, enhanced contrast and more vibrant colors. Anyone who uses an iPad for video or photo editing will likely see the value in opting for an OLED device.

It's no secret to me (or probably you either) why Apple is dragging its heels on granting the iPad Air an OLED upgrade. The company wants to keep the best features fenced off to persuade people to go for the Pro models. But in a world where affordable Android tablets have been shipping with OLED screens for a couple of years now (case in point: Honor MagicPad 2), Apple withholding it from the iPad Air feels like gatekeeping gone too far.

The unnamed source in the ETNews report claims the next iPad Air "will feature an OLED with lower specifications and manufacturing costs." Which presumably means it will continue to be distinct from the iPad Pro in terms of performance, storage or certain features.

What will it do to the price?

Apple is riding high on credibility when it comes to affordable tech right now, thanks to the excellent MacBook Neo. But adding OLED to the iPad Air could easily lead to a price increase beyond the current $599/£599 MSRP.

The iPad Pro starts at $999 / £999, so I would hesitate to say an iPad Air OLED would cost north of $749, but with the current situation around RAM pricing, nothing is certain.

Would an iPad Air with an OLED screen tempt you to upgrade? Let me know in the comments.

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If you want to turn your iPad Air into a productivity machine, you’re probably going to need a keyboard case. When I reviewed the iPad Air M4, Apple sent along its Magic Keyboard Case for me to test too, and while it’s a great accessory — I was able to type nearly as fast as my regular keyboard — I couldn’t get over the fact that it costs $269, nearly half as much as the iPad Air itself. And, Apple’s keyboard lacks backlighting, making it much harder to use in darker conditions.

Fortunately, there are dozens of companies who make iPad Air keyboard cases that cost far less than Apple’s, so I rounded up eight models to see which is the best accessory for your tablet. On each, I used the Speed Typer iPad app, and timed myself three times to get an average score for both speed and accuracy.

I rated each on three criteria (design, price and typing speed) on a scale of 1 to 10 (10 being the best), to see which can really turn your iPad into a laptop replacement.

Belkin Pro Keyboard Case with Magnetic Stand

Like Logitech and Zagg, Belkin’s case was one of the more expensive models I tested (but still about $100 less than Apple’s). I liked its soft-touch cover and overall look and feel; at 1 pound 7 ounces, it fell in the middle of the pack weight-wise.

The Belkin case has five rows of keys, so you need to press the function button to access iPad-specific controls. There’s only one color for the backlighting, but you can adjust its brightness via a dedicated button to the left of the arrow keys. The backlighting was nice and even, though not as refined as Logitech’s.

On the typing test, I averaged an excellent 61 words per minute, with a 99 percent accuracy rate — the best among all the cases I tested, Apple included. However, one thing I thought was a plus — the extra large touchpad — proved to be a bit of a detriment, as my hands brushed against it, frequently causing the cursor to jump and open windows by accident. I had to restart the typing test several times because I would inadvertently open another window by mistake.

Price: 1
Design: 7
Typing speed: 10
Total score: 18

Dancesoul Keyboard Case for iPad Air 11 inch

This is one of dozens of no-name Chinese brands selling iPad accessories; while the Amazon listing says “Dancesoul,” the spacebar and enclosed materials are all branded Wiwu. Still, the price is right, the build quality is sturdy, and the exterior of the case has a nice soft-touch finish. Outwardly, this keyboard case most closely mimics Apple’s own case, right down to the oval-shaped hinge and embedded USB-C port.

I also like that there’s a dedicated sixth row of keys for iPad-specific controls. The case is somewhat heavy at 1.2 pounds, but that’s right in the middle. The keyboard backlighting can be switched between seven colors. However, it’s not the brightest. Instead of a dedicated on/off switch, like on some of the other cases I tested, this one turns on automatically when you open the lid. It’s a nice feature to have.

Sadly, I averaged just 50 words per minute, with a 96 percent accuracy rate, the lowest score among the cases I tested.

Price: 7
Design: 5
Typing speed: 1
Total score: 13

ESR for iPad Air 11 Inch Case with Keyboard

ESR’s case has a unique, and really clever feature: the upper portion of its case can be removed from the keyboard section, and rotated to either portrait or landscape mode. The case also has a small slot to store a stylus, another nicety. The detachable section was very light, so it won’t offer the protection of a Zagg case, but won’t get in the way, either.

The exterior of the ESR case has a leather-like feel that’s very close to Apple’s own case, and the keyboard deck itself also has a nice soft-touch finish. At $112, this case fell in the middle of the ones I tested - it was neither the cheapest, nor the most expensive.

The backlit keyboard has five rows of keys; it took me a few minutes to get the feel for the keyboard, but I eventually averaged 61 words per minute with a 98 percent accuracy rate, which tied Belkin for the fastest overall score.

Price: 6
Design: 9
Typing speed: 10
Total score: 25

Logitech Combo touch

At $169, this is one of the most expensive options on the market (though still $100 less than Apple’s own case). Logitech’s case comes in two sections, an upper part that encases the iPad, and the keyboard. The two halves connect magnetically. It’s a neat idea — it’s easy to simply leave the keyboard behind — but it has one main drawback. In order to prop the iPad up, you have to extend a stand out at the back of the case, which takes up a lot more space than the other cases, which have stiff hinges. I couldn’t see myself using this easily on a plane, for instance.

Still, Logitech makes good use of all that room, adding a sixth row of iPad keys and the most spacious touchpad I’ve seen on a keyboard case. It’s even larger than the one on the official Apple case. However, I found that I was more prone to accidentally brushing part of my left hand against it, which made the cursor jump around.

It’s also the only keyboard that has an app - once installed, it updated the keyboard’s firmware. But, unlike Logitech’s gaming keyboards, there’s no customization options, so the app is kind of useless otherwise.

This keyboard has the nicest backlighting of the group — it’s bright and even — but the keys had the least amount of travel of the bunch. I averaged 56 words per minute and 98% accuracy, which was in the middle of the pack.

Price: 1
Design: 8
Typing speed: 5
Total score: 15

RuneLK keyboard

The RuneLK case looks like it came off the same assembly line as Belkin’s model; the two are nearly identical, save for a few minor things like branding and the font on the keys. It has a nice soft-touch exterior and a circular hinge that lets you tilt the iPad back about 130 degrees, similar to the other cases. Unlike others, it only has five rows of keys, so iPad functions, like adjusting the brightness, are part of the number row.

It only has one color backlighting — white — but there’s a dedicated key for adjusting the brightness, which I liked (other keyboards require you to press Function plus another button). The backlighting was nice and bright, too.

On the typing test, I averaged 56 words per minute with a 97 percent accuracy rate, which ranks in the middle of the pack. This case was also one of the heavier models at 1.7 pounds, but didn’t feel too weighty.

Price: 7
Design: 7
Typing speed: 5
Total score: 19

Tolpeiksoy Magnetic Keyboard Case with Stylus Pen for iPad Air 11-inch

Of the keyboard cases I tested, this is the only one that also came with a stylus — though there’s no loop to connect it to the keyboard, a strange oversight. Still, that’s another $80 you won’t have to spend buying the Apple Pencil. And, the company also includes a membrane cover for the keyboard to keep it clean. However, this was also the heaviest case I tested, at 1 pound, 8.7 ounces.

This case has a nice faux-leather type finish on the outside, one of the more pleasing ones I felt. Instead of it being wake-to-open, it has an on/off switch, but there’s no dedicated row of iPad keys - they’re added as functions with the number row.

You can choose between seven colors for the backlighting, but I found it a bit distracting, owing mainly to the fact that the keys were white, so the light bled through; I found that red turned up the best. I only averaged 51 words per minute, with an accuracy rate of 96% — the second-lowest among the cases I tested. Curiously, I had the greatest variation in speeds, going from a low of 43 wpm to a high of 62 wpm.

Price: 3
Design: 5
Typing speed: 2
Total score: 10

typecase Touch Keyboard Case for iPad Air

While all of the keyboard cases I tested let you use your iPad to type, they all require you to remove the iPad if you want to use it as a standalone tablet. Typecase’s unique swivel design lets you rotate the Air in the case and fold it flat against the keyboard, which is pretty clever. And, there's even a holder for a stylus, something you don't get with a lot of these cases.

However, the entire thing is plasticky — it was the cheapest-feeling of the group — and there’s a bit of flex in the keyboard itself. Considering its design, I was expecting this case to weigh the most of the group, but it was about average, tipping the scales at 1.3 pounds.

I like that the keyboard has a separate sixth row for iPad controls. The keyboard’s backlight color can be changed between 11 colors or just a plain white, and you can have it automatically cycle between the colors, as well as adjust the brightness. The backlighting was even and bright, one of the best from the group. Using the Speed Typer test, I averaged 58 words per minute with a 99 percent accuracy rate, which was one of my better performances of the group.

Price: 10
Design: 6
Typing speed: 8
Total score: 24

Zagg Pro Keys Connect

Zagg’s case was the heaviest of the bunch I tested, coming in at 1.7 pounds. However, that’s because Zagg’s case is rated for a 6.6-foot drop protection, so this could be the model for those who are clumsier.

Like the Logitech case, you can detach the keyboard. The two halves connect magnetically, but there’s one extra element to the Zagg case that makes it less convenient: you have to connect a USB-C plug into the iPad itself to power the case. Logitech makes things simpler by using the three metal contact points on the rear of the iPad itself.

Also like Logitech’s case, Zagg’s uses a rear kickstand to prop itself up, which takes up more desk space than the other models in this roundup. I do like, though, that there’s a small clip on the front where you can attach a stylus.

While the backlit keyboard and touchpad are very spacious, the keys themselves felt small and too smooth for my liking; my fingers often slipped, and as a result, I got a fairly middling score on the typing test, averaging 53 words per minute with a 96% accuracy rate.

Price: 2
Design: 6
Typing speed: 5
Total score: 13

Scorecard

Bottom line

Overall, the ESR case was my favorite among the iPad Air cases I tested, scoring 25 out of a possible 30 points. While it wasn’t the least expensive model, nor was it the priciest, and I liked the fact that it not only had a slot for a stylus, but also let me use the Air in both landscape and portrait mode.

If you’re looking for a budget model, the typecase tied the ESR for overall points; its design isn’t as refined, but it was still reasonably light, and let me swivel the tablet around a full 360 degrees. And, I notched my second-highest typing score. The fact that it costs less than $70 makes it even more appealing.

If you’re looking for durability, Zagg’s is the best option, though I wasn’t enamored with the design of its keys, nor how the iPad connected to the case itself.

While the iPad Air might not be the cheap productivity machine that is the MacBook Neo, you can still use it to get work done — and you don’t have to pay Apple’s prices to do so.

I’ve owned an iPad since 2022, and I’ll be honest, I haven’t gotten much use out of it — until recently. I just tested the Razer Kishi V3 Pro XL that has turned my iPad into a gaming powerhouse and, honestly, has breathed new life into it. The Kishi V3 Pro XL is a powerful mobile gaming controller with fantastic TMR thumbsticks, four extra buttons, and clicky triggers, all packed into an ergonomic body.

Featuring full-sized triggers and thumbsticks as well as passthrough charging, this is the only controller you need if you’re a fan of on-the-go gaming. But is it perfect? Sadly not quite. The lack of rumble and haptics on Apple devices will make its premium price tag very difficult to stomach for iOS/iPadOS users.

To find out if this is the best mobile game controller for you, read my full Razer Kishi V3 Pro XL review.

Razer Kishi V3 Pro XL review: Specs

Razer Kishi V3 Pro XL review: Cheat sheet

• What is it? A gaming controller for iPads and USB-C tablets
• Who is it for? Anyone who enjoys gaming on the go and wants a comfortable controller
• How much does it cost? The Razer Kishi V3 Pro XL is available for $199 / £164
• What do we like? The ergonomic design, TMR thumbsticks, passthrough charging, and compatibility with many tablets
• What don’t we like? No rumble or haptics on iOS/iPadOS and the premium price tag

Razer Kishi V3 Pro XL review: The ups

From its ergonomic design and passthrough charging, to its powerful TMR thumbsticks and clicky triggers, the Razer Kishi V3 Pro XL is an absolute must-have accessory for iPad owners.

Extremely comfortable and ergonomic

I’ve tested and used my fair share of mobile and tablet gaming controllers. Some have been good; some have been bad; and a few have been peerless in the comfort department. The Razer Kishi V3 Pro XL falls into the third category as it’s one of the comfiest controllers I’ve used — despite its big footprint.

The Kishi V3 Pro XL’s plate where the tablet sits measures 12.91 x 4.36 x 2.54 inches when the controller is outstretched, enabling it to accommodate a 13-inch iPad Pro. Even so, it doesn’t feel unwieldy to handle. It weighs 10.97oz without a tablet inserted, and with my iPad Air 10.9-inch slotted in, the controller weighs 1.73lbs, and I haven’t found it too heavy to hold. Having used the controller for a six-hour straight gaming stint, my hands didn’t feel fatigued or like they were cramping from the controller’s design.

This is also partly due to the ergonomic, chunky grips which feel similar to the ones you’ll find on the likes of the Xbox Elite Wireless 2 ($179). In fact, the Kishi V3 Pro XL feels like what you’d get if you sliced a Razer Wolverine V3 Pro ($199) down the middle and slotted a tablet in between the two grips. That itself speaks volumes about the Kishi V3 Pro XL as the Wolverine V3 Pro is undoubtedly the best premium PC game controller on the market.

I love the full-sized thumbsticks and triggers too which, again, feel like the ones on the Wolverine V3 Pro. I’m a big fan of offset thumbsticks as they feel more ergonomic to me (and something I always miss on my PlayStation DualSense). All in all, the Kishi V3 Pro XL is an excellent, ergonomic controller designed for all-day play.

Compatible with many tablets

If you already own an iPad or an Android tablet, the Razer Kishi V3 Pro XL is the right choice for you. It’s compatible with the iPad Pro (11 and 13 inches), the iPad Air (11 and 13 inches), the standard iPad (10.9 inches), and USB-C Android tablets. You can connect it to your PC too, thanks to the included cable, and use it as a regular gamepad.

Included in the box are two sets of rubber bumpers for adjusting the controller to your device size, alongside two swappable thumbstick caps (one tall concave and one short convex). I found the rubber bumpers super easy to replace, and I’d recommend trying out the different sizes to ensure that your tablet fits snugly.

Powerful TMR sticks

The Razer Kishi V3 Pro XL boasts outstanding gaming performance, thanks to its TMR thumbsticks, mouse-like analog triggers, high polling rate, and more. I tested the controller with my iPad 10.9-inch, as I mentioned earlier, and played my favorite PS5 games via the PS Remote Play app. First, its polling rate can be set to either 1,000Hz or 4,000Hz, adjustable via the Razer Nexus companion app. Having tested both, I didn’t experience any latency issues or input lag.

Next, the TMR thumbsticks. Tunnel Magneto Resistance (TMR) sensors are superior to Hall Effect ones (which are also great in their own right), as they use weak electromagnetic waves rather than strong ones. This means that smaller adjustments and minute movements are picked up by the sensors, and the boost to accuracy in racing and FPS titles is certainly noticeable.

I tested this out by playing Need for Speed Heat, and I instantly noticed the performance difference between playing the game on my DualSense versus the Kishi V3 Pro XL. Thanks to the latter’s TMR sticks, I was able to not only maintain a straight line while driving, I could also go right up to the rear bumper of the car ahead of me and overtake right before making contact. This gave me a bit of a competitive advantage. I found the thumbsticks very comfortable too (I used the short convex caps), and thanks to how responsive they were, I was able to easily navigate down the winding mountain roads and turn tight corners.

I also appreciated being able to make minute adjustments in FPS titles, such as Cyberpunk 2077. With my sniper rifle pointed at a group of NPCs in the distance, I could move the right stick ever so slightly to choose the correct target, even though several of them were standing close together. It made me feel like I was in a James Bond movie, to be honest.

Mouse-like triggers and face buttons

Another thing I absolutely adore on the Razer Kishi V3 Pro XL is how the triggers and face buttons feel. The controller features analog triggers so while they aren’t as customizable as Hall Effect ones on the likes of the GameSir G8 Plus ($99), I’d be lying if I said they didn’t feel darn good to play with.

The triggers, along with the face buttons, two extra shoulder buttons and back buttons, feel mouse-like to press, similar to the ones on the Razer Wolverine V3 Pro. They’re extremely responsive and straight out of the box, they didn’t feel stiff at all. I jumped right into Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 to try them out. Each button and trigger press was instantaneously registered, and I appreciated the tactile feedback I got as well. I also found it handy that I didn’t need to press the buttons or triggers too hard for my commands to register. I was able to execute perfectly timed parries and dodges in Expedition 33, which helped me win crucial boss battles.

Drifting and braking in Need for Speed Heat was a walk in the park thanks to the triggers as well. They’re full-size which means that there’s plenty of room for your fingers to sit atop the longer R2 and L2 triggers. Again, I didn’t find it fatiguing to hold down L2 in drift challenges. I also appreciate the addition of four extra clicky buttons (two on top, two around the back). I remapped the M1 button on the back as the nitro (N2O) button so all I had to do was use my right middle finger to toggle it when I needed a speed boost, which freed up my thumb to remain on the right thumbstick.

User-friendly companion app

As I alluded to before, the Razer Kishi V3 Pro XL is accompanied by the Razer Nexus app which is free to download on iOS, iPadOS and Android. Razer Nexus sports a clean user interface and is your one-stop shop for all the games installed on your device, and for launching apps like PS Remote Play, Steam Link, and even emulators. It’s easy to navigate and there are no intrusive pop-ups that deter from the experience.

Razer Nexus is also your hub for customizing the Kishi V3 Pro XL. Within the app — which can be quickly accessed by hitting the Nexus button located under the right thumbstick — you can customize the four extra buttons, remap the others, adjust the TMR sticks’ deadzone, swap between analog and digital triggers, and adjust the controller’s polling rate. Simple enough to do, and thanks to native compatibility, you can even adjust a few of these settings from the iPad’s Settings menu too.

Passthrough charging

Last but certainly not least, the Razer Kishi V3 Pro XL features passthrough charging. It’s important to note that the controller doesn’t feature a built-in battery and is instead powered by your tablet, so passthrough charging is a must. This basically means that you can charge your iPad or Android tablet while it’s slotted into the Kishi V3 Pro XL. The USB-C port is located on the right grip.

Passthrough charging has quickly become a non-negotiable for me, and I hate it when a controller doesn’t feature it — the GameSir G8 Plus and the Scuf Nomad ($99), for instance. It’s also something we’ve seen on the Backbone Pro ($169) and the GameSir X5 Lite ($34) and, in all honesty, if Razer didn’t include passthrough charging at this price (more on that shortly) I would’ve been flabbergasted.

Razer Kishi V3 Pro XL review: The downs

Alas, the Razer Kishi V3 Pro XL isn’t perfect. There’s no rumble or haptics on Apple devices, and the price tag is a little difficult to stomach.

No rumble or haptics on Apple devices

One of the most disappointing things about the Razer Kishi V3 Pro XL, and perhaps a dealbreaker for some, is the fact that its rumble and haptics don’t work on iOS and iPadOS devices. You’d best believe it when I say that I let out the biggest sigh possible when I plugged in my iPad and there was no rumble in the games I played. Razer does state this on the official product page, but in small print that might get missed by most people as it’s accompanied by bold letters stating “Next-Gen Tactile Feedback” and “RAZER SENSA HD HAPTICS” in all caps.

This is a limitation confined to iOS and iPadOS (as the rumble works with Android tablets), but Apple added rumble support on iPadOS 15, so Razer isn’t off the hook here.

Even if it were an issue stemming from iPadOS or the PS Remote Play app, it would’ve been nice to have the incompatibility warning a little more prominent. I’ve seen many people complain about the lack of haptics on iPadOS on r/razerkishi and r/razer subreddits, and many have stated that they’ve ended up returning their Kishi V3 Pro XLs for this reason. I won’t lie, it’s certainly disappointing especially given that the controller is advertised as one designed for iPads.

But I’d also like to note that rumble and haptics aren’t found on that many mobile controllers. These are missing from the GameSir G8 Plus and the Backbone Pro, for instance, and are a limitation of iOS and iPadOS. I really can’t think of any other iPad controller that does feature haptics. This is a major pre-purchase consideration for you to chew over, and the only drawback of using the Kishi V3 Pro XL and other controllers with an iPhone or iPad. In the meantime, I’ve reached out to a Razer representative to get a clearer picture and understanding.

Costs a premium

While the Razer Kishi V3 Pro XL is an excellent iPad controller, there’s no sugarcoating the fact that it’s quite expensive. It retails for $199 / £164 at Amazon, making it the most expensive mobile controller I’ve tested so far (at the time of writing). This makes the Kishi V3 Pro XL as expensive as the PlayStation Portal ($199). The standard, smaller Kishi V3 Pro model designed for smartphones is a little cheaper at $149, but is the $50 price difference justified, especially when rivals like the GameSir G8 Plus ($99) are available for far less?

But the Kishi V3 Pro XL doesn’t have many other competitors. Most other controllers compatible with the iPad take the shape and form of your regular gamepad, like the PlayStation DualSense (which works just fine with the iPad). The biggest difference is, of course, the fact that you need to prop your iPad up on a table to use a standard gamepad, which you don’t need to do with the Kishi V3 Pro XL. It is, then, perhaps justified that the controller costs so much, but the fact that rumble and haptics don’t work as intended leaves a sour taste in my mouth.

Razer Kishi V3 Pro XL review: Verdict

Razer knows how to make a good gaming peripheral, and the Kishi V3 Pro XL is one of the best iPad accessories you can buy today, especially if you’re a gamer. The controller is ergonomically designed with full-size thumbsticks and triggers, making it perfect for all-day gaming. Passthrough charging also means that you don’t have to worry about your tablet running out of charge mid-gaming.

I love the TMR thumbsticks and mouse-like analog triggers and extra buttons. They’re all highly responsive in FPS, racing and RPG titles, and they can be customized via the user-friendly app too. But is all of this worth nearly $200, especially when there’s no haptics or rumble on Apple devices? Kinda. The Kishi V3 Pro XL has carved out a niche for itself, and if it’s an ergonomic iPad mobile game controller you need, it’s really the only one to get.

Apple announced a bunch of incredible new hardware at the start of the year, including the iPad Air M4 and the $599 MacBook Neo. But there was one rumored device that never made an appearance — the entry-level iPad 12. Those of you eagerly anticipating a new version of Apple's cheapest tablet are in luck; it sounds like it's still on the way.

We know that thanks to accessory-maker ESR Tech, which posted a listing for an iPad-12 compatible screen protector (via GSMArena). The listing has since been removed, but it specifically referred to the tablet as the iPad 11" (A18) 2026, so it's absolutely clear which version of the device this screen protector was for. The iPad 11 was released last year and was powered by the A16 chipset, for reference.

The listing did confirm that the new model has the same dimensions as the iPad 11, so you'd be forgiven for not being able to tell the difference between the two. However, apparent confirmation that the tablet will feature an A18 chip is going to dampen all the rumors suggesting the iPad 12 would have an A19 chip.

There's not a whole lot more the listing can tell us, but the fact that this page has gone up — even accidentally — might suggest that the iPad 12 launch isn't very far away. The only question is when? Mark Gurman at Bloomberg claims that the tablet is "coming soon" and could launch alongside the iPad mini 8. Sadly, this vague release window doesn't tell us much about when to expect either device.

Since the iPad 12 isn't a product that's high-profile enough to warrant a dedicated Apple event, it means the tablet could literally drop at any time. We're just going to have to be patient and see what happens, and whether Apple will deliver either tablet before WWDC 2026 in June.

There's not a whole lot we know about the iPad 12 right now, other than the fact that it might be the first entry-level iPad to support Apple Intelligence. That would mean an increased amount of RAM, since Apple's AI features require at least 8GB of memory to function.

We probably shouldn't expect a lot, though. Entry-level iPads are usually pretty barebones compared to the best iPads, including iPad Air and iPad Pro, offering far fewer opportunities for upgrades. Though, as the proud owner of an iPad 10, I would love it if Apple could add a glare-resistant screen and higher brightness in a future model. Trying to use my tablet in a bright place is nearly impossible.

More from Tom's Guide

• 'I am not a fan of AI' — Apple's Steve Wozniak is unimpressed and thinks it can't replace humans
• Future iPhones could pack a 200MP camera — here's what that means for you
• This Apple Music feature is my favorite upgrade in iOS 26.4 — here’s why

Whenever Apple announces new devices it means that some older ones get discontinued. Last week, Apple revealed a slew of new products including the intriguing MacBook Neo, budget-friendly iPhone 17e and more powerful MacBook Pro M5 Pro/Max laptops.

As part of streamlining the devices it sells, the company discontinued 15 existing devices. Surprisingly, not every device is years old. The oldest was released in 2019, while the most recent only debuted six months ago.

Here's the list of 15 discontinued products:

• iPhone 16e with A18 (2025)
• 11-inch iPad Air with M3 (2025)
• 13-inch iPad Air with M3 (2025)
• 13-inch MacBook Air with M4 (2025)
• 15-inch MacBook Air with M4 (2025)
• 13-inch MacBook Pro with M5 and 512GB storage (2025)
• 14-inch MacBook Pro with M4 Pro (2024)
• 16-inch MacBook Pro with M4 Pro (2024)
• 14-inch MacBook Pro with M4 Max (2024)
• 16-inch MacBook Pro with M4 Max (2024)
• Mac Studio with M3 Ultra and 512GB memory (2025)
• Studio Display with A13 Bionic (2022)
• Pro Display XDR (2019)
• Pro Stand for Pro Display XDR (2019)
• Pro Display XDR VESA Mount Adapter (2019)

For the most part, the Apple is just swapping one product for its updated version. The iPhone 16e gets the boot for the 17e. The M3 iPad Air has been replaced by the M4 version, the same for the M4 MacBook Air models which have been replaced with M5 MacBook Airs.

The surprising discontinuation is the 512GB MacBook Pro M5, which was announced in October 2025 for $1,599. Instead, the new base model features 1TB of internal storage, and costs $1,699.

It's unclear if this related to the ongoing memory crisis that is reducing storage and RAM options for many companies.

Finally, we have the two oldest devices: the original Studio Display from 2022 and the Pro Display XDR (released in 2019), which were replaced by the new Studio Display XDR and an updated base version.

What does discontinued mean for your devices?

Unlike Apple's vintage or obsolete devices, discontinuation just means the company no longer sells these products through official channels. However, they are still eligible for software updates, repairs and support for at least five to seven years after their initial release date.

Apple typically places devices on its vintage list around five years after the company stops selling them. At that point, they're unlikely to get software updates, and repairs will only be available as long as parts are available. So if you own any of these discontinued products, you still have some time before you need to consider an upgrade.

More from Tom's Guide

• I love my MacBook Air, but anyone buying the M5 should absolutely add one of these must-have accessories to their shopping basket
• Apple March event — MacBook Neo reactions, iPhone 17e and all the new products
• Apple buried these 3 genuinely useful iPhone features — here's how to find them

If it ain’t broke, why fix it? Like many other 2026 releases (see the iPhone 17e and Google Pixel 10a), this year’s update to the iPad Air is largely iterative. Apple has updated the processor to an M4 chip, and it has upgraded its wireless chip to Wi-Fi 7, but everything else is pretty much the same: same cameras, same design, same display, even the same battery life.

In fact, a lot of the iPad Air’s specs are nearly the same as the iPad Air 4, which came out six years ago. It has the same resolution display, has the same dimensions, the same rear camera, and weighs just as much. However, Apple has kept its starting price the same for all that time, and increased the starting storage capacity to 128GB (along with some other improvements).

All that being said, is this still the best tablet for most people? I would say yes, but is this the best Apple device for $599? That’s another question entirely.

What’s new

Two things have changed between this year’s model and last. The 2026 iPad Air is now powered by Apple’s M4 processor. The tablet also has Apple’s new networking chips: The N1, which has Wi-Fi 7, Bluetooth 6, and Thread networking; and on models with cellular connectivity, the C1X, which delivers 5G (sub‑6 GHz) with 4x4 MIMO and Gigabit LTE with 4x4 MIMO.

Obviously, network connectivity will vary greatly on a number of factors, but on Verizon’s 5G network with four bars of service, I was able to download a 2.98GB video file in 1 minute and 25 seconds.

How much does it cost?

The iPad Air M4 is available for preorder, and goes on sale on March 11, 2026. The base model 11-inch iPad Air costs $599 and comes with 128GB of storage. The starting price for the 13-inch Air is $799, also with 128GB of storage. Both models can be configured with up to 1TB of disk space, and you can get them in one of four colors: space gray, blue, purple, and starlight.

If you want cellular connectivity, add an extra $150 to each of these prices.

Apple sent us an 11-inch Air with 1TB of storage and cellular connectivity, which boosts the price to $1,249. At that point, I would advise springing for a laptop or an iPad Pro.

Then of course, there’s the accessories. An Apple Pencil will set you back $79, while the Apple Pencil Pro costs $129. The Magic Keyboard for the iPad Air costs $269. At least you get free engraving.

What I like

Classic — if aging — design

I wouldn't go so far to say that the Air's design has calcified, but if you go back several generations, you'll see little has changed from year to year. The M4 Air has the same design as the Air Apple released back in 2020. To be sure, it's a great look — thin, light, and a nice slim bezel all the way around.

Despite the “Air” moniker, there’s not much difference in weight or thickness between this and the regular iPad. The Air measures 9.74 x 7.02 x 0.24 inches and weighs 1.02 pounds, while the 11-inch iPad measures 9.79 x 7.07 x 0.28 inches and weighs 1.05 pounds. Ironically, the 11-inch iPad Pro is the lightest and thinnest of the lot, at 0.98 pounds and 0.21 inches. It does have a larger footprint of 9.88 x 6.99 inches, though.

Still, this is a very comfortable tablet to hold for extended periods of time.

Beautiful Display

Watching movies, TV shows, and YouTube clips on the Air’s display was a delight. Like last year’s version, the M4 iPad Air has a bright, crisp, and colorful Retina screen that made everything just pop. For example, when I watched “K Pop Demon Hunters” on Netflix, Rumi, Mira, and Zoey all looked, well, golden on the display.

It’s exactly the same, with a resolution of 2360 x 1640, and a rated brightness of 500 nits. In our lab tests, we measured a top brightness of 489 nits (also nearly the same as last year), which is pretty close.

On our other display tests, the Air’s screen was able to display 116% of the sRGB color gamut, and 82.3% of the DCI-P3 gamut (more is better). It’s Delta-E score of 0.28 (where numbers closer to 0 are better) also show that the colors it displays are very close to accurate.

Interestingly, the Air’s results are nearly identical to those of the iPad Pro M5, which has an OLED display.

Multitasking prowess

It’s not quite a desktop experience, but it’s close. One of the new features of iPadOS 26 is the ability to have multiple apps open in resizable windows, which you can move about the screen.

While the 11-inch iPad Air I tested is a bit small for true multitasking, it was nice to be able to make multiple apps open side-by-side, and to be able to move and resize each window as I liked.

Now powered by an M4 chip, the iPad Air is modestly faster than last year’s iPad Air M3. On our benchmark tests, it scored appreciably faster, both in single- and multicore, as well as in frame rate tests. The most notable difference you’ll see is if you go back a couple of generations; the M4 iPad scored nearly two times higher than the M1 Air on our Geekbench test.

Are you going to notice the difference in everyday use? Probably not, unless you’re planning to do some pretty intense video editing, but if that’s your plan, the more powerful iPad Pro might be more your speed.

Good cameras

Both the front and rear cameras on the iPad Air have a resolution of 12MP, though the front-facing camera has a much wider field of view, so as to take advantage of Center Stage, which can automatically track and frame you during FaceTime calls. It’s a handy feature to have, especially if you’re trying to cram several people into the shot. The rear camera lets you choose from a regular shot, square, or panorama. There’s no Portrait mode, however.

Photos from both cameras were pleasing, but not spectacular. The front camera did a good job of keeping my face properly exposed, even with a bright light source behind my head. The rear camera also adequately pulled up the details and colors of a shelf full of books, though, as with any photo, zooming in too far quickly resulted in a loss of definition. However, pictures from both cameras exhibited a good deal of graininess at full size.

What I didn't like

No FaceID

You can unlock the iPad Air using TouchID on its power button, but just like last year, Apple has reserved FaceID for its iPad Pro models. It’s a small annoyance, but doesn’t feel like this is so much of a premium feature as to limit it to the company’s highest-end tablets.

Pricey accessories

I used the Magic Folio Keyboard to type parts of this review, and while it’s a little cramped compared to a laptop’s keyboard, the keys were plenty snappy and responsive, and within minutes I was typing at or near my regular rate. The touchpad was also very accurate, and I never had an instance where my cursor ended up where it shouldn’t have been. For the price, though, I wish the keys were backlit. And, $269 is a lot to ask, especially when you can find compatible third-party options for half as much.

Battery life is exactly the same — and less than its predecessors

I get that the Air delivers better performance per watt than the previous model, but I would have liked just a little more endurance. To be sure, its battery life of 9 hours and 44 minutes, as tested, is great for an 11-inch tablet, but a touch more wouldn’t hurt, especially considering the M1 and the iPad 4 were both able to break the 10-hour mark on our tests.

Bottom line

The M4 iPad Air is a modest upgrade over last year’s model, but when you make one of the best tablets there is, and there’s no real challenger, then maybe each new year doesn’t need to see a completely new reinvention.

If you have an older iPad — say, from the M1 generation or before — and you see its battery life taking a big hit, then you might want to consider an upgrade, though that model also supports iPadOS 26. The M4 Air also has a Center Stage camera, which the M1 series lacks.

The question I suspect many will have is whether they should buy the iPad Air or spring for the Macbook Neo, which is $250 less when you factor in the cost of the Air’s keyboard. While the Air has a touchscreen and is more portable, its value proposition when compared to Apple’s laptops is now a lot more questionable if you’re looking for an inexpensive productivity device.

Yes, the iPad Air is the best Apple tablet for the masses, but it may have just been superseded by the Neo as the best cheap Apple product for getting stuff done.

The iPad Air M4 might not have been released yet, but it looks like the first set of performance benchmark results have already appeared online. Or at least, Geekbench has published two sets of results that list an iPad identifier of iPad 16,11, We can't actually verify the legitimacy of the results until we get a chance to test the tablet for ourselves.

MacRumors spotted the results, and both sets list the identifier that seems to correspond to the 13-inch iPad Air M4 with Wi-Fi and Cellular connectivity. According to the results, the first test saw the tablet score 3,483 in a single-core test and 12,885 in the multi-core test. The second test recorded 3,714 and 12,296, respectively.

For reference, testing for our iPad Air M3 saw the tablet hit 3,042 in single-core Geekbench testing and 11,804 in the multi-core test. So if these M4 scores are the real deal, then we're looking at a pretty reasonable improvement in performance.

That is a 14.5% and 9.1% in crease for the first set of results, and 22% and 4.1% increase for the second set. Which is a fairly impressive improvement for single-core benchmarking, even if the multi-core scores haven't risen quite as much.

It's always worth remembering that even if these are legitimate iPad Air M4 benchmark tests, there's no telling how things might change once the tablets actually go on sale. Once we reach March 11 and the Air M4 goes on sale, we're likely to see a lot more benchmark test results hit the web.

That should give us a better idea of how much better the iPad Air M4's performance actually is compared to its predecessor. Not to mention the fact that we can test plenty of other things like battery life, graphical performance and even display quality. Only then can we decide whether it's worthy for inclusion on our list of the best tablets. It's looking good so far, I'll admit.

Stay tuned to Tom's Guide for our full iPad Air M4 review in the coming weeks, but in the meantime, make sure to check out our Apple March event live blog for a rundown of all the biggest announcements of the week.

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Apple is holding a series of product reveals this week, but one that many have had their eye on is the reveal of fresh MacBook Pro models featuring the new M5 Pro and M5 Max chips.

While touchscreen Macs are reportedly on their way, this announcement is an update of what the 14-inch MacBook Pro M5 model kicked off last year. We get a similar chassis, but a much more powerful chip, along with other refinements.

Should you upgrade from an M4 Pro or Max model? Here's what we know to help you decide.

MacBook Pro M4 Pro/Max vs MacBook Pro M5 Pro/Max: Specs

MacBook Pro M5 Pro/Max vs MacBook Pro M4 Pro/Max: Price

The MacBook Pro M5 Pro starts at $2199. Meanwhile, the 16-inch M5 Pro now starts at $2,699. In short, both models cost $200 more than their respective predecessors' starting prices.

The base M5 model isn't available for the 16-inch form factor, so that one starts at $2699 with the M5 Pro, 24GB of RAM and 1TB of storage. Apple is no longer selling the M4 Pro/Max models of these laptops.

Apple is justifying these hikes by doubling the base storage. You can no longer get a Pro MacBook with 512GB; everything now starts at 1TB for the Pro and 2TB for the Max. If you were already planning to upgrade your storage on the M4, the price jump is essentially a wash, but it raises the barrier to entry.

MacBook Pro M5 Pro/Max vs MacBook Pro M4 Pro/Max: Design and display

This year's model certainly looks familiar because it carries the same design that debuted in 2021 with the M1 Pro models of the MacBook Pro.

It might be getting a little long in the tooth, but Apple seems committed to the current design at least until touchscreen Macs arrive.

That means you get a 14-inch or 16-inch model, with both packing the Liquid Retina XDR display for high resolution and high contrast, as well as ProMotion for adaptive refresh rates up to 120Hz, which is ideal for gaming or smoother scrolling.

As with the base 14-inch MacBook Pro M5, you can upgrade to a nano-texture glass display, which does an excellent job of reducing screen glare. Just be aware that this upgrade costs an extra $150.

MacBook Pro M5 Pro/Max vs MacBook Pro M4 Pro/Max: Performance

The new laptops feature the equally new M5 Pro and M5 Max chips. Apple says these chips leverage the company's new Fusion Architecture to scale the capabilities of Apple silicon, while preserving performance, power efficiency, and unified memory architecture.

As for real-world numbers, the M5 Pro has 20 percent increased graphical performance over the M4 Pro model, according to Apple. The company also says the improved CPU boosts performance by 30 percent.

Thanks to the new Fusion Architecture that connects two dies on a single SoC (system on a chip), the CPU is an 18-core beast with 6 'super cores' from the M5 and 12 performance cores. The 16-core Neural Engine is faster for AI features, too, and there are Thunderbolt 5 ports for connectivity, along with support for Wi-Fi 7 and Bluetooth 6.

Speaking of new chips, the M5 Pro and M5 Max now have the Apple N1 chip, bringing Wi-Fi 7 and Bluetooth 6.0 to Apple’s most powerful laptops. Thunderbolt 5 is also now standard on all Pro and Max models, which is a major win for anyone using high-speed external storage or multiple 6K displays.

MacBook Pro M5 Pro/Max vs MacBook Pro M4 Pro/Max: Outlook

The MacBook Pro lineup might just be the best it has ever been right now, but you likely don't need to rush out and upgrade from an M4 Pro or Max model unless you're, well, really running up against the considerable headroom both provide.

For just about anything else, you probably won't notice major differences day to day. But if you're buying a MacBook Pro today and need it to handle heavy workloads, be sure you're opting for the new model.

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Apple's March event is off to a big start, as the company just announced the all-new iPad Air M4. Clearly, the star of the show here is the speedy performance from the M4 chip, but that's not the only upgrade coming to Apple's popular tablet.

The iPad Air M4 upgrade is set to deliver faster CPU and GPU speeds, so expect greater performance for editing, gaming and creative work. With the iPad Air M3 already being one of the best tablets around, this takes Apple's popular tablet a step further — all for the same $599 starting price.

As expected, the new iPad Air isn't a major revamp, as it's more of a spec bump. So, what else is new? As it turns out, there are a few more changes that make Apple's latest Air model even better value than its predecessor. Here are the biggest upgrades you can expect.

M4 delivers even faster performance

Let's start with the main attraction: M4. We've seen this chip in action in the iPad Pro M4, and we've been blown away by the performance it offers, especially for the price.

Now, the M4 comes to the iPad Air, with Apple claiming a 30% speed boost over the iPad Air M3. This means you're getting the might of the M4-equipped MacBook Air in the form of a tablet, and also for a much more affordable price of $599.

The M4 chip in the new iPad comes with an 8-core CPU (with three performance cores and five efficiency cores), a 9-core GPU and a 16-core Neural Engine. That's actually the same as the M3, although that comes with four performance and efficiency cores.

We'll have to test the iPad Air M4 once we get our hands on it, but here's a look at the performance gains we can expect over the iPad Air M3, comparing it to our Geekbench benchmarks on the iPad Pro M4 and MacBook Air M4:

Now, the MacBook Air M3 understandably offers slightly better performance than its iPad counterpart (3,082 single-core / 12,087 multi-core), so there's a tiny difference between tablet and laptop. But either way, there's a significant bump in speeds. In fact, you can think of the iPad Air M4 as a more affordable version of the iPad Pro M4 (just without an OLED option).

From video editing and gaming to browsing the web, the iPad Air M4 is already looking to be quite the upgrade. Plus, M4 delivers higher memory bandwidth at 120GB/s, so it's faster at reading and writing data from RAM. Speaking of...

More memory!

Despite the RAM crisis, Apple managed to deliver even more unified memory into the latest iPad Air M4. More RAM means improved multitasking, better performance in demanding creative work or 3D modelling (and gaming, of course) and more apps staying open in the background without needing to reload.

Apple's next tablet is fitted with 12GB of memory, a 50% jump over the M3 iPad Air's 8GB. In fact, that's the same as the base iPad Pro M5, and with that being the most powerful tablet on the market, that only shows just how much the new iPad Air is catching up.

With the increase in RAM, expect multitasking to run even more smoothly. This will come in handy with iPadOS 26's windowing system, which lets you work with multiple app windows at once.

So, an overall faster experience to keep up with M4's performance!

Wi-Fi 7 arrives

Apple has its own wireless networking chip and cellular modem now, with the N1 and C1X, respectively. We got a look at the N1 silicon in the iPhone 17 series, along with the C1X 5G modem in the iPhone Air. Now, it arrives on the iPad Air M4.

With N1, Apple's tablets finally get Wi-Fi 7 connectivity, bringing faster and more efficient speeds, along with significantly lower latency. That makes it better for Apple's own AirDrop, and casting your own personal hotspot, too. We've heard Apple's N1 delivers faster speeds on weaker Wi-Fi, so that's a bonus if you're using the iPad Air M4 while you're out and about!

For those who opt for the cellular option, the C1X modem comes with Apple's 5G. As the Cupertino tech giant claims, the successor to C1 brings a 50% boost in cellular data performance, along with a 30% drop in energy usage.

So, this M4 tablet brings faster connectivity over the iPad Air M3's Wi-Fi 6E and Qualcomm SDX70M 5G modem.

Worth the upgrade?

The iPad Air M4 may not be a huge change over its predecessor, but in terms of performance, it already looks to knock it out of the park. We'll have to put the new iPad Air through its paces in our testing lab, but we already have an idea of what to expect: Faster performance, more RAM for smoother multitasking and even greater connectivity capabilities.

Is it worth an upgrade over the iPad Air M3? You'll pay less using Apple's trade-in program, but depending on what you use it for, you may not see any immediate improvements that make it worth the extra spending.

But that's entirely dependent on what you use an iPad Air for. For intensive creative work, heavy multitasking and the like, you'll likely get more use out of the upgraded M4 iPad Air. And for those who have older models, you'll see an even bigger difference.

Stay tuned for our full review on the iPad Air M4, and in the meantime, our iPad Air M4 vs iPad Air M3 will fill you in on all the differences.

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As insiders were predicting, Apple has refreshed the iPad Air, 12 months after its last update. Meet the iPad Air M4.

The company’s mid-range tablet sees an upgrade to the M4 processor (with the M5 still reserved for the top-of-the-line iPad Pro) and gains an extra 4GB of RAM, while keeping prices static for another year.

The iPad Air M3 has been immediately retired, but retailers will be looking to clear stock, and there’s always the second-hand market for bargain hunters. Is it worth paying extra for the new version? And if you have the M3 iPad Air, should you be looking to upgrade? Here are the key differences.

iPad Air M4 vs iPad Air M3: Specs

iPad Air M4 vs iPad Air M3: Price

Despite the bump in specs, Apple has kept the price of the iPad Air M4 the same for another year. That means that the 11-inch model starts at $599, rising to $1,249 for a model with cellular connectivity and 1TB of storage. The 13-inch version, meanwhile, ranges from $799 to $1,449 for a fully souped-up model.

Of course, with the M3 model now old news, you may be able to get one for a lower price either through retailers clearing out old stock or through the second-hand market.

iPad Air M4 vs iPad Air M3: Design and display

The new iPad Air M4 looks pretty much identical to the M3 model, which in turn was pretty much indistinguishable from the M2 version.

It’s still available in 11- and 13-inch sizes, with the same dimensions: 9.74 x 7.02 x 0.24 inches for the 11-inch model, and 11.04 x 8.46 x 0.24 inches for the 13-inch version. Apple lists the weight as 0.1 pound heavier for both versions, so a negligible change there, too.

The screen technology is also the same LED used on the previous model, with plans to match the OLED on the iPad Pro not expected to materialize until next year. It’s 60Hz, too, with no ProMotion 120Hz upgrade, unfortunately.

So it’s a draw between the two tablets in terms of design and display. All the significant changes are on the inside.

iPad Air M4 vs iPad Air M3: Performance

The headline change is, of course, the introduction of Apple’s M4 chipset. Apple claims this will be a 30% boost in performance on the M3 iPad Air, or 2.3 times faster than the M1 model.

While we’ll be running benchmarks when we get our own review unit, we’ve seen how the M4 performs in tablet form before, thanks to the 2024 iPad Pro. Here’s a recap:

The Apple M4 chip is also more efficient than its predecessor, which means you may see some advancement on the 9 hours and 41 minutes that the 11-inch iPad Air M3 achieved in our battery life test. That said, Apple only promises “all-day battery life” in the press release.

A bigger surprise is the upgrade in RAM. While the M3 iPad Air had 8GB — the minimum required for Apple Intelligence — the souped-up M4 version comes with 12GB RAM. Apple also says the memory bandwidth has increased to 120GB/s ensuring that AI models run faster than before.

Beyond the M4 and memory upgrades, the new iPad Air has a few other improvements hidden away inside. First introduced with the iPhone 17 family last September, the new iPad Air contains the N1 chip for Wi-Fi 7, Bluetooth 6, and — if you spring for the cellular model — a C1X 5G modem.

Taking these one at a time, Wi-Fi 7 means better performance on supported routers, with higher speeds and lower latency. Apple’s own implementation seems to be more effective when using weaker Wi-Fi connections, too. Bluetooth 6 spells more reliable connections, lower latency and more efficient power use.

Apple’s own 5G modem technology will be introduced to cellular models of the iPad Air for the first time, too. The C1X 5G modem already features in the iPhone Air, and according to Apple, it was two times faster than the original C1 that debuted in the iPhone 16e. In tablet terms, Apple says it’s up to 50% faster with 30% less energy usage than the Qualcomm SDX70M modem found in the iPad Air M3.

iPad Air M4 vs iPad Air M3: Outlook

If you looked at the two iPad Air models side by side, you’d be unlikely to see much of a difference. But on the inside, the iPad Air M4 is clearly a faster and more efficient performer, thanks not just to the M4 chipset, but to 4GB extra RAM and improved wireless technologies.

Does that mean you should upgrade from an M3 version? Maybe if you’re a power user, but otherwise probably not.

That said, unless money is particularly tight, it would be a mistake to opt for the older iPad Air over the newer model if you’re looking to upgrade from an older model or are completely new to Apple’s tablets.

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Among all the other new Apple products announced today, the company has launched the Apple iPad Air powered by the company's M4 processor. Like the previous generation, the Air will be offered in two sizes — 11 and 13 inches — and while little appears to have changed since the previous version (other than the processor), it still looks to be a strong complement to Apple's tablet lineup, and could maintain its place at the top of our list of the best tablets.

Here's all the specs and pricing for the 2026 Apple iPad Air

Price and availability

The iPad Air M4 will start at $599 for the 11-inch model, and $799 for the 13-inch version. The base model for each will come with 128GB of storage. Thankfully, that's the same pricing as the M3 Air, so RAMageddon hasn't come to Apple's tablets yet.

Both models will be available in four colors: space gray, blue, purple, and starlight (a very pale gold).

Preorders for both models will open at 9:15 am on March 4, and devices will go on sale on March 11.

iPad Air M4 specs

Apart from the updated processor, the M4 iPad Air will be nearly identical to the M3 version. Here's a quick look at the specs.

Apart from the processor, the other major difference is that the M4 iPads will have Wi-Fi 7, as well as Bluetooth 6 and Thread, thanks to Apple's N1 chip, which the company introduced with the iPhone 17.

Outlook

From what it looks like, the only major change from the iPad Air M3 and the iPad Air M4 is that you'll get better performance owing to the more powerful processor, with no tradeoff in battery life. While it's not exactly apples-to-apples (although it is in some respects), when you compare our benchmark tests of all of Apple's M4 Macbooks, you do see some incremental improvements between the M4 and M3 generations.

Stay tuned for our full benchmarks of Apple's newest and lightest iPad.

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Apple CEO Tim Cook has confirmed that the company will reveal new products starting on "Monday morning," March 2. This will kick off what is expected to be a three-day bonanza of product announcements.

This includes a press "experience" on Wednesday where Tom's Guide will be in attendance to try out whatever new devices Apple announces.

A little teaser

Cook's teaser is a short video where an incomplete Apple logo is shaped with a squeeze and flick on a silver aluminum background.

"A big week ahead. It all starts Monday morning! #AppleLaunch," the text reads. It's clear that Apple plans to announce new hardware even if the message is a bit cryptic

Outside of the press experience in New York City, London and Shanghai, we don't expect a big Apple keynote. Instead, the company will likely drop several press releases and product videos.

What we expect to see from Apple

Over the three days, we believe Apple will announce "at least five products" thanks to reporting from Bloomberg's Mark Gurman and previous rumors.

On the for sure side of things, we expect to see the iPhone 17e, a new iPad Air M4, and a refreshed entry-level iPad. The biggest announcement should be the rumored low-cost MacBook that could launch in yellow and green.

Cheap MacBook

The most interesting may be the rumored low-cost MacBook that could launch in yellow and green. The cheap MacBook is meant to take on entry-level Windows laptops for students and general users.

It's been rumored that it will cost either $599 or $699 with 8GB RAM, 256GB SSD, and a 12-inch display. It could also feature an A18 Pro chip, the same as in the iPhone 16 Pro models.

If Apple is sticking an A18 chip in the cheap MacBook, it could handily outperform the MacBook M1, which is currently the least expensive MacBook that you can buy. This means better performance, graphics and power efficiency.

iPad Air and iPad

An iPad Air powered by the M4 chip is the third "likely" device we could see next week. Like the low-cost iPhone e-series, the only big change here will be chips, including potentially Apple's custom N1 wireless chips.

Alongside the iPad Air, we should see a new entry-level iPad 12, which could feature an A19 chip, though some reports have suggested it could come with an A18 one instead. Either would be an upgrade over the A16 in the current iPad 11.

Both devices are only really seeing chip upgrades. So iPad 12 should feature an 11-inch Liquid Retina display, with at least 128GB starting. The iPad 11 had a test battery life of 11 hours and 25 minutes. The more efficient A19 or A18 could increase that life.

Similarly, the iPad Air M3 has an 11-inch Liquid Retina display and a 10-hour battery life. Again, the more efficient M4 should improve that number.

Other devices

That's four devices, what about number 5? Apple has been rumored to launch a refreshed Mac Studio and a new Apple Studio Display this spring. According to Gurman, the Studio Displays are ready to ship now, with the Studio Displays close behind. So, either or both of those products could make an appearance.

Tom's Guide will be on hand to experience the launches and give you first impressions of whatever Apple announces.

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It might be years before the iPad Pro gets a significant redesign. That’s according to Weibo-based leaker Instant Digital (via Apple Insider), who claims that the high cost of the iPad Pro’s OLED panel, along with slow sales after the last redesign, have made Apple decide to hold off on another design change for the foreseeable future.

While we might not see a new iPad Pro design, that doesn’t mean Apple will stop releasing future iterations of its premium tablet. The report says we’ll still get chip updates even if the slate’s design remains unchanged. If that’s the case, the new spec bump is likely to be an M6-powered iPad Pro.

What the future holds

For those keeping track, the iPad Pro last received a major update in 2024, where Apple delivered the first iPad with an OLED panel. The iPad Pro M4 featured an M4 chip, and it got a follow-up with the iPad Pro M5 the following year. Other than the processor, it received no major redesign. If this recent report is correct, it seems this is what we can expect from future iPad Pros.

Besides a spec bump, the iPad Pro can still receive software updates via iPadOS. As we’ve seen with iPadOS 26, Apple’s premium tablet is now more MacBook-like, thanks to a new UI and folder options meant to help you be more productive. Likewise with Apple Creator Studio, the iPad Pro is also getting many new creator-friendly features. In short, future iPad Pros might look like the existing 2025 model, but they could function very differently.

Outlook

As someone who reviews iPads for a living, hearing this news is a bummer. That said, this is still very much a rumor. Given that, I’ll reserve hope for new design elements, such as even thinner bezels and better cooling. But even if that doesn’t happen, I can’t complain too much since the current iPad Pro design is so great.

Again, take this alleged leak with a healthy dose of skepticism. If we hear any updates on this story, we’ll let you know, so stay tuned for more!

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Apple just announced that another Apple event will be happening on March 4, and it'll no doubt be where Apple lifts the lid on all the products we've been hearing rumors about over the past few weeks. Including the likes of the iPhone 17e, a bunch of new MacBook models, new iPads and possibly even some new Mac displays.

As is typical for Apple, the company hasn't given us any official information on what to expect. All we have to go on is an invitation for the event, featuring a stylized version of Apple's logo. Apple has also confirmed the "special Apple experience" will be happening in New York, suggesting this won't be your typical Apple event.

Here's what to expect at the March 4 Apple event.

Apple March 4 Event: Expected Products

• iPhone 17e: Apple's cheapest iPhone, expected to offer a strong flagship experience for slightly less than an iPhone 17
• Cheaper MacBook: The lower-cost MacBook will reportedly cost around $599 with performance duties coming from an A18 chipset.
• M5 MacBook Air: An updated MacBook Air with the same design, and powered by Apple's M5 chipset
• M5 Pro & M5 Max MacBook Pros: Another minor refresh, with Apple's existing MacBook Pros arriving with the new M5 Pro and M5 Max chips
• iPad 12: Apple's cheapest iPad is set for a small upgrade, with a new A18 or A19 chipset depending on who you ask
• iPad Air 8: Another small iPad refresh, this time bringing the M4 chipset in to take on performance duties

iPhone 17e

Apple's "cheap" iPhone was initially rumored to arrive before the end of February, but it's far more likely Apple will unveil everything during the March 4 event instead. The main thing to remember about the phone is that it's expected to look more or less the same as the iPhone 16e — which itself looks like an iPhone 14.

The changes sound like they're on the inside, with reports suggesting that the phone will come with the same A19 chipset as the iPhone 17 alongside the new C1X modem and N1 wireless chip. These are all expected to offer better performance and energy efficiency, which likely means superior battery life. MagSafe is also expected to debut, offering a major boost to the phone's wireless charging capabilities with reported speeds of 25W.

Pricing is expected to stay the same as the iPhone 16e, though, so be prepared to pay up at last $599.

A cheap A18 MacBook

"Cheap" isn't exactly something we'd associate with the MacBook range, but rumors insist Apple is working on a lower cost MacBook model powered by the A18 Pro chipset. That's the same chip as the iPhone 16 Pro, and will reportedly help to keep the starting price as low as $599.

Other rumored specs include a 12.9-inch display, while the ability to run Apple intelligence suggests we may see as much as 16GB of RAM included. There's still a lot we don't actually know, but we suspect the laptop will be rather stripped down compared to typical Mac hardware.

Though, it should still be a good daily-use machine for people who don't need super-process-heavy software that would be better suited with an M5-powered machine.

More M5 MacBooks

The A18 MacBook probably won't be alone, and this event is the perfect time for Apple to do its usual early-year Mac refresh. That means seeing the MacBook Air M5 the M4 chip for a shiny new chip, while a bunch of new MacBook Pros will arrive sporting the still-unannounced M5 Pro and M5 Max chipsets. For those of you who need more power and performance than the regular M5 can actually offer.

We're not expecting any major design refreshes this year, so expect this update to be all about internals and performance. However, we've also heard reports that Apple could unveil a new Mac Studio with M5 Max and M5 Ultra chips, alongside a Studio Display 2, at some point in the near future. But there have been reports from Mark Gurman that these may launch shortly after the new MacBook line-up.

New iPads

Also rumored to be on the agenda are the next wave of iPads, notably the iPad 12 and the M4 iPad Air. Speculation suggests that the iPad 12 will finally see Apple Intelligence come to the low-cost tablet, though rumors seem undecided about whether it will be powered by the A19 chipset or the older A18.

The M4 iPad Air will likely, unsurprisingly, come with the M4 chipset, and possibly the new N1 wireless chip too. That means better connectivity and improved performance — alongside whatever other upgrades Apple throws into the mix.

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As the rest of the tech world seemingly falls apart thanks to the ongoing RAM crisis, Apple is slated to have a busy start to 2026 with a slew new devices expected to launch in the next six months.

From the refreshed iPhone 17e to new iPads, we expect to see a variety of devices, including a new budget-friendly MacBook to take on Chromebooks and cheaper Windows notebooks. Bloomberg's Mark Gurman confirmed a number of new devices in his PowerOn newsletter, many of which we've covered. Here's what Apple should release soon — and what's on the horizon.

iPhones: iPhone 17e

Apple's e-series is going to be an annual spring release with the second version launching this year in the iPhone 17e. Most of the changes with this model will reportedly be internal with new chips and the addition of MagSafe charging.

It should get the A19 chip from the iPhone 17 plus the Apple-developed C1 modem and N1 wireless chip. This means the iPhone 17e should support Wi-Fi 7, Bluetooth 6, and Thread - the smart home low-power mesh.

Unfortunately, the iPhone 17e may retain the $599 of the 16e, which makes it not quite as budget-friendly as you'd like a downgraded iPhone to be.

As my colleague Tom Pritchard noted, "It may be a cheap iPhone, but we've seen cheaper, and I'm wondering whether buying a used flagship iPhone is a better use of your money."

Later this fall, we expect to see the iPhone 18 Pro, 18 Pro Max and the iPhone Fold launch in September.

iPads: Entry-level, Air, Mini

Gurman claims that at least three refreshed iPad models are coming this year, including a new base model, iPad Air and an updated iPad mini.

Like the 17e, the biggest upgrades will all be internal. All three are expected to get the new in-house Apple wireless and modem chips. Additionally, they should get faster processors. Gurman claimed they would get the A18 chip, but an earlier report based on leaked internal documents indicated that the iPads would get the newer A19 chipset or the M4 chip.

The base model will get the A19, while the iPad Air will get the M4 set.

Finally, at the end of 2025, it was rumored that the iPad mini 8 will get an OLED upgrade, and it might feature the A20 Pro CPU that will feature in the iPhone 18 Pro later this year. The upgraded iPad mini isn't expected to launch until later this year after the iPhone 18 Pro launch.

MacBooks: Budget, M5 Air, and new Pro models

Apple launched its MacBook Pro M5 in October last year but was missing the M5 Pro and M5 Max/Ultra models. The most current rumors have set the high-end Pro models to launch as early as the week of March 2. We expect the MacBook Air M5 to launch around this time as well.

The more interesting potential release is the rumored cheap MacBook meant to take on low-cost Windows laptops and Google Chromebooks. Rumors have slated this budget MacBook to cost around $599, likely as a way for Apple to kneecap the refurbished market for deals like the M1 MacBook Air from Walmart.

The laptop should have a 12-inch to 13-inch display and run on the A18 Pro chipset, though that is speculation. I haven't seen a release date in the rumor mill, but I would put a couple bucks on it launching alongside the iPhone 17e, creating a "budget ecosystem" for Apple. Possibly, it could debut as part of a week of MacBooks with the Pro models.

Finally, on the computing front, Apple could finally release an updated Studio Display and Mac Studio desktops. Allegedly, new Mac minis, likely with the M5 chip, are on the docket as well. It's not clear when these devices will launch. Plus, an OLED MacBook Pro M6 is rumored to launch at some point this year, likely in October, its usual window.

iOS 26.4: Siri 2.0, iOS 27

One of our complaints about the 16e was the high price point and the lack of actual Apple Intelligence, thanks to Apple's struggles with AI and creating a true Siri 2.0.

That version should finally launch with iOS 26.4, likely in March, which will include upgrades to Siri. The real upgrade probably won't launch until WWDC 2026 in June when we'll learn more about iOS 27 and the Google Gemini partnership to bolster Apple Intelligence.

All in all, it's a busy season for the tech giant, and Tom's Guide will be there to cover all the new devices and help you decide if it's time to upgrade.

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Now may be the worst time to buy an iPad, as Apple is reportedly set to reveal all-new models in the near future — and it may even come with a first for the entry-level tablet.

Apple's next iPad 12 and iPad Air 8 are "coming soon," according to Bloomberg's Mark Gurman. Both tablets are expected to see major chip upgrades, including an A18 or A19 for the base iPad, and a mighty M4 processor for the upcoming Air.

What upgrades can we expect?

While significant design changes aren't expected over the current iPad 11 and iPad Air M3, previous leaks have hinted that Apple's lower-cost tablet will feature an A19 chip — the same silicon found in the iPhone 17. Compared to the A16, this would see a 50% performance boost, but it will also finally bring Apple Intelligence features to the tablet.

It isn't certain if Apple will manage to equip the iPad 12 with an A19 chip, as other reports have indicated that it will feature an A18 instead. Regardless, this will still deliver AI to the base tablet, and considering that Siri will now be powered by Google's Gemini, we could see some exciting software upgrades once it arrives.

Another rumored performance boost coming to the iPad 12 is a move to 8GB of RAM, compared to the usual 6GB. This makes sense, seeing as the iPhone 17 comes with 8GB of RAM, and would be yet another jump between base iPad models, as the iPad 10 came with 4GB.

As for the iPad Air 8, we can expect the next-gen tablet to feature an M4 chip, meaning we'll find the power of a MacBook Air M4 in the form of a tablet. That should give it around a 20%+ performance increase, but we may also see Apple's custom N1 wireless chip make an appearance, delivering a substantial upgrade to Wi-Fi connectivity.

With both the iPad 12 and iPad Air 8 now tipped to be heading our way soon, it's likely these tablets will launch in spring. Both the 11th-gen iPad and M3-powered iPad Air launched in March 2025, and the Cupertino tech giant may follow suit with its latest entries. That's not all, as the M5 Pro and M5 Max MacBook Pro models are also expected to launch in March.

A simple refresh (with big performance gains)

Aside from the chip upgrades, Apple Intelligence features and possible N1 wireless chip, expect the iPad 12 and iPad Air with M4 to look largely the same.

That means identical designs (11-inch for the iPad, 11- and 13-inch for the iPad Air), same 12MP cameras and Liquid Retina display (2360 x 1640) displays. As with past generations, the next tablets are set to be more of a performance upgrade.

It will be interesting to see if the base iPad 12 either gets an A18 or A19 chipset, as Apple previously jumped a single generation for its entry-level tablet; the iPad 11 received an A16 upgrade over the iPad 10's A14 chip. However, the key feature here will be Apple Intelligence support, making the whole iPad lineup deliver AI capabilities.

While there's still no word on the anticipated iPad mini 8, which is tipped to see even bigger upgrades that include an OLED display, more iPads are around the corner — and finally catching up to the iPad Pro M5.

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If you or someone you love just came into possession of a new iPad, congratulations! I've been reviewing tablets for ages here at Tom's Guide, and I feel like Apple's iPads are among the best tablets on the market right now. They're light and long-lasting, with lovely touchscreens and enough speed to run any app in Apple's massive App Store.

They make for great gifts, but the iPad interface is so minimal and intuitive that there's a slew of useful features you might take months to find if you didn't know about them. With that in mind, I figured I could quickly help you make your new iPad your own by walking you through my 5 favorite iPad features you should master to make the most of your new tablet.

We've written a lot about iPads over the years, so in this guide, I tried to specifically focus on useful features that aren't easy to find unless you know where to look. So, whether you have a new iPad, iPad Air, iPad Pro, or an iPad mini, I have some quick tips on how to make it your own!

Customize your home screen

As you swipe around your home screen, you'll see all the apps you've downloaded lined up in neat little rows. You can let your iPad manage all this automatically, but if you'd like to customize your home screen, there's an easy (yet oddly hard to find) way to do so.

To start customizing your home screen, simply press and hold your finger on any empty space on your tablet's home screen until you see the icons start to shake. At this point, you can tap and drag them around to reorganize them, but you can do a lot more than that if you hit that tiny "Edit" button in the upper-left corner of the screen.

I can't tell you how many times I've had family tell me they never even saw that button, because it's awfully tiny. But if you tap and hold the home screen until the icons start to jiggle and then hit the Edit button, you can do a lot more: change your wallpaper, adjust your light/dark mode settings and lay down Widgets on your home screen.

Don't know about Widgets? You will soon!

Lay down some Widgets

Widgets are blocks you can put on your home screen that will display useful information and update in real time. They debuted with iPadOS 17 a few years ago, and now they're really robust and useful.

To start putting Widgets on your home screen, you just hold your finger on an empty space until you enter edit mode (when the icons start jiggling) and then hit the Edit button in the top-left corner.

That will open the Widgets menu, where you'll see a big list of apps you have that you can scroll through to pick out Widgets. Apple's apps have great Widget support with lots of options, but nowadays, many third-party apps do too. You can also put active Widgets on your iPad's lock screen, so you can stay on top of key details like your calendar or to-do list even when your iPad is locked.

Turn on "Find My iPad"

Next, let's ensure you have a little peace of mind if you ever misplace your iPad or leave it somewhere.

Apple has a robust tracking system in the form of "Find My", an app that you can use to track the location of your enrolled Apple devices in real time. It's super useful, but a lot of new iPad users don't even know it exists.

To enable Find My for your iPad, open the Settings app, then tap your name in the upper-left corner. Navigate to the Find My menu and make sure the "Find My iPad" setting is turned on. From within this menu, you can also choose to share your iPad's location with family and friends.

Master multitasking

Your iPad is great for focusing on a specific app or task, but there are some advanced multitasking features you can use to access multiple apps simultaneously. I love doing this when I need to reference something while working or if I want to chat with a friend while watching something, and I think you will too.

The trick is finding and mastering these tools, because they're not well-explained if you don't dig into Apple's guides and menus. To access your iPad's multitasking settings, open the Settings app and navigate to the Multitasking & Gestures submenu.

From here, you can (at least as of iPadOS 26) pick and choose one of three different ways to multitask. The "Full Screen Apps" setting is the default and also the most restrictive, as you can only view one app at a time in full-screen mode. So basically, you can only multitask by quickly switching between apps.

The second "Windowed Apps" option makes your iPad work a bit more like a Mac or a Windows PC. When working in this multitasking mode, you can have multiple apps open on your screen at once, and you can change their size or move them by tapping and dragging on the corners of the app.

The final option is "Stage Manager," and it's something totally unique to your iPad. When working in Stage Manager mode, you can center one app on your iPad while the other open apps are listed as small icons along the side of the screen. When you want to switch apps, you just tap the icon of the app you want to look at, and it immediately leaps to the fore. Check out our how to use Stage Manager on iPad guide for step-by-step instructions and more tips!

Make your Control Center your own

There's a really useful Control Center menu built into your iPad that you can customize so it has just the controls you really want, and none that you don't. But if you didn't know where to look, you might take a while to even realize it exists.

See, to access the Control Center, you have to drag your finger down from the upper-right corner of your iPad. It can take a few tries to get it right and stop pulling down the notifications pane by accident (which happens if you drag your finger down from the top of the screen elsewhere), but once you get the hang of it, summoning the Control Center gives you quick access to useful features like volume and Wi-Fi controls, your music library, your smart home settings and more.

You can customize your Control Center by dragging your finger down from the upper-right corner to summon it and then tapping the small plus (+) icon in the upper-left corner of the menu. This will turn on editing mode, and you can then tap and drag controls around to reorganize your Control Center. You can also tap the minus (-) icon to remove a control, or tap the thick edge of the control and drag it to change the size of the control.

Once I got the hang of using the Command Center, it became my go-to tool for quickly doing things like playing music or turning on smart lights in my apartment. I hope you find it equally useful!

Master these five sometimes hard-to-find features, and you're well on your way to making your new iPad your own. I hope you found these tips useful, and if you have your own advice for new iPad owners, share it in the comments below!

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Instead of letting it become e-waste or trying to sell it for pennies, repurpose it into something that solves everyday problems and actually gets used. From boosting productivity to managing your smart home to pure entertainment, your old iPad has plenty of life left in it.

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Apple's rumored iPad mini 8 is already expected to receive a few substantial upgrades when it eventually arrives, including an OLED display. But now, the small tablet is tipped to receive an even greater boost in performance — one that may also power the iPhone 18 Pro lineup.

The next-gen iPad mini is now rumored to come with an A20 Pro chip, according to leaked internal code shared by tipster Kang on Weibo. Codnamed "Borneo," the A20 Pro is tipped to be Apple's debut of its first 2nm processor, offering more power and efficiency thanks to increased transistor density compared to the 3nm A19 Pro chips found in the iPhone 17 Pro.

Previously, the iPad mini 8 was expected to come equipped with an A19 Pro upgrade — which would already see major performance gains over the A17 Pro in the current iPad mini 7. The A19 Pro is already Apple's most powerful mobile chip to date, sporting a 6-core CPU and 6-core GPU, along with Neural Accelerators built into each core that offer improved AI performance for Apple Intelligence.

However, with the A20 Pro, Apple's next small tablet would see an even higher jump in performance. Based on chipmaker TSMC's 2nm process, the next-gen silicon is expected to deliver a 10-15% increase in speed along with a 20-30% drop in power consumption. That should translate to even more power and longer battery life.

While another tipster on MacRumors also claims the iPad mini 8 will feature the A20 Pro instead of the A19 Pro, there's no telling which chip will arrive, as it could entirely depend on when Apple's next small tablet will launch.

When will the iPad mini 8 launch?

Thanks to a massive Apple leak revealing over 30 products coming, we have a better idea of the Cupertino tech giant's release schedule. However, the iPad mini 8's specific release date is still up in the air — and its launch timing could indicate whether it will receive an A19 Pro or A20 Pro chip.

The iPad mini lineup has had a scattered release schedule. To put that into perspective, the iPad mini 5 launched in March 2019, while the iPad mini 6 arrived in September 2021. Then, the iPad mini 7 came along in October 2024. There's been no new iPad mini release this year (although we did see the iPad Pro M5 launch in October), and Bloomberg's Mark Gurman hasn't indicated we'll see the next iPad mini in early 2026.

If we do see it released in early 2026, however, then it's likely to have the A19 Pro chip, considering Apple likely reserves its annual mobile chip upgrades for its iPhones. But considering a conflicting leak has pointed to a late 2026 launch window, it's now looking likely that the iPad mini 8 will arrive sometime between September and October 2026.

With that being the case, there's a much higher chance that Apple's smallest tablet will feature the A20 Pro chip, keeping up with the next-gen iPhone 18 lineup.

In any case, the iPad mini 8 has some exciting upgrades in store, making one of the best tablets even better. If it does pack an A20 chip, expect it to drop later in 2026. But that's not all Apple has up its sleeve, as it's also rumored to be developing a new iMac Pro powered by an M5 Max chip, along with a cheaper MacBook with an iPhone chip and (finally) an OLED MacBook Pro M6.

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If you're holding out for the 2026 iPad models, you might be making the right choice, as it looks like Apple will make notable processor upgrades to both the base iPad and iPad Air. These new models follow up on the M3 iPad Air and the A16 iPad 11, both well-received tablets.

This comes from a report from MacWorld, which the publication claims is based on an internal Apple code document.

If accurate, the base model iPad will get an A19 chip, up from the A16, which is the same chip found in the iPhone 17 models. The iPad Air will jump from the M3 chip to the M4, which isn't quite as powerful as the latest iPad Pro's M5 chip, but it's still a nice speed bump from the current device's M3 chip.

A19 iPad

With the new iPad getting an A19 chip, buyers will see about 50% more speed than with the A16 found in the latest of Apple's base tablets. It also opens up the cheapest iPad model to Apple Intelligence features, which currently don't work on it.

The big jump from chip to chip will also see the tablet deliver 8GB of RAM from 6GB, a notable increase. Sure, it won't be as powerful as the top-end models like the iPad Air and iPad Pro, but it does make the most affordable model more prepared for the future.

For connectivity, Apple is expected to use its own custom N1 wireless chip, first introduced with the iPhone 17 lineup.

Everything else is expected to stay the same from the iPad 11 to the iPad 12. So cameras, design and display should look the same.

M4 iPad Air

In an unsurprising move, Apple is expected to include the M4 chip in the next iPad Air. Considering the current model uses the M3 chip, it only makes sense that Apple would upgrade to the next model in line while also keeping it below the M5 offered in the Pro. Having this space keeps the Pro at the top of the lineup in terms of raw performance.

Like its more affordable sibling, the iPad Air isn't expected to come with any major design changes. Displays and cameras aren't likely to change either. Apple’s custom N1 wireless chip is rumored to be included, which makes perfect sense, as it wouldn't make sense for Apple to offer its wireless chip in the cheaper model and not in the expensive one.

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So far, in terms of tablets, only a selection of iPad Pros have made the upgrade to OLED panels, but it looks like that will change soon.

Last month, Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman reported that the iPad mini 8 will come with the screen technology upgrade and could arrive “as early as next year”. Now a reliable leaker has backed up both the screen technology and timeframe, narrowing down the release window to the back end of 2026.

On Weibo, Instant Digital writes that the iPad mini will indeed be the first to get the OLED treatment with the iPad Air seeing “no movement yet” (an inexact translation from Google Translate, but it certainly gets the meaning across).

This is a big upgrade. Each pixel on an OLED panel is self-lit, ensuring perfect contrast and the kinds of deep, inky blacks that LCD screens can’t match.

In the machine-translated comments, Instant Digital is asked whether it will still be a 60Hz panel. “I don’t know,” he replies, adding that “the earliest it will be released is the third or fourth quarter of next year, we'll see then.”

That’s between July 1 and December 31, ruling out the same spring reveal that the iPad mini 5 enjoyed back in 2019.

While this estimate covers a full six-month period, the smart money would be on a September or October 2026 launch, given the current iPad mini 7 was released on October 23 last year, and the iPad mini 6 emerged on September 24, 2021 .

Beyond the OLED panel, we’ve only seen one other major leak about the iPad mini 8 so far. Back in August, ten upcoming products were outed in a massive leak in Apple’s own software code. Among them was the next iPad mini, and the revelation that it will use the same A19 Pro chip as the brand new iPhone 17 Pro.

Given the current iPad mini 7 uses the same A17 Pro chip as found in the ageing iPhone 15 Pro, that would be quite an upgrade. Geekbench pegs this chip as averaging a score of 2,885 in single-core performance, rising to 7,186 in multi-core. For the A17 Pro, this rises to figures of 3,763 and 9,745 respectively.

Of course, if it does arrive in October, this chipset won’t be Apple’s newest mobile silicon anymore, with the A20 Pro-powered iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone Fold due to arrive a month earlier.

2026, Apple’s 50th anniversary year, is shaping up to be a big one for the company, with no fewer than 15 new products anticipated. But for some, an iPad mini with an OLED screen to match the best iPhones will be the most exciting of the lot.

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Apple’s App Store has so many options that it can be easy to get overwhelmed. Not only are there hundreds of great choices, but more are being added every day, which just adds to the challenge. However, the App Store awards can be a big help in finding your next download.

Apple has announced its list of the 45 outstanding finalists for this year's App Store Awards that recognize “the best apps and games across 12 different categories for creating exceptional experiences that inspire users to accomplish more, reimagine their daily workflows, and push creative boundaries.”

Similar to the 2024 Apple store awards, there are 12 categories that run the range of Apple devices, including iPhones, Apple Watches, Apple Macs and the Apple Vision Pro.

Apple has yet to announce when the winners for each category will be revealed. For now, all we know is that Apple will announce them in “coming weeks.” Until then, you can check out the nominees below.

Best iPhone apps

• Bandlab
• LADDER
• Tiimo

The iPhone app of the year finalists start with Bandlab, an app designed to help musicians record and mix tracks alongside a community of like-minded people. Next is LADDER, which offers easy-to-understand strength training workouts. The final app on the list is Tiimo, an AI planner that makes creating to-do lists much easier.

• Capybara GO!
• Pokémon TCG pocket
• Thronefall

When it comes to gaming, the finalists include Capybara GO!, a relaxing idle player that has you take control of nature’s chillest — and cutest — rodent. Next is Pokémon TCG pocket, which lets you collect and play Pokémon cards without needing to battle real-life scalpers. Finally, there’s Thronefall, which offers intense defensive battles while using minimalist controls.

Best iPad apps

• Detail
• Graintouch
• Structured

The finalists for best iPad apps start with Detail, an AI video editor that looks to help redefine creative workflow. Next is Graintouch, a drawing app that mimics putting ink to paper. Finally, there’s Structured, which helps users to break down their schedule into easy-to-visualise timetables.

• DREDGE
• Infinity Nikki
• Prince of Persia Lost Crown

For the best gaming apps, the first finalist is DREDGE, which sees users try to solve a deep mystery while avoiding the monsters hiding in the seas. Next is Infinity Nikki, a relaxing platformer with a host of different mechanics to explore. Finally, there’s Prince of Persia Lost Crown, the latest in the historic series that embraces a Metroidvania style to breathe new life into the series.

Best Mac apps

• Acorn 8
• Essayists
• Under My Roof

The first finalist for best Mac app is Acorn 8, an AI-powered photo editor that looks to take images to the next level. Next, for anyone working on major academic papers, there’s the app Essayists, which helps to source and format your work. Finally, there’s Under My Roof, which is designed to help keep homeowners organised and prepared for anything.

• Assassin’s Creed Shadows
• Cyberpunk 2077: Ultimate Edition
• Neva

While Macs might not have had a history as gaming machines, that certainly changed in 2025. The first finalist is Assassin’s Creed Shadows, the latest addition to Ubisoft's historic stealth action series. Next is Cyberpunk 2077: Ultimate Edition, which, after a rocky initial launch, has found its footing as one of the best FPS RPGs on the market. Finally, there’s Neva, which uses striking imagery to show the emotional journey of a young woman and her wolf companion.

Best Apple Arcade games

• Katamari Damacy Rolling LIVE
• PGA TOUR Pro Golf
• WHAT THE CLASH?

If you’re looking for one of the best gaming experiences, then you can’t do much better than Apple Arcade. The finalists for this year start with Katamari Damacy Rolling LIVE, which brings the cult classic rolling game to your Apple devices. Next is PGA TOUR Pro Golf, which lets you play on some of the world's most famous golf courses. Finally, there’s WHAT THE CLASH? Which offers a wealth of entertaining mini games to help pass the time

Best Apple Vision Pro apps

• Camo Studio
• D-Day: The Camera Soldier
• Explore POV

The Apple Vision Pro's finalists start with Camo Studio, which offers more flexible ways to livestream and create videos. Next is D-Day: The Camera Soldier, a groundbreaking interactive documentary that lets you really explore history. Finally, there’s Explore POV, which lets users explore Apple’s library of immersive videos filmed around the world.

• Fishing Haven
• Gears & Goo
• Porta Nubi

The finalists for the best games on the Apple Vision Pro start with Fishing Haven, which allows users to enjoy a calming fishing trip from the comfort of their living room. Next is Gears & Goo, which has you lead your own army on a virtual table. Finally, there’s Porta Nubi, which offers a wealth of light-bending puzzles.

Best Apple Watch and Apple TV apps

• GO Club
• Pro Camera by Movement
• Strava

For Apple Watch users, the first finalist is GO Club, which aims to help users stay active and hydrated. Next is Pro Camera by Movement, which makes use of the oft-forgotten camera on the Watch by allowing users to take pro-level photos with ease. Finally, there’s Strava, the social running app that connects you and your friends.

• HBO Max
• PBS KIDS Video
• Super Farming Boy

If you're looking for the best Apple TV apps, then the first finalist is HBO Max. Next is PBS KIDS Video, which offers numerous kid-friendly entertainment and educational programs. The last finalist is the game Super Farming Boy, which mixes action and puzzles with a farming sim.

Cultural Impact Finalists

Finally, we have the finalists in the cultural impact category, which “fostered greater understanding and gave users more ways to interact with their communities.”

Art of Fauna: A puzzle game utilizing stunning wildlife photos

A Space for the Unbound: A narrative game that explores mental health through a slice-of-life narrative

Be My Eyes: An app that offers three powerful tools to help users who are either blind or have low vision.

Chants of Sennaar: A puzzle game that celebrates the power of language and connection.

Despelote: a soccer game that utilises culturally grounded gameplay to craft a one-of-a-kind experience.

Focus Friend: A focus timer that includes a charming new friend to help gamify focus sessions.

Is This Seat Taken?: A game that aims to foster empathy and inclusivity through a simple gameplay loop of placing people in the right seat.

Retro: A new social app that focuses on creating a privacy-friendly social platform that keeps real friends in the loop.

StoryGraph: An app to help keep you up to date on your reading habits and build an inclusive book community.

Venba: A cooking game based on family, love and spotlighting cultural cuisine alongside heartfelt storytelling.

Whoscall: An app designed to help protect users against scams.

Yuka: An app that helps users make conscious choices about what they consume.

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If there's one thing that the best MacBooks and lower cost iPads have desperately needed for a while, it's OLED displays. iPhones have had them for almost a decade, and it's hardly breakthrough technology at this point — which makes their continued absence so strange. Thankfully, that looks like it's about to change.

Mark Gurman at Bloomberg, claims that Apple is now testing OLED displays for future versions of the MacBook Air, iPad Air and iPad mini. That means they could be about to join recent versions of the iPad Pro, which have had an OLED display since the release of iPad Pro M4 last year.

Rumors also claim that the next MacBook Pro redesign, likely coming towards the end of 2026, will be the first MacBook to switch from an LCD to OLED.

Which Apple products are getting OLED first?

Gurman believes that the iPad mini 8 will be the first to make the transition to OLED, and it could arrive as early as next year. While that does feel like a weird decision on Apple's part, and Gurman doesn't elaborate on the decision, the iPad mini's smaller size may play a part in why it's getting preferential treatment.

We've heard various reports that Apple has had production issues with OLED screens, which have led to delays. So continuing the transition with smaller 8-inch displays, which are closer in size to existing iPhones, could be a simple way to keep the momentum on the OLED transition going. Plus, the iPad mini 7 was released a year ago, and by the time the rumored OLED MacBook Pro arrives, it will be due for an upgrade.

So the timing fits better for a mini OLED switcheroo compared to the iPad Air or MacBook Air M5, since a refresh for both is expected in early 2026 — with reports claiming they'll stick with LCD.

As for the entry-level iPad, don't expect that to ditch the LCD anytime soon. Gurman's report says that there are no plans to switch from LCD, and that makes perfect sense when you consider the kind of product it is. The cheapest iPad has always been the last iPad to get new technology, as we saw with the Lightning to USB-C switchover that only concluded with the release of iPad 10th generation back in 2022.

Plus, new tech is expensive and OLED is still considered a premium product. So it's natural that the cheapest model has to wait until the cost of implementing it drops — otherwise the price would rise to unsustainable levels.

What are the benefits of OLED?

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We only just got a new iPad Pro, but rumors of the next generation are already circulating, specifically how it will adopt a feature Apple just added to the iPhone 17 Pro.

Mark Gurman, in his latest Power On newsletter for Bloomberg, claims that the next-gen iPad Pro will get a vapor chamber cooling system, similar to the one we just saw debut on the latest pro iPhones.

Vapor chambers are something you'll already find inside several of the best Android tablets, such as Samsung's Galaxy Tab S11 and earlier models, or the gaming-focused RedMagic Astra. Just like with smartphones, this passive cooling system is a great way to spread the heat across the phone, preventing the hottest-running components from having to throttle down to prevent damage.

It's also believed that this vapor chamber-equipped iPad Pro will feature an M6 chipset, the next generation of Apple's tablet/Mac silicon. The M6 is thought to be made with a 2-nanometer process - a step ahead of the 3nm process Apple uses for its current chips that should offer even greater performance.

Considering the potential leap that the transition to 2nm chips could bring and how powerful the iPad Pro M5 has already proven in our testing, any more performance stuffed into a slim and light tablet body is definitely going to need some help. While Apple definitely has the means to add a vapor chamber to an iPad, and has had it for some time, bringing it with the next generation is at least the best possible timing we could now ask for.

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On October 22nd, Apple launched the M5 iPad Pro. Now, just a few days later, you can already get $50 off. That's a pretty quick turnaround for the first discount on this excellent Apple tablet.

Right now you can get the 11-inch Pad Pro for $949 at Amazon. Let me take you through who should buy it, and why this is an absolutely worthwhile deal ahead of Black Friday.

Who should buy the M5 iPad Pro?

Here's who should and shouldn’t buy the iPad Pro.

Buy it if:

• You’re a creative enthusiast/pro: The M5 chip in here, huge range of creator apps and the color accuracy of that display makes this a stunner of a system for creators.
• You’re a screen snob: Apple calls it the Ultra Retina XDR display, and that means a Tandem OLED screen with a crispy resolution and a flood of colors. It’s uber bright and utterly mesmerizing. Anything looks incredible on this panel.
• You’re looking for a legitimate laptop replacement: iPadOS 26 is really starting to copy macOS’ homework in terms of window management and multitasking — to the point that you can properly do some laptop-style workflows here.

Don’t buy it if:

• You already have an M4 iPad Pro: The performance gains of the M5 chip are clear in our benchmarking tables, but that M4 chip you have is still capable of amazing things — it’s not worth spending an extra $950 on.
• You just want a content consumption tablet: Yes, that screen is tasty but the specs and the price are way over the top for your use case. I’d point you towards either the M3 iPad Air ($50 off) or the iPad Air with A16 (also $50 off).

Why this is the best tablet money can buy

As Tony put in his iPad Pro M5 review, Apple has raised the bar again in performance and power efficiency in an ultra thin tablet. Over the M4 iPad Pro, the updates are definitely more iterative — a generational jump in chipset, Wi-Fi 7 and Bluetooth 6, etc. But the magic of this device is when it all comes together.

For creators, the M5 iPad Pro is a gorgeous, ultraportable and ultra powerful canvas for your work. The Ultra Retina XDR OLED panel delivers stunning image quality with confidence-inspiring color accuracy. Plus, games look utterly incredible here and run so smoothly on that M5 GPU.

And the power efficiency gives you truly worry-free battery life. In testing the 13-inch M5 iPad Pro, we saw it last well over 13 hours.

Of course, we're talking about the 11-inch being on sale here, so let's do some math. The difference between the 13-inch and 11-inch M3 iPad Air is roughly 90 minutes, so it's fair to predict that the smaller M5 iPad Pro will run for around 11 hours.

Whether you’re loading it with content to watch/play for a long flight, or you’re connecting a keyboard to get stuff done, Apple is truly on another level when it comes to managing that battery life and keeping you going for a long time on one charge.

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Now that Apple has released its first M5-powered products with the iPad Pro M5 and MacBook Pro M5, you might be wondering which one is right for you. Sure, they’re different devices, but they have enough in common to warrant a comparison. If you need a machine for work and leisure, both the iPad Pro and MacBook Pro are worth considering.

While it’s one of the best iPads, when paired with the Apple Magic keyboard, the iPad Pro M5 can function about as well as the best MacBooks. However, if you want an actual laptop that works as advertised out of the box, then the MacBook Pro is the safer bet.

I’ve reviewed the iPad Pro M5 and MacBook Pro M5, and each is now my favorite model of their respective series. While they’re both great, one will be better for you than the other. To help you decide which one to choose, I'm going to break down everything about them, including their designs, displays, performance benchmarks, battery life, and most importantly of all, how much they’ll actually cost you.

Here's everything you need to know about the iPad Pro and MacBook Pro, including which one I'd buy with my own money.

iPad Pro M5 vs. MacBook Pro M5: Price

The 14-inch MacBook Pro M5 starts at $1,599, with 16GB of RAM and a 512GB SSD. Meanwhile, the iPad Pro M5 starts at $999 for the 11-inch and $1,299 for the 13-inch model.

At those starting prices, the iPad Pro has a lower initial cost. However, if you want to use Apple’s tablet as an effective MacBook replacement, then you’ll need the Magic Keyboard peripheral, which costs $299 or $329, depending on the iPad Pro’s size. If, for example, you want to use the 13-inch iPad Pro as a laptop, you’re spending at least $1,628. Upgrading to a 1TB SSD will drive up the cost to the $2,000 range.

Given all of that, the iPad Pro M5 will cost as much or more than the starting configuration of the MacBook Pro, only for a machine with less initial storage and fewer ports. If you’re looking for the more affordable option, the MacBook Pro is your best bet.

iPad Pro M5 vs. MacBook Pro M5: Design

Given their “Pro” monikers, both of Apple’s new devices feature best-in-class designs. Whether it’s the iPad or the MacBook, you’re getting a premium piece of aluminum that looks great and feels equally good to hold.

The MacBook Pro M5 retains the same design you’ve seen on MacBooks released since late 2021. At 12.31 x 8.71 x 0.61 inches and 3.4 pounds, the MacBook Pro M5 makes for a fantastic travel companion when you need to take it on the road. It has an easy-to-open lid, plenty of ports, and a roomy keyboard. The Space Black color of our review model is striking, though the Silver option is also easy on the eyes.

The iPad Pro also keeps the same design as the 2024 model. It’s a sturdy piece of aluminum with a large display and super-slim profile. In fact, the iPad Pro is actually thinner and lighter than the iPad Air M3. This makes even the large 13-inch iPad Pro comfortable to hold for long stretches.

If you want a super portable machine for work, you might want the iPad Pro. Even when attached to the Magic Keyboard, it remains relatively thin and light. That said, the MacBook Pro M5 won’t take up much space in your backpack.

iPad Pro M5 vs. MacBook Pro M5: Display

Everything looks bright, colorful, and detailed on the MacBook Pro M5 and iPad Pro M5. Whether you’re scrolling through websites or watching your favorite YouTube video, your eyes are in for a treat. That said, there is a clear winner in this category.

Cutting right to the chase, the iPad Pro M5’s OLED panel is a feast for the eyes. That’s not surprising given how much I loved the OLED panel on the previous model. The screen hasn’t received an update, which is fine since it still delivers inky blacks, eye-scorching brightness, and vivid colors. Words can’t properly convey the magnificence of the iPad Pro’s OLED panel.

That’s not to say that the MacBook Pro’s 14.2-inch Liquid Retina XDR display, with its 3024 x 1964 resolution and 120Hz refresh rate, isn’t impressive. It actually got brighter when displaying both SDR and HDR content than the iPad Pro in our testing. And we can’t forget the fact that it’s an inch bigger than the iPad Pro’s 13-inch panel.

You can configure either device with a nano-texture glass display, which drastically reduces screen glare. That’s a $100 price bump for the iPad Pro and $150 for the MacBook Pro. However, you’ll actually be paying an extra $700 for nano-texture on the iPad Pro since it’s only available on 1TB and 2TB options.

iPad Pro M5 vs. MacBook Pro M5: Keyboard and touchpad

The 14-inch laptop has a spacious keyboard deck that makes for easy typing. The responsive keys have good travel distance and have just the right amount of resistance when pressed. There’s also the large touchpad, with its smooth surface and satisfying haptic feedback. Typing on this laptop is both seamless and enjoyable.

The Magic Keyboard’s palm rests and touchpad have an aluminum finish that’s reminiscent of a MacBook. The larger touchpad and flatter hinge are also MacBook-like. It also doesn’t add a lot of weight to the iPad Pro. Typing is quite nice thanks to how pleasant the aluminum feels against your palms. The touchpad also feels smooth and is as responsive as ever. I also enjoy the keycaps, which feel thicker and have more travel distance.

Both keyboards are easy to type on, but the MacBook Pro has the edge here. Not only does it have a larger keyboard deck, but its bouncier keys with deeper travel distance make for a more pleasant experience. And as I mentioned before, you’ll have to fork over a lot of money for the Magic Keyboard, whereas the MacBook Pro has a built-in keyboard since it’s an actual laptop.

iPad Pro M5 vs. MacBook Pro M5: Performance

Comparing the performance of a tablet against a laptop would usually be unfair. However, given how these devices have an M5 chip and Apple's claims that the iPad Pro delivers laptop-like performance, we think the comparison is fair. That said, this still isn’t an apples-to-apples comparison (no pun intended).

The 14-inch MacBook Pro I reviewed features an Apple M5 chip with 10 CPU cores and 10 GPU cores, along with 32GB of Unified Memory (RAM) and a 1TB SSD. Conversely, the 13-inch iPad Pro that Apple sent us packs an M5 chip with a 10-core CPU, a 10-core GPU, 16GB of RAM and a 1TB SSD.

Like the M4 chip, the M5 is manufactured on a 3nm process, which allows plenty of transistor space for features like hardware-accelerated mesh shading, ray tracing and Dynamic Caching. In short, the M5 offers strong performance and enhanced graphics for games and 3D apps.

As you can see in the table above, both machines turned in impressive scores on the Geekbench CPU test. You see better scores for the MacBook Pro M5, which is no doubt due to its larger memory (RAM) and active cooling design. But even if the MacBook Pro delivers better performance, the iPad Pro is no slouch.

iPad Pro M5 vs. MacBook Pro M5: macOS 26 vs iPadOS 26

Besides their designs, the biggest difference between the iPad Pro M5 and MacBook Pro M5 lies in their respective operating systems. In this case, it’s macOS 26 vs. iPadOS 26.

For years, we’ve heard Apple claim that an iPad Pro can be a MacBook replacement. While that hasn’t panned out in the past, iPadOS 26 is by far the most productivity-friendly iPad operating system in years. New window controls provide convenient options for managing open windows, allowing you to close, minimize, resize, or tile them to your liking. iPadOS 26 incorporates the macOS menu bar, complete with the familiar red, yellow and green circles for closing, minimizing and maximizing windows.

macOS provides a more traditional desktop experience. The Dock is always visible (unless you set it to auto-hide), and you get more robust desktop applications. You also have a lot more choice in terms of software and what you can download on macOS, whether you choose to go through the Mac App Store or the web. That said, macOS can run iOS and iPadOS apps, provided your computer is running on an Apple Silicon processor.

Apple’s macOS still has the edge over iPadOS since it’s a more robust operating system for managing files, placing open windows, and more. That said, iPadOS 26 delivers Mac-like functionality while still retaining the iPad’s seamless touch controls.

iPad Pro M5 vs. MacBook Pro M5: Battery life

The iPad Pro M5 and MacBook Pro M5 are both long-lasting devices that can last you well over a full workday on a single charge.

In our battery test, which involves continuous web-surfing over Wi-Fi with the display set to 150 nits of brightness, the iPad Pro lasted for an astonishing 13 hours and 18 minutes. That’s nearly 2 hours longer than its predecessor, and over 3 hours longer than the 10 hours Apple claims.

The MacBook Pro M5 is a true endurance beast, with its epic 18 hours and 14 minutes of battery life. Your mileage may vary, depending on your workload, but regardless, you won’t have to worry too much if you forget your charger at home.

iPad Pro M5 vs. MacBook Pro M5: Bottom line

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Apple was allegedly going to launch a huge 18-inch folding iPad at some point in 2026, but according to a new report from Bloomberg's Mark Gurman, that may no longer be true. We may have to wait until 2029 for that foldable to make its debut.

The delay supposedly stems from engineering issues related to weight, display technology and features for the tablet, Gurman reports. On the screen front, Apple is working with Samsung Display, according to Gurman, to develop the 18-inch display with work being done to minimize the crease seen in most foldable panels.

The foldable iPad, internally dubbed J312, is supposed to look like a MacBook with an aluminum case that opens to about the same size as the 13-inch MacBook Air.

What's causing problems?

Gurman claims that the 18-inch display has proven hard to design and very complex. Apple reportedly wants to use an OLED panel, but the complexities have pushed prices to "roughly triple" that of the recently launched 13-inch iPad Pro M5, according to the Bloomberg report. The iPad Pro model starts at $1,299 for the 256GB version, potentially pushing a foldable iPad closer to $3,000.

Additionally, weight has been a problem, with current iPads ranging between 1 and 1.3 pounds. Apple's prototype model allegedly weighs 3.5 pounds, heavier than some laptops.

Apple's device is supposedly close in design to the Huawei MateBook Fold that also unfolds to a 13-inch screen in laptop mode. That folding device costs about $3,330 for the base model, which features 32GB of RAM and 1TB of storage. However, it has yet to be sold outside of China.

Allegedly, there are even some internal doubts that the foldable iPad will ever launch.

How we got here

In the last couple of years rumors about the giant foldable iPad has oscillated between being Apple's first foldable device or launching in combination with the iPhone Fold. And this isn't the first time we've heard that the tablet launch could be delayed into 2029.

In August, analyst Jeff Pu reported that "the 18.8-inch foldable device is likely to be postponed." A leaked 5-year road map has long had the iPad launching in 2028. Gurman himself has previously said we wouldn't see the foldable iPad until 2028.

In the meantime, we expect the iPhone Fold to launch alongside the iPhone 18 Pro models next fall. Rumors have said Apple may split the iPhone 18 launch with the standard model debuting in the spring of 2026 with the iPhone 18e.

However, last week, a report from Mizhuo Securities claimed the iPhone Fold wouldn't arrive until 2027 due to an inability to make enough displays.

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The new iPad Pro M5 ($999 to start) might not be a revolutionary upgrade from the iPad Pro M4, but it’s still one of the best iPads and best tablets out there. This year’s model has everything I loved about the previous slate, only with better performance and some nice productivity updates via iPadOS 26.

Apple’s new M5 chip is the biggest upgrade for the iPad Pro. This powerful processor allows the tablet to run graphically demanding games and video editing software with ease. And if you’re not a power user, you’ll still enjoy how fast you can surf the web and switch between apps.

As before, the iPad Pro features an Ultra Retina XDR OLED panel that delivers stunning image quality. You’ll enjoy deep blacks and bright whites thanks to the 2,000,000:1 contrast ratio, with everything appearing sharp and crisp at 2,360 x 1,640 resolution. I said the OLED panel on the previous model was mesmerizing, and the same is true for the new iPad Pro.

Both the 11- and 13-inch iPad Pros are thinner and lighter than the current iPad Air M3 models. Don’t let that fool you into thinking the Pro tablets are fragile, as both are sturdy pieces of aluminum. Thanks to their lightweight design, even the 13-inch iPad Pro I reviewed is comfortable to hold for extended periods.

While upgrading to a configuration with nano-texture glass and purchasing peripherals like the Apple Magic Keyboard is expensive, the iPad Pro M5 still delivers a premium tablet experience. But is it for you? Let's get into it.

iPad Pro M5 review: Cheat sheet

• What is it? The new iPad Pro delivers improvements over its predecessor, including the faster M5 chip, increased RAM, Wi-Fi 7 and Bluetooth 6 support and faster cellular data. It retains the same lightweight design and tandem OLED panel we’ve come to love.
• Who is it for? The iPad Pro M5 is for those who need a tablet with MacBook Pro-like performance for demanding tasks like video editing. It’s also for anyone willing to pay a premium for an Apple tablet with an OLED panel.
• How much does it cost? The iPad Pro starts at $999 for the 11-inch model and $1,299 for the 13-inch variant on Apple’s website. Both models start at the same price as their respective predecessors.
• What do we like? We like the fast and powerful M5-driven performance, gorgeous tandem OLED panel, long battery life, and productivity-friendly iPadOS 26.
• What don’t we like? It’s not a significant upgrade from last year’s iPad Pro M4 and its improved AI features might not be useful to most users.
• Anything else I should know? Like last year, iPad Pro M5 models with 1TB or more of storage get the full-powered M5 with a 10-core CPU and 10-core GPU, along with 16GB of RAM. However, iPad Pro models with less than 1TB of storage come with only 12GB of RAM and a 9-core CPU on the M5, so they will likely perform slightly worse than the 1TB model I reviewed.

iPad Pro M5 review: Specs

iPad Pro M5 review: The ups

The iPad Pro M5 features the same lightweight design, gorgeous OLED and long-lasting battery life of its predecessor. The main upgrade is the powerful M5 chip, along with faster Wi-Fi 7 and the more MacBook-like iPadOS 26.

Fast M5-driven performance

The 13-inch iPad Pro that Apple sent us packs an M5 chip with a 10-core CPU, a 10-core GPU, 16GB of RAM and a 1TB SSD. Our model doesn’t have nano-texture glass, but it does feature Wi-Fi + Cellular. Altogether, this review unit is valued at $2,099 as configured.

Similar to the M4 chip, the new M5 processor utilizes 3nm technology, hardware-accelerated mesh shading, ray tracing and Dynamic Caching. Those latter features are no longer new for iPad Pro, but it’s good to see them return since they help deliver richer graphics, especially in video games. The M5 chip might not be a giant improvement over its predecessor, but the performance and graphical gains are noticeable.

Like I did with the previous iPad Pro, I used this slate as a laptop and a tablet, and it deftly handled my average workflow, which includes juggling numerous apps and tabs. The M5 chip’s performance plays its part, but so does iPadOS 26, which has been redesigned to be more productivity-friendly than ever—as I wrote about when I replaced my MacBook with an iPad Pro for a month. Doing less demanding tasks like watching YouTube or reading digital comics is also seamless.

I expected the iPad Pro to do well in our benchmark tests, and I wasn’t disappointed. On Geekbench 6, which tests overall CPU performance, the M5 iPad Pro delivered an uplift of 12.3% and 13.7% in single- and multi-core performance respectively. Those performance gains are on par with what I’ve seen gen over gen for the M-series chips.

I fired up Resident Evil 4 Remake on the iPad Pro M5 and it ran relatively well. I say “relatively” since it clearly wasn’t running at 60 frames per second. Though I didn’t have a way to see the game’s exact frame count, it appeared to be at around 30 frames per second to my eyes.

We ran the 3D Mark gaming benchmark tool on iPad Pro. On the Wildlife Extreme Unlimited test, it scored better and saw higher frames per second than the M4 iPad Pro. These results corroborate my experience. In short, the new iPad Pro is a capable gaming machine, especially for games optimized for the M5 chip.

Although I’m not an artist of either the 2D or 3D kind, I checked out ZBrush, with is a 3D sculpting app. All the changes I made (using the Apple Pencil Pro) happened in real time, without a hint of lag. If I were artistically inclined, I’m sure I’d appreciate how intuitive this app is to use, which is no doubt possible because of the power of M5.

We couldn’t conduct our in-house Wi-Fi and Cellular testing in time for this review. However, I will revise this review once we’ve done that testing. I will say that making calls (something you can now finally do on iPad) and downloading files is both seamless and fast, based on my experience with the iPad Pro.

A beautiful OLED panel

The iPad Pro M5’s OLED panel is a marvel to behold and is arguably my personal favorite feature. That’s not surprising given how much I loved the OLED panel on the previous model. The screen hasn’t received an update, which is fine since it still delivers inky blacks, eye-scorching brightness, and vivid colors. This is eye candy of the highest order.

To check out the iPad Pro’s image quality, I watched a YouTube video called “OLED Test 12K HDR 120fps” since it ticks all the right boxes. I was particularly impressed with a scene featuring strawberries since the reds really stood out. The image I snapped with my iPhone 16 Pro Max don't do the image justice. The iPad Pro’s 120Hz refresh rate matched the video’s frame rate, ensuring everything ran smoothly.

Since the iPad Pro has the same display as last year’s model, we saw similar numbers in our display test. Color reproduction (sRGB and DCI-P3), color accuracy (Delta-E) and brightness (nits) are virtually identical. Given how incredible everything looks on the iPad Pro, I don’t mind that we didn’t see a stark difference in our testing.

How does the iPad Pro compare to its direct rival, the Samsung Galaxy Tab S11 Ultra? Samsung’s slate generally delivers oversaturated colors over the iPad Pro, but it doesn’t get nearly as bright when displaying HDR content. The iPad Pro has the edge since it gets brighter and delivers more natural hues.

Thin and light design

As with its OLED panel, the new iPad Pro retains the same design as the 2024 model. You get a sturdy piece of aluminum with a large display and super-slim profile. And like before, the iPad Pro is actually thinner and lighter than the iPad Air M3. Thanks to that, even the large 13-inch iPad Pro is comfortable to hold for long periods of time.

This is now the second iPad Pro featuring a landscape-oriented front camera, which is a big improvement over the portrait-oriented cameras of older iPads. If you like taking selfies on a tablet or frequently participate in video calls, you’ll certainly appreciate the camera’s position. Using FaceID to unlock the iPad Pro is also simple, thanks to the centered camera.

The buttons and ports remain the same. In landscape mode, the power button is located on the left side of the tablet, while the volume buttons are on the top left. There’s also a lone Thunderbolt/USB 4 port on the center right side, and four speakers flanking the tablet (two on the left, two on the right). And of course, there's also a 12MP camera on the back.

Apple sent us the Space Black iPad Pro, but there’s also a Silver model. It would have been nice if the iPad Pro had more color options like the iPad Air, but since I like dark colors on electronics, I can’t complain too hard—especially when Space Black looks so darn cool.

Long-lasting battery life

We only had time to run one battery test on the iPad Pro, so I’ll update this review once we’ve run at least two more tests. Nevertheless, the one battery test we did conduct reveals a tablet that can last well beyond a standard 8-hour workday.

In our battery test, which involved continuous web-surfing over Wi-Fi with the display set to 150 nits of brightness, the iPad Pro lasted for 13 hours and 18 minutes. That’s almost two hours longer than the previous model, and a little over three hours beyond Apple’s promised 10-hour claim. Apple’s tablet also outlasts the Samsung Galaxy Tab S11 Ultra, as you can see in the table above.

Again, I’ll update this review once we’ve finished our battery life tests. That said, I still expect the iPad Pro to have exceptional endurance.

iPad Pro M5 review: The downs

I don’t have any major complaints with the iPad Pro itself. Unfortunately, just like last year, my main gripes concern the price of specific upgrades and peripherals. While you could live without the former, the latter could be a major issue if you wanted to use the iPad Pro for work.

Pricey peripherals

To get the most from the iPad Pro, you’ll need the Apple Magic Keyboard and Apple Pencil Pro. These peripherals haven’t been updated from last year, which isn’t bad considering how well they already function with the previous iPad Pro. Unfortunately, these peripherals still don’t come cheap.

The Apple Pencil Pro starts at $129, while the Magic Keyboard costs $299 for the 11-inch iPad Pro and $329 for the 13-inch model. To truly use the iPad Pro as a MacBook replacement, you’ll have to spend at least $1,648. At that price, you can instead get a 13-inch MacBook Air M4 for $999 (or lower, depending on sales).

As for the stylus, you can opt for the $79 Apple Pencil with USB-C. However, keep in mind that it doesn’t have Apple Pencil Pro features like barrel roll and can’t wirelessly charge when magnetically attached to the iPad Pro.

Despite their steep cost, the Apple Pencil Pro and Magic Keyboard are still fantastic iPad Pro peripherals. The former’s new features make it easy to use for drawing and writing, while the latter’s MacBook-like aluminum finish, thick keycaps, and larger touchpad make it a joy to type on. It’s just a bummer that these peripherals are still so expensive.

Nano-texture glass isn’t cheap

Apple offers a nano-texture glass option for both 11- and 13-inch iPad Pro models. This is a nice upgrade that can help minimize screen glare, especially if you work outdoors or somewhere with bright lights.

Paying $100 extra for nano-texture glass might not sound bad. However, this upgrade is only for pricier iPad Pro models with 1TB or 2TB of storage. Like before, upgrading to 1TB raises the price by $600 for both models. When adding nano-texture glass for $100, you’re actually paying $700 extra at a minimum.

Those who were already going to pay for 1TB or 2TB models won’t be affected too much by selecting nano-texture glass. However, the average person arguably doesn’t need a lot of storage space, so spending all that extra money for an anti-glare screen will definitely sting.

iPad Pro M5 review: Verdict

Apple redesigned the iPad Pro last year, so I’m not surprised we didn’t get a major overhaul with the M5 model. While that means you don’t need to upgrade if you own the M4 iPad Pro, it’s certainly worthwhile if you own an iPad Pro M2 or older. Apple has once delivered a truly premium device that offers exceptional performance, battery life, and a stunning OLED panel.

Your milleage may vary with Apple Intelligence. Features like Math Notes and Smart Scripts can be useful if you’re a math student or enjoy writing by hand (respectively), but if you’re not, these features could be superfluous. However, iPadOS 26’s more MacBook-like UI and window controls make the iPad Pro a more feasable MacBook replacement—if you’re willing to spend extra for the Magic Keyboard.

Price peripherals and upgrades aside, the iPad Pro M5 is a phenomenal Apple tablet that can do just about anything. Right now, it’s my favorite tablet and one that will likely retain that distinction for the foreseeable future. If you’re looking for a top-tier slate, you won’t go wrong with the iPad Pro M5.

Apple just announced a new M5 iPad Pro, and we couldn't be more excited to get our hands on what figures to be one of the company's best tablets. If you're thinking about grabbing a new iPad and using it for design, Affinity has made all three of its apps free. We have no idea why the company has dropped the price or how long they'll stay free, so this is an offer you should definitely jump on.

The three apps are Designer 2, Photo 2 and Publisher 2. Each was $19 before this change, so if you decide to download all three, you'll save just under $60. Even if you don't have your eyes on becoming a professional designer, it's worth downloading these on your iPad so you have them if you ever decide you need to do some image editing or graphic design work.

Here are the links to download the apps:

• Download Affinity Publisher 2 for iPad
• Download Affinity Photo 2 for iPad
• Affinity Designer 2 for iPad

If I had to guess, I'd say the Canva-owned Affinity is going to announce new apps or integrate those features into Canva. Canva has teased an announcement from Affinity for October 30, so we only have to wait to few more days to find out what's happening.

Based on that October 30 date, I'd download these apps quickly. The announcement could also involve discontinuing these apps in favor of something new, similar to how the desktop versions aren't on the company's website. This would mean that anyone who doesn't add them to their app library before then will be disappointed.

What do these Affinity apps do?

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The iPad Pro M5 is real and promises to be the most powerful Apple tablet yet. The big draw here is the Apple M5 chip, with its faster performance, better battery life, and enhanced AI capabilities. Other than that, it features the same lightweight design and OLED panel of the iPad Pro M4. So even if this isn’t a major update, the new iPad Pro seems to have the goods to be included in our list of best iPads and best tablets.

With the new iPad Pro M5 arriving on November 22, you might be wondering if it’s worth upgrading from the iPad Pro M4. The latter is still a fantastic premium tablet thanks to its strong M4-driven performance, slim design, and gorgeous OLED panel. And while Apple is no longer selling the iPad Pro M4 on its online store, you can find it for a discount from other vendors.

Here are the main differences between the iPad Pro M5 and the iPad Pro M4 to help you decide which is the better Apple tablet to purchase.

iPad Pro M5 vs. iPad Pro M4: Specs

iPad Pro M5 vs. iPad Pro M4: Price

One of the best things about the iPad Pro M5 is that it’s not going to cost more than the previous model.

The M5 iPad Pro will be available from $999 for the 11-inch tablet and $1,299 for the 13-inch model. You can pre-order the iPad Pro right now on Apple's website, with shipping starting on November 22.

If you head to Amazon or Best Buy, you can generally find the iPad Pro M4 selling for around $50 to $100 off. We may see bigger price drops during Black Friday, so keep that in mind if you’re considering this older model.

iPad Pro M5 vs. iPad Pro M4: Design and display

Both the 11-inch and 13-inch M5 iPad Pro models have the same design, including OLED Ultra Retina XDR displays, which feature ProMotion for an adaptive 120Hz refresh rate.

Given how it’s the same design, the M5 iPad Pro should be another sturdy piece of aluminum that’s comfortable to hold and great to look at. In fact, both the 11- and 13-inch iPad Pro are even thinner and lighter than the M3 iPad Air tablets.

The iPad Pro M5 also has a landscape-oriented front camera, which helps keep you centered when you’re in a video call or taking a selfie. Like the previous model, the new iPad Pro only has a single USB-C port.

The Tandem OLED panel on the iPad Pro M4 was arguably its biggest selling point, so it’s good to see the new tablet retain this feature. Images should look phenomenal, with deep contrast between dark and light elements, along with vivid colors at a sharp resolution.

We’ll have to put the new iPad Pro through our slew of display benchmark tests to see how its screen holds up, but we suspect similar results to the iPad Pro M4. Considering how that previous model has the most beautiful OLED screen I’ve seen, that’s absolutely a good thing.

iPad Pro M5 vs. iPad Pro M4: Performance

Since we’ve yet to test the Apple M5’s performance for ourselves, we can only go off Apple’s claims. That said, if the chip delivers similar performance gains to what we’ve seen between each M-series generation, we should see noticeable improvements.

Apple says devices with the M5 chip will have up to 30% faster performance compared to M4. The new chip will also allegedly provide up to 45% graphics uplift in games that use ray tracing, along with faster rendering times for video projects and games.

The 10-core GPU has a dedicated Neural Accelerator in each core, which can deliver over 4x peak GPU compute compared to M4. This, Apple claims, should deliver accelerated processing for on-device AI-driven workloads. Apple Intelligence should also see enhanced performance thanks to the enhanced Neural Engine.

Apple also claims the iPad Pro M5 will see faster read and write speeds for storage, with over 150GB/s of unified memory bandwidth. This is a 30% increase over the previous M4 model, and is expected to have 2x faster storage read and write speeds.

Configurations with 256GB and 512GB of storage now come with 12GB of Unified Memory (RAM), which is a nice boost from the 8GB starting memory of the previous model. With up to 32GB of RAM, the M5 iPad Pro should be able to handle demanding apps like Adobe Photoshop and Final Cut Pro simultaneously, while you’re uploading large files to the cloud in the background.

Again, we’ll have to put the iPad Pro M5 through its paces to see if Apple’s claims are true. Regardless, I’m excited to see the results, both in our lab and in real-world use.

iPad Pro M5 vs. iPad Pro M4: Connectivity

Another upgrade worth noting is that the iPad Pro M5 will now support Wi-Fi 7. With the previous model’s Wi-Fi 6E, you could only get 8 gigabits per second (Gbps) speeds. Now with Wi-Fi 7, you should see a maximum of 46 Gbps. Additionally, there will be compatibility with the new 6 GHz band that you might have seen in some of the best Wi-Fi 7 routers.

If you’re frequently downloading or uploading large files, Wi-Fi 7 support should make a huge difference.

iPad Pro M5 vs iPad Pro M4: Outlook

Based on what Apple has said, the iPad Pro M5 should be a solid update over the iPad Pro M4. It retains the same great design as its predecessor, only with a stronger processor and faster Wi-Fi. It doesn’t appear to be a revolutionary update over the iPad Pro M4, but if you own an older iPad Pro, it could be a worthwhile investment, especially if you’re a professional video editor who needs a thin device for work.

Conversely, the iPad Pro M4 is still a fantastic tablet for professionals and regular folks. As I said, you can currently purchase this tablet for less than the new tablet’s $999 starting price. So if you don’t need the latest and greatest, the iPad Pro M4 is still a slate I highly recommend.

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The iPad Pro M5 is here, and considering the power of its next-gen chip, it’s already looking to top our list of best iPads and best tablets you can grab.

Apple announced its latest iPad Pro with an M5 chip, delivering faster performance, an upgraded 12GB of RAM, Wi-Fi 7 support and its signature (and gorgeous) OLED display. All of this aims to take advantage of the latest iPadOS 26 and Apple Intelligence features.

Plus, you can also expect the new iPad Pro to deliver up to 3.5x the AI performance of iPad Pro M4 and up to 5.6x faster than iPad Pro with M1. What's more, it comes with a C1X and N1 chips for faster cellular support.

Don’t expect a major design overhaul, as it matches the look and feel of the iPad Pro M4, but do expect a jump in performance thanks to its M5 chip and more RAM, and even better connectivity with its Wi-Fi 7 connectivity.

Even better, it comes in at the same price as its predecessor. The M5 iPad Pro will be available from $999 for the 11-inch tablet and $1,299 for the 13-inch model, all boasting the power of M5.

Apple’s latest iPad Pro is available to pre-order today on Apple's website and is set to be on shelves on October 22. For now, here’s all you need to know about the M5-equipped iPad Pro.

M5 iPad Pro specs

Here's what you can expect from Apple's M5 iPad Pro, along with how it compares to its previous M4-equipped predecessor. As you'll find, not much has changed, but the M5 processor is the real star of the show.

iPad Pro M5: What's new?

It's been a long time coming, but the M5 iPad Pro has finally arrived. Similar to the iPad Air M3, this is a smaller update over its predecessor, but the changes made are more than welcome.

The star of the show is Apple's M5 chip, based on an advanced 3nm process for faster performance, better power efficiency and, most impressively, a boost in graphics processing for rendering tasks (and gaming).

It's expected to see an upgrade of around 15% to 25% in AI performance over M4, along with a major uplift in graphics with its 10-core GPU compared to the M4's GPU. As Apple states, it "introduces a new architecture with a Neural Accelerator in each core, resulting in a massive boost in GPU performance for AI workloads." We'll have to see how the M5 performs in our lab tests, but it's already looking promising.

Interestingly, Apple also claims the iPad Pro M5 will see faster read and write speeds for storage, with over 150GB/s of unified memory bandwidth. This is a 30% increase over the previous M4 model, and is expected to have 2x faster storage read and write speeds. Even better, the 256GB and 512GB storage models now come with an increased 12GB of RAM!

Another major upgrade is Wi-Fi 7. With Apple's previous Pro tablet supporting Wi-Fi 6E, you can get 9 gigabits per second (Gbps) speeds. Moving to Wi-Fi 7 will give you a maximum of 46 Gbps, along with compatibility with the new 6 GHz band you’re seeing in a lot of the best Wi-Fi 7 routers being sold today.

The base model comes with 256GB for storage and features 12GB of RAM, an upgrade over the 8GB in the M4 version. As usual, you can also expect 256GB, 512GB, 1TB, and 2TB storage models, too.

Otherwise, both the 11-inch and 13-inch M5 iPad Pro models come with the same design, including the gorgeous OLED Ultra Retina XDR displays, which feature ProMotion for an adaptive 120Hz refresh rate.

We can't wait to test the new M5 iPad Pro, so keep watch for our review once we get our hands on it. That's not all Apple had up its sleeve, as the M5 MacBook Pro also made its big debut.

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Apple's iPad 11 poses the question: "How much power do you need in a tablet?" And this tablet immediately answers this with a resounding "I'm all most people need."

With its faster A16 Bionic processor, bigger storage capacity starting at 128GB, even longer battery life and the same updated aluminum body as the iPad 10, the iPad 11 makes the right updates. The result is a tablet that's hard to pass up.

And that's especially apparent with the iPad 11's $349/£329 starting price, making this the cheapest Apple tablet you can get. That already makes it one of the best iPads you can get for the money, but its worthwhile improvements offer more reasons for most people to pick this up.

Sadly, the faults of its predecessor have carried on over to the iPad 11, too. That includes the tablet not being able to support the Apple Pencil Pro or Apple Pencil Gen 2, despite it aiming to be the affordable slate for drawing and jotting down notes. And while the iPad 11's display is brighter this time around, it's still not bright enough to see while outdoors or in bright settings.

The iPad 11 may not offer the premium features of its pricier siblings, but not everyone is looking to fully utilize Apple Intelligence or MacBook-like performance, as with Apple's M3 iPad Air and M4 iPad Pro.

Sometimes, a tablet with a great display, long battery life and more than enough performance to browse websites, watch shows and play games is all that's needed — and the iPad 11 takes those needs and runs with them.

Is the iPad 11 the best tablet for you? For affordability, yes, and you can find out why in my review.

iPad 11: Cheat sheet

• What is it? An affordable Apple tablet for everyday use.
• Who is it for? Anyone looking for a reliable tablet for browsing the web, watching shows and even playing games.
• How much does it cost? The iPad 11 is Apple's cheapest tablet, starting at $349 in the U.S. and £329 in the U.K. When on sale, you can find it for as low as $279/£299 at Amazon, making this a value-focused purchase.
• What do we like? The slim and portable design, impressive performance gains thanks to its A16 chip, long battery life and upgraded base storage at 128GB.
• What don’t we like? Its Liquid Retina display is vivid but can be dim in bright settings, the lack of Apple Intelligence features and how it doesn't support Apple Pencil Pro or Pencil Gen 2.

iPad 11: Specs

iPad 11: The ups

The iPad 11 takes the much-needed redesign of its predecessor and makes upgrades where it counts, including in its performance, storage and battery life — all while keeping the same price as before.

Faster, improved performance

The main upgrade you'll get from the 11th-generation iPad is its A16 silicon. That's the same chipset used in the iPhone 14 Pro and iPhone 15, and seeing how we're now on the A19 chip with the iPhone 17, it can feel like the iPad 11 is falling behind.

But really, Apple knocked it out of the park with the power on that chip when it arrived, and that performance still pulls its weight today. Officially, the latest iPad now runs on the oldest chipset in the current lineup, with even the iPad mini 7 sporting an A17 Pro chip.

That said, can the iPad 11 run iPadOS 26, juggle multiple apps in split-screen and deliver the performance needed to run games? It sure can!

Of course, the iPad 11 wouldn't be able to match the Geekbench single-core or multi-core scores of its more powerful siblings, especially when compared to the might of an M3 chip, but as you'll find when it comes to the 3DMark benchmark, and Adobe Premier Rush video editing test, the iPad 11 not only breezes past its last-gen model, but holds its own against the iPad mini's A17 Pro. (The M3 chip will handle differently compared to Apple's mobile chips, hence the difference in scores in the 3DMark WildLife benchmark.)

This is very much reflected in the real-time usage, as the iPad is snappy and doesn't lag in the slightest. I found this to be a massive difference compared to my iPad Air (2020) with its A14 chip, as that tablet is starting to show signs of slowdown compared to the A16 in the iPad 11.

While I had no problems playing games from Apple Arcade, including Fantasian, What The Clash, Balatro+ and more, the iPad 11 hit its stride when I ran more demanding titles. I booted up Destiny: Rising, which requires beefy performance to run, and the iPad was able to handy Balanced graphics mode with Ultra rendering quality at 60 FPS (understandable, seeing as the Liquid Retina display comes with a 60Hz refresh rate).

I was running around, shooting down Fallen with smooth, detailed visuals. While it's nowhere near the performance you'd find on the latest chips, as with the iPhone 17 Pro's A19 Pro chip, if the iPad 11 is able to play a popular title like Destiny: Rising, that will suit plenty of users.

The performance gains from the A16 chip in the iPad 11 are the true highlight of the tablet, and shows just how much power you can get out of Apple's base tablet.

Visual appeal

In both design and display, the iPad 11 is identical to the iPad 10. But that's more of a compliment, as the last-gen model was the first to introduce an all-new design that dropped the Home button (remember that?) and enlarged the display with minimal bezels (albeit those are still noticeable).

Coming in at 9.79 x 7.07 x 0.28 inches and weighing 1.01 pounds for its Wi-Fi version, the 11th Gen iPad keeps the sleek, slim and lightweight portability of its predecessor, but introduces a suite of attractive colors, including Silver, Pink, Blue and a very striking Yellow. I love the light shine of the blue model I have, with its aluminum body making for a premium, portable device.

I was easily carrying around the iPad 11 from room to room, and I barely noticed it in my bag when traveling around. With the Smart Folio iPad case, I was propping it up on surfaces easily to watch shows on the best streaming services. That's exactly what a tablet is intended for, and the iPad 11 once again nails this portable design.

Speaking of watching shows, the 11-inch Liquid Retina display (2360 x 1640) still offers detailed and vivid imagery, and it's a joy to watch TV shows and movies on it.

As you'll find in our display lab tests, there's barely any difference between the iPad 11 and its older sibling. It's slightly brighter and features better color reproduction (even though it doesn't feature the range of Delta-E as its predecessor), but you'll barely see a difference in these screens.

Regardless, when I put on Apple TV+'s "The Lost Bus," I was immediately absorbed in the raging fires that consumed California and horrified at the destruction they caused. The fiery reds popped on screen, and it made for a thrill ride from start to finish.

That shows just what the iPad 11 can dish out, and according to the results, it's not far behind the iPad Air M3. The iPad 11 is at least brighter, but that still isn't enough to comfortably view content in an outdoor setting (more on that later).

Long(er)-lasting

The 10th Gen iPad already boasted good battery life, but the iPad 11 takes things up a notch. In fact, it's one of the longer-lasting iPads around right now.

In our testing, which involves continuous web surfing over Wi-Fi with a device’s display set to 150 nits of brightness, the iPad 11 was able to last 11 hours and 25 minutes. That not only tops its predecessor, but it also beats the iPad Air M3 and iPad mini 7.

The iPad 11 falls short of the iPad Pro M4's longevity (13 hours and 13 minutes), but considering the price difference between the two tablets, the iPad 11 certainly impresses.

iPad 11: The downs

Despite what the iPad 11 gets right, it's not without some setbacks. Mainly, this includes the lack of Apple Intelligence features (if that's a priority for you), a display not fit for bright settings and not being able to work with some essential peripherals.

Apple Intelligence is a no-show

Now, Apple Intelligence may not yet be the standout feature Apple had hoped for, but the company is still aiming to revamp Siri in a big "overhaul" come spring 2026. That's likely when the iPad 11 will suffer the most, as this is the one Apple tablet that doesn't support any AI features.

This may not be much of a setback to many, seeing as many of these features are more around the Image Playground app and speaking to Siri to make plans or find information. But there are some handy features Apple Intelligence can offer, like its Writing Tools.

Not having access to any of these features is disappointing, but not a deal-breaker. Personally, I don't use Apple Intelligence features to their full potential yet, seeing as Siri has let me down more often than not. But, when Apple does start to make AI its true main focus, let it be known that you'll miss out on those improvements with the iPad 11.

Not so bright

While the iPad 11's 500 nits of brightness impresses, during real-world use, I saw a clear reflection on the screen when using the tablet outdoors or near windows.

Indoors and around the house, this isn't a problem, as the Liquid Retina display can be seen in all of its glory. But for those times when you're out and about traveling, sitting by the pool or trying to read text under the bright sun, the iPad 11 can be a slight struggle to see.

Of course, I would generally use my iPad indoors when I'm on the couch, in bed or watching shows on the kitchen table while cooking up a storm. That means I wouldn't generally have a problem with this, but it's something to keep an eye out for, especially for the readers out there. The best Kindles may be more up your street.

The missing stylus

One of the main attractions of the iPad 11 is being a more affordable Apple tablet to draw on, making full use of its Apple Pencils. In fact, Apple specifically states it's "Lovable. Drawable. Magical" as the first key takeaway on the 11th Gen iPad's listing page.

So it's a shame that two of the Cupertino tech giant's styluses, the Apple Pencil Pro and Apple Pencil Gen 2, aren't compatible with the iPad 11. That seems like a missed opportunity. Instead, you'll have to just stick with the Apple Pencil (USB-C). This isn't such bad news, but considering the leap in tools you find in Apple's other stylus — we're talking haptic feedback, pressure sensitivity and wireless charging — it would have been nice to have the Pencil Pro as an option.

iPad 11: Verdict

Since using the iPad 11, it's become clear to me that this is the tablet that suits my needs.

Sure, the latest iPad Air may boast a literal laptop chip for MacBooks, while the iPad Pro comes with an even stronger silicon and a gorgeous OLED display, but if all I want from a portable slate is to browse through websites, watch videos or shows the best streaming services and play some mobile-friendly games, why pay more when the more affordable base iPad achieves all that for less?

That's an appealing sentiment for many, and that's why the iPad 11 shines. Its A16 chip propels the tablet to new heights, gaining enough performance to breeze through many of the most popular and even demanding games. But it also makes multitasking in iPadOS 26 far more satisfying, and the tablet's 11-inch display does a great job at bringing quality visuals — even if it's harder to see in brighter settings.

In any case, unless you're invested in utilizing Apple Intelligence and prefer to use Apple's more premium Pencil Pro or Pencil Gen 2 accessories, the iPad 11 makes for a worthy tablet for most.

Thanks to a string of recent leaks, it seems all but certain the iPad Pro M5 is on the way, with a bunch of major hardware upgrades — including the new M5 chip and at least 12GB of RAM. Now it seems leaked Geekbench 6 benchmarking results have corroborated these changes.

The results published on the benchmarking site show the iPad model has 11.2GB of memory with 256GB of storage, which is an upgrade from the 8GB of RAM we saw last year. There's also a 9-core CPU with a 4.42-GHz clock speed. Those are the same chip specs found in the 256GB and 512GB iPad Pro M4 variants, though benchmarking tests do show a marked improvement.

The single-core test scored 4,133, which is an 11.7% increase on the iPad Pro M4's 3700 score. Meanwhile, multi-core testing produced a score of 15,437, a 6.2% increase over the 14,523 we recorded on the M4 iPad Pro.

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The M5 iPad Pro is expected to launch either in October or, as some leaks have suggested, in early 2026. To this point, the next iPad Pro is expected to resemble the current M4 iPad Pro, but with some significant under-the-hood upgrades.

That was seemingly confirmed thanks to the Russian YouTuber Wylascom, who just posted an alleged unboxing and hands-on of the M5 iPad Pro. You may remember that name from last fall when Wylascom leaked the M4 MacBook Pro mere weeks before it was announced.

The video has an English dub, so you don't need a Cyrillic education to hear what he has to say. On a basic level, however, the only significant change appears to be the new M5 chip and increased RAM.

Wylacom claims he has a 256GB base model iPad Pro, and he shows that it features 12GB of RAM, an upgrade over the 8GB in the M4 version. This also means that Apple is likely to keep the 256GB, 512GB, 1TB, and 2TB storage capacities.

Benchmark scores compared

In the back half, Wylacom compares the M4 and M5 tablets on Geekbench, and it is an improvement across the board. In his tests, the M5 scores 4,133 and 15,437 in single-core and multi-core with a Metal score of 74,568. Metal is Apple's term for its GPU.

For comparison, in the Tom's Guide lab tests, the M4 iPad Pro scored 3,692 and 14,512. The M5 iPad Pro is approximately 10-15% more powerful than the M4.

We didn't specifically run any metal tests, but from what we can see from the video, Wylacom's test scored 55,702 on the M4. The M5 GPU is approximately 35% faster than its predecessor.

We knew the M5 would be better, but it definitely seems like the next iPad Pro will be more friendly to gamers. And this is just for the base tablet. The 1TB version is likely to come with more efficient cores and additional RAM, meaning it should perform even better.

Release date and price

As mentioned, we believe Apple will hold an event or send out press releases for several devices at some point in October. We expect several new devices to launch, including the iPad Pro and perhaps the M5 MacBook Pro.

So far, we have yet to see any price leaks for the M5 iPad Pro. It likely won't come cheap. The 11-inch M4 iPad Pro started at $999, while the 13-inch launched at $1299 for the base 256GB model.

We expect prices for the M5 to start there. Potentially, they could go higher thanks to increased tariffs, but Apple has managed to avoid those increases so far.

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iPadOS 26 is now live for the best iPads that can run the latest software. While some of the previous updates have been incremental, iPadOS 26 changes how everything looks and adds several Mac-like features. Given all that’s new, you’ll want to be prepared for what you can now do on your iPad.

I’ve used iPadOS 26 all summer, and I can tell you that it’s a pretty substantial upgrade. Not only does it introduce the Liquid Glass design language that's also now available on iOS 26, macOS 26 and watchOS 26, but it has new features that make your iPad feel more like the best MacBooks. Toss in other productivity-focused features and Apple Intelligence updates, and iPadOS 26 has a lot going for it. Here are the 5 things you should try first on iPadOS 26.

Liquid Glass

The Liquid Glass design is the thing that stands out most on iPadOS 26. That said, the new look doesn't seem as prominent as it appears on the best iPhones. Liquid Glass is very hard to ignore on the latter, but I sometimes forget it’s a thing for iPads. That said, you can make the Liquid Glass effect really stand out if you want.

In the iPad’s Customize submenu on the Home screen, you can select the new Clear option. Clear removes all color from apps and makes them transparent. This can be jarring, or downright unusable if your background has bold colors that make your apps and widgets effectively invisible (as seen in the example above).

However, with the right background, the transparent apps and widgets can look very cool. You should play around with Liquid Glass to see how you like it.

Windowing system

I’ve previously written about how I replaced my MacBook with an iPad Pro for a month. While other iPadOS updates have promised Mac-like functionality, iPadOS 26 mostly delivers. I can now say that using your iPad as a MacBook replacement is more viable than ever. It might not be perfect, but it’s a huge step forward in being productive on an iPad.

The new windowing system lets you close, minimize, resize, and tile windows to your liking. The latter has been designed for an iPad’s screen, letting you snap windows into place with a quick swipe. One neat aspect is that any app you’ve previously resized will reopen in the same spot and size every single time.

The windowing system works marvelously, and I appreciate how intuitive the feature feels with both touch controls and the Magic Keyboard’s touchpad. I also like the menu bar and how seamlessly it has been integrated with the iPad’s apps. Don’t miss out on this feature!

New apps

iPadOS 26 has new apps, including Games, Preview, Journal and Phone. While apps like Journal and Phone aren’t exactly new, they are new on the iPad.

The Games app organizes the games you have installed to make them easier to find and launch. The Journal app from iPhone is a nice addition and can be easier to use on an iPad than on an iPhone, especially if your iPad is connected to an Apple Magic Keyboard.

Preview lets you view, edit and mark up PDFs and images with Apple Pencil or by touch. You can access all of your PDFs and images in the Files app from Preview, create an empty page, use Apple Pencil to draw and write on it, and use AutoFill to fill out PDF Forms.

Then we have the Phone app, which, as you might have guessed, allows you to make and receive phone calls on your iPad. The old jokes about iPads just being large iPhones that can’t make calls are now only half true.

Menu bar

The menu bar from macOS makes its way to iPadOS 26 and functions just as well. It features the red, yellow and green circles for close, minimize and full screen (respectively). You can access these controls by swiping down or moving the cursor up.

Having a Mac’s menu bar on iPad is simultaneously strange and intuitive. Strange, because it takes time getting used to the menu bar on iPad, but intuitive because it largely functions the same as it does on Macs. This is another great feature that can boost your productivity and is well worth checking out.

Image Playground

More from Tom's Guide

• Apple AirPods Pro 3 review
• iOS 26 arrives today — 5 things you need to do to prepare
• iPhone Air hands-on preview

iPadOS 26 is now available and is arguably the most significant update yet for the best iPads that can run the new software. Like iOS 26 and macOS Tahoe 26, the iPad’s operating system utilizes the Liquid Glass design language, which creates a unified look across most of Apple’s devices. For iPads specifically, the new windowing system lets you move and resize apps to your liking. Apple Intelligence also receives a modest update for iPads.

I’ve used iPadOS 26 on the iPad Pro M4 all summer via the developer and public betas, and I think it’s a pretty solid update overall. While not revolutionary, the OS is certainly more MacBook-like in terms of functionality. And though it’s a controversial design, I like the Liquid Glass look since it instantly distinguishes iPadOS 26 from its predecessors.

If you weren’t enamored with the previous iPadOS 18, I think you’ll like what iPadOS 26 has to offer. Are iPads now capable of replacing MacBooks, and how does the new design change the way an iPad functions? Find out in my full iPadOS 26 review.

iPadOS 26 review: Supported devices

Before we move on, here is a list of all the iPads that are compatible with iPadOS 26.

• iPad Pro (M4)
• iPad Pro 12.9-inch (3rd generation and later)
• iPad Pro 11-inch (1st generation and later)
• iPad Air (M2 and later)
• iPad Air (3rd generation and later)
• iPad (A16)
• iPad (8th generation and later)
• iPad mini (A17 Pro)
• iPad mini (5th generation and later)

Of the tablets capable of running the current iPadOS 18, only the 7th-generation iPad has lost support with this update.

iPadOS 26 review: Liquid Glass design

The most immediate change you’ll see with iPadOS 26 is the new Liquid Glass design language. The design isn’t super prominent, with the Liquid Glass appearance mostly seen in the lock/unlock screen and when you click on the apps folder.

That said, the slight glass-like sheen around the borders of apps is very eye-catching. I also like how items behind the apps you have open get blurred. You can disable this transparency effect and eliminate all background elements, but that looks boring to me.

Even if the new Liquid Glass design is slightly jarring at first, it blends in so well that you’ll eventually forget it’s there since it looks and feels so natural. This is especially true if you use multiple Apple devices like I do. I like having a unified look across the MacBook, iPhone and iPad I use every day.

iPadOS 26 review: Windowing system

The new windowing system for iPadOS 26 is a great feature that can help you better manage windows on your iPad. It lets you easily resize, move and organize app windows. It’s also simpler to work with multiple windows at once. You’re not wrong to think this sounds a lot like the windowing system on macOS, but it all works nicely with the iPad’s touch controls.

The new window controls allow you to close, minimize, resize and tile windows however you want. The latter is designed for an iPad’s screen, such as letting you snap windows into place with a quick swipe. Another cool feature is that any app you’ve previously resized will reopen in the same position and size every time.

iPadOS 26 borrows the macOS menu bar, featuring the same red, yellow and green circles for close, minimize and full screen (respectively). Since this is an iPad, you can access these controls by swiping down or moving the cursor up — with said cursor now looking like a pointer instead of a circle. The built-in search feature that lets you quickly find extra features is also very helpful.

Lastly, the Exposé function lets you see all of your open apps at once, which is useful for easily switching between your apps. This all works quite nicely with Stage Manager if you want to group windows, and it’s especially handy if you’re connected to an external monitor, where you can work with even more apps than you can comfortably view on an iPad’s display.

iPadOS 26 review: Other features

Getting work done on an iPad is easier than ever thanks to the updated Files app. The new List view lets you see more of your document details in resizable columns and collapsible folders.

There are also new folder customization options that let you adjust colors, icons and emojis to make it simpler to identify folders at a glance. You can also drag any folder from Files to the Dock, which is very helpful for quickly accessing the Files you use the most.

Doing all of this on an iPad, especially the 13-inch iPad Pro or iPad Air, is as intuitive and smooth as you’d expect. I personally like using the Apple Pencil to move and resize folders, but finger controls work just as well.

Apple Intelligence now has better personalization for Genmoji and Image Playground. There are also new intelligent actions that let you create shortcuts like summarizing text with Writing Tools and creating images with Image Playground.

Though I don’t often use Apple Intelligence features, I have to admit that Live Translations works very well for the Phone, FaceTime and Messages apps. For example, incoming texts in Messages (even group messages) get automatically translated into your preferred language.

This also works in FaceTime, where you can follow along with translated live captions while still hearing the speaker’s voice. If you’re like me and have relatives who speak another language (Spanish in my case), this can be an invaluable Apple Intelligence feature. It’s the closest thing we currently have to Star Trek’s universal communicator technology.

iPadOS 26 review: Verdict

After months of using iPadOS 26, I can confidently say it’s my favorite iPadOS update so far. The new Liquid Glass design language is a big winner and gives the iPadOS (and other Apple operating systems) a fresh and distinctive look. Yet despite the overhauled appearance, the operating system is as responsive and user-friendly as always. If you’re used to iPads, you won’t feel lost with this new OS.

iPadOS 26 also brings us another step closer to making iPads as useful for everyday work as the best MacBooks. But while the new Windowing System and file management are more macOS-like, this is still very much an iPad experience, thanks to the touch controls. I won’t say you can now replace your MacBook with an iPad, but your productivity won’t be severely hampered if you do.

Overall, I’m pleased with iPadOS 26. It’s a great update that gives iPads additional functionality and lays a solid foundation for further improvements.

Now that Apple's "Awe Dropping" event is out of the way, revealing the all-new iPhone 17 lineup, the super-thin iPhone Air, upgraded AirPods Pro 3 and the Apple Watch 11, it's now time to look forward to the Cupertino tech giant's next slate of products — and it's expected to kick off with the M5 iPad Pro.

Rumors of Apple revealing its next iPad Pro with an M5 chip this fall are swirling, suggesting that a major Apple October event is in store. While this could mean that its next M5 MacBook Pro will also be announced, other products may be stealing the spotlight instead.

According to a new report from Bloomberg's Mark Gurman, Apple is set to release 10 new products from late 2025 to early 2026. And it's looking to all start "as early as October" with the M5 iPad Pro, while the next MacBook Pro lineup may not launch until early 2026.

But what else can we expect? Here's what Apple is tipped to have coming over the next few months.

iPad Pro M5 looks to arrive first

If you were planning on buying a new iPad, it's best to keep it out of your basket for a little longer. As Gurman claims, Apple looks to finally reveal its anticipated M5 iPad Pro next month, introducing a new cycle of M-series chips.

This has been rumored since last year, and is further backed up by Apple's M5 chip reportedly entering mass production in February, and display production starting in June. Considering the iPad Pro M4 was the first product to reveal the M4 chip, it's likely Apple will be following suit with its latest M5-series chip.

Whether this will be revealed at an October launch event, as with the M3 MacBook Pro launch in 2023, or through press releases, is anyone's guess, but there are plenty of other products the Cupertino company may have up its sleeves to greenlight a special event this fall.

The next iPad Pro is tipped to come with the M5 chip upgrade, which may be built on a smaller 2-nanometer process for faster performance and better power efficiency. Plus, it's expected to come with 16GB of RAM, Wi-Fi 7 support and a new dual front-facing camera system — if rumors are accurate.

While the design is largely expected to stay the same, it's the boost in performance that's set to be the key feature of the M5 iPad Pro. If it does release in October, it won't be much longer until we see the full picture of Apple's next high-end tablet.

M5 MacBooks coming later

As noted by Gurman and Apple analyst Ming-Chi Kuo (via MacRumors), the M5 MacBook Pro models may not launch in 2025 after all. Now, it's looking like an early 2026 reveal, meaning the next-gen laptops could skip a fall launch entirely.

That said, a MacBook lineup leak earlier this year showed that they could arrive by the end of 2025 after all, so it's still uncertain. However, seeing as the M4 MacBook Pro models arrived five months after the announcement of the M4 iPad Pro, this could mean Apple is following last year's plan.

Either way, Gurman states the M5 MacBook Pro laptops are expected to arrive over the next few months, suggesting that an early 2026 launch event may be on the cards.

As for new MacBook Air models equipped with M5, these are looking to arrive after the Pro. This likely puts it around March, similar to the release of the M4 MacBook Air.

Again, no major design overhaul is rumored for these laptops, and the question of Mac mini or iMac models launching around the same time is still up in the air. Of course, we'll have to wait and see when the M5 MacBooks will officially arrive, but it's already looking like we won't have to wait much longer.

What else is coming?

Aside from a new iPad Pro and MacBook models sporting M5, Gurman expects plenty of other Apple products will be on their way in just a few months. These are believed to be revealed sometime between late 2025 and early 2026, and it's looking stacked.

• Vision Pro 2: The next headset has been rumored to arrive, equipped with an M5 chip, a refreshed version of Apple Intelligence and a striking new Space Black color option.
• AirTag 2: The next AirTag is also expected to be coming, with upgrades to the tracker's ultra-wideband chip for longer-range precision finding support.
• Apple TV 4K (4th Gen): Expect an upgrade A17 Pro chip (or A19 to match the current iPhone 17), along with Apple Intelligence, Wi-Fi 7 support and possibly a FaceTime camera.
• HomePod mini 2: an update to the HomePod mini is reportedly coming, also coming with updated Apple Intelligence, an S9 chip and a similar outward design to the HomePod 2.
• Home Hub: Apparently, Apple's smart home hub (or HomePod 3) will be coming next March.
• New Studio Display: The next display is expected to come with mini-LED backlighting, and is tipped to arrive alongside potential Mac announcements. This means it could arrive in late 2025 or early 2026.
• iPhone 17e: Following the iPhone 16e, the next iPhone 17e is now tipped to launch sometime around March, and it could feature the same A19 chip as the iPhone 17.

We may see a handful of these devices announced alongside the expected M5 iPad Pro in October, calling for a special event. But otherwise, it's all a waiting game to see what will come first. At the very least, we now have a taste of what's to come, and very soon.

More from Tom's Guide

• Forget iPhone 17 Pro — Apple’s A19 Pro chip belongs in a MacBook, and these leaked benchmarks prove it
• I ditched my Nintendo Switch for a week to game on Apple Arcade — here’s what happened
• iPhone 17 vs iPhone Air vs iPhone 17 Pro battery life — here's how they compare

With Apple's "Awe Dropping" event kicking off today (September 9) to show off all-new products, with the iPhone 17, AirPods Pro 3, Apple Watch 11 and plenty more expected to steal the show, we'd expect there wouldn't be time for any other big reveals. But now, there may be room for another surprise: the M5 iPad Pro.

A new leak has provided details on the rumored next-gen iPad Pro that will be powered by an M5 chip, revealing Wi-Fi and Cellular versions in both 11-inch and 13-inch models. As with the M4 iPad Pro, these models are to be expected, but this was coupled with information on the upcoming Apple Watch models.

According to the leak, from an anonymous and reliable tipster on X (via 9to5Mac), the Apple Watch 11, Apple Watch SE 3 and Apple Watch Ultra 3 are all set to be announced today. However, with the timing of new details on the expected M5 iPad Pro, too, there's reason to believe Apple may reveal its next tablet.

Of course, it's been heavily rumored that the M5 iPad Pro is expected to launch in October. This would track, as Apple has recently made its iPad announcements fall more in line with Mac releases (as they now share the same M-series chips, and the M5 MacBook Pro is set to be on the way).

However, while the timing of the leaks isn't too convincing, there is one big reason why we may see the M5 iPad Pro be revealed today...

Apple celebrates a big iPad Pro anniversary

There are a few products we don't expect to see at the iPhone 17 event, and the iPad Pro would be one of them. That said, Apple has announced iPhones and iPads on the same stage before, and we may see a brief return to form at the big "Awe Dropping" show.

This is due to September 9 being the 10-year anniversary of the first iPad Pro's announcement. The first-ever iPad Pro was announced on September 9, 2015, and, with this in mind, today's event would make for a fitting celebration to announce the M5 iPad Pro.

Last year's iPad Pro was also the first to reveal Apple's M4 chips, so it makes sense that the next M5 chip would follow suit. Not only this, but with iPadOS 26 expected to launch this September, along with iOS 26, it gives Apple a reason to show off the updated OS's capabilities on an all-new tablet.

Now, it wouldn't be all too surprising to see the M5 iPad Pro make its official debut at the "Awe Dropping" event. That said, it's already looking to be a very stacked showcase, and there may be other wild cards thrown in, including AirTags 2 or even a new Apple Vision Pro color.

In any case, it won't be long until we find out, as Apple's big event kicks off at 10 a.m. PT / 1 p.m. ET / 6 p.m. BST / 3 a.m. AEST today (September 9). For all the last-minute updates and announcements as they happen, don't miss a beat in our Apple Event live blog.

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• 7 products that (probably) won't be at Apple's iPhone 17 event today
• I thought the new the iPhone 17 Pro design was dumb — and now I hope the renders are real
• I ditched my Nintendo Switch for a week to game on Apple Arcade — here’s what happened

For the past week, my Nintendo Switch sat idle while I spent my free time exclusively playing games on my iPad on Apple Arcade. I was expecting to itch to pick up my Switch, but I may have under-estimated Apple’s mobile gaming platform.

After the vast majority of the best titles on Netflix Gaming were removed in July, I lost some of my excitement for mobile gaming. In an attempt to rekindle that, I decided to give Apple Arcade a second chance, but my expectations were pretty low. Netflix Gaming used to have some of my favorite games, like Hades and Death’s Door.

Those games, combined with the superb Razer Kishi Ultra controller, made mobile gaming on my phone an even better experience than gaming on my Switch Lite. How could Apple Arcade fill that void? Better than I expected, as it turns out. In fact, it might be the most underrated mobile gaming platform around.

Replacing my Switch games with… Apple Arcade?

My week kicked off by powering down my Switch and opening the App Store. Initially, my goal was to find games on Arcade comparable to those I tend to play on my Switch Lite. (Typically I leave larger and more demanding games for my PC.)

So, I was on the look out for games like Animal Crossing, Breath of the Wild, and Slay the Spire. Of course, Nintendo titles aren’t getting iOS ports any time soon, but I found some games that came pretty close.

Apple Arcade: A cozy gaming paradise

Apple Arcade has games in nearly every genre you could want, but a large chunk of the library is casual titles or games that are geared more toward kids. There's one area where it really shines, though: cozy games.

Hello Kitty Island Adventure is a perfect example. I’m genuinely shocked to say it, but this is one of the best games on Apple Arcade. It’s not one I would usually play, but it had such good reviews I had to try it, and I ended up enjoying it more than Animal Crossing: New Horizons. It has its quirks, but it's nice not having to pay off a home loan or worry about making money.

Similarly, I couldn't get enough of Outlanders. I tried this game back in 2020 not long after it initially launched on Apple Arcade, and it remains one of my favorites.

It's a low-poly, laid-back resource management sim that's simultaneously relaxing and challenging. The original got a PC release in 2023 and the sequel is now available as an Apple Arcade exclusive.

There are also plenty of other games I'd count in the "cozy" genre that I didn't get to or didn't play much of, like Stardew Valley+, Tamagotchi Adventure Kingdom, Wylde Flowers, Alto's Adventure Remastered, Japanese Rural Life Adventure, and Disney Dreamlight Valley (more on that one later).

A surprisingly solid selection of RPGs and ports

RPGs were another category where Apple Arcade exceeded my expectations. For instance, at the time of writing there are three solid Final Fantasy ports on Arcade, including FFIV: 3D Remake, FFIV: The After Years, and FFI. Each ran flawlessly on my iPad with an Xbox controller.

There’s also Oceanhorn 2: Knights of the Lost Realm, which looks like a love letter to Zelda from the first cutscene. It’s not on par with Breath of the Wild, but I had a good time with it, enough that I’ll probably continue playing. Oceanhorn 2 is a fully-fledged RPG that’s much more ambitious than I’d expect from a mobile game. In fact, it initially launched on Apple Arcade in 2019, and got a Switch port afterward in 2020.

I was also impressed with Fantasian, which has a really unique design that was made with physical dioramas. Like Oceanhorn 2, it's much more impressive than I typically expect from a mobile game, and definitely worth checking out if you enjoy turn-based RPGs.

Finally, there's also a pretty strong selection of ports of PC games, many of which I already liked and was happy to see on Arcade. Those include Balatro+, Slay the Spire+, Dead Cells+, Trials of Mana+, and Limbo+, to name just a few.

By the halfway point in my week on Apple Arcade, I had downloaded over a dozen games to try and realized I was going to have more to play than I could get to in a week. Suffice it to say, I wasn’t bored without my Switch.

The issue of hardware on iOS and iPadOS gaming

Unfortunately, gaming on Apple Arcade has its frustrations, although they're mostly minor. For instance, most of the games I tried support landscape mode, which is by far my preferred layout, but there are some, like Japanese Rural Life Adventure, that only allow you to use portrait mode. That makes them pretty much unplayable with a controller.

Speaking of controllers, support is hit or miss. Some games work fine with touch controls, but I find using a controller more comfortable. There are plenty of games on Arcade with controller support, but even among those games, there are quirks. For instance, Trials of Mana+ uses the Switch-style button layout, which was confusing to adjust to with my Xbox controller (I couldn't find any way in the game settings to change my control layout).

The one major issue I ran into was when I tried to play Disney Dreamlight Valley. This was the only Arcade game that ran genuinely bad on my iPad. To be fair, I'm using a 10th gen base iPad, not an M-series iPad Air or Pro. The few AAA games on the App Store are not eligible to download on my iPad, but Dreamlight Valley is. It technically runs, but the performance was so buggy I couldn't get through more than 15 minutes of it with a controller or touch controls.

I didn't have issues like that with any other Arcade games, but it's still worth keeping in mind that the Apple device you play on will impact performance. You'll generally have the best experience on devices with larger screens and M-series chips.

Conclusion

Will Apple Arcade replace my gaming PC any time soon? No. Could it dethrone my Switch Lite as my go-to choice for portable gaming? Surprisingly, yes. Of course, that won’t be the case for everyone. Your mileage on Apple Arcade is going to depend heavily on the types of games you prefer and the Apple device you’re playing on.

I would suggest Arcade most for casual gamers, fans of cozy gaming, and families. There are a handful of remakes of older games and some good RPGs, as well, but not quite enough to compete with the RPG library on the Switch.

On the other hand, the casual and cozy titles on Arcade are surprisingly good, including a couple I enjoyed even more than comparable Switch titles. Plus, if you’re sharing your iPad with your kids and want a library of micro-transaction-free games for them, Apple Arcade is a great choice with lots of kid-friendly titles.

Overall, Apple Arcade might still be a little rough around the edges, but it offers more value than expected with a solid selection of games, from cozy casual titles to fully-fledged RPGs.

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When it comes to small tablets, Apple's iPad mini continues to be the first to come to mind. Not just because it's one of the only tiny slabs around, but also because it's one of the best tablets today. So, it makes sense that an iPad mini 8 would be a hotly anticipated device.

After all, the iPad mini 7 delivers a full tablet experience in a comfortably small, portable design. Its size alone makes it great for scrolling through websites, reading, drawing and gaming while on the go. And Apple's rumored next-gen mini tablet is already expected to deliver some worthwhile upgrades.

The wait for Apple's iPad mini 8 may not be as long as we once thought, especially compared to the three-year gap between the iPad mini 7 and mini 6. With the rumor mill spilling the beans on an upgraded chip and OLED displays, there's a lot to look forward to with the next iPad mini.

Whether you're looking forward to Apple's iPad mini successor or wondering if it's worth the wait, here's what you need to know about the rumored iPad mini 8.

iPad mini 8: When will it arrive?

• It's coming next year. That much all the reports can agree on!
• One report claimed early 2026, while another reported a Fall 2026 launch window.
• iPad mini launches have been very sporadic and randomly timed, so no real consistency to make an educated guess.

Landing on a window when the iPad mini 8 comes out has been tricky. There have been two conflicting reports on this tablet, so let me take you through them.

Bloomberg's Mark Gurman made the claim that iPad mini 8 was set to arrive in early 2026. However, most recently, Instant Digital predicted late 2026 on Weibo.

Given the rumored specs (more on those in a second), I'm personally leaning more towards the latter, as this could be a drastic overhaul of the mini slab.

But despite leaks and rumors cropping up, Apple's release schedule for its iPad mini lineup has been patchy. So with this device, it's always a little hard to tell.

iPad mini 8: Performance

• Rumored to get A20 Pro — the same chip that may also power the iPhone 18 Pro lineup.
• Apple's first 2nm processor, which is expected to deliver up to 15% improved performance and 30% better power efficiency.

Up until this point, the rumor mill was all aligned around one key spec point of the iPad mini 8 — that it is expected to use the same A19 Pro chip as the high-end iPhone 17 Pro models. This came from accidental code leaked from Apple, showing that a next-gen iPad mini is very much on the way.

But the Cupertino crew could be cooking a surprise, as tipster Kang reported that the new iPad mini could sport A20 Pro. That's right, the chip you'll be seeing come to the iPhone 18 Pro lineup.

We've been seeing some details drop about A20 Pro over the past few months, and this is looking like another generational upshift moment for Apple — moving from the 3nm process used by TSMC to make the company's previous chips to 2nm.

That means a whole lot more transistors packed into the same amount of space, which leads to better performance (10-15% uplift predicted) and improved power efficiency (up to 30%).

These will be some impressive gains that factor into zipper CPU speeds, dramatically improved graphics and face-melting AI performance. But of course, we're in conflicting rumor territory, so consider this your guide.

• If it launches early 2026, iPad mini 8 will get A19 Pro.
• If it launches late 2026, chances are it'll get the A20 Pro.

iPad mini 8: OLED display?

• Apple is leaning a lot more into OLED across its products in 2026 — iPad mini 8 looks set to get the upgrade.
• No word on whether it will be tandem OLED like the M5 iPad Pro.

We've heard plenty about Apple bringing an OLED display to the MacBook Pro, and we've already seen one shine on the M4 iPad Pro. Will the iPad mini 8 be lucky enough to get one? Possibly, if leaks ring true.

Rumor has it that an OLED iPad mini is set to arrive in 2026. This comes from display analyst Ross Young, with the report hinting that the first OLED iPad will be an 8.5-inch iPad mini.

This could launch as soon as early 2026, although the most recent launch has seen Apple's smaller tablet come around the fall. Some believe it's set to arrive in 2027 instead, seeing as OLED MacBooks are now tipped to come in 2027, too.

Either way, it's unclear when we'll see an iPad mini 8 arrive, and whether this will be the model that comes with an OLED panel. We'd hope so, but in any case, this would be the biggest design change to come to the

iPad mini 8: Outlook

This latest report has made the question of what the iPad mini 8 will be offering a complicated one. Because there's a world where Apple announces this in early 2026 and you get A19 Pro alongside that rumored OLED panel.

OR (and this is my bet), you'll get it in the fall, and then it'll sport the A20 Pro. That would be a tasty proposition for anyone looking to upgrade or jump into the ultraportable iPad family.

Will it arrive alongside the expected M6 MacBook Pro this fall or come along early next year? Whatever the case, it's only a matter of months until we find out. In the meantime, you can check out why the iPad mini still ranks at the top of our list of best iPads.

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• I replaced my MacBook with an iPad Pro for a month — here's what happened
• I review iPads for a living — here's 15 iPad shortcuts I can't live without

I've been a journalist for 15 years or so, and ever since Apple launched the iPad I've been aching to ditch my laptop and travel with just a tablet.

To be honest, ideally I could just do all my work from the smartphone I carry in my pocket all day. And you basically can, if (like me) you work with text for a living and you're willing to splurge on a pair of fancy AR glasses and a nice Bluetooth keyboard.

But as a journalist I don't have the scratch for that kind of luxury. Luckily, I can afford to outfit my iPad with a few apps that make it basically just as useful as my laptop without spending an arm and a leg.

If you, like me, dream of ditching your bulky work laptop and working from just an iPad, have a look at this list of the top 5 iPad apps I use to get work done on the go.

Jump Desktop lets me access my PC from anywhere

Okay, maybe this is kind of cheating, but I like to keep a good app on my iPad that I can use to remotely connect to my PC at home whenever I need to pull something from it or use it for something.

There are a few options on the Apple App Store, but I went with Jump Desktop ($14.99) because it works with both Windows and Mac PCs (and I regularly review both) and supports both RDP (Remote Desktop Protocol) and VNC (Virtual Network Computing) protocols for connecting to your PC. Heck, if you really want to feel alive you can connect to both a Windows and Mac PC at the same time and use them both in split-screen mode on your iPad Pro.

I also like that Jump Connect seems to support all the features of my iPad's Magic Keyboard without any issues, and it offers virtual mouse support (as well as real mouse support, if you connect one) via gestures on the iPad.

While it doesn't work well for, say, streaming a PC game to your iPad, I have tried moving files around and streaming movies and music through Jump Connect and it's pretty good if your home and mobile connections are strong. I also appreciate that setting up the client on your PC is easy, and you don't have to deal with router settings if you don't want to.

Download Jump Desktop ($14.99)

Things keeps me on track and organized

You may have seen Things crop up in the iPad App Store now and again since it's won two Apple Design Awards, but since it costs $20 to use you may not have taken the plunge.

I didn't either for a long time, but when I finally did I was hooked. At its core, Things is basically just a fancy to-do list app, but it works in all the exact ways I want it to without bothering me with extraneous clutter. You start by building to-do lists in various areas of your life you denote (work, family, friends etc), and you complete to-dos while working towards major projects.

What really charms me about Things is how easy it is to quickly get to grips with these layers and start working it into your daily life. I love that I can just forward an email to my Things address to automatically add it as a to-do, for example, and you can use your iPad's Share function to create to-dos from within other apps.

Plus, Things comes with Widgets you can drop on your iPad home screen to keep track of key projects and tasks. While I wish it was a little cheaper, I figure it pays for itself after a year of keeping me on track.

Download Things 3 ($19.99)

Microsoft Word lets me prep deliverables from anywhere

Your mileage may vary here, but I prefer to keep Microsoft Word on my iPad and rely on it for all my writing and editing needs.

Since that's my job and my colleagues and freelancers regularly send Word files to me for review, having a version of the app on my iPad frees me up to work from anywhere. And while I sometimes wish I had a full laptop keyboard to type on instead of my little Magic Keyboard, the silver lining is that when I'm editing in Word I can hold the tablet in a comfortable position instead of craning my neck down at a laptop screen.

Plus, I love that I can use the Apple Pencil to scribble on documents and mark them up like I was editing a school paper. And while I don't use templates, Word does have a ton of them you can use to quickly generate documents like invoices, resumes and more.

Regrettably, you do need to pay Microsoft a tithe (in the form of an annual Microsoft 365 subscription) to enjoy the full features of Word on iPad. I happen to have one through work, but if I didn't I'm not sure I would be willing to pay.

Of course, you could swap out Word for Apple's free Pages app and probably be just as happy. You could also use the online Microsoft 365 version of Word on your iPad by accessing it in a web browser, but the online version of Word offers fewer features and is generally a pain to use (in my experience).

Download Microsoft Word (Free)

Slack helps me stay in touch with my team

We're a Slack shop around these parts so I always make sure to have the app installed on my iPad, but you can swap Slack out for whatever remote communication tool you use most in your work.

Whether it's Discord, Slack, Teams or simply Google Chat, staying in touch with your team (and your boss) is a must when working from your iPad. I know because I regularly use my iPad to keep in contact with my colleagues via Slack, posting stories and sharing tasks from wherever I am.

I love that we get to use Slack because it integrates with a slew of other apps and services, and I can easily put the app on basically any device I own. This is one of the first apps I install on any new device, and I'd be unable to get much work done without it.

Download Slack (Free)

Whisper Notes helps me transcribe interviews

As a working journalist for nearly two decades I've traveled somewhere to conduct interviews more times than I can remember, and while I love asking interesting people questions I hate transcribing their responses by hand afterwards.

That's why a few years ago I tried Whisper Notes - Speech to Text, a fairly inexpensive iPad app that uses the Whisper AI model to transcribe audio files without sending them out to a third-party service or server.

I love that I can either record the audio directly on the iPad or import audio/video files for transcription in Whisper Notes. Of course, nowadays a modern iPad running iPadOS 26 can do a pretty decent job of transcribing audio in the Notes app, but that feature is still pretty new and a bit limited.

So for the moment I still use Whisper Notes to transcribe my interviews, and I recommend it if you need a simple, reliable transcription tool.

Note that I'm recommending Whisper Notes - Speech to Text and not one of the many similarly Whisper-powered audio apps on Apple's App Store, like Whisper Transcription, Whisper Transcribe - Dictation, or Whisper: Speech to Text.

Those other options may work just fine, but many have subscriptions that I can't vouch for them and I don't recommend them.

Download Whisper Notes - Speech to Text ($5)

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I've been reviewing the best iPads for nearly a decade, and in that time I've learned a few things about how to use them efficiently. Even so, it took me years to realize that iPads have their own unique set of shortcuts you can use to quickly navigate the tablet and get more done with less effort.

If you connect a keyboard to your iPad you will find there are some handy keyboard shortcuts that can save you some serious time. But I also wanted to share some simple gestures that anyone can learn and use to get more out of your iPad. Spending a few minutes to master these movements will make you an iPad power user in no time. Let me show you what I mean.

7 iPad gestures I wish I'd known from the start

Access your Home screen: This is probably the simplest iPad gesture command, and you've probably done it by accident: simply swipe up from the bottom of the screen to minimize whatever you're looking at and get back to your Home screen.

Access your App Switcher: Did you know you can tap and drag to quickly see all the apps open on your iPad? Simply drag your finger from the bottom of your iPad to the center of the screen as if you were accessing the Home screen, but pause in the center, leave your finger there for a moment then remove it.

This takes some getting used to, but once you master this move and the next one you'll be able to fly between apps with ease. You can also force apps to close from the App Switcher by swiping up on the individual app.

Quickly switch between apps: To quickly switch between open apps on your iPad, you can swipe right or left along the bottom edge of the screen.

Open your Dock: Instead of closing an app to launch another one, you can access your iPad's Dock from within any app. Simply swipe your finger up from the bottom of the screen about an inch (that is, not very far), pause for a moment then lift your finger to summon the Dock.

Force restart: Sometimes when I'm reviewing an iPad it will lock up or an app will freeze in a weird way, and I have to force the iPad to restart. To do this yourself, simply hit the volume up button, then hit the volume down button, then press and hold the power button until the iPad restarts.

Slide Over an app: If you have an app open and want to open another one in a small window that hovers to the side, simply open the Dock, tap on the second app you wish to open and drag it over to either side of your iPad to open it in Slide Over mode. You can also slide left or right on the bottom of the Slide Over window to change which app is open in Slide Over mode.

Open two apps in Split View: It can be confusing, but Split View lets you view two apps side-by-side on your iPad while Slide Over has one hovering other the other in a small window. To open an app in Split View, simply tap and drag the app icon from your Dock to either side of the screen.

If that seems an awful lot like the Slide Over shortcut, it is—the key difference is how far you drag the app before letting go. Once you try it a few times you'll get the hang of it.

Once two apps are open in Split View, you can tap and drag on the divider in the middle to change how much screen real estate each takes up.

8 iPad keyboard shortcuts worth knowing

If, like me, you enjoy using your iPad with an external keyboard connected via Bluetooth, good news: there's a slew of shortcuts you can access on your keyboard to get around your tablet faster and get more done in less time.

You can also customize your iPad keyboard shortcuts by enabling Full Keyboard Access in your Settings menu.

To do so, open the Settings app on your iPad and navigate to the Accessibility sub-menu, then access the Keyboards section. Enable "Full Keyboard Access," which gives you more options to control your iPad using just the keyboard.

You can see what you can do with your iPad keyboard under the Commands section. To customize your keyboard shortcuts, simply tap one of these commands and press the key combo you'd like to use to activate it.

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