The iPad Pro is tapped to get the M5 chip before the Mac (again)

Apple is expected to update the iPad Pro in 2025 with an M5 chip, according to analyst Ming-Chi Kuo in a report about upcoming smart home products. Kuo believes the new iPad will “enter mass production” in the second half of 2025. That could mean that the M5 iPad Pro may become available to customers in the fall or about 18 months after the release of the M4 model.

A recent report by The Elec (subscription required) stated that Apple has ordered M5 chips from chip manufacturer TSMC and that the M5 will be manufactured using a 3nm process. Previous reports stated that the M5 will be a 2nm chip, but Apple has reportedly switched to 3nm over cost concerns. TSMC has a new 3D chip-stacking process that should improve the chip’s thermal management and increase efficiency.

While previous M-series chips debuted in a Mac, Apple surprisingly launched the M4 in the iPad Pro several months before it appeared in a Mac. With the first M5 Macs expected to launch in late 2025, the M5 iPad Pro may arrive in September alongside the iPhone 17.

Kuo does not provide further details about the M5 chip’s specifications or any iPad Pro, nor did he mention any other changes. The M4 iPad Pro underwent a major design change this year with a thinner encloser and tandem OLED display, so it’s unlikely to get much more than a chip refresh.

Apple and TSMC seem to have developed a chip production cycle that’s gained some consistency. After the M1 was released in 2020, chip production has had some hiccups due to the pandemic and the implementation of new production processes. Barring any other unforeseen issues, the iPad Pro could be entering a product cycle that spans 12 to 18 months between upgrades.

Apple released the current M4 iPad Pro last May, so an M5 iPad Pro would arrive over a year later. The typical performance boosts from one chip generation to another is usually in the 15 to 25 percent range, and the M4 iPad Pro is already the fastest tablet available. It’s up for debate whether an M5 is even needed in the iPad Pro, but the upgrade will certainly maintain Apple’s lead and could be an appealing option for owners of older iPad Pro models.