While I'm usually going to my Asus ROG Ally Z1e for my handheld gaming needs, I'm also relying on my tablets for a quick Destiny Rising or Delta Force session. If you're on the fence about Apple's new iPad Pro, I don't blame you, because there needs to be some meaningful improvements to justify the price tag. Well, one feature could sway me, as it might be an incredible buff for gaming with your favorite monitor.
For years, playing my PlayStation or new Switch games on my living room TV was the standard setup for me. At the start of my almost decade-long journalism career, the shift to monitors changed my world, and I started to see the secret sauce. I don't care how big a decent QLED TV can be; it still doesn't beat an excellent monitor with at least 120Hz support under the hood. Apple tablets aren't taking advantage of this, but the M5 iPad Pro is changing this forever.
In Apple's official breakdown of the refined iPad Pro model, much of the talk is about its increased processing speeds and how it lends itself to editing or multitasking. These aspects of the M5 iPad Pro reveal are dominating the conversation at Pocket Tactics HQ right now, but for me, the confirmation that 120Hz support for external monitors is easily the best feature. Previous iPad models are among the best gaming tablets you can buy, but they can't truly deliver 120Hz functionality when plugged into a monitor. Even applications like Safari can cap at 60fps.
Apple says that users with 120Hz or higher external displays will benefit from additional support for Adaptive Sync. This means you'll get the lowest latency possible, with smoother motion and fewer visual hiccups, especially during extended gaming sessions. The company's support of upcoming free mobile games like Arknights: Endfield is noteworthy, showcasing a real push to make the iPhone 17 Pro Max and iPad Pro a real destination for gaming on the go.
In tandem with 120Hz support, the iPad Pro's display is also worth writing home about. Utilizing an Ultra Retina XDR screen, which Apple claims is "the world's most advanced display", it uses OLED technology to output 1,000 nits of full-screen brightness in SDR. For HDR content, you can bump it up to 1,600 nits.
Apple also adds that the "iPad Pro offers a nano-texture display glass option for reduced glare that is precisely etched at a nanometer scale, maintaining image quality and contrast while scattering ambient light." You can see how it compares to the older M4 chipset in Apple's previous rundown above.
You can pick up the M5 iPad Pro model from October 22, 2025. While you're considering your next handheld pickup, be sure to check out our Asus ROG Xbox Ally X review.