Apple iPad Pro 13" (M5) vs REDMAGIC Astra
Apple iPad Pro 13" (M5) (#1, best overall) vs REDMAGIC Astra (#3, best premium): in our Performance Tablets scoring the Apple iPad Pro 13" (M5) totals 9.7/10 and the REDMAGIC Astra 9/10, the Apple iPad Pro 13" (M5) leading on CPU Performance and GPU Performance and the REDMAGIC Astra on Value.
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Side by side
| Apple iPad Pro 13" (M5) | REDMAGIC Astra | |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $1199 | $899 |
| Display | 13" Ultra Retina XDR, 2752×2064, 120Hz OLED | 10.9" QHD+, 180Hz Nebula HDR |
| Processor | M5 (10-core CPU, 10-core GPU) | AMD Ryzen Z2 Extreme |
| RAM | 12GB (16GB with 1TB+) | 16GB/32GB |
| Storage | 256GB-2TB | 512GB-2TB SSD |
| Battery | 38.99Wh, 10-11 hours | ~6 hours light use, ~1 hour gaming |
| Weight | 579g | 780g |
| Thickness | 5.1mm | — |
How they differ in real use
Built from our best display tablets scoring, each product's published specifications, and verified owner feedback — not hands-on testing.
Both the Apple iPad Pro 13" (M5) and the REDMAGIC Astra made our Top 5 Performance Tablets, at #1 (best overall) and #3 (best premium). Absolute performance king with M5 chip—10-core CPU, 10-core GPU with ray tracing, 16-core Neural Engine. Geekbench 6 scores exceed 3,800 single / 15,000+ multi. Edits 4K ProRes, runs AAA games. Only Windows gaming tablet with AMD Ryzen Z2 Extreme. Run Steam, Epic, Game Pass natively. 180Hz display, full desktop Adobe apps—no mobile compromises.
We score performance tablets on CPU Performance (30%), GPU Performance (30%), RAM & Storage (20%), Sustained Performance (10%) and Value (10%). On that basis the Apple iPad Pro 13" (M5) totals 9.7 out of 10 and the REDMAGIC Astra 9. The widest gap is CPU Performance, where the Apple iPad Pro 13" (M5) scores 10 against 9 for the REDMAGIC Astra — benchmarks. GPU Performance also separates them: 10 for the Apple iPad Pro 13" (M5) versus 9 for the REDMAGIC Astra. The REDMAGIC Astra claws back ground on Value.
On paper, the specifications that actually differ: Display — 13" Ultra Retina XDR, 2752×2064, 120Hz OLED on the Apple iPad Pro 13" (M5) versus 10.9" QHD+, 180Hz Nebula HDR on the REDMAGIC Astra; Processor — M5 (10-core CPU, 10-core GPU) on the Apple iPad Pro 13" (M5) versus AMD Ryzen Z2 Extreme on the REDMAGIC Astra; RAM — 12GB (16GB with 1TB+) on the Apple iPad Pro 13" (M5) versus 16GB/32GB on the REDMAGIC Astra; Storage — 256GB-2TB on the Apple iPad Pro 13" (M5) versus 512GB-2TB SSD on the REDMAGIC Astra; Battery — 38.99Wh, 10-11 hours on the Apple iPad Pro 13" (M5) versus ~6 hours light use, ~1 hour gaming on the REDMAGIC Astra; Weight — 579g on the Apple iPad Pro 13" (M5) versus 780g on the REDMAGIC Astra.
Pricing as of July 29, 2026: $1,199 for the Apple iPad Pro 13" (M5) and $899 for the REDMAGIC Astra, a $300 difference in the REDMAGIC Astra's favor. Owners praise the Apple iPad Pro 13" (M5) for 1600 nits peak brightness and tandem OLED technology; the most common complaint is $1,299+ entry price. Owners praise the REDMAGIC Astra for true PC gaming on tablet and 180Hz smoothest display; the most common complaint is ~1 hour gaming battery.
Apple iPad Pro 13" (M5)
- 1600 nits peak brightness
- Tandem OLED technology
- M5 chip fastest
- ProMotion 120Hz
- $1,299+ entry price
- Slight warm color cast
- Overkill for basic use
REDMAGIC Astra
- True PC gaming on tablet
- 180Hz smoothest display
- Full Windows 11
- USB-A, HDMI 2.1, USB-C ports
- ~1 hour gaming battery
- 780g heavy
- Fan noise under load
Which should you buy?
The Apple iPad Pro 13" (M5) is the better fit for professional creatives and 4K video editing — it is the higher-scoring pick here, chiefly for CPU Performance and GPU Performance. The REDMAGIC Astra is the better fit for PC gamers wanting portability and windows productivity, and the stronger choice if Value matters more to you than the overall score. If the $300 saving matters more than CPU Performance, the REDMAGIC Astra is the better value. The Apple iPad Pro 13" (M5) is a poor fit for budget buyers; the REDMAGIC Astra is a poor fit for long battery gaming.
Choose the Apple iPad Pro 13" (M5) if
- Professional creatives
- 4K video editing
- Display enthusiasts
Skip it if
- Budget buyers
- Basic tablet needs
Choose the REDMAGIC Astra if
- PC gamers wanting portability
- Windows productivity
- Steam library access
Skip it if
- Long battery gaming
- Lightweight needs
Common questions
Is the Apple iPad Pro 13" (M5) better than the REDMAGIC Astra?
In our Performance Tablets ranking the Apple iPad Pro 13" (M5) scores higher overall, 9.7 to 9, with the biggest advantage in CPU Performance. The REDMAGIC Astra is stronger on Value, so it is the better pick if that matters most to you.
How much more does the Apple iPad Pro 13" (M5) cost than the REDMAGIC Astra?
$300 more as of July 29, 2026: $1,199 for the Apple iPad Pro 13" (M5) against $899 for the REDMAGIC Astra. Prices move, so the merchant page shows the current figure. What the extra buys is mostly CPU Performance — 10 versus 9 in our scoring.
What is the main difference between the Apple iPad Pro 13" (M5) and the REDMAGIC Astra?
The headline spec difference is Display: 13" Ultra Retina XDR, 2752×2064, 120Hz OLED on the Apple iPad Pro 13" (M5) versus 10.9" QHD+, 180Hz Nebula HDR on the REDMAGIC Astra. In use, the gap that matters most is CPU Performance (10 vs 9 in our scoring): benchmarks.