Follow ZDNET: Add us as a preferred source on Google.
Apple’s annual product launch event is this week, and while the iPhone will be the talk of the town, Apple’s most powerful tablet is on sale ahead of the event.
Also: The best Labor Day deals you can shop now
The iPad Pro M5 is currently $100 off as a Labor Day deal at Best Buy for the 11-inch model. And if you need even more of a reason to snag this deal, we tested this tablet in our Kentucky-based lab, and it had the best battery life out of the nine tablets we tested.
Apple iPad Pro M5 (for $1,299 (save $100)
We tested each tablet’s battery life a total of 12 times: three times with maximum brightness/audio, three times with minimum brightness/audio, three times with maximum brightness/audio on Airplane Mode, and three times on minimum brightness/audio on Airplane Mode.
As you can see from our data visualization above, the M5 iPad Pro had the best battery life, with a little over 15 hours at maximum brightness before needing to be charged, solidifying its rank as the best tablet for power users or as a laptop replacement.
Apple included enhanced connectivity features with the C1X and N1 chips on the iPad Pro. The chips give the iPad Pro Wi-Fi 7, Bluetooth 6, Thread, and faster 5G connectivity, all of which translate to faster downloads, a better and more reliable AirDrop experience, and smoother hotspot use.
Also: We ran battery tests on 9 popular tablets – this model lasted the longest
The latest iPad Pro model is not only the best at standby power management, but is evidently the best option for folks who travel and require high-brightness usage.
You may not need to upgrade to the new iPhone, but if you want to upgrade your tablet, this iPad Pro M5 deal is a discount I recommend snagging.
How I rated this deal
According to ZDNET’s deal-rating system, this 7% off deal should only be rated a 1/5 deal. However, because it is a flagship Apple product and won a ZDNET Lab Award, I rated this deal a 2/5.
When does this deal expire?
Deals are subject to sell-out or expire at any time, though ZDNET remains committed to finding, sharing, and updating the best product deals for you to score the best savings. Our team of experts regularly checks in on the deals we share to ensure they are still live and obtainable. We’re sorry if you’ve missed out on this deal, but don’t fret — we’re constantly finding new chances to save and sharing them with you at ZDNET.com.
How do we rate deals at ZDNET?
We aim to deliver the most accurate advice to help you shop smarter. ZDNET offers 33 years of experience, 30 hands-on product reviewers, and 10,000 square feet of lab space to ensure we bring you the best of tech.
Last year, we refined our approach to deals, developing a measurable system for sharing savings with readers like you. Our editor’s deal rating badges are affixed to most of our deal content, making it easy to interpret our expertise to help you make the best purchase decision.
At the core of this approach is a percentage-off-based system to classify savings offered on top-tech products, combined with a sliding-scale system based on our team members’ expertise and several factors like frequency, brand or product recognition, and more. The result? Hand-crafted deals chosen specifically for ZDNET readers like you, fully backed by our experts.
Also: How we rate deals at ZDNET in 2026
