M2 iPad Air vs. M4 iPad Pro: Which One Should You Get
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Apple unveiled some groundbreaking new iPads this year, and they’re amazing. Both the new M2 iPad Air and the new M4 iPad Pro models are powerful and efficient, and the new iPad Pro models are more expensive than before.
There’s no doubt that if you’re looking for a new iPad to buy, these two options are the ones you should consider. Not only are they the best iPads right now, but they also support Apple’s latest Apple Pencil.
But that raises the question: Which iPad model is better for you? Should you go for the most expensive iPad Pro, or is the iPad Air enough to fit your needs? Let’s take a look.
iPad Air vs. iPad Pro: What’s the Same?
Before we look at all the differences, let’s take a moment to check out everything that’s the same between these two models.
For starters, connectivity. The iPad Air and the iPad Pro have pretty similar connectivity specs. Both support Wi-Fi 6E, Bluetooth 5.3, and 5G. The biggest difference is that the iPad Pro has a Thunderbolt/USB 4 port, whereas the iPad Air only has a less powerful USB-C port.
Another similarity is that both devices support the new Apple Pencil Pro, which is the Apple Pencil to get since the second-generation Apple Pencil doesn’t work with these newer models.
These models also share a much-welcome feature: the front-facing camera. Apple decided to move the camera to the landscape bezel, which is something many iPad fans have asked for for a long time.
Last but not least, the size — kind of. Both the iPad Pro and the iPad Air come in 11-inch and 13-inch variants, but that doesn’t mean the display size is the same. We’ll talk about that in a moment.
That’s pretty much it. These are the big similarities between all models. Now, let’s see what makes the difference.
iPad Air vs. M4 iPad Pro: Design
On the outside, the iPad Air and the iPad Pro look similar to their respective predecessors, but there are still a few differences between them.
First, when it comes to specs, the iPad Pro is the best iPad by far. This is because Apple managed to make it the thinnest iPad ever. The 11-inch iPad Pro and the 13-inch iPad Pro are only 5.3mm and 5.1mm thick, respectively. This makes the 13-inch iPad Pro 1.3mm thinner than the previous models, and both iPad Pros are now thinner than the new iPad Airs, which is ironic and amazing at the same time.
Not only that, but the new iPad Pros are the thinnest devices Apple has ever made (even thinner than the iPod nano). If rumors are correct, Apple will start manufacturing even thinner devices across its entire product lineup.
Besides thickness, both iPad Pro models are also lighter. The 11-inch iPad Pro is only 0.98 pounds, while the 13-inch model is 1.28 pounds.
That’s not to say that the iPad Air models aren’t also thin and light. Both are 6.1mm thick, but the 11-inch iPad Air weighs 1.02 pounds, whereas the 13-inch iPad Air weighs 1.36 pounds.
That said, if you’re looking for the wow factor of having an extremely thin device, the iPad Pro will be the obvious choice.
On the other hand, there’s color. The iPad Air models are the only ones with a wide range of colors, as they’re available in Space Gray, Starlight, Purple, or Blue.
This year’s iPad Pros, however, are only available in Space Black or Silver, which is pretty common with Apple Pro devices. Still, if you’re looking to rock your favorite color on your iPad, you have a better shot at finding it with the iPad Air.
Another big change on the outside of both iPads is in the speakers. The iPad Airs only comes with two speakers, whereas the iPad Pro models have a four-speaker system. Granted, sound will not be a problem for most people unless you compare both models side by side, but it will be a noticeable difference for audiophiles.
iPad Air vs. M4 iPad Pro: Internals
The other big difference between the two devices is the chips inside. Unfortunately, for the iPad Air, Apple decided to use the M2 chip, which is two generations old at this point.
That doesn’t mean the iPad Air isn’t powerful. The M2 chip is still very new and very efficient, but it’s still older than the M3 chip that we were expecting to see on the iPad Pro.
Instead, Apple surprised us. The iPad Pro models come with the most powerful Apple Silicon chip to date: the M4. This makes the iPad Pros the go-to option for people looking to get the most powerful iPads.
Besides the processor, there’s also storage. Fortunately, Apple increased the storage on the iPad Air. Now, the Air’s storage starts at 128 GB and goes all the way to 1 TB.
But as you can expect, the iPad Pro is even better in the storage department. Both models start at 256 GB of storage, and you can increase that to 2 TB if you want.
iPad Air vs. M4 iPad Pro: Exclusive Features
As you can expect, the iPad Air lacks any unique features. On the other hand, both iPad Pros come with a couple of features that are worth mentioning.
Besides all the hardware differences, the iPad Pro comes with ProMotion, which lets the iPad switch the refresh rate up to 120 Hz when you’re using it and reduce it to preserve battery when you aren’t using it.
Unfortunately, this is a Pro-exclusive feature for Apple, which is why the iPad Air models only have a 60 Hz refresh rate. Granted, it isn’t a deal breaker for most people, but you might notice the difference.
Another feature that’s worth mentioning is the lack of Face ID on the iPad Air. Instead of using your face, you’ll use Touch ID, which is located in the power button, to unlock the iPad Air. On the other hand, the Pro models have Face ID.
Last but not least is the USB-C port. As we mentioned before, the iPad Air models have a slower USB-C port, whereas the iPad Pros have a Thunderbolt/USB 4 port.
Both will get the job done, but if you’re going to use your iPad for work, the faster transfer speed on the Pros might be better for you.
iPad Air vs. M4 iPad Pro: Display
Of course, the most important part of any iPad is the display. Luckily, both displays are great, but the iPad Pro takes the win.
For starters, the 11-inch and 13-inch iPad Airs have 10.86-inch and 12.9-inch displays, respectively. On the other hand, the iPad Pros have actual 11-inch and 13-inch displays, respectively.
While the pixels per inch (PPI) is the same for all devices (264ppi), the iPad Pro models have a higher resolution, with the 11-inch featuring a 2420 x 1668 resolution and the 13-inch having a 2752 x 2064 resolution.
As you can expect, the resolution on the iPad Air models is much lower. The 13-inch iPad Air has a 2360 x 1640 resolution, while the 13-inch has a 2732 x 2048 resolution. Granted, most regular folks won’t even notice this unless you’re looking at all four iPads side by side, but if you want the best resolution, the iPad Pro is the one to choose.
But perhaps the biggest change in the display is the new Tandem OLED. Apple introduced this new display with the iPad Pro models, which basically means that Apple combined two OLED displays to improve the iPad Pro’s brightness.
Because of Tandem OLED, the iPad Pros can now reach 1,000 nits of brightness for SDR (standard dynamic range) and HDR (high dynamic range) content. Plus, SDR content can reach a peak brightness of up to 1,600 nits, which is pretty impressive.
iPad Air vs. M4 iPad Pro: Price
Now for the least fun difference between both devices: the price. Unfortunately, Apple made the iPad Pro models more expensive this year. Not only that, but the iPad Air introduced a second, larger model, which is also a bit more expensive.
The base 11-inch iPad Air starts at $599, while the 13-inch model starts at $799. On the other hand, the 11-inch iPad Pro starts at $999, and the 13-inch model starts at $1,299.
Granted, none of these are exactly budget-friendly, but if you don’t want to spend that much money, the iPad Air is your best option.
iPad Air vs. M4 iPad Pro: Which One Should You Get?
As you can see, the iPad Pro basically beats the iPad Air in every single department.
The Pros are more powerful, lighter, and offer an incredible display with a high refresh rate. But do you need all of that? For most people, the answer is no.
Chances are you don’t need a high-end, super-bright display or Apple’s latest and greatest chip, and you probably don’t need your new iPad to be a few millimeters thinner.
Even if it would be great to have a super powerful and expensive iPad Pro, most of us really don’t need all the extra stuff that it has. For the average iPad user, who mostly uses their iPad to take notes, make some sketches, or binge-watch their favorite show, the iPad Air has all they need and then some.
Of course, if you’re a professional artist, or you want to see what the iPad Pro is really capable of, and most importantly, you have the money to spend, then go for the iPad Pro. On the other hand, if you don’t really care about all the new features and just want a nice, solid iPad that’s going to last for a long time, the iPad Air is the correct choice.
Choose the Right iPad for You
Having Apple’s most powerful devices feels great, but more often than not, it’s not worth sacrificing your budget for it. Make sure to choose the right iPad for you, and don’t spend all your money on a single device that you might not even be able to use to its full potential.
