iPad Air and iPad Pro

Apple iPad Pro lifestyle 251015
Apple
The Verdict:
Phenomenal hardware that is still waiting for iPadOS to catch up to its raw power.
Pros:
The iPad Air with M4 is now the best value-for-money tablet; the M5 iPad Pro display remains the best in the industry.
Cons:
No design changes for the Air; the Pro’s ultra-thin chassis feels unnecessary; still no “killer” software features for the M5.

On paper, the iPad line in 2025 is in great shape. The latest iPad Air gives you laptop-class power with an M4 chip, Apple Pencil support, and a bigger display option, while the current iPad Pro brings an ultra-thin chassis and an even more powerful M5 chip.

The main issue is that, as an update, you get almost nothing for the same price. The biggest difference is the chip, which is the same issue as with the Vision Pro. It seems Apple doesn’t know what to do with the iPads to make them feel brand new.

To be fair, Apple kind of redesigned the iPad Pro in 2024, but it only made it thinner. While it does look cool, it’s a new design that nobody was asking for.

With all of that said, if you love drawing, handwriting notes, reading, or editing photos on the couch, the new iPad Air and iPad Pro are fantastic. The Air is the default iPad for most people because it hits a sweet spot on price and power, while the iPad Pro is for artists, video editors, and anyone who will really push that OLED screen and M-series chip to the limit. They rank low here, not because they’re bad—they’re some of the best tablets ever made—but because they don’t really bring anything new to the table.

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