iPad Air vs iPad Pro: Which Tablet Is Right for You?
Battle of the Best: iPad Air vs iPad Pro
I’ve been testing the new M2 iPad Air vs M4 iPad Pro for three months. Now, I’ve explored the differences in performance, display quality, and overall user experience. The M2 iPad Air is powerful and capable, while the M4 iPad Pro promises even more speed and features. But with a higher price tag and some new accessories that aren’t backward compatible, is the M4 iPad Pro worth it?
COMPARISON OVERVIEW
#1: Design Differences
#2: Display Comparison
#3: Speakers
#4: Camera
#5: Accessories
#6: Battery Life
#7: SSD Speed Test
#8: M4 Chip vs M2 Chip
#9: CPU Comparison
#10: Geekbench 6 CPU
#11: GPU Comparison
#12: Geekbench 6 Metal
#13: CrossMark
#14: AnTuTu 10
#15: Neural Engine
#16: Geekbench ML
#17: Gaming
#18: Web Browsing
#19: Video Transcoding
#20: Photo Editing
#21: Video Editing
#22: Price
#23: Is the M4 iPad Pro Worth it?iPad Air vs iPad Pro
I’ve compared a lot of Macs this year, but this is my first time comparing iPads. Before you decide which one to buy, it’s important to see how they compare. Let’s look at their specs to understand the differences.
My 13-inch iPad Pro has an M4 chip with a 10-core CPU and 10-core GPU. It comes with 1 TB of storage and 16 GB of RAM but doesn’t have nano-texture glass and an Apple Pencil. With only Wi-Fi and a Magic Keyboard, this model costs $2248.
The M2 iPad Air, on the other hand, features an M2 chip with an 8-core CPU and a 9-core GPU, 8GB of RAM, and 256GB of storage. With Wi-Fi and a Magic Keyboard, I didn’t buy an Apple Pencil; this setup costs me $1248. The price difference between the two iPads is $1,000. That’s the same amount as a 13-inch M3 MacBook Air.
Design Differences
The new M2 iPad Air and M4 iPad Pro feature some exciting design changes. The 11-inch iPad Air is 9.74 by 7.02 by 0.24 inches and weighs 1.02 pounds. It’s slightly thicker and heavier than the 11-inch iPad Pro, which is 9.83 by 6.99 by 0.21 inches and weighs 0.98 pounds.
The 13-inch iPad Air measures 11.04 by 8.46 by 0.24 inches and weighs 1.36 pounds. However, the 13-inch iPad Pro is 11.09 by 8.48 by 0.20 inches and weighs 1.28 pounds. Both iPads have very similar designs, with only minor differences in appearance. However, Apple has made it even thinner with the new 13-inch iPad Pro, which is just 5.1 mm thick — thinner than an iPod nano.
Apple’s iPad Air comes in vibrant colors like Blue, Purple, Space Gray, and Starlight (gold). The iPad Pro, on the other hand, is available only in Silver or Space Black. If you want an iPad that shows off your style, the iPad Air is the better choice.
The iPad Pro has Thunderbolt 3/USB 4 connectors, while the iPad Air uses regular USB-C 3 ports. Thunderbolt 3 transfers data faster and lets the iPad Pro connect to more accessories. This includes external hard drives.
All iPads are well-sized, but the 13-inch models can feel heavy with a Magic Keyboard case. The 13-inch iPad Air with the Magic Keyboard weighs 2.9 pounds. It’s heavier than my 13-inch M3 MacBook Air, which weighs 2.7 pounds. The 13-inch iPad Pro with the Magic Keyboard is a bit lighter at 2.6 pounds. You probably won’t want to carry this along with a laptop.
Another key design difference is that the 2024 iPad Pro uses FaceID to log you in. In contrast, the iPad Air uses TouchID built into the power button. I found that the FaceID is faster and easier to use.
Display Comparison
Next, I’ll dive into the difference between these two iPad displays in detail. The M2 iPad Air has a display resolution of 2360 by 1640 pixels for the 11-inch model and 2732 by 2048 pixels for the 13-inch.
The iPad Air has an LED-backlit IPS display, no matter which size you choose. It looks bright, sharp, and vivid, even though it doesn’t have the deep blacks or high contrast of the Tandem OLED.
For most people upgrading from an older iPad, it will still look amazing and be more than enough. The iPad Air display is brighter, reaching up to 600 nits (500 nits for the 11-inch).
In contrast, the iPad Pro gets a big upgrade with its Tandem OLED screen, which Apple calls Ultra Retina XDR. Tandem OLED screens offer richer colors and deeper blacks.
The 11-inch model has a resolution of 2,420 by 1,668 pixels, while the 13-inch has a higher resolution of 2,732 by 2,048 pixels. The iPad Pro has a 1000 nits max full screen, 1600 nits peak (HDR content only), and 120 Hz ProMotion technology.
The 1TB and 2TB iPad Pro models offer an expensive nano-texture display glass option. The textured glass helps you see the screen better in bright light while keeping the colors and details sharp.
All 2024 iPads have displays with a pixel density of 264 PPI, meeting Apple’s Retina quality standard. They all have True Tone and P3 wide color support.
I’ve wanted an OLED iPad Pro for a long time, and it’s finally here. The OLED screen is bright and colorful, with amazing contrast between dark and light areas. It makes photos and videos look stunning.
The colors are richer, and the blacks are deeper compared to the LED-backlit IPS display on the M2 iPad Air. The iPad Pro’s display is the best OLED display I’ve ever seen on a tablet.
Speakers
The iPad Air still has fewer speakers than the iPad Pro, just like before. The M2 iPad Air features stereo speakers. However, the 13-inch iPad Air comes with extra bass. Their speakers sound amazing, even if they can’t replace good headphones. They’re still perfect for watching shows in your free time.
The M4 iPad Pro has four built-in speakers, two at the bottom and two at the top, delivering richer, better sound. The M4 iPad Pro is similar to its predecessors, but it should still sound better than the M2 iPad Air. With twice as many speakers and mics, the M4 iPad Pro offers improved call and audio quality.
Camera
The iPad Air and iPad Pro both have 12MP cameras on the front and back. The front cameras are now on the landscape side and use Center Stage to keep you centered in the frame. This makes Zoom and FaceTime calls look more like they do on a laptop, keeping you properly centered.
The M4 iPad Pro’s front camera is for FaceID and selfies, while the back camera is for other photos. The back camera has 5x digital zoom, image stabilization, burst photo mode, ProRes video recording, and stereo audio capture.
I use the iPad Air and Pro cameras to take pictures while note-taking and add them directly to my document. Although the iPad’s cameras are better than the MacBook Air’s, they still make a solid choice for video calls.
Accessories
Both the M2 iPad Air and the M4 iPad Pro can use Apple’s best iPad accessories. However, you need to buy different keyboards for each tablet.
The iPad Air 2024 works with Apple’s Magic Keyboard case. It costs $299 for the 11-inch model and $349 for the 13-inch model.
The M2 iPad Air also works with two types of Apple Pencils. The regular Apple Pencil (USB-C) costs $79. The new Apple Pencil Pro costs $129. It has extra features like a squeezable and rotatable barrel. You can use this barrel to change brush size or scroll down a page.
If you just need an official Apple case for the M2 iPad Air, you can get the new Apple Smart Folio. It costs $79 for the 11-inch model and $99 for the 13-inch model.
The M4 iPad Pro works with both the Apple Pencil (USB-C) and the Apple Pencil Pro. Apple is also selling a new Magic Keyboard for the iPad Pro. It costs $299 for the 11-inch model and $349 for the 13-inch model.
The new Magic Keyboard for the iPad Pro has four key upgrades. It includes a bigger glass trackpad, a new aluminum palm rest, and a row of function keys. These changes make it feel more like a laptop. They should make typing on the Magic Keyboard Pro more comfortable and enjoyable.
Battery Life
The M4 chip helps the new iPad Pro have amazing battery life. It’s very power-efficient, so the iPad Pro can run all day without needing to be charged. This also implies it uses less energy over its lifetime, which is better for the environment.
Apple said that both 2024 iPads can last up to 10 hours when surfing the web on Wi-Fi or watching videos. If you’re using cellular data, they can last up to 9 hours.
In my testing, I continuously browsed the web over Wi-Fi until the battery died (5G disabled). The M4 iPad Pro delivers all-day battery life, running for 14 hours and 35 minutes. In comparison, the 13-inch iPad Air lasted 11 hours and 15 minutes. I’m surprised that the iPad Pro beat my M2 MacBook Air (14 hours) thanks to its power-efficient M4 chip.
SSD Speed Test
Jumping to storage, the M2 iPad Air has four choices: 128GB, 256GB, 512GB, and 1TB. The M4 iPad Pro offers larger options: 256GB, 512GB, 1TB, and 2TB.
The M4 iPad Pro achieved impressive read speeds of 2772 MB/s and write speeds of 2159 MB/s on the Jazz Disk Bench Test. These high speeds mean that the iPad Pro can quickly access and save data. This makes it very efficient for tasks that require fast storage performance.
In comparison, the M2 iPad Air displayed much slower speeds, with read speeds of 1600 MB/s and write speeds of 1500 MB/s. This significant difference highlights how much faster the M4 iPad Pro is. It demonstrates how much better it handles data compared to the M2 iPad Air.
The iPad Pro I tested has 1 TB of storage, while the iPad Air has 256 GB. 1 TB of storage is always faster and can hold more data than 256 GB.
M4 Chip vs M2 Chip
The iPad Pro’s new M4 chip is a big upgrade and the first of its next-generation Mac chips. It’s impressive and will soon power many Macs.
The M4 chip has 28 billion transistors, which is 3 billion more than the M3 chip. It is made with new 3-nanometer technology for better power efficiency. The M4 chip features a new CPU with up to 10 cores. It also has a 10-core GPU that brings new features like dynamic caching, ray tracing, and mesh shading to the iPad.
In comparison, the M2 chip uses older 5-nanometer technology and has 20 billion transistors. It also has a 10-core GPU that’s 25% faster than the M1. It includes an 8-core CPU with 4 performance cores and 4 efficiency cores.
The M2 iPad Air has 100GB/s memory bandwidth, while the M4 iPad Pro has 120GB/s, a 20% increase. Both iPads have a 16-core Neural Engine, but the M4’s is the fastest, handling up to 38 trillion operations per second — quicker than any AI PC today.
iPad Air vs iPad Pro: CPU
The iPad Pro’s M4 chip has a more powerful CPU than the iPad Air’s M2 chip. The M4 chip has up to 10 cores, including 4 high-performance cores and 6 efficiency cores. It delivers up to 1.5x faster CPU performance over the M2 iPad Pro.
On the other hand, the M2 chip in the iPad Air is also impressive, delivering 18% faster CPU performance than the M1. It houses an 8-core CPU with 4 cores for performance and 4 cores for efficiency.
The M2 chip can handle everyday tasks and some heavy workloads efficiently. However, the M4 chip in the iPad Pro offers better speed and efficiency. This makes the M4 chip a better choice for those who want the highest level of performance in a tablet.
Geekbench 6 CPU
The M4 chip is a big step forward for Apple, especially in terms of CPU power. The iPad Pro runs at 4.40 GHz, while the iPad Air runs at 3.47 GHz.
In Geekbench 6, which tests CPU performance, the M2 iPad Air scores 2589 for the single-core test. The iPad Pro’s M4 chip with a 10-core CPU scores the highest at 3687.
For multi-core tasks, the iPad Air scores 10083, which is plenty for most users. The iPad Pro with the M4 chip scores 14507, showing why it’s more expensive and ideal for power users.
In fact, the M4 iPad Pro is the fastest tablet I’ve tested so far. It is 42% faster than the M2 iPad Air in raw CPU performance.
For the first time, the 2024 iPad Pro has a CPU that’s even more advanced than the one in a MacBook. The M4 iPad Pro’s performance matches the higher-end M3 Pro ($2399) in multi-core results. But you can get the iPad Pro for just $999, and it has faster single-core and similar multi-core performance.
iPad Air vs iPad Pro: GPU
On the graphic front, the M4 chip’s new 10-core GPU is a big upgrade for the iPad Pro. It brings hardware-accelerated ray tracing for the first time, making shadows and reflections in games look much more real. The GPU also uses Dynamic Caching to handle memory better, so games and apps run smoother. It even supports hardware-accelerated mesh shading for more detailed graphics.
The M2 chip has a strong 10-core GPU that’s 35% faster than the older M1 GPU, making graphics look better and run smoothly.
The M4 GPU is even better. It matches the M2’s performance but uses only half the power. Compared to the latest PC chips in thin laptops, the M4 uses just a quarter of the power for the same performance.
Geekbench 6 Metal
According to my Geekbench Metal test, the M4 iPad Pro with its 10-core GPU scored 54,015. That compares to the M2 iPad Air, which has a 9-core GPU and scored 41,858.
The M4 iPad Pro beats the M2 iPad Air by 29%, which is an average jump between two generations. The M4 chip seems to have a similar GPU design as the M3.
However, it introduces new features to the iPad for the first time, such as hardware-accelerated mesh shading and ray tracing. The M4’s 10-core GPU makes pro rendering up to four times faster than on the M2.
CrossMark
CrossMark provides an overall score. It measures how well the tablet handles tasks from photo and video editing to web browsing.
When I threw both iPads against CrossMark, we got 1910 on the M4 iPad Pro, up from 1436 on the M2 iPad Air. The iPad Pro is as much as 33% faster than the iPad Air based on CrossMark results.
Typically, an above-average user needs at least a 10% performance boost to notice a difference in daily use. Here, we saw a 33% gain, which is significant improvement.
AnTuTu 10
Moving forward, the AnTuTu Benchmark tests CPU, GPU, and RAM performance in various scenarios.
In the AnTuTu Benchmark test, the M4 iPad Pro performs impressively, scoring 2713488 points. This is significantly higher compared to the M2 iPad Air, which scores 2162189 points.
So, the iPad Pro is about 25% faster than the iPad Air. This indicates the M4 iPad Pro is much better at handling tough tasks and works faster than the M2 iPad Air.
iPad Air vs Pro: Neural Engine
The M4 iPad Pro has powerful AI features that make it super smart. The M4 chip has a 16-core neural engine, which can do up to 38 trillion tasks per second. It is extremely powerful for tasks related to AI and machine learning (ML). The M4’s Neural Engine is 60 times faster than the first Neural Engine in the A11 Bionic chip.
The 16-core Neural Engine can handle complex tasks. It recognizes objects in photos and videos and provides real-time captions for audio. It can even create music notation from live piano playing. This will definitely be important for Apple’s future plans with on-device AI.
Geekbench ML
I used Geekbench ML to test the AI performance of the 2024 iPads. It measures the power of their neural processing units (NPUs). NPUs are special parts of the chip that help with AI and machine learning tasks. Machine learning workloads are tasks that simulate real-world AI applications.
The iPad Pro blew away the iPad Air in the machine learning benchmark. In my test, the M4 iPad Pro scored 9391, while the M2 iPad Air scored 7013. This means the iPad Pro is about 34% faster than the iPad Air in Geekbench ML.
The M2 iPad Air handles 15.8 trillion operations per second, while the M4 iPad Pro handles 38 trillion. Therefore, the iPad Pro is about 2.4 times as fast as the iPad Air.
iPad Air vs iPad Pro: Gaming
Gaming on the iPad Air isn’t as smooth as the iPad Pro. Although the M2 chip performs well, it gets hot when you play for a long time. But if you use a controller, you can still have a great gaming experience.
Ultimately, gaming on the iPad Pro is amazing. Even the latest titles, like Wuthering Waves and AFK Journey, run smoothly. The M4 chip handles them easily. After hours of gameplay, the iPad Pro stays cool. This makes it one of the most comfortable gaming tablets available.
On the other hand, gaming benchmarks show a difference between the iPad Air and iPad Pro. On the GFXBench Aztec Ruins test, the M2 iPad Air scored 2005 points. Still, the iPad Pro was nearly twice as fast in this test. In turn, the M4 iPad Pro scored 3859 points. Thanks to hardware-accelerated ray tracing, the iPad Pro can handle any game almost two times faster than the iPad Air.
The results on 3D Mark Wild Life Extreme Unlimited tell the same story. The iPad Air scored 5824 points with 34 FPS, while the iPad Pro scored 8524 points with 51 FPS.
Otherwise, the iPad Pro is about 48% faster than the iPad Air. This suggests the iPad Pro performs better under stress. It maintains 26% higher performance and frame rates. The iPad Air, on the other hand, highlights lower scores and frame rates. This suggests it throttles more during intense tasks compared to the iPad Pro.
The iPad Pro’s more powerful GPU helps it handle games and graphics more smoothly.
iPad Air vs Pro: Web Browsing
Next, I’m going to run Speedometer 3.0, which simulates real-world browsing tasks. In this test, both the iPad Air and the iPad Pro offered impressive results.
The M2 iPad Air and the M4 iPad Pro achieved 36 and 37 runs per minute, respectively. So, both iPads are quite fast and responsive when browsing the web. The M4 iPad Pro is a bit snappier, handling web tasks just slightly better than the M2 iPad Air. However, you won’t notice any difference between both iPads.
Video Transcoding
When converting a 4K video to 1080p using Adobe Premiere Rush, the M4 iPad Pro took just 30 seconds. In comparison, the M2 iPad Air took a bit longer, finishing the same task in 32 seconds.
Even with two chip generations between them, the iPad Air and iPad Pro transcode video at the same time. Both iPads are efficient at this task because their media engines handle it well. While the iPad Pro has more advanced features, the performance of both tablets for converting 4K to 1080p is very similar.
iPad Air vs iPad Pro: Photo Editing
My real-world photo editing task involves exporting 100 RAW images. When using Adobe Lightroom, the iPad Pro performs much better. It completes this task in just 5 minutes and 8 seconds, whereas the M2 iPad Air takes 6 minutes and 48 seconds.
Ultimately, the iPad Pro is a minute and a half faster, which is the best choice for quicker photo exports. If you work with batches of high-resolution images, the iPad Pro’s faster speed boosts your efficiency. This translates to a better overall editing experience.
iPad Air vs iPad Pro: Video Editing
The latest iPads run Final Cut Pro smoothly and powerfully. A new feature called Live Multicam lets you stream live from up to four iOS cameras. You can also control them directly from the iPad.
Exporting an 11-minute 4K video in ProRes 422 on the M4 iPad Pro takes just 2 minutes and 48 seconds. The M2 iPad Air takes a bit longer at 3 minutes and 30 seconds. This 42-second difference proves just how powerful the M4’s most advanced media processing engine is.
The iPad Pro is faster since it supports hardware acceleration for 8K video formats. It also has extra engines for ProRes and AV1 decoding, which the iPad Air lacks. This contributes to the M4’s superior performance. The M2 is already very good, but the M4 is even better.
Other Android tablets or mid-range Windows laptops can take 7 to 10 minutes for the same task. Therefore, Final Cut Pro on the 2024 iPad is much more efficient.
iPad Air vs iPad Pro: Price
Apple increased the price of the entry-level M4 iPad Pro by $200, making it start at $999. If that’s too much, Apple is also releasing the M2 iPad Air with the M2 chip. It’s almost as fast as the previous M2 iPad Pro model but costs nearly half as much.
The 11-inch iPad Pro costs $999 for 256GB of storage, $1199 for 512GB, $1599 for 1TB, or $1999 for 2TB. The 13-inch iPad Pro costs $1299 for 256GB of storage, $1499 for 512GB, $1899 for 1TB, or $2299 for 2TB. You better think again if you’re considering spending that much on an iPad. It costs almost as much as a powerful 12-core, 14-inch M3 Pro laptop.
If you want cellular connectivity on both models, prepare to shell out another $200. Opting for the Nano-texture Glass on the 1TB and 2TB models adds another $100.
But the 11-inch iPad Air comes in at $599 for 128GB of storage, $699 for 256GB, $899 for 512GB, and $1099 for 1TB. The base model costs $100 more than the 10.9-inch iPad with Wi-Fi and 256GB.
If you want a larger 13-inch display or 5G cellular, those upgrades, respectively, cost $200 and $150. Apple doubled the base storage from 64GB to 128GB. So, 256GB costs $899, 512GB for $1099, and 1TB for $1299.
However, you can find the 13-inch M2 iPad Air on Amazon for $839, with a $60 discount. The 11-inch iPad Air costs $564, with a $35 discount. Meanwhile, the 13-inch iPad Pro is priced at $1195 on Amazon, saving you $104. The 11-inch iPad Pro is $899, with a $100 discount.
Both iPads are expensive, especially with accessories that can cost a few hundred dollars more. However, the iPad Air is the more affordable option of the two.
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Is the M4 iPad Pro Worth it?
Choosing an iPad in 2024 can be difficult. There are many models, and the differences between them are not always obvious.
The M4 iPad Pro is worth it for those who need the highest level of performance and features. It offers advanced features like Face ID, better sound with four speakers, a smoother screen, LiDAR, 16GB of memory, and Thunderbolt.
People who need more RAM, storage, and OLED for HDR content will find the iPad Pro very useful. Even if you’re not a professional, you might enjoy its cool features. The 120Hz screen makes scrolling and gaming smoother. The OLED display offers better colors, and the adaptive True Tone adds a nice touch.
However, for most users, the M2 iPad Air provides excellent value for its price and will be sufficient. The iPad Air offers a modern screen and useful features like USB-C and 5G. All this comes at a much lower price than the iPad Pro.
Overall, the M2 iPad Air is the best choice for most people because it offers incredible value. To most users, spending an extra $400 or more on the iPad Pro might not be worth it.
