iPad Air (M2) vs iPad Pro (M4)

Macworld

Apple has finally updated its higher-end iPad lineup, with new Air and Pro models. The upgrades include new processors, display sizes, and colors, as well as an ultra-thin chassis design for the premium models. But which one should you choose to get the best value for money?

Here’s our comparison guide to the iPad Air (M2) and iPad Pro (M4) models that launched in 2024.

Design & build quality

Apple iPad Air 11-inch (M2, 2024)

Price When Reviewed: $599 (128GB, Wi-Fi only) Best Prices Today: $584.99 at Amazon | $599 at Apple

The Air was given a design overhaul one generation ago in the iPad Air (2022), so it’s not surprising that much of the construction looks familiar on the latest model. Obviously, the most noticeable difference is that the Air now comes in a choice of 11-inch and 13-inch variants.

Apple

Specifications are pretty much identical for both, with the larger model making use of the extra real estate to include a 2x bass response in the stereo speakers, but that’s about it.

Dimensions work out as follows:

There are new color schemes, with the Air available in Space Gray, Starlight, Purple, or Blue. But perhaps the most useful upgrade (at least in terms of design) is that the FaceTime camera has been repositioned on the longer edge of the iPad, creating a landscape orientation that makes far more sense than the previous portrait one. The Air still doesn’t get Face ID, however, so the Touch ID sensor in the power button will be how you unlock the device and make payments.

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The baseline storage has finally been upgraded to something sensible, plus Apple has added higher capacity options too. Here are the different amounts available:

Apple iPad Pro 11-inch (M4, 2024)

Price When Reviewed: $999 (Wi-Fi only) Best Prices Today: $999 at Apple

On the iPad Pro (M4), meanwhile, the design advances are more profound. Yes, it’s still an aluminum rectangle, but Apple’s engineers have worked hard to make this not only the thinnest iPad they’ve ever created, but the thinnest Apple product ever made! Yes, even slimmer than the iPod nano. Crazy.

Apple

Here are the dimensions for the two new iPad Pro models:

So, for the first time, the iPad Pros are now lighter than the iPad Airs. Maybe Apple needs to rethink the names of its iPads going forward?

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Whereas the iPad Air (M2) has twin stereo speakers, the Pro models double this with a four-speaker array. They also employ a landscape FaceTime camera, but Apple bestows Face ID on its Pro models, making it even easier to log in.

Color schemes are simpler on the Pros, with only Space Black or Silver to choose from, while storage options come in the following flavors:

All Pro and Air models, in compliance with EU law, come with USB-C charging ports, although the Pro versions have upgraded Thunderbolt / USB 4 capabilities. Apple also announced a new Apple Pencil Pro, which works with both the Air and Pro models; the new Air and Pro are also both compatible with the Apple Pencil (USB-C). There’s a new Apple Magic Keyboard for iPad Pro (M4), while the existing Magic Keyboard works with the iPad Air (M2) devices.

Display

Apple has been hard at work on the new Ultra Retina XDR displays for the Pro models. They feature a revolutionary new design that combines two OLED panels layered up to create something the company is calling a Tandem OLED display. This allows them to be brighter, with a full screen brightness for SDR and HDR of 1,000 nits, and a maximum of 1,600 nits for HDR, while delivering the depths of color and contrast for which OLED panels are famed.

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You can also opt for a nano-texture glass if you buy the 1TB or 2TB storage variants. This has microscopic etches in the panel that diffuse light, massively reducing the glare from surrounding light sources. Standard glass appears on all the other models.

There is of course ProMotion (or 120Hz refresh rate in human-speak), which remains a Pro-only feature.

While the Pros take the headlines for their impressive new displays, the Liquid Retina panels on the iPad Air (M2) models are no slouches, and for the first time you get to choose between an 11-inch (actually 10.86-inch) or 13-inch (actually 12.9-inch) size. All of the new iPads offer P3 Wide Color (P3), True Tone, and resolutions that deliver 264 ppi (pixels per inch), as you can see below:

The brightness of the Airs does lag behind their more expensive siblings, however, topping out at 500 nits. Good news is that all support the Apple Pencil Hover feature, which was previously only available on the iPad Pro.

Processor

It’s all change on the processor front, with both platforms getting solid upgrades. The Airs go from the M1 to the M2 chipset, while the Pros jump further, swapping the previous M2 for the brand-new M4.

The M1 was already powerful enough for most things, so moving to the M2 on the Air is great news for anyone that wants a fast iPad for gaming and some creative work, and one that will stay speedy for years to come. It’s packed with an 8-core CPU, 10-core GPU and a 16-core Neural Engine to handle AI and machine learning features. It’s so powerful that it was the driving force of the previous-gen iPad Pro models.

Apple

This year’s Pros, though, are fitted with some frankly crackers processing power. Apple claims the new M4 is one of the main reasons why the new iPad Pros can be made so thin and utilize the Tandem OLED display.

Built on a 3-nanometer architecture, it features improved speed and energy management, all powered by a CPU with four performance cores, six efficiency cores, and next-generation machine learning accelerators. Apple says that the new M4 delivers 1.5x faster CPU performance than the M2.

The GPU has also been levelled up, with 10 cores and various performance enhancements that can render apps up to 4x faster than the M2. All while delivering the same performance as that chip, but using only a quarter of the power draw.

In all honesty, the M2 in the Air is more than enough for people using the iPad as an everyday device, while the M4 is truly Pro-level hardware that should satisfy even the most demanding iPad creative.

Cameras

We have to admit, we’re not fans of people using iPads to take pictures, but it happens and we just have to deal with it. There are not that many distinct differences between the optics available on the Air and Pro models, with the latter benefitting from some small additional capabilities.

Apple

All come with a 12Mp Wide camera (f/1.8) offering a 5x digital zoom and Smart HDR 4. The Pros get Adaptive True Tone flash as a bonus. Across the board you can capture video up to 4K @ 60fps, slo-mo at 240fps, and time-lapse with stabilisation. The Pros again have some advantage, with ProRes video, audio zoom and stereo recording. Again, for most people this won’t be an issue at all, as it’s mainly for filmmakers.

The front-facing camera is again standard across the platforms, with a 12Mp landscape Ultra Wide (f/2.4) that supports 2x zoom out, Centre Stage, Retina flash, Smart HDR 4 for photos, Cinematic video stabilisation, and top out at 1080p @ 60fps. Where the Pros cameras differ is the inclusion of TrueDepth for Face ID, Portrait mode and Portrait Lighting, plus you can use Animoji and Memoji.

Connectivity

There’s little to separate the Airs and Pros in terms of connectivity. They all support Wi-Fi 6e, 5G (assuming you pay extra for cellular connectivity), MIMO, Bluetooth 5.3, Gigabit LTE and GPS. Physical connections are through the USB-C port on the Airs or the Thunderbolt / USB 4 on the Pros, while all have Smart Connectors for the Apple Magic Keyboards.

Here’s a breakdown of how the iPad Air M2 models compare:

Here’s a breakdown of how the iPad Pro M4 models compare:

Price and Availability

There are several price points available, depending on storage allocation, cellular connectivity or the size of the display. Here are all the variations, with the devices receiving 15 May release dates. Below each list you’ll find a price-comparison widget showing the best deals in your area.

11-inch iPad Air M2:

Retailer Price

$584.99 View Deal

$599 View Deal Price comparison from over 24,000 stores worldwide Product Price Price comparison from Backmarket

13-inch iPad Air M2:

Retailer Price

$799 View Deal Price comparison from over 24,000 stores worldwide Product Price Price comparison from Backmarket

11-inch iPad Pro (M4):

Retailer Price

$999 View Deal Price comparison from over 24,000 stores worldwide Product Price Price comparison from Backmarket

13-inch iPad Pro (M4):

Retailer Price

$1299 View Deal Price comparison from over 24,000 stores worldwide Product Price Price comparison from Backmarket

Should I buy the iPad Air M2 or iPad Pro M4?

Apple keeps thing pretty simple with the new Airs and Pros. There are next to no differences specs-wise between the 11-inch and 13-inch models on either platform, so once you’ve decided on whether it’s an Air or Pro model you want, the only other factor is a preference of size.

If you want an everyday iPad that’s really fast, can take anything you throw at it, plus making you safe in the knowledge that you won’t have to upgrade any time soon, then the Air is a great choice.

Those who want the very best in terms of speed and display will find the Pro models hard to resist. They are great, but you’ll need to ask yourself if you really need that much power? If so, then the Pros deliver it in abundance.

To see what other options are available, be sure to read our guide to the best iPads before making your decision.