Buyer’s guide: Apple iPad Air M4 vs. iPad Pro M5
Apple recently announced the updated iPad Air M4, thus narrowing the gap to the iPad Pro. While the upgrade improves performance and efficiency, it doesn’t significantly change the iPad Air’s functionality or its positioning within the product line.
Apple iPad Air M4 (2026)
However, the Apple iPad Pro M5 remains the flagship among the Apple tablets and is now equipped with the latest M5 chip. This update builds on the comprehensive redesign of 2024, which brought a significantly thinner and lighter design, tandem OLED display technology, and a range of high-end features for professional workflows.
The latest version focuses more on internal improvements, particularly in GPU performance and AI acceleration, rather than introducing fundamentally new features.
Apple iPad Pro M5 (2025)
As a result, the difference between the iPad Air and the iPad Pro today lies less in overall performance and more in specific features and use cases. The iPad Air offers a similar user experience at a lower price, while the iPad Pro distinguishes itself through its display technology, advanced hardware, and additional power for demanding tasks.
But how big are the differences between the two series really, and which tablet should you buy? Here’s our comprehensive buying guide.
Buyer’s guide: Features at a glance
| Apple iPad Air 11 M4 (2026) | Apple iPad Pro 11 M5 (2025) |
|---|---|
| Liquid Retina Display (LED backlight with IPS technology) | Ultra Retina XDR Display (Tandem OLED) |
| ProMotion technology for refresh rates up to 120 Hz | |
| Brightness of the 11-inch model (SDR): maximum 500 nits; brightness of the 13-inch model (SDR): maximum 600 nits | SDR brightness: max. 1,000 nits; XDR brightness: max. 1,000 nits in full-screen mode, peak 1,600 nits (HDR content only) |
| Nanostructured display glass is available as an option on the 1TB and 2TB models. | |
| Driving external displays at 60 Hz | Drive external displays with up to 120 Hz |
| Adaptive Sync support | |
| M4 chip | M5 chip |
| Manufactured using TSMC’s improved 3nm technology (N3E). | Manufactured using TSMC’s third generation 3nm process (N3P). |
| Based on the A18 chip of the iPhone 16 (2024) | Based on the A19 Pro chip of the iPhone 17 Pro (2025) |
| 8-core CPU (3 performance cores + 5 efficiency cores) | Up to 10 CPU cores (4 performance cores + 6 efficiency cores) |
| 9-core GPU | 10-core GPU |
| Integrated neural accelerator in each GPU core | |
| Metal 4 Developer APIs | Metal 4 developer APIs with Tensor APIs for programming GPU neural accelerators |
| 12 GB RAM | 256GB and 512GB models: 12GB RAM; 1TB and 2TB models: 16GB RAM |
| 120GB/s uniform memory bandwidth | 153 GB/s uniform memory bandwidth |
| Second generation ray tracing engine | Third generation ray tracing engine |
| First-generation dynamic caching | Second generation dynamic caching |
| Shader cores | Improved shader cores |
| GPU with standard energy efficiency | More energy-efficient GPU: Maintains performance with significantly lower power consumption. |
| Improved thermal design with graphite sheets and copper | |
| Touch ID in the top button | TrueDepth camera system for Face ID |
| Portrait mode with enhanced bokeh and depth control | |
| Portrait lighting with six effects (Natural, Studio, Contour, Stage, Stage Mono, High-Key Mono) | |
| Animoji and Memoji | |
| LiDAR scanner | |
| Adaptive True Tone Flash | |
| Rear ambient light sensor | |
| ProRes video recording up to 4K at 30 fps (1080p at 30 fps for 256 GB storage capacity) | |
| ProRes video recording up to 4K at 60 fps with external recording | |
| Two microphones | Four studio-quality microphones |
| Audio zoom | |
| Stereo recording | |
| Landscape stereo speakers | Four-speaker audio |
| Weight: 462 grams or 617 grams | Weight 444 grams or 579 grams |
| Depth: 6.1 mm | Depth: 5.3 mm or 5.1 mm |
| Fast charging capability (charges up to 50% with a 60W power adapter or higher in 30 minutes for the 11-inch model and in 35 minutes for the 13-inch model) | |
| USB-C port | USB-C port with support for Thunderbolt/USB 4 |
| Supports Magic Keyboard for iPad Air; | Supports Magic Keyboard for iPad Pro; |
| 128 GB, 256 GB, 512 GB or 1 TB storage space | 256 GB, 512 GB, 1 TB or 2 TB storage space |
| Up to twice as fast SSD read and write speeds | |
| Space Grey, Blue, Violet, Polaris | Space Black, Silver |
| RRP from €649/$599 | RRP from €1,099/$999 |
Overall, the Apple iPad Air is the better choice for most users, simply due to its superior price-performance ratio. For most, the price premium of over $400 for the iPad Pro is not justified to get features like Face ID, a thinner design, four speakers, and a ProMotion OLED display with refresh rates up to 120Hz.
One of the most significant changes in recent years is that performance is no longer the primary differentiator between the iPad Air and the iPad Pro. With the M4 chip, the iPad Air already offers CPU performance that is virtually indistinguishable from the Pro in most everyday situations. The remaining difference increasingly focuses on GPU-intensive applications, AI acceleration, and display technology, rather than overall responsiveness or app performance.
Some iPad Pro features, such as the LiDAR scanner, up to 16GB of storage, and the Thunderbolt port, are only truly useful to a small group of users, and most will never use some of these high-end features. Many features, like Adaptive Sync and Audio Zoom, are not used effectively by many users. Many users who choose the iPad Pro are essentially paying for extra features, not for the actual functionality.
Professional users who need more RAM and storage, a matte display, a Thunderbolt port, and OLED for HDR content will clearly benefit from purchasing the iPad Pro. Even ambitious hobbyists who simply want the best iPad will appreciate features like 120Hz ProMotion for smoother scrolling and gaming, a slimmer design, deeper blacks and more vibrant colors thanks to the OLED display, and the adaptive True Tone flash for scanning documents – even if these features aren’t strictly necessary.
Aside from these individual factors, the Apple iPad Air offers the best value for money and is more than sufficient for most users’ needs. With the iPad Air, users get a modern all-screen design, the powerful M4 chip, practical features such as USB-C and 5G connectivity, and compatibility with key Apple accessories – all at a price significantly lower than that of the iPad Pro.
