M4 iPad Air vs. M5 iPad Pro Buyer’s Guide: 40+ Differences Compared
Apple recently updated the iPad Air, narrowing the gap with the iPad Pro, but how different are the two product lines and which should you buy?
Apple has now updated the iPad Air with the M4 chip, which represents a slight update to the previous 2025 model, which introduced the M3 chip. While the upgrade brings improved performance and efficiency, it doesn’t significantly change the feature set or overall standing of the iPad Air within the lineup.
In contrast, the iPad Pro continues to sit at the top of Apple’s tablet lineup, now equipped with the latest M5 chip. This update builds on the major redesign introduced in 2024, which brought a thinner and lighter design, tandem OLED display technology, and a range of advanced features aimed at professional workflows. Recent updates have focused more on internal improvements, especially GPU performance and AI acceleration, rather than introducing major new capabilities.
As a result, the gap between the iPad Air and the iPad Pro is now less about general performance and more about specific features and use cases. The iPad Air delivers much of the same basic experience at a lower price point, while the iPad Pro sets itself apart with its display technology, improved hardware capabilities, and more headroom for demanding tasks.
Should you consider buying an iPad Air to save money, or do you need the higher-end features of the iPad Pro? Our guide answers the question of how to decide which of these two iPads is right for you.
| iPad Air (M4, 2026) | iPad Pro (M5, 2025) |
|---|---|
| Liquid Retina display (LED backlit display with IPS technology) | Ultra Retina XDR (Tandem OLED) display |
| ProMotion technology for refresh rates up to 120Hz | |
| 11-inch SDR light model: 500 nits max 13-inch SDR light model: 600 nits maximum |
SDR lighting: 1,000 nits max XDR light: 1,000 nits full screen, 1,600 nits peak (HDR content only) |
| Nano-texture display glass option on 1TB and 2TB models | |
| Drive external displays at 60Hz | Drive external displays up to 120Hz |
| Dynamic synchronization support | |
| M4 chip | episode of M5 |
| Manufactured using TSMC’s advanced 3nm (N3E) technology | Manufactured using TSMC’s third-generation 3nm process (N3P) |
| Based on iPhone 16’s A18 chip (2024) | Based on the A19 Pro chip from the iPhone 17 Pro (2025) |
| 8-core CPU (3 performance + 5 efficiency cores) | Up to 10 CPU cores (4 processing + 6 processing cores) |
| 9-core GPU | 10-core GPU |
| Integrated Neural Accelerator on all GPU cores | |
| Metal 4 developer APIs | Metal 4 developer APIs with Tensor APIs to program GPU Neural Accelerators |
| 12GB memory | 256GB and 512GB models: 12GB memory 1TB and 2TB modelsMemory: 16GB |
| 120 GB/s combined memory bandwidth | 153 GB/s combined memory bandwidth |
| Second generation ray tracing engine | Third generation ray tracing engine |
| First-generation dynamic caching | Dynamic caching of the second generation |
| Shader cores | Improved shader cores |
| GPU with normal power | More energy-efficient GPU: Maintains performance with very little power |
| Advanced thermal design with graphite and copper sheets | |
| Touch the ID button at the top | TrueDepth camera system for Face ID |
| Portrait mode with improved 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 with 256GB capacity) | |
| ProRes video records up to 4K at 60 fps with external recording | |
| Two microphones | Four studio quality microphones |
| Sound zoom | |
| Stereo recording | |
| Landscape stereo speakers | Four-speaker sound |
| 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 (Up to 50% charging using a 60W adapter or more in 30 minutes for the 11-inch model or 35 minutes for the 13-inch model) | |
| USB-C connector | USB-C connector with Thunderbolt/USB 4 support |
| Supports Magic Keyboard for iPad Air | Supports Magic Keyboard for iPad Pro |
| 128GB, 256GB, 512GB, or 1TB storage | 256GB, 512GB, 1TB, or 2TB storage |
| Up to 2× faster SSD read and write speeds | |
| Available in Space Gray, Starlight, Purple, and Blue | Available in Space Black and Silver |
| Pricing starts at $599 | Pricing starts at $999 |
Overall, the iPad Air is the better option for most users, on a value-for-money basis. For most people, the extra $400+ needed to buy an iPad Pro isn’t worth it to get the likes of Face ID, a slim design, four-speaker audio, and a ProMotion OLED display with refresh rates up to 120Hz.
One of the most important changes in recent years is that performance is no longer the main difference between the iPad Air and the iPad Pro. With the M4 chip, the iPad Air already delivers a level of CPU performance that is effectively indistinguishable from the Pro in most real-world tasks. The remaining gap is increasingly focused on GPU-bound workloads, AI acceleration, and display technology, rather than general responsiveness or app performance.
Some iPad Pro features, such as LiDAR, up to 16GB of memory, and Thunderbolt connectivity are only useful to a small niche of users and most will never use some of these advanced capabilities. Many features, such as dynamic sync and audio zoom, will not be useful for most users. Many users who choose the iPad Pro are effectively paying for the experience enhancements rather than the performance requirements.
Professionals with a clear use case requiring large amounts of RAM and storage, a matte display, a Thunderbolt connection, and OLED for HDR content will clearly benefit from purchasing the iPad Pro. That said, “prosumer” style customers looking for the best iPad will appreciate features like 120Hz ProMotion for smooth scrolling and gaming, a slim design, deep blacks and vivid colors with an OLED display, and Adaptive True Tone flash for scanning documents, even if it’s not really necessary.
Beyond these individual circumstances, the iPad Air is the best value for money and will be more than adequate for the needs of most users. With the iPad Air, users can get a modern all-screen design, a high-performance M4 chip, practical features such as USB-C and 5G connectivity, and compatibility with Apple’s core services at a price significantly lower than that of the iPad Pro.
