{"id":6528,"date":"2026-04-27T15:34:37","date_gmt":"2026-04-27T15:34:37","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/swopify.com\/blog\/ipad-pro-or-ipad-air-which-apple-tablet-should-you-choose\/"},"modified":"2026-04-30T06:07:26","modified_gmt":"2026-04-30T06:07:26","slug":"ipad-pro-or-ipad-air-which-apple-tablet-should-you-choose","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/swopify.com\/blog\/en\/ipad-pro-or-ipad-air-which-apple-tablet-should-you-choose\/","title":{"rendered":"iPad Pro or iPad Air? Which Apple tablet should you choose?"},"content":{"rendered":"\t\t
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iPad Pro or iPad Air? Which Apple tablet should you choose?<\/h2>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\tWhich model to choose?\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t
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\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tBartek Zebrowski\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t
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\n\t\t\t\t\tWhich model to choose?\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t
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\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tiPad Air or iPad Pro? This is one of the most common dilemmas of people who want to enter the Apple ecosystem and buy a tablet for years to come<\/span><\/strong>. Both models look similar, support Apple Pencil and offer high performance, but in practice they are made for slightly different users. One will perform better for studies and daily use, the other will show its full potential for creative work and demanding tasks. Let’s find out how the iPad Air differs from the Pro and which model is more worth buying.<\/span><\/strong>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
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What's the difference between the iPad Air and the iPad Pro?<\/h2>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
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Before we go into a detailed comparison, see the main differences between the iPad Air series<\/a> and the iPad Pro series<\/a>.<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t

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iPad Air vs iPad Pro comparison<\/caption>\n
Feature<\/th>\niPad Air (M2 \/ M3)<\/th>\niPad Pro (M2 \/ M4)<\/th>\n<\/tr>\n<\/thead>\n
For whom<\/td>\nStudents, work, daily use<\/td>\nProfessionals, creatives, demanding users<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Sizes<\/td>\n11″, 13″<\/td>\n11″, 12.9″, 13″<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Screen<\/td>\nLiquid Retina LCD, 60 Hz<\/td>\nProMotion 120 Hz, mini-LED \/ OLED<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Processor<\/td>\nM2:<\/strong> 8-core CPU \/ 10-core GPU | M3:<\/strong> 8-core CPU \/ 9-core GPU<\/td>\nM2:<\/strong> 8-core CPU \/ 10-core GPU | M4:<\/strong> 9\/10-core CPU \/ 10-core GPU<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
RAM<\/td>\n8 GB<\/td>\n8 GB \/ 16 GB<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Face ID<\/td>\nNo<\/td>\nYes<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Touch ID<\/td>\nYes<\/td>\nNo<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Speakers<\/td>\nStereo<\/td>\n4 speakers<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Apple Pencil<\/td>\nYes<\/td>\nYes<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Battery<\/td>\nup to 10 h<\/td>\nup to 10 h<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t
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iPad Pro 4 8\/128GB WiFi 11\" (2022) Star Gray<\/figcaption>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/figure>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
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Design and dimensions of the iPad Air and Pro - which model is more convenient?<\/h2>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
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Feature<\/th>iPad Air<\/th>iPad Pro<\/th><\/tr><\/thead>
Sizes<\/td>M2:<\/strong> 11″, 13″ | M3:<\/strong> 11″, 13″<\/td>M2:<\/strong> 11″, 12.9″ | M4:<\/strong> 11″, 13″<\/td><\/tr>
Thickness<\/td>M2\/M3:<\/strong> 6.1 mm<\/td>M2:<\/strong> 6.4 \/ 6.9 mm | M4:<\/strong> 5.3 \/ 5.1 mm<\/td><\/tr>
Weight<\/td>M2\/M3:<\/strong> from 462 g<\/td>M2:<\/strong> from 466 g | M4:<\/strong> from 444 g<\/td><\/tr>
Biometrics<\/td>Touch ID<\/td>Face ID<\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table>

Both series are slim and very well made, but the iPad Pro M4 is currently Apple’s thinnest product<\/strong>. In everyday use, you can also feel the advantage of Face ID – especially when working at a desk or with a keyboard. <\/p>

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The Air remains very convenient and portable<\/strong>, especially for students and people who often carry a tablet in their bag.<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t

\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tiPad Pro M4 Vs iPad Pro M2<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
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Display - the iPad Pro's biggest advantage<\/h2>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
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Feature<\/th>iPad Air<\/th>iPad Pro<\/th><\/tr><\/thead>
Panel type<\/td>M2\/M3:<\/strong> Liquid Retina LCD<\/td>M2:<\/strong> Liquid Retina \/ mini-LED (12.9″) | M4:<\/strong> OLED<\/td><\/tr>
Refresh rate<\/td>60 Hz<\/td>120 Hz ProMotion<\/td><\/tr>
SDR brightness<\/td>M2\/M3:<\/strong> 500 nits<\/td>M2:<\/strong> 600 nits | M4:<\/strong> 1000 nits<\/td><\/tr>
Contrast<\/td>LCD standard<\/td>Significantly higher<\/td><\/tr>
True Tone<\/td>Yes<\/td>Yes<\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table>

It is the screen that most often determines the choice. With the Air you get a very good LCD panel<\/strong>, sufficient for studying, movies and the Internet.<\/p>

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The Pro offers 120 Hz, which means smoother scrolling<\/strong>, better animations and a more natural workflow with the Apple Pencil. On M4 models, the OLED screen also gives deeper blacks and higher contrast. <\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t

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Processor and performance - M2, M3 or M4?<\/h2>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
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Feature<\/th>iPad Air<\/th>iPad Pro<\/th><\/tr><\/thead>
Chip<\/td>M2 \/ M3<\/strong><\/td>M2 \/ M4<\/strong><\/td><\/tr>
CPU<\/td>M2:<\/strong> 8-core | M3:<\/strong> 8-core<\/td>M2:<\/strong> 8-core | M4:<\/strong> 9- or 10-core<\/td><\/tr>
GPU<\/td>M2:<\/strong> 10-core | M3:<\/strong> 9-core<\/td>M2:<\/strong> 10-core | M4:<\/strong> 10-core<\/td><\/tr>
Ray Tracing<\/td>M3:<\/strong> Yes<\/td>M4:<\/strong> Yes<\/td><\/tr>
Neural Engine<\/td>Newer in the M3<\/td>Most powerful in the M4<\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table>

Even the M2 is still a very fast chip<\/strong> that can calmly handle multitasking, gaming and office work.<\/p>

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The M3 gives better power efficiency and more modern graphics. The M4 is already professional level – especially for video editing, creative work and advanced applications. <\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t

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iPad Air 5 64GB WiFi 10.9\" (2022) Pink<\/figcaption>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/figure>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
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iPad Pro 3 8\/128GB WiFi 11\" (2021) Star Gray<\/figcaption>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/figure>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
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iPad Air vs iPad Pro - RAM and internal memory <\/h2>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
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Feature<\/th>iPad Air<\/th>iPad Pro<\/th><\/tr><\/thead>
RAM<\/td>M2\/M3:<\/strong> 8 GB<\/td>M2:<\/strong> 8 \/ 16 GB | M4:<\/strong> 8 \/ 16 GB<\/td><\/tr>
Bootable memory<\/td>128 GB<\/td>128 GB \/ 256 GB<\/td><\/tr>
Maximum memory<\/td>1 TB<\/td>2 TB<\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table>

For daily use, the Air’s 8 GB of RAM will quietly suffice<\/strong>.<\/p>

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However, if you work on large files, edit video or use multiple applications at once, Pro models with 16 GB of RAM will be a better choice<\/strong>.<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t

\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tiPad or iPad Air?<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
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Cameras and video calling on iPad Air and Pro<\/h2>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
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Feature<\/th>iPad Air<\/th>iPad Pro<\/th><\/tr><\/thead>
Rear camera<\/td>12 MP<\/td>12 MP<\/td><\/tr>
Front camera<\/td>12 MP Center Stage<\/td>12 MP Center Stage<\/td><\/tr>
LiDAR<\/td>No<\/td>M2:<\/strong> Yes<\/td><\/tr>
3D scanning<\/td>No<\/td>Yes<\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table>

For online conversations, both models perform very well. The 12 MP front camera with Center Stage automatically keeps you in the frame during video conferences<\/strong>.<\/p>

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Pro offers additional capabilities for developers and professionals – such as a legacy LiDAR scanner.<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t

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Battery and charging - does the iPad Pro last longer than the Air?<\/h2>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
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Feature<\/th>iPad Air<\/th>iPad Pro<\/th><\/tr><\/thead>
Wi-Fi uptime<\/td>up to 10 h<\/td>up to 10 h<\/td><\/tr>
Charging<\/td>USB-C<\/td>USB-C \/ Thunderbolt (on select Pro models)<\/td><\/tr>
Mobile work<\/td>Yes<\/td>Yes<\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table>

In terms of battery, both models perform similarly. One day of work, university or travel should not be a problem<\/strong>.<\/p>

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The Pro Series gives you the edge with faster ports and better interoperability with external accessories.<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t

\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tThe 9th or 10th generation iPad? <\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
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Apple Pencil and keyboards<\/h2>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
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Feature<\/th>iPad Air<\/th>iPad Pro<\/th><\/tr><\/thead>
Apple Pencil<\/td>Yes<\/td>Yes<\/td><\/tr>
Magic Keyboard<\/td>Yes<\/td>Yes<\/td><\/tr>
Drawing<\/td>Very good<\/td>Best<\/td><\/tr>
Writing<\/td>Very good<\/td>Very good<\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table>

If you take notes, study or work on the go – both models are very good choices.<\/p>

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For professional drawing, the Pro with 120 Hz screen gives a more natural feel<\/strong> and less lag.<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t

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What to choose - iPad Pro or iPad Air?\n<\/h2>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
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Choose the Air series if:<\/strong><\/p>