Choosing from the many available models can be challenging. The iPad Air and iPad Pro are the most well-known and popular models in the world. And if performance is important to you, you’ll probably choose one of these two iPad models.
We will review all of their features, functions, and specifications in this topic. Make your choice based on something they’ve to offer as well as how they differentiate from one another.
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Key Differences between iPad Air and iPad Pro:
iPad Air:-
- In iPad Touch ID built into the top button
- The 10.9-inch display is available in iPad Pro
- Liquid Retina LED Display is available on iPad Air
- In an iPad Air 500 nits, the max brightness feature is available,
- The iPad Air has 8 GB of memory.
- LED-backlit Multi-Touch display measuring 27.69 cm / 10.9 inches (diagonal) and using IPS technology
- Storage is up to 256 GB
- The iPad Air has a much gentler A14 Bionic processor and an M1 processor.
- 10 hours of WiFi browsing and video watching, 9 hours of mobile data use, and USB-C charging
- In iPad Air, six-core CPU and 4-core GPU is available.
- The iPad Air’s 12MP ultra-wide front camera is decent.
- Landscape 2 speaker audio feature
- USB C connector is available for charging and connecting your PC
- Digital zoom of up to 5x is the best feature of the iPad air
- iPad Air is less expensive than iPad Pro
iPad Pro:-
- Face ID is available on iPad Pro, enabled by TrueDepth Camera.
- The 11-inch and 12.9 displays are available in iPad Pro.
- The highest full-screen brightness of a 12.9-inch device with only a clear retinal XDR mini-LED display is 1,000 nits, and the maximum brightness is 1,600 nits.
- In an iPad Pro 600 nits, the max brightness feature is available,
- iPad Pro comes with 8 GB or 16 GB of memory
- 32.77 cm / 12.9-inch Mini-LED backlit Multi-Touch screen with IPS technology.
- Storage is up to 2TB
- The powerful Apple M2 processor powers the iPad Pro.
- 10 hours of WiFi browsing and video watching, 9 hours of mobile data use, and USB-C charging
- In iPad Pro, 8-core CPU and 8-core GPU are available.
- With a triple camera configuration that includes a TOF 3D LiDAR camera, the iPad Pro’s rear camera smashes the iPad Air.
- It has a 4-speaker audio system.
- Thunderbolt and USB 4 are supported by the USB-C connector.
- Both 5x digital and 2x optical zoom is available. This is the iPad Pro’s finest feature.
- iPad Pro is more expensive than iPad Air.
Comparison Between iPad Air and iPad Pro
| Parameters | iPad Air | iPad Pro |
|---|---|---|
| Display Size | True Tone Liquid Retina with 10.9″ Display | Liquid Retina XDR display (12.9″), ProMotion, and True Tone |
| Processor | The iPad has the much gentler A13 Bionic processor and M1 processor | The powerful Apple M2 processor powers the iPad Pro. |
| CPU | An 8-core CPU has four performance cores and four efficiency cores. | CPU with eight cores, four of which are performance cores and four of which are efficiency cores. |
| Cameras | Only have one 12 MP wide camera. | Cameras with 12 MP wide and 10 MP ultra-wide resolution. |
| GPU | 8 core GPU | 10 core GPU |
| Storage up to | Storage capacity is up to 256 GB | The storage capacity is up to 2 TB |
| Apple Pencil | It only works with Apple 2 pencil. | It is compatible with both Apple 1 and Apple 2. |
| Sensors | Touch ID sensor | Face ID sensor |
| Keyboard | The iPad Air makes use of the Magic Keyboard Folio. | Magic Keyboard and Smart Keyboard Folio are available on the iPad Pro. |
| Height | 247.6 mm (9.74 inches) | 280.6mm (11.04 inches) |
| Width | 178.5 mm (7.02 inches) | 214.9 mm(8.46 inches) |
| Weight | 461 grams (1.02 pounds) | 682 grams (1.5 pounds) |
| Bluetooth | Bluetooth version 4.0 | Bluetooth version 5.0 |
| Connector | USB C port | Thunderbolt/USB 4 port |
| Price | Less Expensive than iPad Pro. | iPad Pro is more expensive |
Major Differences between iPad Air and iPad Pro:-
What exactly is the iPad Air?
The iPad Air from Apple is a thinner and lighter iOS tablet than the company’s previous models. The iPad Air has a 64-bit Apple A7 processor, 1 GB of RAM, and the iOS 7 operating system.
The 10.9-inch screen occupies a slightly smaller frame than the standard model, making the display slightly bigger than the iPad. The image is fantastic and reproduces stunning images thanks to Apple’s retina display technology.
The iPad Air has received positive reviews for having a Retina display, being lighter and faster than its iOS predecessors, and having a long battery life.
Additionally, it uses MIMO technology, which boosts data throughput to 300MBps. Also included is Bluetooth 4.0. The price of the 16GB Wi-Fi model at the time of writing is $500.
What is an iPad Pro?
The Apple iPad Pro, a 12.9-inch touchscreen tablet computer, is larger and has a better resolution than Apple’s earlier iPad devices. The iOS 9-powered iPad Pro was slated to debut in November 2015. At a San Francisco event in September 2015, Apple unveiled the product.
Apple also introduced this iPad’s first Apple Pencil and Smart Keyboard. The Apple Pencil was an excellent contribution to this iPad since that ignores the user’s palm while in use and is designed for low latency to facilitate proper marking on the screen.
Using the iPad to take notes and work from anywhere is made simpler by the Smart Keyboard.
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iPad vs. iPad Pro All you need to know:-
iPad Air:-
- iPad Air comes in a 10.9-inch version.
- In iPad Air, there is an A14 bionic processor; in some versions, we can find M1 processors.
- It has an 8-core PowerVR Series 7 graphics processor built-in.
- The RAM on the iPad Air is 4 GB LPDDR4.
- On the back, iPad Air has an 8-megapixel, 1080p HD camera.
- The A14 Bionic processor in the iPad Air is much more gentle.
- The iPad Air’s front-facing camera is 12 MP and can shoot HD video at 720p.
- It has internal storage options of 64 and 256 GB.
- iPad Air has a touch ID.
- The top button has a fingerprint identity sensor for security authentication.
- The landscape two audio speaker feature is available in iPad Air.
- Stereo recording and audio zoom options are not there on iPad Air.
iPad Pro:-
- The 10.5-inch and 12.9-inch iPad Pro models are available.
- It has an Apple M10 co-processor built in and an A10X Fusion chip for faster and better performance.
- iPad has a 12-core Power VR series 7XT GPU built-in.
- It has 4GB of LPDDR4 RAM inside.
- The iPad’s 12-megapixel camera includes six lens elements and optical image stabilization.
- The iPad Pro is powered by Apple’s powerful M2 CPU.
- FaceTime HD camera on iPad is a 7-megapixel device with 1080p HD video recording.
- It comes in 64 GB, 256 GB, and 512 GB capacities.
- The iPad Pro has a face ID.
- TrueDepth camera for facial recognition enables security authentication.
- Four Audio Speaker is the best feature of iPad Pro.
- Stereo recording and audio zoom options are available in iPad Pro.
Contrast between iPad Air and iPad Pro
Design
- iPad Air: Despite having a smaller display and slightly thicker bezels, the 10.9-inch iPad Air is almost really the same size as the current 11-inch iPad Pro.
- iPad Pro: Apple significantly updated the iPad Pro’s design last year, giving it a more upscale and modern appearance. The iPad Pro now boasts a screen that is edge-to-edge, with slim bezels and curvy edges.
Display and Comparison
- iPad Air: The iPad Air’s 10.9-inch Liquid Retina display is an LED screen. It boasts a 2360×1640 resolution, True Tone support, and an overall brightness of 500 nits.
- iPad Pro: The iPad Pro range features mini-LED technology for improved visibility, a greater maximum luminance level, and a higher response rate of up to 120Hz.
The iPad Pro’s Liquid Retina XDR mini-LED screen is more contrasty than conventional Liquid Retina displays. If you place a premium on display quality, the iPad Pro is a better choice.
Memory and Storage
- iPad Air:-
The iPad Air’s storage capacity is only up to 256 GB. This is another important difference between both the iPad Pro and iPad Air.
- iPad Pro:-
In comparison to the iPad Air’s 8GB of RAM, the iPad Pro features either 8GB or 16GB of RAM, based on storage capacity. All the other iPad Pro memory combinations have 8GB of RAM, except for the 1TB and 2TB storage models, which have 16GB of RAM.
Camera
- iPad Air: A single 12MP wide-angle f/1.8 camera is available on the iPad Air.
- iPad Pro: A 10MP Ultra Wide lens and a LiDAR sensor are features of the iPad Pro. Even so, features like Portrait mode and illumination are available on the iPad Pro True Depth camera to help you take better pictures.
Speaker
- iPad Air: There are two speakers on the iPad Air in landscape mode.
- iPad Pro: There are four larger speakers on the iPad Pro. If you listen to music or watch movies on your iPad using the installed speakers, the iPad Pro will give you a little better experience.
Ports and Wireless Connectivity
- iPad Air:-
iPads have Wi-Fi 6, Bluetooth 5.0, and 5G on cellular versions for wireless connections. Only a sub-6GHz 5G cellular connection is available on the iPad Air. USB C port is available in the iPad Air.
- iPad Pro:-
The iPad Pro can use mm-Wave and sub-6GHz 5G. The iPad Pro includes a Thunderbolt port. Thunderbolt and USB 4 are supported by the USB-C connector.
Wireless Networking
- iPad Air: Both iPads have Wi-Fi 6, Bluetooth 5.0, and 5G on cellular models for wireless connectivity. The iPad Air primarily handles 5G cellular connections that operate at less than 6GHz.
- iPad Pro: In the US, the iPad Pro is compatible with mm-Wave and sub-6GHz 5G. Where available, mm-Wave 5G is significantly faster than sub-6GHz. This may be a compelling argument to purchase the iPad Pro if you require a fast 5G cellular connection in the United States.
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Authentication
iPad Air:-
The authentication process is an important distinction between iPad Air and iPad Pro. The iPad Air’s top button contains a Touch ID fingerprint scanner. Touch ID is a feature of the iPad Air.
iPad Pro:-
The iPad Pro includes Face ID. On the iPad Pro, the True Depth camera set on the top bezel allows Face ID.
RAM, GPU, and CPU
- iPad Air: The iPad Air is powered by a 6-core CPU and a 4-core GPU. Therefore, iPad Pro is faster than iPad Air, as should be obvious. A Hexa-core CPU is beneficial for gamers as well, though. But an Octa-core CPU greatly enhances the final product for gamers who stream.
- iPad Pro: In terms of RAM, the 12.9-in iPad Pro has 8GB or 16GB, compared to the 11-in iPad Pro’s 6GB and the iPad Air’s 4GB. As a result, the most recent iPad Pro should perform better than the other two.
Battery power
- iPad Air: In our battery test, the 2020 iPad Air 4 lasted for 10 hours and 29 minutes, demonstrating its high power efficiency.
- iPad Pro: It falls short of the 11-inch iPad Pro’s 13 hours and 42 minutes of battery life in the same test, which makes it one of the longest-lasting tablets we’ve ever tested.
Graphics
- iPad Air: An 8-core PowerVR GXA6850 graphics processor powers the iPad Air
- iPad Pro: A 12-core PowerVR series 7XT graphics processor powers the iPad Pro.
CPU
- iPad Air: A 1.5 GHz tri-core 64-bit processor powers the iPad Air. An 8-core CPU has four performance cores and four efficiency cores.
- iPad Pro: The iPad Pro is powered by a hexa-core 64-bit processor running at 2.39 GHz. The iPad Pro’s CPU features eight cores in total, 4 of which are performance cores and four of which are efficiency cores.
Sensors
- iPad Air: Touch ID is available on iPad Air. For security authentication, the top button has a fingerprint identity sensor.
- iPad Pro: Face ID is available on the iPad Pro. Security authentication is made possible by true-depth cameras used for facial recognition.
Bluetooth
- iPad Air: Version 4.0 of Bluetooth is present in iPad Air.
- iPad Pro: Bluetooth version 5.0 is available on the iPad Pro. Faster Bluetooth pairing with connected devices.
Price
- iPad Air: If anyone is looking for a dependable iPad without spending a lot of money, the iPad Air is a great choice. Apple will continue to provide support for it. Despite the lack of a few of the Pro’s bells and whistles, users will not be disappointed.
- iPad Pro: The iPad Pro series is the best option when spending an extra $300 or $400 to get the best performance and pro-level features because of its additional processing power, which is useful for multitasking.
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The verdict on the iPad Air vs. iPad Pro
Why buy the iPad Air?
When all of the commonalities and contrasts are considered, the iPad Air is likely to be the best option for a lot of consumers. While it has practically all the great attributes of the most costly iPad, it is roughly $200 less expensive than the iPad Pro.
Why buy the iPad Pro?
The iPad Pro includes more functionality than the iPad Air. The iPad Pro incorporates a facial ID for security and authentication purposes. Aside from that, the iPad Pro includes more notable characteristics such as increased storage capacity, a high-quality processor, and high-quality camera functions. However, the iPad Pro is significantly more expensive than the iPad. So it’s up to you to decide what you want to buy.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Q1. What distinguishes an iPad Air from an iPad Pro?
The iPad Air’s 10.9-inch Liquid Retina display is an LED panel. It has a 2360×1640 resolution, True Tone support, and an overall brightness of 500 nits.
The 11-inch Liquid Retina Display on the smaller iPad Pro also has a resolution of 2388×1668 and a maximum brightness of 600 nits. True Tone and ProMotion are also included.
Q2. Is buying an iPad Air or Pro worthwhile?
Despite the fact that the iPad Pro already has many amazing features, the new iPad Air closes the gap even more by including an M1 chip, a super duper rear camera with the middle of the stage, 5G connectivity, and other improvements.
Q3. Which tablet is better for students, the iPad Air or the iPad Pro?
The iPad Air 5 is our top pick, but all the iPads that were considered have great features for students. With a larger, edge-to-edge display and the potent M1 chip, it has the best qualities of the Pro but is considerably less expensive.
Q4. What does “iPad Air” mean?
When Apple released the iPad Air, the name was changed from “iPad” to “iPad Air,” reflecting a shift in Apple’s business strategy of segmenting its iPad lineup into models with varying screen sizes and processing power.
Q5. Can iPad Air be used with Apple Pencil?
These iPad models are Apple Pencil (2nd generation) compatible: iPad mini (6th generation), iOS Air (4th generation and later), and 12.9-inch iPad Pro (3rd generation and later).
Q6. Is now a good time to purchase an iPad Pro?
The 2021 11-inch iPad Pro and 12.9-inch iPad Pro are still available, but try to keep your costs under $600 and $950, respectively.
The 2020 12.9-inch iPad Pro and 2020 11-inch iPad Pro are comparable, but keep your costs between $500 and $700. Any more, and you’d be better off buying the most recent.
Q7. Is buying an iPad Air worth it?
If you’re looking for a high-quality tablet that can do it all, the 2022 iPad Air is the greatest option in Apple’s tablet lineup—and a better bet than any Android tablet. It receives our Editor’s Choice award.
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