After almost two years, Apple has refreshed its iPad range with a slimmer iPad Pro and a new iPad Air. The new tablets begin at $999 and $599, respectively. Both are up for pre-order now before their release on May 15th.
For the first time, Apple put an OLED screen on the iPad Pro and added a new M4 chip. They also introduced a 13-inch Air model.
Now, both models come in 11- and 13-inch sizes. Plus, they both work with the same styli: the Apple Pencil with USB-C and the upcoming Apple Pencil Pro. So, if you need a big tablet for work or fun, you’ve got more choices now.
Although the iPad Air and iPad Pro may seem similar, they have distinct differences. The iPad Pro is thinner with an OLED display. But, is it worth paying $400 more for entertainment needs?
To aid your decision, we’ve compared the specifications of both tablets and pointed out the main variations. Soon, we’ll publish detailed reviews for each tablet. Check back for updates.
Price and storage options explained
The new iPad Pro and iPad Air have different prices. The Wi-Fi 11-inch iPad Air starts at $599 and the 13-inch at $799. For cellular models, it’s $749 and $949. Both have more storage than the 2022 model. You can also get up to 1TB of storage.
The Wi-Fi-only 11-inch iPad Pro begins at $999 and the 13-inch version at $1,299. For models with cellular connectivity, prices start at $1,199 and $1,499, respectively. Each base model has 256GB of storage, twice that of the latest iPad Air. Storage options can go up to 2TB.
Appearance and screen
Apple’s latest iPads stand apart in design, display, and pricing. While the iPad Pro impresses with its sleek and lightweight build, surpassing even the iPad Air in portability, it offers limited color options in black and silver.
In contrast, the new iPad Air caters to diverse tastes with color choices including dark gray, starlight gold, light purple, and light blue.
Furthermore, the iPad Pro incorporates ProMotion technology with a remarkable 120Hz refresh rate, a feature absent in the iPad Air.
This results in smoother scrolling and gaming experiences for iPad Pro users, while artists utilizing the Apple Pencil benefit from enhanced responsiveness.
Strength of Processing
The latest iPad Pro has the Apple M4 chip, while the new iPad Air has the older M2 processor. Apple claims the new iPad Pro has a CPU that’s 50% faster than the M2-powered iPad Pro and likely also faster than the new M2-equipped iPad Air.
Opting for the 1TB version introduces a faster 10-core M4 chip, marking Apple’s first processor upgrade for a particular iPad model. Despite its enhanced performance, the new M4 chip consumes only half the power of its predecessor, the M2 chip.
The M4 model of the iPad has better CPU performance. Apple claims its new Neural Engine is 60 times faster than the one in the A11 Bionic model from 2017.
It can handle 38 trillion calculations per second. Qualcomm’s Snapdragon X Elite chip, coming to Windows laptops, has 45 trillion calculations per second.
The latest iPad Pro has upgraded graphics and supports ray tracing and mesh shading for better gaming. Its new M4 chip introduces Dynamic Caching, enhancing performance for professional apps and games by managing memory more efficiently.
Accessories
The new iPad Air and iPad Pro both work with Apple accessories. Surprisingly, neither supports the second-gen Apple Pencil.
But they do support last year’s Apple Pencil (USB‑C) and the new Apple Pencil Pro. So, Pro and Air owners can enjoy features like Find My support, haptic feedback, and squeeze gestures with the Apple Pencil Pro.
Now that the iPad Air has the M2 chip, artists can use the hover feature like the iPad Pro. This allows previewing line strokes before marking the screen with the Apple Pencil.
The new iPad Air can use the Magic Keyboard for iPad Air (M2), while the iPad Pro can’t. The Magic Keyboard for iPad Pro (M4) won’t be compatible with the iPad Air. This means only iPad Pro users can use the new, lighter, and thinner aluminum keyboard.
The updated keyboard has a larger, more sensitive trackpad. It comes in two colors and has extra features like a row of function keys.
But you can still use the 11-inch version with the sixth-generation iPad Air.
When it comes to protecting your iPad, Apple has got you covered with their Smart Folio covers. These sleek and stylish covers are available for both the iPad Air and iPad Pro, ensuring that your device stays safe from scratches and bumps.
Speaker and camera comparison
The iPad Air has two stereo speakers and mics, while the iPad Pro has four speakers and four mics. This suggests that the new Pro models will likely have better sound than the iPad Air. Also, with the OLED display, the iPad Pro will likely stay the top choice for watching movies.
Apple moved the front cameras on both tablets to the longer edge, making video calls in landscape mode easier.
They both come with 12-megapixel f/1.8 cameras. But only the iPad Pro has a unique True Tone flash that adjusts to the surroundings. This flash helps reduce shadows when scanning documents.
Changing the position of the front cameras on the iPads makes holding them sideways for video calls more comfortable. The cameras on both devices are of high quality, capturing clear images with their 12-megapixel lenses.
However, the iPad Pro stands out with its adaptive True Tone flash feature. This unique flash adapts to the environment, ensuring better illumination for scanned documents.
With this adjustment, users can enjoy improved ergonomics during landscape-mode video calls on the latest iPad Pro and iPad Air models. Additionally, the 12-megapixel cameras on both devices promise sharp and detailed photos.
Yet, the iPad Pro boasts an extra edge with its adaptive True Tone flash. This advanced flash technology enhances document scanning by minimizing unwanted shadows, ensuring clearer and more professional results.
