iPad 9th Generation vs iPad Air M1

By Billy G. · Founder & Lead EditorVerified Jun 4 by Billy G.

iPad 9th Generation
iPad 9th Generation
iPad Air M1
iPad Air M1

Verdict: The iPad Air M1 wins decisively with its M1 chip delivering roughly double the multi-core performance of the A13 per Geekbench 6 data and 8 GB RAM versus 3 GB. It also offers a sharper 10.9-inch display compared to the 10.2-inch LCD on the 9th-gen model according to DisplayMate measurements. The 9th-gen iPad remains viable only for the most basic tasks at a lower price point.

Winner: iPad Air M1

iPad 9th Generation: 5.5/10

iPad Air M1: 8/10

Spec-by-spec comparison

iPad 9th GenerationiPad Air M1
display10.2-inch LCD 2160x1620 60Hz10.9-inch Liquid Retina 2360x1640 60Hz
chipA13 BionicM1
ram3 GB8 GB
storage64/256 GB64/256 GB

iPad 9th Generation

What works

  • Affordable entry-level pricing
  • Supports Apple Pencil (1st gen) and Smart Keyboard
  • Long software support through iPadOS 18

What doesn't

  • Only 3 GB RAM limits multitasking
  • Thick bezels and lower resolution display

iPad Air M1

What works

  • M1 chip delivers strong performance for editing and multitasking
  • Larger higher-resolution display with thinner bezels
  • USB-C port with faster data transfer

What doesn't

  • No support for Apple Pencil hover or second-gen Pencil
  • Still limited to 60Hz refresh rate

Bottom line

Our pick: iPad Air M1.

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