iPad Air M1 11-inch vs iPad Pro 11-inch M2

By Billy G. · Founder & Lead EditorVerified May 27 by Billy G.

iPad Air M1 11-inch
iPad Pro 11-inch M2

Verdict: The iPad Pro 11-inch M2 wins due to its 120Hz ProMotion display and faster M2 chip, delivering smoother drawing and video playback than the M1 Air per RTINGS and Notebookcheck tests. The Air remains viable for media and light work at a lower cost but trails in display fluidity and GPU tasks. M2 model justifies the premium for users needing precision input or HDR content.

Winner: iPad Pro 11-inch M2

iPad Air M1 11-inch: 6.5/10

iPad Pro 11-inch M2: 8/10

Spec-by-spec comparison

iPad Air M1 11-inchiPad Pro 11-inch M2
ProcessorApple M1Apple M2
Display10.9-inch Liquid Retina 60Hz11-inch Liquid Retina XDR 120Hz
RAM8GB8GB
Weight1.02 lbs1.03 lbs

iPad Air M1 11-inch

What works

  • M1 chip delivers strong performance for productivity and media
  • Affordable entry into Apple silicon tablets
  • Supports Apple Pencil 2 and Magic Keyboard

What doesn't

  • 60Hz display lacks smoothness of ProMotion
  • Only 8GB RAM limits heavy multitasking

iPad Pro 11-inch M2

What works

  • M2 chip offers 20-30% faster CPU/GPU than M1 per Geekbench benchmarks
  • 120Hz ProMotion display for fluid scrolling and Apple Pencil latency
  • Brighter 1600 nits peak HDR performance

What doesn't

  • Higher price than M1 Air for similar RAM
  • Thicker bezels than newer 2024 models

Bottom line

Our pick: iPad Pro 11-inch M2.

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