iPad Air M4 wins due to newer M4 chip, slimmer profile, and current-generation support per Apple's 2025-2026 lineup. The 12.9-inch iPad Pro M2 retains advantages in display brightness and Thunderbolt but trails in CPU speed by roughly 40-50% on Geekbench metrics from Notebookcheck. Choose the Air for most users unless the larger XDR screen is essential.