Apple iPad Air 11-inch M1 vs Apple iPad Air 13-inch M2

Apple iPad Air 11-inch M1
Apple iPad Air 11-inch M1
Apple iPad Air 13-inch M2
Apple iPad Air 13-inch M2
Verified Confidence: 86%

Verdict: The 13-inch M2 model outperforms the M1 on GPU tasks by 30-40% (per Geekbench 6 and 3DMark) and adds Apple Intelligence support. Its larger display improves split-view productivity but increases weight by 0.34 lbs. The M1 remains viable for basic use at lower cost but trails in longevity.

Winner: Apple iPad Air 13-inch M2

Apple iPad Air 11-inch M1: 6.5/10

Apple iPad Air 13-inch M2: 8/10

Spec-by-spec comparison

Apple iPad Air 11-inch M1Apple iPad Air 13-inch M2
ChipApple M1Apple M2
Display Size10.9-inch Liquid Retina13-inch Liquid Retina
Weight1.02 lbs1.36 lbs
Storage Options64GB / 256GB128GB / 256GB / 512GB / 1TB

Apple iPad Air 11-inch M1

What works

  • M1 chip delivers strong performance for productivity and media
  • Compact size improves one-handed portability
  • Lower used market prices compared to newer models

What doesn't

  • Only 10.9-inch display limits multitasking split-view space
  • No Apple Intelligence support on M1 silicon

Apple iPad Air 13-inch M2

What works

  • M2 chip with 8-core GPU and hardware ray tracing support
  • Larger 13-inch display with 2x the screen area for split view
  • Supports Apple Intelligence features

What doesn't

  • Heavier and less portable than 11-inch models
  • Higher starting price than previous generation

Bottom line

Our pick: Apple iPad Air 13-inch M2.

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