iPad Air 11 Inch M1 vs iPad Pro 13 Inch M4

iPad Air 11 Inch M1
iPad Air 11 Inch M1
iPad Pro 13 Inch M4
iPad Pro 13 Inch M4
Verified Confidence: 85%

Verdict: The iPad Pro 13-inch M4 wins decisively with its tandem OLED 120Hz display and M4 chip delivering 45% higher multi-core scores than the M1 (per Geekbench 6). The Air M1 remains capable for basic use but lacks the Pro's Thunderbolt speeds and advanced display. The Pro justifies its cost only for users needing the OLED panel and top-tier performance.

Winner: iPad Pro 13 Inch M4

iPad Air 11 Inch M1: 6.5/10

iPad Pro 13 Inch M4: 8.5/10

Spec-by-spec comparison

iPad Air 11 Inch M1iPad Pro 13 Inch M4
ChipApple M1Apple M4
Display10.9-inch12.9-inch
RAM8GB/16GB8GB/16GB/32GB
Storage Options64GB/256GB256GB/512GB/1TB/2TB
CPUM3M5
GPUM14M19

iPad Air 11 Inch M1

What works

  • M1 delivers strong multi-core performance for productivity apps
  • Lower price point compared to current Pro models
  • Thin and light at 1.02 lbs for everyday carry

What doesn't

  • Only 60Hz refresh rate limits smoothness in scrolling and gaming
  • No Thunderbolt support and limited to USB-C 2 speeds

iPad Pro 13 Inch M4

What works

  • M4 chip with hardware ray tracing and up to 50% faster GPU than M1
  • Tandem OLED display reaches 1000 nits full-screen brightness
  • Ultra-thin 5.1mm body with Thunderbolt 4 and Wi-Fi 6E

What doesn't

  • Higher starting price than previous Air models
  • Overkill for users who only need basic apps and browsing

Bottom line

Our pick: iPad Pro 13 Inch M4.

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