By Billy G. · Founder & Lead EditorVerified Jul 10 by Billy G.
iPad Air 13
iPad Air 13 Inch M3vs
iPad Pro 13
iPad Pro 13 Inch M5
Worth-It Score: 76/100WAITiPad Pro 13 Inch M5 scores well, but current pricing sits above our fair-price band. Wait for a price drop before pulling the trigger.
Verdict: iPad Pro 13-inch M5 leads with tandem OLED at 1600 nits and M5 chip scoring 4.1 million multi-core versus M3's 2.8 million. It beats the Air on display refresh rate and RAM but costs more. The Air M3 remains competitive for lighter use at a lower entry price.
iPad Air 13 Inch M3 lists at $799 while iPad Pro 13 Inch M5 lists at $1,299 — iPad Air 13 Inch M3 undercuts iPad Pro 13 Inch M5 by $500 (63%).
How we scored itSpec verificationOwner sentimentLive pricing (4h refresh)Editorial reviewOur methodology →
Winner: iPad Pro 13 Inch M5
iPad Air 13 Inch M3: 7/10
iPad Pro 13 Inch M5: 9/10
Spec-by-spec comparison
iPad Air 13 Inch M3
iPad Pro 13 Inch M5
Chip
Apple M3
Apple M5
Display
13-inch Liquid Retina LCD
120Hz
RAM
8 GB
16 GB
Weight
1.35 lb
1.28 lb
Storage
128GB256GB512GB1TB2TB
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Front Camera
—
12MP
iPad Air 13 Inch M3
What works
M3 delivers 2.8 million Geekbench 6 multi-core (per Geekbench)
Starts at lower price point than Pro models
Supports Apple Pencil Pro and Magic Keyboard
What doesn't
LCD panel reaches only 500 nits peak brightness (per RTINGS)
No tandem OLED or 120Hz ProMotion
iPad Pro 13 Inch M5
What works
M5 achieves 4.1 million Geekbench 6 multi-core (per Geekbench)
Tandem OLED hits 1600 nits peak (per RTINGS)
120Hz ProMotion with thinner bezels
What doesn't
Higher starting price than Air models
Overkill for basic tasks like browsing and streaming
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