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 Air M1 11 Inch
iPad Pro 11 Inch M2
Verified Confidence: 85%

Verdict: The iPad Pro 11-inch M2 wins for users needing 120Hz smoothness and Thunderbolt, beating the Air M1 on display refresh (120Hz vs 60Hz per RTINGS) and GPU tasks. The Air M1 remains strong value for media and light work at lower cost. M2's 8-core CPU outperforms M1's by ~20% in sustained loads per Notebookcheck.

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
ChipApple M1Apple M2
Display10.9-inch Liquid Retina11-inch Liquid Retina XDR
Refresh Rate60Hz120Hz ProMotion
RAM8GB8GB

iPad Air M1 11 Inch

What works

  • M1 chip delivers strong performance for productivity and media
  • Affordable entry into Apple silicon tablets
  • Thin and light design at 1.02 lbs

What doesn't

  • Only 60Hz display limits smoothness
  • No Thunderbolt support

iPad Pro 11 Inch M2

What works

  • M2 chip offers 20-30% faster CPU/GPU than M1 per Geekbench
  • 120Hz ProMotion display for fluid scrolling
  • Thunderbolt 4 port for faster transfers

What doesn't

  • Higher price than Air models
  • Overkill for basic tasks

Bottom line

Our pick: iPad Pro 11 Inch M2.

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