iPad Air M1 vs iPad Pro 11-inch M2

iPad Pro 11-inch M2 wins — The iPad Pro 11-inch M2 wins for users needing 120Hz smoothness and Thunderbolt (per RTINGS display tests and Geekbench …

Scores: iPad Air M1 6.5/10 · iPad Pro 11-inch M2 7.5/10

The iPad Pro 11-inch M2 wins for users needing 120Hz smoothness and Thunderbolt (per RTINGS display tests and Geekbench data). The M1 Air remains strong value for media consumption and light productivity. M2 leads in 4 of 6 scored categories with measurable advantages in refresh rate and port speed.

Spec-by-spec comparison

	iPad Air M1	iPad Pro 11-inch M2
Display	10.9-inch Liquid Retina LCD, 2360x1640	11-inch Liquid Retina XDR mini-LED, 2388x1668, 120Hz
Chip	Apple M1	Apple M2
RAM	8GB	8GB
Storage Options	64GB / 256GB	128GB / 256GB / 512GB / 1TB / 2TB

iPad Air M1

What works

Lower starting price than M2 Pro models
M1 delivers strong performance for productivity and media
Supports Apple Pencil 2 and Magic Keyboard

What doesn't

LCD display lacks 120Hz ProMotion and mini-LED brightness
Only USB-C 2.0 speeds, no Thunderbolt

iPad Pro 11-inch M2

What works

120Hz ProMotion display with up to 1600 nits HDR
Thunderbolt / USB4 port for faster transfers and external displays
M2 offers better sustained performance and graphics

What doesn't

Higher price than M1 Air
Older design with thicker bezels than 2024 M4 Pro

Bottom line

Our pick: iPad Pro 11-inch M2.

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