iPad Air (M4, 13‑inch) vs iPad Pro (12.9‑inch, M5)

iPad Pro (12.9‑inch, M5) wins — The iPad Pro (12

Scores: iPad Air (M4, 13‑inch) 7/10 · iPad Pro (12.9‑inch, M5) 8.5/10

The iPad Pro (12.9‑inch, M5) outperforms the iPad Air in raw graphics (Geekbench 6 shows 9,800 vs 7,500 GPU points) and offers a dramatically brighter XDR screen (RTINGS reports 1600 nits peak vs 600 nits on Air). However, the Air’s $800 price makes it a stronger value for everyday tasks, delivering comparable battery life and a lighter chassis. For creators who need top‑tier display and GPU po...

iPad Air (M4, 13‑inch) lists at $799 while iPad Pro (12.9‑inch, M5) lists at $1,099 — iPad Air (M4, 13‑inch) undercuts iPad Pro (12.9‑inch, M5) by $300 (38%).

Spec-by-spec comparison

iPad Air (M4, 13‑inch)iPad Pro (12.9‑inch, M5)
ChipApple M4 (8‑core CPU, 10‑core GPU)Apple M5 (8‑core CPU, 16‑core GPU)
Display13.0‑inch Liquid Retina, 2360×1640, 120 Hz ProMotion12.9‑inch Liquid Retina XDR, 2732×2048, 120 Hz ProMotion, 1000 nits sustained / 1600 nits peak
Storage128 GB128 GB
BatteryUp to 10 h web browsing (per Apple)Up to 10 h web browsing (per Apple)

iPad Air (M4, 13‑inch)

What works

  • Lightweight and portable
  • Lower price than Pro model
  • Supports Apple Pencil 2nd gen

What doesn't

  • No mini‑LED XDR display
  • Only a single USB‑C/Thunderbolt port

iPad Pro (12.9‑inch, M5)

What works

  • Brighter mini‑LED XDR display
  • More GPU cores for graphics‑intensive apps
  • Higher maximum storage options (up to 2 TB)

What doesn't

  • Higher price point
  • Heavier than Air model

Bottom line

Our pick: iPad Pro (12.9‑inch, M5).

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