Pricing: This One Is Easy
Both the iPad Air and the iPad Pro come with either 11 or 13-inch screens. The cheapest Air comes with 128GB of storage, a spec not offered on the Pro. The Pro offers another high-end storage option with a 2TB model, whereas the Air stops at 1TB.
In general, though, expect to pay a $300 premium for all 11-inch Pro models over their Air counterparts, and an extra $400 for comparable 13-inch models. Meanwhile, the difference between an 11-inch and a 13-inch Air with the same specs is $200, whereas you’ll pay a $300 premium for the bigger Pro model compared with its 11-inch variant.
With the Air, an extra $150 adds cellular 5G in addition to Wi-Fi and Bluetooth, while an extra $200 gets you the same luxury on the Pro models. Finally, the 1TB and 2TB Pro models also unlock a specialized nano-texture glass option for an extra $100.
But just focusing on the base prices, the 11-inch Air costs $599 for 128GB, $699 for 256GB, $899 for 512GB, and $1,099 for 1TB. The 11-inch Pro costs $999 for 256GB, $1,199 for 512GB, $1,599 for 1TB, and $1,999 for 2TB. The two Pro models with more storage also have an extra CPU core and more memory, though (more on this later).
Winner: iPad Air
Design: Both Are Beautiful
Both the iPad Air and the iPad Pro have thin frames and bezels, as well as rounded corners. The Air has a single lens on the back, whereas the Pro has two for a True Depth camera system (more on that below). The Air has brighter color options. With the Pro, you’re limited to Space Black or Silver. The Air comes in Space Gray, Blue, Purple, or Starlight (an off-white color).
The measurements of the new iPad Air match the previous model, with the 11-inch version at 9.74 by 7.02 by 0.24 inches (HWD) and the 13-inch at 11.04 by 8.46 by 0.24 inches. The 11-inch model is strangely a hair heavier than its predecessor (1.02 pounds compared with 1.01), but the 13-inch model weighs the same 1.36 pounds.
The iPad Pro is a touch thinner and lighter, with the 11-inch version measuring 9.83 by 6.99 by 0.21 inches (HWD) and 0.98 pounds. The 13-inch model measures 11.09 by 8.48 by 0.20 inches and weighs 1.28 pounds.
Given that you might be hard-pressed to notice a difference of a few hundredths of a pound in their weight, the iPad Air gets the edge in this category with its more varied color options.
Winner: iPad Air
Display: The Pro Is Still the One to Beat
The iPad Air doesn't improve upon its predecessor's display. That means the iPad Pro is still the clear winner in this category, as its UltraRetina XDR display with a faster refresh rate (an adaptive rate of 10 to 120Hz for smooth scrolling compared with a fixed 60Hz) is one of its main differentiators compared with the midrange model. The Air has a Liquid Retina display with an LED backlight, while the Pro uses OLED technology for finer pixel control, truer blacks, and greater contrast.
The Air and Pro models do have similar resolutions, though. The 11-inch Air has a 2,360‑by‑1,640-pixel resolution, compared with 2,420 by 1,668 pixels on the 11-inch Pro. The 13-inch Air has a resolution of 2,732 by 2,048, and the Pro has a resolution of 2,752 by 2,064. All four have a pixel density of 264 pixels per inch (ppi).
The bigger Air can also reach a brighter 600 nits, compared with the 500-nit max of the 11-inch model, whereas both Pros can get much brighter, with a max output of 1,000 nits on standard-definition content and a blazing 1,600 nits on HDR video.
Between the increased brightness, smoother refresh rate, and improved contrast, even an untrained eye could likely still tell the difference between the Pro and Air screens.
Winner: iPad Pro
Processor: Closing the Gap
Both models can run most of the same apps and software tricks through iPadOS 26, and both have access to Apple’s generative AI, called Apple Intelligence. But the M5 chip in the iPad Pro has a GPU that is about 1.6 times faster than the M4 in the iPad Air. That said, the M4 is much closer to the capabilities of the M5 than the older M3 of the 2025 iPad Air. The M4 version of the Air has an eight-core CPU, a nine-core GPU, a 16-core Neural Engine, accelerated ray tracing, and 12GB of RAM, up from 8GB in the 2025 iPad Air.
The iPad Pro starts with 12GB of RAM, but the 1TB and 2TB models bump it up to 16GB. The 12GB models have a nine-core CPU and a 10-core GPU, compared with 10 and 10 on the 16GB versions.
It's worth noting that the 2024 iPad Pro, the prior version, has an M4 chip like the iPad Air, making it an apt comparison as it's likely in line with what we'll see on the M4 Air. In our testing, we noticed modest CPU gains with the iPad Pro's M5 chip, but significant improvements in graphics, GPU, and overall gaming performance.
Winner: iPad Pro
Battery Life and Connectivity: A Few Important Spec Bumps
Although both the iPad Pro and the iPad Air are rated to last for 10 hours of web browsing or video playback on Wi-Fi and 9 hours of browsing over 5G, our testing shows a bit of differentiation. The iPad Pro lasted for 8 hours and 11 minutes, while the previous iPad Air lasted for 7 hours and 21 minutes. Apple didn’t note any improved battery on the newest Air, but the M4 processor upgrade could make a difference here. We'll know more once we get the iPad Air in for testing.
The Air does catch up to the Pro on the connectivity front with new silicon (the N1 for wireless and C1X for cellular) for supporting Wi-Fi 7 and Bluetooth 6, as well as a built-in Thread receiver so it can act as a hub for devices that work with the Matter smart home protocol. The Pro supports the superior Bluetooth 7 protocol, with the same Wi-Fi 7 connectivity. Both the Pro and Air cellular models have sub-6GHz and C-band 5G.
Given how close this category is, it's a tie.
Winner: Tie
Cameras: The Pro Remains the Leader
The iPad Air doesn’t have improved cameras compared with its predecessor, so it’s still behind the iPad Pro in this category. Both the iPad Pro and the iPad Air have 12MP lenses on the front and back, with the front models featuring the company’s Center Stage software to keep you in frame if you move during a video call. Both can also record video at up to 4K.
The Pro's front camera has Portrait mode with depth control and Bokeh effects to blur the background. The rear camera supports Apple ProRes capture and features a True Tone flash for enhanced low-light performance in stills. It also has audio zoom to raise the subject's recorded audio level and records in stereo.
The cameras on the Pro have sufficient depth recognition to capture your face and unlock your device with Face ID. The Air doesn’t support facial recognition.
Winner: iPad Pro
Verdict: Which iPad Should You Buy?
The iPad Air has narrowed the performance gap with the Pro thanks to its newer processor. Still, on paper at least, the Pro remains a powerhouse that the Air doesn’t fully rival. Since the iPad Air was just announced, we’ll need hands-on testing before delivering a final verdict, so make sure to check back soon. For now, here's how we see it:
- If you want the fastest and most capable iPad Apple makes, the answer is easy: The iPad Pro is an ideal content-creation device, and its gorgeous screen and powerful speakers make it an awesome slate for watching your favorite movies and TV shows.
- The iPad Air, meanwhile, is a great pick if you want more performance than the base iPad provides. With both 11-inch and 13-inch options, it offers welcome flexibility. It's also an excellent choice for portable gaming—especially if you prefer a larger screen than a dedicated handheld console.