by Josh Teder
I’ve had the latest iPad Pro for well over six months, and now that the new updated iPad Air is out, if you’re stuck between which one to get, this video is for you. I’ll take you through the major differences and which one I ultimately think most people should get.
Display Differences
The first major difference between these tablets is their displays. The iPad Pro features a stunning tandem OLED display, while the iPad Air uses a Liquid Retina display, which is essentially an LCD display with LED backlighting. The difference is immediately noticeable when you look at them side by side. The Pro’s display has incredible contrast with deep blacks and vibrant colors.
The Pro also has ProMotion technology, giving it a 120Hz refresh rate compared to the Air’s 60Hz. In 2025, it is a bit ridiculous that the Air doesn’t have a 120Hz refresh rate, but that’s what happens when Apple basically has run away with the tablet market and doesn’t face a ton of competition. Is this really a big deal? For some, yes. For others, no. The difference is especially noticeable when scrolling through content or playing games. Experiences like writing, typing notes, or emails will be less noticeable.
One thing to note about these displays involves pulse-width modulation, or PWM. PWM is how some panel manufacturers make the displays dimmer by flickering the display on and off at a frequency above 100 hertz so you can’t perceive it with the naked eye. While you can’t see this flickering, some people experience headaches and eye strain related to displays that use PWM. You can easily detect PWM by shooting a camera at a high frame rate and looking for banding. You can see the iPad Pro has this banding, while the iPad Air has no noticeable flicker. So if you’re sensitive to this technology, the iPad Air is definitely the way to go.
The Pro’s display is significantly brighter, reaching 1,000 nits for both HDR and SDR content, while the Air maxes out at 600 nits. The Pro also has the option for a nano-texture display on the 1TB and 2TB models, which reduces glare by diffusing light, though it does slightly reduce screen clarity.
Overall, I’d give the Pro the edge with the display category, with its only downside being the PWM that might affect some users.
Battery Life
Next up: battery life. Both iPads are rated for the same battery life at their respective sizes and are rated for the same battery life no matter the size. So you don’t need to get the larger iPad to get more battery. This category is definitely a tie.
Performance
In terms of performance, there’s a clear difference between these tablets. The iPad Pro has Apple’s M4 chip, while the iPad Air has been upgraded to Apple’s M3. For casual day-to-day tasks like document editing, taking notes, or streaming content, the chip difference won’t be noticeable. However, for graphics-intensive applications like video editing or games that use a lot of ray tracing, the M4 in the iPad Pro definitely outperforms the Air. The Pro has noticeably better GPU performance and higher FPS in several benchmarks I ran. Plus, the Pro screen has a higher refresh rate, better colors, and better contrast, which just makes games look way better.
For performance, the iPad Pro definitely wins.
Audio and Microphone Quality
Next, let’s shift our focus to audio and microphone quality. The iPad Pro has four-speaker audio, while the iPad Air has landscape stereo speakers. You can hear the difference. The Pro has fuller, richer sound with better bass and spatial presence.
The iPad Pro also has four studio-quality mics compared to just two microphones on the Air. Here’s how recordings on each one sound: “And right now you’re listening to what it sounds like on the iPad Air. And now you’re listening to what it sounds like on the iPad Pro. And again, I have both of these tablets up in basically the same area, and I’m just talking straight to their screens. So let me know what you think. Do you think the iPad Pro sounds better than the iPad Air?”
The difference is subtle but noticeable, especially if you’re recording podcasts or maybe doing video calls—you might notice it. For audio and mic quality, the iPad Pro does edge out the Air here.
Authentication Methods
Next, let’s talk about authentication methods. For authentication, the Pro uses Face ID, while the iPad Air uses Touch ID via a fingerprint sensor in the power button. Face ID also enables Animoji and Memoji, if that matters to you. I find Face ID to be a simpler and faster authentication method for the way I use my iPads, but by just a hair.
Accessories
Now for one of the most important aspects: accessories. Both iPads work with Apple’s accessories, but there are some key differences. The Magic Keyboard for the iPad Pro features backlit keys, a typing experience closer to what you get on a Mac, a larger glass trackpad with haptic feedback, and an aluminum finish that feels more like a MacBook. The iPad Air’s Magic Keyboard is closer to the older version but does add a function row, which is a nice upgrade. I wish Apple would have just brought what they did with the Pro’s keyboard down to this line. In the keyboard category, the iPad Pro easily takes the win.
For the Apple Pencil, both iPads support hover capabilities and support the same two Apple Pencil models: the Apple Pencil Pro and the Apple Pencil USB-C. The Apple Pencil USB-C is $50 cheaper than the Pro and will still magnetically attach to the iPads. It just doesn’t wirelessly charge like the Pro does.
The Apple Pencil Pro has some additional features like squeeze detection to open secondary menus for quick tool switching and barrel roll for precise control of shaped pen and brush tools. It also has haptic feedback and can be located in the Find My app if you lose it, though it doesn’t have precision finding like AirPods.
Which should you get? Unless you plan to draw a lot on your iPad, just get the USB-C version. Even though the charging is annoying, for simple document markups and signing occasional documents, it’s perfect. Since both iPads support both pencils, I’ll call this one a tie.
And speaking of writing on an iPad, one thing that has always frustrated me about iPad displays is it doesn’t feel like you’re writing with pen and paper. It feels like you’re writing on glass. Thankfully, there are solutions out there that can make writing and drawing on your iPad feel so much better, like the screen protectors you can put on them from Paperlike, who sponsored this video.
What makes Paperlike special is their proprietary nano-dots technology. These tiny micro-beads create the perfect amount of friction for your Apple Pencil without sacrificing screen clarity. Unlike Apple’s nano-texture display that just reduces glare, Paperlike actually gives you that tactile feedback that makes digital writing feel natural.
At just 0.12mm thick—almost as thin as a human hair—it works perfectly with your Apple Pencil while reducing glare and making fingerprints barely visible. Millions of creators worldwide trust Paperlike, and they have more than just screen adjustments. Check out these special pencil tips that Paperlike makes. I’ve been testing these out, and they’re noticeably tougher than the standard Apple Pencil tips. They come in a convenient four-pack, and when paired with the Paperlike screen protector, they create even more friction and texture, really enhancing that paper-like feel.
Each Paperlike package includes an easy installation kit and even a second screen protector as a backup. Get your Paperlike today by using the link in the description below.
Cameras
Moving on to the cameras: both iPads have 12-megapixel wide cameras, but the iPad Pro includes a LiDAR sensor on the back. Though unless you have a specific use case in mind, like making 3D scans or having a very specific augmented reality game or app, you’re probably never going to use it.
The Pro has adaptive True Tone Flash and ProRes video recording for up to 4K at 60fps. How much difference does the True Tone Flash make for scanning documents? Honestly, between the two, I haven’t noticed that much of a difference.
Form Factor
Next up, let’s examine the form factor of these tablets. Both come in 13-inch and 11-inch variants, but surprisingly, the iPad Pro is actually thinner than the iPad Air by about 1mm. It also weighs less than the comparably sized Air, which is a bit counterintuitive with the naming convention. When it comes to form factor, the iPad Pro is thinner and lighter, easily winning that category.
Storage Options
For storage options, the iPad Pro starts at 256GB, while the iPad Air starts at 128GB. 128GB might not be enough for some users. If you want to store a lot of movies and TV shows on your iPad while you’re traveling, I think 256GB is a more reasonable starting point with those use cases in mind. And this is something that we’ll come back to at the end of the video. The iPad Pro can also go up to 2TB of integrated storage for those who need it.
Connectivity
Moving on, both iPads have a Wi-Fi version as well as a cellular option, if that’s important to you. Cellular is something I don’t have on either of my iPads, but it’s something I’d seriously consider in the future now that eSIM is becoming more common. Carriers like Google Fi here in the US, which I use, give you the option to connect a tablet to your existing plan at no additional cost, which is really compelling. For connectivity, both iPads are evenly matched.
Port Options
Turning to port options, the iPad Pro has USB 4/Thunderbolt for faster data transfers, while the iPad Air just has simple USB-C. This will only matter to people moving larger files to and from the iPad, but that’s still another advantage the Pro gets compared to the Air.
Price Comparison
Finally, let’s address the biggest difference between these tablets, which is price. The iPad Air starts at $599 for the 11-inch model and $799 for the 13-inch, but you’ll probably want to add $100 to upgrade the storage to the 256GB version if you plan to keep it for a few years and want to put a lot of movies or shows on it.
The iPad Pro starts at $999 for the 11-inch model, and the 13-inch starts at $1,299. And you can check the current price on both iPads and see if there are any sales going on by visiting our blog post at 6months.net—link in the description and in the pinned comment.
Final Recommendation
So the iPad Air obviously wins on price, but is it really the best value for what you’re getting, or does the Pro have enough meaningful upgrades where it actually makes sense to spend a bit more? This is actually trickier than you might anticipate because the form factors aren’t identical. The Pros are both thinner and lighter than the Airs, making them even more portable, especially when you factor in Magic Keyboard accessories.
The Pro has a way better display, but one that does come with detectable PWM. The other major difference in using these iPads is actually the Magic Keyboard accessory. The iPad Pro feels more MacBook-like and professional, while the iPad Air in comparison feels more like a toy. The difference in feeling is really that noticeable. A function row is great, but no larger haptic trackpad and metallic finish? That is a bummer. Plus, it only comes in white, which is more susceptible to color bleed.
If it were me and the PWM flicker wasn’t an issue, I’d personally go for the Pro. You get more storage, it’s lighter, has a brighter display with better contrast for movies and TV shows, and it has a better-feeling Magic Keyboard for writing. To me, those upgrades are worth the price difference. But if they’re not to you, then I’d go for the iPad Air and save some money.
But what about the size? Should you get the 13-inch or the 11-inch? The 13-inch is better if you’re going to do a lot of writing or drawing. You’ll benefit from that increased screen size. The same goes for content consumption, though maybe to a lesser degree. If you’re really concerned about portability, that’s where I’d seriously consider the 11-inch model, especially if you don’t want to keep it docked on its Magic Keyboard all of the time like
