iPad Air (A12) vs iPad Pro 12.9-inch (A12X)
38.2chipPerformance20
32.9Display56.8
38.1Battery48.2
85.8Portability60.8
61.2Features64.4
1 spec wins — iPad Air (A12)7 spec wins — iPad Pro 12.9-inch (A12X)
InnoReviews verdict
This one is close to a dead heat: iPad Air (A12) scores 45.1 against 45.6 for iPad Pro 12.9-inch (A12X). Pick by the categories that matter to you — iPad Pro 12.9-inch (A12X) edges ahead in display and battery, or by price.
Which would you pick?
Key differences
Reasons to pick the iPad Air (A12)
- Stronger performance score: 38 vs 20
- Stronger portability score: 86 vs 61
- 28% lower weight: 456 g vs 631 g
- Lower launch price: $499 vs $999
Reasons to pick the iPad Pro 12.9-inch (A12X)
- Stronger display score: 57 vs 33
- Stronger battery score: 48 vs 38
- Stronger features score: 64 vs 61
- 100% higher Refresh rate: 120 Hz vs 60 Hz
- 50% higher Rear camera: 12 MP vs 8 MP
Display
| Spec | iPad Air (A12) | iPad Pro 12.9-inch (A12X) |
|---|---|---|
| Screen size | 10.5 ″ | 12.9 ″+23% |
| Panel type | Retina IPS LCD | Liquid Retina IPS LCD |
| Resolution | 2224x1668 | 2732x2048 |
| Pixel density | 264 ppi | 264 ppi |
| Refresh rate | 60 Hz | 120 Hz+100% |
| Peak brightness | 500 nits | 600 nits+20% |
Performance
| Spec | iPad Air (A12) | iPad Pro 12.9-inch (A12X) |
|---|---|---|
| Chipset | Apple A12 Bionic | Apple A12X Bionic |
| RAM | 3 GB | 4 GB+33% |
| Storage options | 64GB / 256GB | 64GB / 256GB / 512GB / 1TB |
Battery
| Spec | iPad Air (A12) | iPad Pro 12.9-inch (A12X) |
|---|---|---|
| Capacity | 8,134 mAh | 9,720 mAh+19% |
| Charging | — | 18 W |
Design
| Spec | iPad Air (A12) | iPad Pro 12.9-inch (A12X) |
|---|---|---|
| Weight | 456 g+28% | 631 g |
| Thickness | 6.1 mm | 5.9 mm+3% |
| Material | Aluminum | Aluminum |
Camera
| Spec | iPad Air (A12) | iPad Pro 12.9-inch (A12X) |
|---|---|---|
| Rear camera | 8 MP | 12 MP+50% |
| Front camera | 7 MP | 7 MP |
Connectivity
| Spec | iPad Air (A12) | iPad Pro 12.9-inch (A12X) |
|---|---|---|
| Wi-Fi | Wi-Fi 5 | Wi-Fi 5 |
| Bluetooth | 5.0 | 5.0 |
| Cellular | LTE optional | LTE optional |
| USB | Lightning | USB-C (USB 3.1) |
Features
| Spec | iPad Air (A12) | iPad Pro 12.9-inch (A12X) |
|---|---|---|
| Stylus | Apple Pencil (1st generation) | Apple Pencil (2nd generation) |
| Keyboard support | Yes | Yes |
| Speakers | Stereo | Quad stereo |
| Operating system | iPadOS 26 | iOS 12 |
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