iPad Air 13-inch (M4) vs iPad Pro 12.9-inch (M2)
80.4Performance67.8
35.4Display81.8
35.6Battery50.4
61Portability47.6
74.4Features74.4
5 spec wins — iPad Air 13-inch (M4)2 spec wins — iPad Pro 12.9-inch (M2)
InnoReviews verdict
iPad Pro 12.9-inch (M2) wins this tablet face-off, 66.8 to 57.4, pulling ahead mainly in display (+46) and battery (+15). iPad Air 13-inch (M4) still makes sense if its price or standout specs fit your needs better.
Which would you pick?
Key differences
Reasons to pick the iPad Air 13-inch (M4)
- Stronger performance score: 80 vs 68
- Stronger portability score: 61 vs 48
- 50% higher RAM: 12 GB vs 8 GB
- 36% higher Geekbench 6 (single): 3,576 vs 2,620
- 27% higher Geekbench 6 (multi): 12,591 vs 9,950
- Lower launch price: $799 vs $1,099
Reasons to pick the iPad Pro 12.9-inch (M2)
- Stronger display score: 82 vs 35
- Stronger battery score: 50 vs 36
- 167% higher Peak brightness: 1,600 nits vs 600 nits
- 100% higher Refresh rate: 120 Hz vs 60 Hz
Display
| Spec | iPad Air 13-inch (M4) | iPad Pro 12.9-inch (M2) |
|---|---|---|
| Screen size | 12.9 ″ | 12.9 ″ |
| Panel type | Liquid Retina IPS LCD | Liquid Retina XDR mini-LED IPS |
| Resolution | 2732x2048 | 2732x2048 |
| Pixel density | 264 ppi | 264 ppi |
| Refresh rate | 60 Hz | 120 Hz+100% |
| Peak brightness | 600 nits | 1,600 nits+167% |
Performance
| Spec | iPad Air 13-inch (M4) | iPad Pro 12.9-inch (M2) |
|---|---|---|
| Chipset | Apple M4 | Apple M2 |
| AnTuTu | — | 1,650,000 |
| Geekbench 6 (single) | 3,576+36%Top 7% | 2,620Top 21% |
| Geekbench 6 (multi) | 12,591+27%Top 9% | 9,950Top 19% |
| RAM | 12 GB+50% | 8 GB |
| Storage options | 128GB / 256GB / 512GB / 1TB | 128GB / 256GB / 512GB / 1TB / 2TB |
Battery
| Spec | iPad Air 13-inch (M4) | iPad Pro 12.9-inch (M2) |
|---|---|---|
| Capacity | — | 10,758 mAh |
| Charging | 20 W | 20 W |
| Endurance | 10 h | 10 h |
Design
| Spec | iPad Air 13-inch (M4) | iPad Pro 12.9-inch (M2) |
|---|---|---|
| Weight | 616 g+10% | 682 g |
| Thickness | 6.1 mm+5% | 6.4 mm |
| Material | Aluminum | Aluminum |
Camera
| Spec | iPad Air 13-inch (M4) | iPad Pro 12.9-inch (M2) |
|---|---|---|
| Rear camera | 12 MP | 12 MP |
| Front camera | 12 MP | 12 MP |
Connectivity
| Spec | iPad Air 13-inch (M4) | iPad Pro 12.9-inch (M2) |
|---|---|---|
| Wi-Fi | Wi-Fi 7 | Wi-Fi 6E |
| Bluetooth | 6 | 5.3 |
| Cellular | 5G optional | 5G optional |
| USB | USB-C (10Gbps) | USB-C (Thunderbolt / USB 4) |
Features
| Spec | iPad Air 13-inch (M4) | iPad Pro 12.9-inch (M2) |
|---|---|---|
| Stylus | Apple Pencil Pro | Apple Pencil (2nd generation) |
| Keyboard support | Yes | Yes |
| Speakers | Stereo | Quad |
| Operating system | iPadOS 26 | iPadOS 16 |
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