Which iPad do you really need?

As both the iPad Air M4 and iPad Pro M4 sport the same chip, what really separates the two tablets? Is it a guarantee that the Pro iteration is best?

To help you decide between the two, we’ve compared our experiences between the iPad Air M4 and iPad Pro M4 and noted the key differences below.

Remember, the iPad Pro M4 has been succeeded by the iPad Pro M5. For a closer look at the newer model, visit our iPad Pro M5 vs iPad Pro M4 comparison to see what’s new with the latest model.

Otherwise, we’ve also compared the iPad Air M4 to the iPad Air M3 and even battled the MacBook Neo and iPad Air M4 against each other too.

Finally, check out our round up of the best tablets and even the best Android tablets, if you don’t think iPadOS is for you.

Price and Availability

The recently announced iPad Air M4 is available to buy now, with a starting RRP of £599/$599 for the 11-inch, 128GB iteration.

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As it’s been succeeded by the iPad Pro M5, the iPad Pro M4 is no longer readily available to buy from Apple’s official site. In fact, tracking down an iPad Pro M4 can be quite difficult, unless you’re happy to opt for a refurbished or renewed model. If so then the price will vary somewhere between the £660 – £800 range, depending on the condition and provider.

Remember, neither of these starting RRPs includes any accessories such as an Apple Pencil or Magic Keyboard. Those will need to be purchased separately.

Design

• Both come in a choice of two sizes: 11- or 13-inches
• Although the 13-inch iPad Pro M4 is the thinnest, the 11-inch is also thinner than the iPad Air M4
• Both have landscape front-facing cameras

Both the iPad Air M4 and iPad Pro M4 come in a choice of two screen sizes: 11- or 13-inches. Regardless of the iPad Air M4 size you opt for, the tablet will be just 6.1mm thick. 

In comparison, the 13-inch iPad Pro M4 is the thinnest of the lot, at just 5.1mm thick whereas the 11-inch version is 5.3mm. The 13-inch iPad Pro is so thin, that you’ll actually notice the USB-C cable will jut out ever so slightly when it’s plugged into the device. 

Otherwise, the 11-inch iPad Air weighs up to just 465g (for the cellular iteration) while the 13-inch is slightly heavier at up to 617g (again, for the cellular model). The iPad Pro M4 sits in-between the two iPad Airs, as the 11-inch weighs up to 446g while the 13-inch is 579g.

Although all iPad Pro M4 models are lighter than the iPad Air, which means the tablet feels barely noticeable whether in hand or slotted away in your bag, it’s still worth noting that we found the iPad Air to still be a compact model – especially the smaller 11-inch version. 

Finally, both the iPad Air and iPad Pro are equipped with a Touch ID fingerprint scanner that’s built into the power key and a USB-C port at the bottom. In addition, both are equipped with a landscape front camera, which makes taking video calls feel more intuitive than before. 

Winner: iPad Pro M4

Screen

• iPad Pro has an OLED panel for brighter and more vibrant colours
• ProMotion is only available on the iPad Pro
• Even so, the iPad Air’s LED-backlit panel is enough for everyday use

As we mentioned above, both the iPad Air and iPad Pro M4 come as either an 11- or 13-inch iteration. Fortunately, regardless of the size you choose, the screen technologies will remain more or less the same. That’s an improvement over the iPad Pro M3, where the smaller 11-inch model had a lower resolution LCD panel compared to the 12.9-inch mini LED.

So, let’s dive into the screen technologies on offer here. Unfortunately the iPad Air’s screen isn’t as well equipped as the iPad Pro’s, with an LED-backlit panel and not quite enough brightness levels for HDR video. In fact, put the iPad Air next to the OLED-equipped iPad Pro and the difference is unmistakable, as the pricier tablet boasts a higher maximum brightness and more vibrant colours too.

Not only that, but the iPad Pro also benefits from ProMotion technology, which means it sees a 120Hz refresh rate. Unfortunately, the iPad Air still caps out at just 60Hz. While this isn’t necessarily a dealbreaker, when you’re comparing it to the 120Hz iPad Pro, the iPad Air feels dated. 

Finally, the iPad Pro M4 has the option to sport a nano-texture glass display which goes a long way in reducing glare and providing a matte finish. However, this is only available on the 1TB or 2TB models, and will cost an additional £150/$150. 

Winner: iPad Pro M4

Performance

• Although both have M4 chips, the iPad Air’s silicon has one less CPU and GPU-core
• iPad Air features the N1 and C1X chips (latter only in cellular models)
• You can upgrade your iPad Pro M4 with more memory, storage and additional cores in the chip

The newly launched iPad Air may appear to have the same M4 chip as the 2024 iPad Pro, however there are a few differences between the two silicons. Firstly, the iPad Air M4 has an eight-core CPU and a nine-core GPU, whereas the standard iPad Pro M4 has a nine-core CPU and 10-core GPU. Plus, you can even add an additional CPU-core thanks to the 1TB and 2TB iterations – although they come at a higher price. 

Even so, the iPad Air M4 is still a very capable tablet that can even handle exporting large files in Final Cut, doing AI-based tasks and editing images with ease. 

However, we were seriously blown away with the sheer amount of power on offer with the iPad Pro M4. While it’s likely overkill for anyone who wants an iPad for reading and the occasional video stream, the iPad Pro M4 is brilliant for those seeking serious power for more intensive tasks. 

With this in mind, we’d argue that the iPad Air M4 is likely the better choice for more casual users who don’t necessarily have a need to splurge. Plus, the iPad Air M4 benefits from Apple’s own N1 chip which brings Wi-Fi 7 to the tablet, and cellular models sport Apple’s C1X modem too.

Winner: iPad Pro M4 in terms of sheer power

Software

• Both run on iPadOS and include Apple’s Liquid Glass UI
• You can use your Mac’s trackpad and keyboard to control the iPad Air M4

There aren’t many differences between the iPad Air and iPad Pro M4’s software, as both support Apple’s most recent iPadOS 26 which saw the design shift to Liquid Glass. While it’s not quite macOS, iPadOS does operate a little more like a traditional computer, and has a windowed interface for layering apps and multitasking.

A new feature we especially appreciate with the iPad Air M4 is Universal Control which allows you to control your iPad using your Mac’s trackpad and keyboard. It’s clever and means the iPad Air can easily double as a makeshift laptop.

One area which somewhat lets the iPad Air and iPad Pro M4 down is Apple Intelligence, which is pretty underwhelming overall. 

Winner: Tie

Battery Life

• Apple hasn’t made many improvements with either the iPad Air or iPad Pro M4
• Both promises around 10-hours of battery life
• The 11-inch iPad Pro M4 has a slightly larger battery than the thinner 13-inch model

Unlike some of the best Android tablets, Apple doesn’t tend to fit its iPads with mighty batteries. Even so, both the iPad Air and iPad Pro M4 are promised to see up to 10-hours of battery life and, during our respective reviews, we found this to be more or less the case. Of course, do remember that the actual battery life will vary depending on your own usage. 

Annoyingly, only some regions will benefit from a charging adapter in the box and the UK isn’t one of them.

Winner: Tie

Verdict

Remember that the iPad Pro M4 has now been succeeded by the iPad Pro M5, so tracking down the former is slightly harder (though you’ll likely be able to nab a decent price cut if you do). Check out our iPad Pro M5 vs iPad Pro M4 guide to see what’s new with the top-end model.

Otherwise, we’d advise that if you want an everyday iPad for general browsing and streaming, and perhaps light work or studying, then the iPad Air M4 seems like a brilliant choice with a decent price tag. On the other hand, if you tend to use more demanding apps for photo or video editing, gaming or the like, then you’ll likely be better suited to the iPad Pro M4 instead.