Apple iPad Air (5th generation) vs Apple iPad Pro 11-inch (3rd generation, M1)
Apple iPad Air (5th generation) ($237) vs Apple iPad Pro 11-inch (3rd generation, M1) ($412) — side-by-side specs, weight, pros and cons to help you pick the right tablet.
Spec-by-spec
| Spec | Apple iPad Air (5th generation) | Apple iPad Pro 11-inch (3rd generation, M1) |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $237 | $412 |
| Weight | 461g | 466g |
| Chip | M1 | Apple M1 |
| Display | 10.9" Liquid Retina, 60Hz | 11" Liquid Retina, 120Hz ProMotion |
| Ports | USB-C | — |
| Pencil | Apple Pencil (2nd generation) | 2nd generation Apple Pencil |
| Audio | Landscape stereo speakers | — |
| Weight | 461g (Wi-Fi, Apple published) | 466g (Apple published, Wi-Fi) |
| Port | — | Thunderbolt / USB 4 |
| Camera | — | 12MP Wide + 10MP Ultra Wide, LiDAR |
Pros & Cons
Apple iPad Air (5th generation)
- M1 for around two hundred dollars
- 461g and a laminated display
- USB-C
- Still fully supported by iPadOS
- 60Hz
- Only 64GB on the base model, which is tight
- Second-generation Pencil, not Pencil Pro
- Single rear camera
Apple iPad Pro 11-inch (3rd generation, M1)
- M1 chip, genuinely desktop-class performance that still feels fast
- Thunderbolt/USB 4 port supports external displays and fast storage
- 120Hz ProMotion display
- LiDAR scanner for AR and improved autofocus
- No mini-LED XDR display, that arrived on the 12.9-inch model only
- 466g plus a Magic Keyboard adds real bag weight
- M1 is now several generations behind current iPad Pro silicon
- Costs meaningfully more used than the iPad Air it visually resembles
Apple iPad Air (5th generation) is the better value at $237. Both are part of our curated tablet index — tap through to check current pricing.
More Tablet comparisons
Apple iPad Pro 13-inch (M5) vs Apple iPad Pro 11-inch (M5)Apple iPad Pro 13-inch (M5) vs Apple iPad Air 13-inch (M4)Apple iPad Pro 13-inch (M5) vs Apple iPad Air 11-inch (M4)Apple iPad Pro 13-inch (M5) vs Apple iPad (A16)Apple iPad Pro 13-inch (M5) vs Apple iPad mini (A17 Pro)Apple iPad Pro 13-inch (M5) vs Apple iPad Pro 11-inch (M4)