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Apple iPad Pro 13-inch (M5) vs Apple iPad Air 13-inch (M3)
Apple iPad Pro 13-inch (M5) ($1,499) vs Apple iPad Air 13-inch (M3) ($590) — side-by-side specs, weight, pros and cons to help you pick the right pro tablet.
Spec-by-spec
| Spec | Apple iPad Pro 13-inch (M5) | Apple iPad Air 13-inch (M3) |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $1,499 | $590 |
| Weight | 579g | 616g |
| Chip | M5 | M3 |
| Display | 13" Ultra Retina XDR tandem OLED | 13" Liquid Retina, 60Hz |
| Thickness | 5.1 mm | — |
| Security | Face ID | — |
| Accessories | Apple Pencil Pro, Magic Keyboard | — |
| Weight | 579 g (Wi-Fi) | 616g (Wi-Fi, Apple published) |
| Ports | — | USB-C |
| Pencil | — | Apple Pencil Pro |
| Audio | — | Four-speaker landscape audio |
Pros & Cons
Apple iPad Pro 13-inch (M5)
- Best display in any portable device
- 5.1 mm — the thinnest Apple product ever
- M5 handles genuine creative workloads
- Apple Pencil Pro support is best-in-class
- $1,499 before keyboard or Pencil
- iPadOS still limits the hardware
- 579 g wants two hands or a stand
Apple iPad Air 13-inch (M3)
- 13-inch screen without Pro pricing
- Four-speaker audio is a real upgrade
- Apple Pencil Pro support
- 616g, heavy to hold for long
- 60Hz on a screen this size is noticeable
- No OLED or ProMotion
Apple iPad Air 13-inch (M3) is the better value at $590. If weight matters most, Apple iPad Pro 13-inch (M5) carries lighter at 579g. Both are part of our curated pro tablet index — tap through to check current pricing.
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