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Apple iPad Pro 13-inch (M5) vs Apple iPad Air (5th generation)
Apple iPad Pro 13-inch (M5) ($1,499) vs Apple iPad Air (5th generation) ($237) — 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 (5th generation) |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $1,499 | $237 |
| Weight | 579g | 461g |
| Chip | M5 | M1 |
| Display | 13" Ultra Retina XDR tandem OLED | 10.9" Liquid Retina, 60Hz |
| Thickness | 5.1 mm | — |
| Security | Face ID | — |
| Accessories | Apple Pencil Pro, Magic Keyboard | — |
| Weight | 579 g (Wi-Fi) | 461g (Wi-Fi, Apple published) |
| Ports | — | USB-C |
| Pencil | — | Apple Pencil (2nd generation) |
| Audio | — | Landscape stereo speakers |
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 (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 Air (5th generation) is the better value at $237. Both are part of our curated pro tablet index — tap through to check current pricing.
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