11in iPad Pro versus iPad Air: Which M1 tablet is right for you?
If you want an iPad, you have three basic choices: the basic 10.2in iPad, the more expensive iPad Air, or the even more expensive iPad Pro. The standard 10.2in iPad is the budget option, with an aging design (big bezels, home button, Lightning port) and older processor, and the 12.9in iPad Pro starts at a whopping £999 and is geared toward only the most demanding of users.
So if you want the most tablet without breaking the bank on a £999 12.9in iPad Pro, you have just two options: the £569 iPad Air and the £749 11in iPad Pro. The iPad Air was just upgraded with an M1 processor, making it as powerful as the iPad Pro. But a tablet is more than its processor, and the Pro model does offer a few improvements that might be worth your money. Here’s how these two tablets stack up.
SPECIFICATIONS
Before we start the match-up, let’s have a weigh-in and see how they match up on paper.
iPad Air (2022)
See page 33.
11in iPad Pro
• 11in• iPadOS 14.5.1, upgradable to iPadOS 15.4• Apple M1 processor• Octa-core CPU• Apple GPU (8-core graphics)• 8GB/16GB RAM• 128GB/256GB/512GB/1TB/2TB storage• Three-facing cameras: 12Mp, f/1.8, (wide), 1/3in, 1.22µm, dual pixel PDAF; 10Mp, f/2.4, 125-degree (ultra-wide); TOF 3D LiDAR scanner (depth)• Selfie camera: 12Mp, f/2.4, 122-degree (ultra-wide)• Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac/6, dualband, hotspot• Bluetooth 5.2, A2DP, EDR• GPS with A-GPS, GLONASS, GALILEO, QZSS (Wi‑Fi + Cellular model only)• NFC• USB Type-C 4 (Thunderbolt 4), DisplayPort; magnetic connector• Face ID, accelerometer, gyro, barometer• Non-removable 28.65Wh lithium‑ion battery• 247.6x178.5x5.9mm• 466g (Wi-Fi), 470g (5G).
