iPad Pro M4 vs iPad Air M3: The $400 Question
Published on
Apple really doesn’t want you to buy the iPad Air. That might sound conspiratorial, but look at what they’ve done: the iPad Pro M4 got a mind-blowing OLED display, the thinnest design Apple has ever shipped, and the M4 chip. The iPad Air M3 got… the M3 chip and a slight price cut. It feels like Apple is actively trying to push people toward the Pro by making the gap feel enormous. But is it?
After using both tablets extensively, we think the iPad Air M3 is actually the smarter buy for most people. We go deeper in our standalone reviews: iPad Pro M4 Review and iPad Air M3 Review. The Pro’s advantages are real and impressive, but they cater to a specific audience. For the rest of us, the Air delivers a fantastic iPad experience at a price that doesn’t require justification gymnastics.
Display: The Pro’s Party Trick
Let’s start with the elephant in the room. The iPad Pro M4 has a tandem OLED display — Apple calls it Ultra Retina XDR. It’s gorgeous. True blacks, incredible HDR performance, 1000 nits sustained brightness, 1600 nits peak. Every pixel is self-emitting, which means contrast is essentially infinite. Watching Dolby Vision content on this display is a borderline religious experience.
The iPad Air M3 has a Liquid Retina (IPS LCD) display. It’s a good screen — 500 nits brightness, wide color gamut, and perfectly sharp. But it’s not OLED. Blacks look dark gray, not true black. HDR content looks fine but not spectacular. Side by side, the difference is impossible to miss.
Here’s the thing though: when you’re not comparing them side by side, the Air’s display is completely satisfying. It’s bright enough for outdoor use, color-accurate enough for photo editing, and sharp enough that you’ll never notice individual pixels. The Pro’s display is objectively better, but the Air’s display is subjectively fine. That distinction matters when $400 is on the line.
Also worth noting: both displays run at 60Hz by default, but the Pro supports ProMotion up to 120Hz. This makes scrolling, Apple Pencil input, and animations noticeably smoother on the Pro. Once you’ve experienced 120Hz, 60Hz does feel sluggish. This is arguably a bigger practical difference than the OLED panel itself.
Performance: M4 vs M3
The M4 chip in the iPad Pro is roughly 25% faster than the M3 in the Air for CPU tasks, and about 30% faster in GPU workloads. The M4 also has a more capable Neural Engine for machine learning and Apple Intelligence features.
In daily tablet use? You won’t feel the difference. Both chips are ludicrously overpowered for iPadOS tasks. Safari, Procreate, Office apps, video streaming, multitasking with Split View — the Air handles all of it without any perceptible lag.
Where the M4 matters:
- Exporting long 4K video timelines in LumaFusion or Final Cut Pro
- Working with very large Procreate canvases (8K+ with many layers)
- Running complex 3D modeling or CAD applications
- Future-proofing for increasingly demanding apps over 5+ years
If your use case includes any of the above, the M4 is worth having. If it doesn’t — and for most people it doesn’t — the M3 is more than sufficient.
Apple Pencil Compatibility
This is a sneaky but important difference. The iPad Pro M4 supports the Apple Pencil Pro ($129), which adds barrel roll (rotation sensing), squeeze gestures, and haptic feedback. The iPad Air M3 also supports the Apple Pencil Pro — Apple added this with the 2024 Air refresh.
So both tablets get the same Pencil experience. This removes what would have been a significant differentiator.
Design and Build
The iPad Pro M4 is astonishingly thin at 5.3mm — it’s literally thinner than many phones. It weighs just 444 grams for the 11-inch model. Holding it feels almost surreal; there’s a sense that it shouldn’t be possible to pack this much technology into something this slim.
The iPad Air M3 is 6.1mm thick and weighs 462 grams. Still very thin and light by any tablet standard, but noticeably thicker when placed next to the Pro. In isolation, the Air doesn’t feel bulky at all. It’s only in direct comparison that the Pro’s engineering marvel becomes apparent.
Both are built from recycled aluminum, both have excellent fit and finish, and both feel premium. The Pro simply takes “premium” to an extreme.
Speakers and Audio
The iPad Pro M4 has a four-speaker system with force-cancelling woofers. The iPad Air M3 has a two-speaker system (landscape stereo). The difference in audio quality is significant — the Pro sounds fuller, richer, and more immersive. For media consumption without headphones, the Pro is clearly superior.
If you primarily use AirPods or headphones with your iPad, this difference doesn’t matter. If you watch a lot of video with the built-in speakers, it’s a meaningful upgrade.
Camera and Face ID
Both tablets have a 12MP rear camera and a 12MP front camera with Center Stage. Both have Face ID. The Pro has a LiDAR scanner for AR applications and improved spatial awareness — useful if you’re into augmented reality apps, 3D scanning, or room measurement tools. Most people won’t use LiDAR regularly.
The front camera is in landscape orientation on both current models, which is a welcome change for video calls.
Storage and Cellular Options
The iPad Air M3 starts at 128GB ($699 for the 11-inch). The iPad Pro M4 starts at 256GB ($1,099 for the 11-inch). When you equalize storage to 256GB, the Air costs $799, making the actual price gap $300 rather than $400.
Both are available in Wi-Fi and Wi-Fi + Cellular configurations. The Pro uses eSIM only, while the Air supports both eSIM and nano-SIM.
Accessories and Ecosystem
Both work with the Magic Keyboard Folio and Smart Folio cases. The Pro has its own specific Magic Keyboard ($299) with a more premium build, while the Air uses the same keyboard. Both support Stage Manager for external display use.
One practical difference: the Pro charges via USB-C with Thunderbolt/USB 4 speeds, while the Air uses USB-C with USB 3.2 speeds. For most people, this doesn’t matter. For professionals transferring large files to external storage, the Pro’s Thunderbolt connection is noticeably faster.
Our Verdict: The iPad Air M3 Is the One to Buy
The iPad Air M3 wins for the simple reason that it delivers 85% of the iPad Pro experience at 65% of the price. The M3 chip is more than powerful enough for any realistic iPad workload today and for years to come. The display is good. The Pencil support is identical. The build quality is excellent.
The iPad Pro M4 is for people who:
- Need the absolute best display for color-critical or HDR work
- Want 120Hz ProMotion smoothness (genuinely nice to have)
- Need Thunderbolt speeds for external storage workflows
- Want the thinnest, lightest possible tablet regardless of price
- Will keep the tablet for 5+ years and want maximum future-proofing
Everyone else should save the $300-400 and get the Air. Put the savings toward an Apple Pencil Pro, a keyboard case, or an AppleCare+ plan. You’ll end up with a better overall package for less money.
The iPad Air M3 isn’t the exciting choice. It’s the smart choice. Sometimes those are the same thing. And if you’re wondering whether the iPad Pro can replace a laptop entirely, see our iPad Pro M4 vs MacBook Air M4 comparison.
Check iPad Pro M4 price on Amazon (paid link) (paid link)
Check iPad Air M3 price on Amazon (paid link) (paid link)
Quick Spec Comparison
| Feature | iPad Pro M4 (11”) | iPad Air M3 (11”) |
|---|---|---|
| Chip | M4 | M3 |
| Display | 11” OLED, 120Hz | 11” IPS LCD, 60Hz |
| Brightness | 1000 nits (1600 HDR) | 500 nits |
| Storage | 256GB–2TB | 128GB–1TB |
| Apple Pencil | Pencil Pro | Pencil Pro |
| Face ID | Yes | Yes |
| LiDAR | Yes | No |
| USB | Thunderbolt/USB 4 | USB 3.2 |
| Speakers | 4-speaker | 2-speaker |
| Thickness | 5.3mm | 6.1mm |
| Weight | 444g | 462g |
| Starting Price | $1,099 | $699 |