Apple raised the mercury this summer by dropping two hot new iPads ahead of its WWDC 2024 event.
On the one hand, we have the refreshed iPad Air with a newer chipset and nicer colourways; on the other, we have those thinner-than-ever iPad Pro tablets boasting Apple’s latest M4 chip. Both these tablets are aimed at professionals and creators who seek ultimate processing power on their tablets and they both feature 13-inch variants.
Hence, if you are in the market for a large-screen tablet capable of handling pro-grade editing, coding and advanced levels of multitasking, you are in luck with these new iPads announced at the Apple May ‘Let Loose’ event in 2024.
But which one of these should you choose? Is the new iPad Pro with its M4 chip and advanced OLED display the one-stop solution for all your professional needs? Or, does it make sense to save some money and settle for the new iPad Air with that M2 chip?
The answer to these questions is trickier than expected and hence, our iPad Air 6th Gen vs iPad Pro 7th Gen comparison makes a lot of sense. While the price tag plays a major role in electing a winner here, we are considering all the other aspects and how they could fulfil your requirements in your next 13-inch Apple iPad.
iPad Air 6th Gen vs iPad Pro 7th Gen: Which is the better 13-inch iPad?
Since you are settling for a large 13-inch iPad, the display is of key importance. This is where we begin our comparison.
Which one has the better 13-inch display?
Unsurprisingly, it is the iPad Pro that ends up with a superior display panel. The 2024 iPad Pro 13-inch has ditched the Mini LED display (which was already great) and upgraded to an advanced Ultra Retina XDR display utilising two OLED panels for higher brightness levels across the entire screen. The eye-watering contrast ratio of 20,00,000:1 and 1,000 nits of full-screen brightness make it suitable for creative and professional needs where colour accuracy is of paramount importance.
The variable refresh rate of 10Hz-120Hz should make illustrations with the Apple Pencil appear smooth. As an optional extra, you can equip the display with nano-texture glass for reduced reflections and better colour transmission (only available on 1TB and 2TB variants).
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In comparison, the iPad Air’s Liquid Retina (LCD) display pales out. With a lower peak brightness of 600 nits and a standard refresh rate of 60Hz, the iPad Air’s display is nowhere near as immersive as the iPad Pro’s display. That said, you still get True Tone and P3 colour gamut along with an anti-reflective coating, which makes it usable for professionals on the move. This display is suitable if your workflow isn’t dependent on colour accuracy.
Winner: iPad Pro
Is the iPad Pro the unrivalled king of performance?
In short, yes.
The iPad Pro features Apple’s latest generation M4 chipset based on the second-gen 3nm node and seems to be an evolved version of the M3 chip. In its presentation, Apple clarified that the M4 chip is up to 50 per cent faster than the M2 chip as far as CPU performance is concerned.
There are substantial gains in neural network processing, GPU performance and overall efficiency. Even when it comes to efficiency, Apple says that the M4 chip can offer the same levels of performance as the M2 chip while using 50 per cent less power.
Hence, if you use your 13-inch iPad for game designing, advanced coding and professional video editing, the iPad Pro with its M4 chip will be more suitable.
That said, the iPad Air with its M2 chip should be enough if you are using it for professional illustrations, basic editing and playing AAA console video games.
Winner: iPad Pro
Which iPad takes high-quality photos like the iPhone 15?
As capable as these tablets seem, the iPad isn’t a photography-oriented device like the iPhone 15. Hence, if you want to snap the most adorable cat photos and videos, the latest iPhone 15 is your best bet.
Between these two, the iPad Pro has a slightly superior optical system. Unlike its predecessor, the iPad Pro now sports a single 12-megapixel rear camera accompanied by the LiDAR sensor. The rear camera can record 4K videos in the ProRes format, which should make it handy for creators in case they don’t have an iPhone or a professional camera handy. The iPad Air has an inferior 12-megapixel rear camera without an LED flash but it can also record 4K resolution videos.
As for the front camera system, the iPad Air features a 12-megapixel sensor mounted on the horizontal side. This should help make video calls look natural and with the Center Stage feature enabled, it should allow for convenient video conferencing experiences. The iPad Pro features the TrueDepth 12-megapixel camera system at the front, thereby bringing the convenience of Face ID to its users.
Hence, the iPad Pro is a no-brainer winner here.
Winner: iPad Pro
What about the battery life and charging capabilities?
Surprisingly, both the iPad Air 6th Gen and iPad Pro 7th Gen promise similar battery stamina figures despite a massive difference in their price tags. Apple claims up to 10 hours of web browsing on Wi-Fi networks, which is decent for any tablet with an expansive 13-inch display. Both tablets can be charged via compatible USB-C chargers.
Winner: Tie
Miscellaneous features and accessories
Since you are paying more for the iPad Pro, you get a lot of additional luxuries as standard. The iPad Pro 7th Gen offers a quad-speaker setup for stereo effect as compared to the dual-speaker stereo setup on the iPad Air 6th Gen. This makes the iPad Pro more suitable for media consumption.
The iPad Pro 7th Gen is equipped with Face ID for biometric verification whereas the iPad Air 6th Gen still offers the power key-mounted Touch ID fingerprint scanner.
Both tablets offer Wi-Fi 6E and 5G for wireless connections. However, it is the iPad Pro’s USB-C port that offers Thunderbolt and USB-4 speeds. The iPad Air is only USB 2.0 compliant.
If you are interested in getting Apple’s official accessories, you will be glad to learn that both the iPad Pro and iPad Air support the Apple Pencil Pro stylus. However, the iPad Pro 7th Gen gets exclusive access to the new Magic Keyboard with Function keys and a stronger aluminium build. The iPad Air is only compatible with the older Magic Keyboard.
Prices
The iPad Air 6th Gen with the M2 chip starts at HKD 4,599 for the base 128GB storage in the Wi-Fi-only trim. If you opt for the WiFi+Cellular variant, you need to shell out HKD 5,799. The iPad Air is also available in 256GB, 512GB and 1TB storage variants.
The iPad Pro 7th Gen with the M4 chip starts from HKD 7,999 for the base 256GB variant in the Wi-Fi trim. If you opt for the Wi-Fi+ cellular trim, you will have to spend at least HKD 9,599. The iPad Pro is also available in 512GB, 1TB and 2TB storage variants.
Winner: iPad Air
iPad Air 6th Gen vs iPad Pro 7th Gen: Our verdict
Winner: iPad Pro
Going into this comparison, we knew that the iPad Pro has the potential to decimate the iPad Air and nab the victory. However, the massive price gap between these tablets makes us question whether the iPad Pro is worth all the extra investment, considering that the iPad Air now utilises the same M2 chipset as the last-gen iPad Pro.
With the new iPad Pro, you will be experiencing a major upgrade in the display, which now features a gorgeously bright OLED panel. You also get the power of the mighty M4 chipset and the slim chassis. The compatibility with the new Magic Keyboard also gives it an edge.
However, there’s nothing yet available in the iPadOS ecosystem that the iPad Air 6th Gen’s M2 chip can’t process. The only areas where the M2 chip might lose out to the M4 chip are ray tracing performance in gaming and processing speeds in editing apps. For most creators and professionals, the iPad Air will suffice. The 13-inch Liquid Retina display should also be enough for most users and the compatibility with the new Apple Pencil Pro makes it a tempting choice.
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(Hero and Featured Image Credits: Courtesy Apple)
