Tablets
iPad Air M2 vs iPad Pro M4
iPad Air M2 and iPad Pro M4 are both powerful Apple tablets, but they are not aimed at the same buyer. iPad Air M2 is better for students, notes, streaming, browsing, and value. iPad Pro M4 is stronger for creative work, OLED, ProMotion, Apple Pencil Pro, and heavy tablet users.
Last updated: June 17, 2026
Apple
iPad Air M2
A mid-range iPad built with the M2 chip, Liquid Retina display, Apple Pencil Pro support, Magic Keyboard support, and strong everyday performance.
VS
Apple
iPad Pro M4
A premium iPad built with the M4 chip, Ultra Retina XDR display, ProMotion, Apple Pencil Pro support, Magic Keyboard support, and high-end creative performance.
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Specifications
Pros & Cons
iPad Air M2 — Pros
✓Better value than iPad Pro M4 for most everyday users
✓M2 chip is still more than enough for notes, browsing, streaming, writing, and light creative work
✓Available in both 11-inch and 13-inch sizes
✓Supports Apple Pencil Pro and Magic Keyboard
✓Easier to justify if bought discounted, refurbished, or through education pricing
iPad Air M2 — Cons
✕Display is not OLED and does not have ProMotion
✕Weaker chip than iPad Pro M4
✕No Face ID; uses Touch ID in the top button
✕No Thunderbolt / USB 4 support
✕Less suitable for serious video editing, visual work, or heavy creative workflows
iPad Pro M4 — Pros
✓Much better display with Ultra Retina XDR tandem OLED and ProMotion
✓M4 chip gives stronger performance for creative and professional tablet workflows
✓Face ID is more convenient than Touch ID for many users
✓Thunderbolt / USB 4 support is better for pro accessories and faster workflows
✓Better fit for serious artists, editors, designers, and power users
iPad Pro M4 — Cons
✕Much more expensive than iPad Air M2
✕Apple Pencil Pro and Magic Keyboard are still separate purchases
✕iPadOS can still feel limiting compared with a MacBook or Windows laptop
✕Overkill if you mostly take notes, browse, stream, and write documents
✕Higher storage and nano-texture configurations become very expensive quickly
Best used for
✦Take notes in Goodnotes, Notability, Apple Notes, OneNote, Freeform, and Google Docs
✦Browse Safari, watch YouTube, stream Netflix, read PDFs, and use split-screen study apps
✦Use Apple Pencil Pro for handwriting, sketching, annotations, and classroom tasks
✦Add Magic Keyboard for essays, email, planning, documents, and light laptop-style work
✦Edit photos, short videos, and social posts in Lightroom, CapCut, Canva, and Photos
✦Buy a larger 13-inch iPad for study, reading, and media without paying iPad Pro pricing
Best used for
✦Draw, design, and illustrate in Procreate, Freeform, Affinity, Concepts, and creative iPad apps
✦Edit photos and videos in Lightroom, Final Cut Pro for iPad, LumaFusion, CapCut, and DaVinci Resolve for iPad
✦Review HDR video, color work, photos, and visual projects on the Ultra Retina XDR display
✦Use ProMotion for smoother scrolling, drawing, gaming, and Apple Pencil work
✦Add Magic Keyboard for premium writing, email, presentations, documents, and trackpad-based workflows
✦Choose 1TB or 2TB models if you need higher RAM and nano-texture glass options
⚖️
Our Verdict
iPad Air M2 is usually the better fit for most people. It is fast, modern, cheaper, and strong enough for notes, study, browsing, streaming, writing, PDFs, light editing, Apple Pencil work, and keyboard use. iPad Pro M4 is usually the better fit if the display and performance genuinely matter. The OLED Ultra Retina XDR screen, ProMotion, M4 chip, Face ID, Thunderbolt, and higher-end storage options make it the better tool for artists, editors, designers, and power users. The real question is not whether the Pro is better. It is whether you will use what makes it better. Pick iPad Air M2 for value. Pick iPad Pro M4 for serious creative work.
Which One Should You Choose?
Choose iPad Air M2 if...
→You want the better value iPad for school, university, work, or home
→You mainly take notes, browse, watch videos, read PDFs, and write documents
→You want Apple Pencil Pro support without paying iPad Pro pricing
→You want an 11-inch or 13-inch iPad for less money
→You only do light photo editing, video editing, Canva, or creative work
→You would rather spend the savings on Apple Pencil, Magic Keyboard, or storage
Choose iPad Pro M4 if...
→You want the best iPad display with OLED, HDR, and ProMotion
→You draw, design, edit video, color grade, or work with visual content often
→You need the stronger M4 chip for heavier creative workflows
→You prefer Face ID over Touch ID
→You want Thunderbolt / USB 4 for faster accessories and pro workflows
→You're buying the iPad as your main creative device, not just a casual tablet
Frequently Asked Questions
Q: Is iPad Air M2 or iPad Pro M4 better in 2026?
A: iPad Pro M4 is technically better, but iPad Air M2 is the better choice for most people. The Air is fast enough for notes, study, streaming, browsing, and light creative work. The Pro makes sense for OLED, ProMotion, and serious creative use.
Q: Is iPad Air M2 still worth buying in 2026?
A: Yes, if the price is right. iPad Air M2 is no longer the newest Air model, but it still has a strong chip, modern design, Apple Pencil Pro support, Magic Keyboard support, and enough power for most everyday tablet users
Q: What is the biggest difference between iPad Air M2 and iPad Pro M4?
A: The display is the biggest everyday difference. iPad Pro M4 has an Ultra Retina XDR tandem OLED display with ProMotion up to 120Hz. iPad Air M2 has a good Liquid Retina display, but it is 60Hz and not OLED.
Q: Does iPad Air M2 support Apple Pencil Pro?
A: Yes. iPad Air M2 supports Apple Pencil Pro and Apple Pencil USB-C. That makes it a strong value pick for students, note-takers, casual artists, and people who want Pencil features without paying for iPad Pro.
Q: Is iPad Pro M4 overkill for students?
A: For most students, yes. iPad Air M2 is the smarter student choice unless the course needs high-end drawing, design, video editing, or visual work. The Pro is excellent, but many students will not use the OLED, M4, and Thunderbolt advantages fully.
Q: Which is better for drawing, iPad Air M2 or iPad Pro M4?
A: iPad Pro M4 is better for serious drawing because of ProMotion, OLED contrast, stronger performance, and higher-end display quality. iPad Air M2 is still very good for notes, sketching, and casual art because it supports Apple Pencil Pro.
Q: Should I buy iPad Air M2 or a laptop?
A: Buy iPad Air M2 if your work is notes, reading, streaming, PDFs, handwriting, and light writing. Buy a laptop if you need full desktop apps, complex file management, coding, heavy multitasking, or a more traditional work setup.
Sources & References
Prices, features and specifications in this comparison were verified from official sources.
- ↗iPad Air 11-inch M2 Technical Specifications
- ↗iPad Air 13-inch M2 Technical Specifications
- ↗iPad Pro 11-inch M4 Technical Specifications
- ↗iPad Pro 13-inch M4 Technical Specifications
- ↗Apple Newsroom: iPad Air with M2 Announcement
- ↗Apple Newsroom: iPad Pro with M4 Announcement
- ↗Apple iPad Compare
- ↗Apple iPad Keyboards
Last verified: June 2026
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