M4 iPad Pro vs M2 iPad Air: A Detailed Comparison
Performance
The biggest difference in performance between the M4 iPad Pro and the M2 iPad Air lies in the upgrade of the M4 chip. Apple claims that the M4 chip delivers up to 50% faster CPU performance, 4x faster GPU performance, and an improvement in memory bandwidth from 100GB/s to 120GB/s compared to the M2 chip. Additionally, the M4 chip offers a media engine that supports hardware-accelerated 8K video, 38 trillion operations per second with the M4 Neural Engine, hardware-accelerated ray tracing, and more. It is important to note that the iPad Pro models with higher storage capacities have more RAM compared to the iPad Air models.
Display
The M4 iPad Pro models feature Apple’s new “Ultra Retina XDR Display,” which is the first iPad to use Tandem OLED technology. This display offers brighter specular highlights, deeper true blacks, better detail in shadows and low light, and more. On the other hand, the M2 iPad Air models feature a Liquid Retina Display that uses LED technology. The M4 iPad Pro models have brighter SDR content with up to 1000 nits of brightness, while the M2 iPad Pro models have a brightness of 600 nits for SDR content. However, both the M4 iPad Pro and M2 iPad Air models share display features such as P3 wide color, fully laminated displays, anti-reflective coating, Apple Pencil Hover, and True Tone.
Design, Dimensions, Weight, Colors
The M4 iPad Pro is the thinnest product ever created by Apple, measuring 5.1mm for the 13″ model and 5.3mm for the 11″ version. It is also lighter than ever, with the 11″ model weighing less than 1 pound. The M2 iPad Air is available in four color choices: Space Gray, Starlight, blue, and purple. The M4 iPad Pro replaces Space Gray with Space Black as a color option, and silver remains the other choice.
Connectivity and Accessories
Both the M4 iPad Pro and the M2 iPad Air models work with the same Apple accessories, including the Magic Keyboard and the Apple Pencil. The M4 iPad Pro models have the advantage of Thunderbolt connectivity and Face ID, while the M2 iPad Air models have Touch ID instead.
Cameras, Video, and Audio
The M4 iPad Pro rear camera system features a 12MP wide lens, a LiDAR Scanner, and a Retina Flash with True Tone. The M4 iPad Pro also has a 12MP ultra-wide front camera with Center Stage support. Meanwhile, the M2 iPad Air models have a 10MP ultra wide lens and lack the LiDAR Scanner.
Battery Life
The M4 iPad Pro and M2 iPad Air models both offer up to 10 hours of battery life for web or video use on WiFi and up to 9 hours for web use with cellular.
Storage and Price
The M4 iPad Pro models offer storage options starting from 256GB up to 2TB, with the option to upgrade to nano-texture glass. The M2 iPad Air models offer storage options starting from 64GB up to 1TB.
Conclusion
The decision between the M4 iPad Pro and the M2 iPad Air depends on the individual’s needs and budget. The M4 iPad Pro offers more advanced features such as Thunderbolt connectivity, Face ID, and a slimmer design, making it ideal for professional users. On the other hand, the M2 iPad Air provides many similar features and is a more cost-effective option for casual users. Both models are excellent choices depending on the specific requirements of the user.
