Apple has unveiled its latest update to its high-end tablet line in the iPad Pro 2022. But, how does it compare to the next model down, the iPad Air 2022?
The biggest update coming to the iPad Pro is the addition of the Apple Silicon M2 chip, which replaces the M1 found in the iPad Pro 2021. The M1 is the same processor that powers the iPad Air 2022.
However, with more than £300 difference between their RRPs, you’ll want to educate yourself on the biggest differences between the two Apple tablets if you’re thinking of getting one iPad or the other.
The iPad Pro is powered by the Apple M2
Arguably the most important upgrade for the iPad Pro is the jump from Apple’s M1 chip to the M2, an Apple Silicon chip that launched in the MacBook Air and 13-inch MacBook Pro.
The M2 is an 8-core CPU that Apple claims is up to 15% faster than the M1. It has a 10-core GPU for up to 35% faster graphics performance and a 16-core Neural Engine that can process 15.8 trillion operations per second, which is 40% faster than the M1.
The chipset also takes advantage of 50% more bandwidth than the M1, with 100GB/s of unified memory, and the M2 supports up to 16GB of fast unified memory.
The iPad Air comes in more colours
The iPad Air is available in five colours that includes a handful of eye-catching pastel shades: Space Grey, Starlight, Pink, Purple and Blue. The iPad Pro only comes in the more neutral Space Grey and Silver shades.
When it comes to the display the iPad Pro definitely wins with its larger screen, higher resolution, XDR support and 120Hz ProMotion refresh rate.
The iPad Pro 2022 also supports the new Apple Pencil hover feature, allowing users to see a preview of their mark from up to 12mm above the display before they start drawing or taking notes.
The iPad Pro has more storage
Like the iPad Pro 2021, the iPad Pro 2022 comes with up to 2TB of storage. This is significantly more than the 256GB available on the iPad Air.
The iPad Pro 2022 is available in 128GB, 256GB, 512GB, 1TB and 2TB configurations, while the iPad Air 2022 only comes in 64GB and 256GB versions.
The iPad Pro has a second camera
The iPad Pro takes advantage of a second rear camera. While both tablets pack a 12-megapixel (f/1.8) wide angle camera, only the iPad Pro includes a second 10-megapixel (f/2.4) ultra-wide angle camera.
The iPad Pro also includes brighter True Tone flash, support for 2x optical zoom out and up to 5x digital zoom (the iPad Air only supports digital zoom) and Smart HDR 4 for photos, whereas the iPad Air comes with Smart HDR 3.
While both cameras can capture 4K video, only the iPad Pro supports ProRes video recording at up to 4K/30fps and audio zoom.
Finally, while both cameras also include 12-megapixel (f/2.4) front cameras, only the iPad Pro offers portrait mode support with advanced bokeh and Depth Control, Portrait Lighting effects, Animoji and Memoji support and Face ID.
The iPad Pro costs much more
Perhaps the most important difference between the two tablets is the price.
The iPad Pro 2022 starts at $799 / £899 for the 11-inch version with Wi-Fi or $999 / £1079 with Wi-Fi + Cellular, while the 12.9-inch model is priced at $1099 / £1249 with Wi-Fi or $1299 / £1429 with Wi-Fi + Cellular.
The 11-inch iPad Air starts at $599 / £569 for Wi-Fi or $749 / £719 for Wi-Fi + Cellular model.
That means the iPad Air is $200 / £330 cheaper if you’re looking at the Wi-Fi only models, or $250 / £360 less for the Wi-Fi + Cellular models of the same size. Move up to the 12.9-inch iPad Pro and your options get even pricier compared to the iPad Air.
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Editorial independence
Editorial independence means being able to give an unbiased verdict about a product or company, with the avoidance of conflicts of interest. To ensure this is possible, every member of the editorial staff follows a clear code of conduct.
Professional conduct
We also expect our journalists to follow clear ethical standards in their work. Our staff members must strive for honesty and accuracy in everything they do. We follow the IPSO Editors’ code of practice to underpin these standards.
