Apple iPad Air 11 (M3) vs Apple iPad Pro 11 (M4)
Tablets comparison: specs, VersusAnything Score, key differences and a clear recommendation.
Apple iPad Air 11 (M3) and Apple iPad Pro 11 (M4) are two of the most cross-shopped tablets right now, and the gap between them is narrower in some rows and wider in others than the marketing suggests. The 11-inch iPad Air M3 brings laptop-class M3 performance, Apple Pencil Pro support and a new Magic Keyboard at a mid-range price. The 11-inch iPad Pro M4 is the thinnest Apple device ever made, with a tandem OLED display, 120 Hz ProMotion and the M4 chip.
Quick verdict
On the VersusAnything Score, Apple iPad Pro 11 (M4) finishes ahead, 59 to 38. It is the better buy for professionals who edit video, draw or want the best tablet display available; for students and creatives who want most of the Pro experience for far less, iPad Air M3 still makes more sense.
VersusAnything Score
Scores are calculated from measurable specifications normalised within the tablets category and weighted by the factors above. Text-only rows (such as chipset or operating system) are explained but not scored. How the score works.
Side-by-side overview
Apple iPad Air 11 (M3)
The 11-inch iPad Air M3 brings laptop-class M3 performance, Apple Pencil Pro support and a new Magic Keyboard at a mid-range price.
Best for students and creatives who want most of the Pro experience for far less
Apple iPad Pro 11 (M4)
The 11-inch iPad Pro M4 is the thinnest Apple device ever made, with a tandem OLED display, 120 Hz ProMotion and the M4 chip.
Best for professionals who edit video, draw or want the best tablet display available
Key differences
- Panel type: iPad Air M3 Liquid Retina LCD vs iPad Pro M4 Ultra Retina XDR (tandem OLED) — a preference, not a scored win
- Chipset: iPad Air M3 Apple M3 vs iPad Pro M4 Apple M4 — a preference, not a scored win
- Refresh rate: iPad Air M3 60 Hz vs iPad Pro M4 120 Hz — iPad Pro M4 is better here
- Base storage: iPad Air M3 128 GB vs iPad Pro M4 256 GB — iPad Pro M4 is better here
- Launch price (USD): iPad Air M3 $599 vs iPad Pro M4 $999 — iPad Air M3 is better here
Specification comparison table
| Specification | iPad Air M3 | iPad Pro M4 |
|---|---|---|
| Screen size | 11" | 11" |
| Panel type | Liquid Retina LCD | Ultra Retina XDR (tandem OLED) |
| Refresh rate | 60 Hz | 120 Hz |
| Chipset | Apple M3 | Apple M4 |
| RAM | 8 GB | 8 GB |
| Base storage | 128 GB | 256 GB |
| Weight | 460 g | 444 g |
| Stylus support | Apple Pencil Pro / USB-C | Apple Pencil Pro / USB-C |
| Rated battery life | 10 h | 10 h |
| Operating system | iPadOS | iPadOS |
| Launch price (USD) | $599 | $999 |
Display: iPad Air M3 vs iPad Pro M4 Score: iPad Air M3 20 · iPad Pro M4 90
Screen size is identical at 11". For panel type, iPad Air M3 uses Liquid Retina LCD whereas iPad Pro M4 goes with Ultra Retina XDR (tandem OLED). This is a preference rather than a scored win: OLED gives deeper blacks for video, LCD is cheaper and often brighter in sunlight.
iPad Pro M4 offers 120 Hz of refresh rate while iPad Air M3 stops at 60 Hz; the 60 Hz gap matters because 120 Hz makes stylus strokes and scrolling feel instant.
Performance: iPad Air M3 vs iPad Pro M4 Score: iPad Air M3 48 · iPad Pro M4 72
iPad Air M3: Apple M3. iPad Pro M4: Apple M4. Neither is scored, but the chip decides how long the tablet stays fast and whether it runs desktop-class apps. On RAM the two match exactly (8 GB).
iPad Pro M4 leads on base storage with 256 GB versus 128 GB, a margin of 128 GB. In practice tablet storage is rarely expandable on Apple models, so the base tier matters.
Portability: iPad Air M3 vs iPad Pro M4 Score: iPad Air M3 60 · iPad Pro M4 80
iPad Pro M4 is better on weight at 444 g against 460 g, a 16 g difference; lower is better because a lighter tablet is easier to hold for reading and travel.
Both list Apple Pencil Pro / USB-C for stylus support, so nothing separates them here.
Battery: iPad Air M3 vs iPad Pro M4 Score: iPad Air M3 30 · iPad Pro M4 30
Both list 10 h for rated battery life, so nothing separates them here.
Value: iPad Air M3 vs iPad Pro M4 Score: iPad Air M3 40 · iPad Pro M4 10
Both list iPadOS for operating system, so nothing separates them here.
On launch price (USD), iPad Air M3 keeps it to $599 while iPad Pro M4 lists $999. That $400 edge counts since launch price is the fairest baseline.
Pros and cons
iPad Air M3
Pros
- M3 chip
- Apple Pencil Pro support
- Lighter than the iPad Pro of 2022
- Better launch price (USD) ($599)
Cons
- Weaker refresh rate (60 Hz)
- Weaker base storage (128 GB)
- Weaker weight (460 g)
iPad Pro M4
Pros
- Ultra Retina XDR tandem OLED
- 5.3 mm thin
- M4 performance
- Better launch price (USD) ($999)
Cons
- Weaker refresh rate (120 Hz)
- Weaker base storage (256 GB)
- Weaker weight (444 g)
Which one should you buy?
Choose Apple iPad Air 11 (M3) for…
Students and creatives who want most of the Pro experience for far less. It stands out for m3 chip, apple pencil pro support, lighter than the ipad pro of 2022.
Choose Apple iPad Pro 11 (M4) for…
Professionals who edit video, draw or want the best tablet display available. It stands out for ultra retina xdr tandem oled, 5.3 mm thin, m4 performance.
Final verdict
iPad Pro M4 scores 59 to iPad Air M3's 38 on our category weighting, making it the stronger overall pick for professionals who edit video, draw or want the best tablet display available. iPad Air M3 remains the right call for students and creatives who want most of the Pro experience for far less. The VersusAnything Score is a transparent starting point, not a command; weight the rows you care about and the right answer for you may differ.
Compare with another tablet
Frequently asked questions
Is iPad Air M3 better than iPad Pro M4?
On the VersusAnything Score, iPad Pro M4 finishes ahead 59 to 38. That makes iPad Pro M4 the better overall pick for professionals who edit video, draw or want the best tablet display available, while iPad Air M3 is still the right choice for students and creatives who want most of the Pro experience for far less.
What is the biggest difference between iPad Air M3 and iPad Pro M4?
The largest gap is panel type: iPad Air M3 lists Liquid Retina LCD while iPad Pro M4 lists Ultra Retina XDR (tandem OLED). OLED gives deeper blacks for video, LCD is cheaper and often brighter in sunlight.
Which is cheaper, iPad Air M3 or iPad Pro M4?
iPad Air M3 is cheaper on launch price (USD): $599 against $999 for iPad Pro M4. Street prices vary by country and retailer, so check current offers.
Who should choose iPad Pro M4 over iPad Air M3?
iPad Pro M4 is the better fit for professionals who edit video, draw or want the best tablet display available. Its strongest points are ultra retina xdr tandem oled, 5.3 mm thin, m4 performance.
Sources
- iPad Air M3: Apple official (manufacturer)
- iPad Pro M4: Apple official (manufacturer)
Specifications last verified: 2026-10-01. Prices are launch or official list prices in US dollars unless stated. See our sources and data policy.