New iPad Air M4 2026 gains strength but iPad Pro M5 maintains leadership in OLED screen and pro features

Apple recently launched the iPad Air equipped with the M4 chip. The model brings improvements in performance and energy efficiency without radically changing the design or positioning of the line.

The iPad Pro remains the brand’s top-of-the-line tablet now with the M5 chip. Ele maintains the previously introduced ultra-thin design and relies on internal advances focused on GPU and artificial intelligence acceleration.

These updates bring the two devices closer in overall performance. However specific differences in screen hardware and capacity for professional tasks continue to define each person’s profile.

• iPad Air delivers essential experience at a more affordable price
• iPad Pro excels in display technology and advanced features
• The choice depends on the budget and type of intended use.

Key screen and display differences

The iPad Air has an LED-backlit Liquid Retina screen and IPS technology. Ela offers good image quality for daily use with SDR brightness that reaches 500 nits on the 11-inch model and 600 nits on the 13-inch model.

The iPad Pro uses an Ultra Retina XDR screen with tandem OLED technology. Esse panel achieves SDR brightness of up to 1,000 nits and XDR brightness of 1,000 nits in full screen or 1,600 nits at peak for HDR content. The nanotexture glass option is available on higher capacity models.

Additionally, the iPad Pro includes ProMotion technology with adaptive refresh rates of up to 120 Hz. The iPad Air operates at 60 Hz and controls external displays only at 60

Performance of M4 and M5 chips

The M4 chip in the iPad Air features an 8-core processor, three of which are high-performance and five are high-efficiency. The GPU has 9 cores and the device includes 12 GB of unified memory with 120 GB/s bandwidth.

The M5 chip in the iPad Pro offers up to 10 CPU cores depending on storage configuration. The GPU has 10 energy-efficient cores and a unified memory bandwidth of 153 GB/s. Modelos with 1 TB or 2 TB has 16 GB of RAM.

Both chips include neural accelerator and ray tracing support. The M5 advances TSMC’s enhanced third-generation 3nm architecture and Tensor APIs that optimize artificial intelligence tasks directly on the GPU.

Camera and audio features

The iPad Air maintains a simple rear and front camera system with Touch ID on the top button. Ele records video in standard quality and has two microphones and stereo speakers.

iPad Pro includes TrueDepth for facial recognition and portrait mode with advanced lighting effects. The LiDAR scanner assists in augmented reality and precise measurement applications. The model records ProRes video in 4K at 60 fps with the possibility of external recording and has four studio-quality microphones.

In audio, the iPad Pro delivers a system with four speakers and features such as audio zoom. Essas specifications improve the experience in calls, recordings and playback of multimedia content.

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Design weight and connectivity

The iPad Air is 6.1 mm thick and weighs 462 grams or 617 grams depending on the size. Ele is available in colors like Cinza Espacial Azul Estelar Roxo and Azul with storage starting at 128 GB.

The iPad Pro is thinner at 5.3mm or 5.1mm and weighs 444 grams or 579 grams. Color options are limited to Preto Espacial and Prata. Storage starts at 256GB and goes up to 2TB with SSD speeds up to twice as fast.

Thunderbolt/USB 4 connectivity on iPad Pro allows for faster transfers and connection to high-performance monitors or peripherals. The iPad Air uses standard USB-C. Ambos support fast charging and accessories like Magic Keyboard and Apple Pencil.

When to choose each model

Users looking for economy and solid performance for everyday tasks such as browsing, light editing of photos, videos and multitasking will find the iPad Air a balanced option. The M4 chip offers notable gains over previous generations and meets most demands well without compromising portability.

Professionals working with high-resolution video editing, 3D rendering, HDR content, or streams that require higher RAM and fast connectivity benefit from the unique features of the iPad Pro. The OLED screen, Face ID, LiDAR scanner, and superior audio justify the additional investment in these cases.

The price difference exceeds 400 dollars in similar configurations. Para For most consumers, the iPad Air delivers the best value for money by providing an experience close to that of the Pro model in most practical situations.

Accessory and ecosystem compatibility

Both the iPad Air and iPad Pro are compatible with the main Apple accessories. The Magic Keyboard transforms the tablet into a productive solution similar to a lightweight notebook. The Apple Pencil Pro allows for accurate note-taking and digital drawing.

Integration with iPadOS 26 brings artificial intelligence and improved multitasking capabilities to both devices. Usuários who already have other Apple products enjoy the continuity between iPhone Mac and iPad regardless of choice.

Storage and purchasing options

The iPad Air is available in 128GB 256GB 512GB and 1TB capacities. The initial price starts from affordable values ​​that make the model attractive to students and casual users.

The iPad Pro starts at 256GB and goes up to 2TB with higher prices that reflect the premium components. Consumidores must evaluate the volume of files and applications before defining the ideal configuration.

The final decision depends on the balance between specific needs and available budget. The iPad Air meets most profiles well while the iPad Pro has clear advantages for those who demand maximum screen performance and professional features.