Apple iPad Air 2022 vs iPad Pro 2021: Which should you buy

iPad Air 2022 vs iPad Pro 2021: Apple has launched a slim and powerful iPad Air 2022 with the same chipset used inside the Apple iPad Pro 2021. What makes this comparison post more interesting is that the iPad Air 2022 is cheaper than the iPad Pro 2021. So, between the iPad Air 2022 and iPad Pro 2021 which should you buy?

This post will compare the specifications of the iPad Air 2022 and iPad Pro 2021 and show which one is better. At the end of this post, you should know which offers good value for money and why.

Note: The Apple iPad Air 2022 is also referred to as the iPad Air 5 to iPad Air (5th generation).

Apple iPad Air 2022 vs iPad Pro 2021

Specifications	iPad Air 2022	iPad Pro 2021
Display	10.9-inch, LCD	12.9-inch, LCD
RAM	8GB	8/16GB
Storage	64/256GB	128GB-2TP
Back Camera	12MP	12 + 10MP & TOF 3D LiDAR
Front Camera	12MP	12MP
Chipset	Apple M1	Apple M1
Software	iPadOS 15	iPadOS 15
Battery	28.6Wh	40.88Wh
IP Rating	N/A	N/A

Apple iPad Air 2022 vs iPad Pro 2021: Display and Design

The iPad Air 2022 comes with a 10.9-inch display, an IPS LCD panel, and a peak brightness of 500 nits. It has a 1640 x 2360 pixels resolution and it has Scratch-resistant glass with an oleophobic coating. Its build material is Glass front, aluminum back, and aluminum frame. The device has support for Stylus support (2nd gen) and a keyboard.

The Apple iPad Pro 2021 comes with a 12.9-inch display, it has a mini-LED LCD panel, support for a 120Hz refresh rate, HDR10 support, and also has support for Dolby Vision. It has a 2048 x 2732 pixels resolution and its peak brightness is 1600 nits. Its build material is Glass front, aluminum back, and aluminum frame. The display is Scratch-resistant glass and uses an oleophobic coating. The device also has Stylus support (Bluetooth integration; magnetic) and keyboards.

When it comes to iPads and tablets, the bigger the display, the better (in most cases). And the iPad Pro 2021 comes with not just a bigger display but also a brighter, faster, and more colorful display.

Apple iPad Air 2022 vs iPad Pro 2021: Camera

When it comes to cameras the iPad Air 2022 has a single rear and front camera. At the rear, it has a 12MP wide-angle camera with dual-pixel PDAF and a 12MP ultra-wide-angle camera upfront. The rear camera can shoot videos in 4K resolution and it has gyro-EIS for video stabilization.

The Apple iPad Pro 2021 features triple rear cameras and a single front camera. At the rear, it has a 12MP wide-angle camera, a 10MP ultra-wide camera, and a TOF 3D LiDAR scanner for depth sensors. Upfront it comes with a 12MP camera. The back camera of the iPad Pro 2022 can record videos in 4K resolution and it has a video stabilization feature.

The camera inside the iPad Air 2022 is very good and can take great photos and videos. But, the camera setup of the iPad Pro 2021 gives users more options and takes clearer photos and videos.

Apple iPad Air 2022 vs iPad Pro 2021: Chipset & Performance

The performance of both Apple iPads is very similar if not the same. Both of these Apple devices use the Apple M1 chip. This chip comes with Octa-core CPUs and an Apple GPU (8-core graphics). The Apple M1 chip has support for 5G and it’s a laptop bases chipset. This means you’ll be getting a laptop performance inside both of these Apple iPads.

The RAM inside the iPad Air 2022 is 8GB and the storage options are 64GB and 256GB. While the RAM inside the iPad Pro 2021 is 8/16GB and the storage options are 128GB, 256GB, 512GB, 1TB, and 2TB. None of these iPads have support for a microSD card slot and a 3.5mm jack port.

The overall performance of the iPad Air 2022 and iPad Air 2021 is similar when it comes to gaming and graphics rendering. But the iPad Pro 2021 has the advantage of bigger RAM and storage.

Apple iPad Air 2022 vs iPad Pro 2021: Software

Both the iPad Air 2022 and iPad Pro 2021 boots Apple iOS 15 out of the box. Apple has promised years of major software updates and monthly security patches for both iPads. And going by the software update policy of Apple and its history, both the iPad Air 2022 and iPad Pro 2021 might get up to five years of major software updates.

Apple iPad Air 2022 vs iPad Pro 2021: Battery

The Apple iPad Pro 2021 is powered by a 40.88Wh battery with an 18W charge. While the Apple iPad Air 2022 is powered by a 28.6Wh battery with 18W charge support. The battery capacity inside the iPad Air 2021 is almost twice that of the iPad Air 2022. This is why the Apple iPad Pro 2021 has a better battery life compared to the iPad Air 2022.

iPad Air 2022 vs iPad Pro 2021: Price

The price of the Apple iPad Air 2022 is $599 for the 8GB RAM and 64GB storage configuration. While the price of the Apple iPad Pro 2021 is $1,099 for the 8GB RAM and 128GB storage configuration (Wi-Fi only). And this raises the question of value for money. See the verdict section below the table to know which to buy and why.

Buy iPad Air 2022 and iPad Pro 2021

iPad Pro 2021	Prices
Buy on Amazon	$749.00
Buy on Amazon (EUR)	€1,378.00
Buy on Amazon (UK)	£2,058.51

iPad Air 2022	Prices
Buy on Amazon	$449.00
Buy on Amazon (EUR)	€689.00
Buy on Amazon (UK)	£569.00

iPad Air 2022 vs iPad Pro 2021: Verdict

So, between the Apple iPad Air 2022 and iPad Pro 2021, which should you buy and why? The iPad Pro 2021 is obviously the best iPad of these two. But, should you buy it over the iPad Air 2022?

Well, when it comes to performance, the Apple iPad Air 2022 is neck to neck with the iPad Pro 2021. And for its price, there are a few tablets (Android and Windows inclusive) that offer better value for money. So, the iPad Air 2022 is the best value for money between these two Apple iPads.

But, if you can spend double the money on the iPad Air 2022 then you can buy the iPad Pro 2021. The iPad Pro 2022 is better in almost every aspect (except performance as both devices use the same chipset). For those who want to save money without compromising performance, the Apple iPad Air 2022 is the device you should buy.

If I’m to score both Apple iPads, I’ll score the iPad Air 2022 (47%) and the iPad Pro 2021 (53%). The iPad Pro 2021 is the best iPad here but the iPad Air 2022 offers better value for the money.