Apple iPad Air (2022) vs iPad Pro 12.9 (2022): The Ultimate Tablet Showdown

Apple's iPad lineup offers incredible power and versatility, but choosing the right model can be tough. The iPad Air (2022) provides a fantastic balance of performance and affordability, while the iPad Pro 12.9 (2022) pushes the boundaries of what a tablet can do. Let's dive into a detailed comparison to help you decide which is best for you.

Phones Images

🏆 Quick Verdict

The iPad Pro 12.9 (2022) is the clear winner for power users needing the best display, ProMotion, and advanced features like Thunderbolt. However, the iPad Air (2022) offers exceptional value with the M1 chip, making it a superb choice for most users.

PHONES
Phone Names	Apple iPad Air (2022)	Apple iPad Pro 12.9 (2022)

Network
2G bands	GSM 850 / 900 / 1800 / 1900	GSM 850 / 900 / 1800 / 1900
3G bands	HSDPA 850 / 900 / 1700(AWS) / 1900 / 2100	HSDPA 850 / 900 / 1700(AWS) / 1900 / 2100
4G bands	1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 7, 8, 11, 12, 13, 14, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 25, 26, 28, 29, 30, 32, 34, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42, 46, 48, 66, 71 - A2589	1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 7, 8, 11, 12, 13, 14, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 25, 26, 28, 29, 30, 32, 34, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42, 46, 48, 66, 71 - A2764, A2437
5G bands	1, 2, 3, 5, 7, 8, 12, 20, 25, 28, 29, 30, 38, 40, 41, 48, 66, 71, 77, 78, 79 SA/NSA/Sub6 - A2589, A2591	1, 2, 3, 5, 7, 8, 12, 14, 20, 25, 26, 28, 29, 30, 38, 40, 41, 48, 66, 70, 71, 77, 78, 79, 258, 260, 261 SA/NSA/Sub6/mmWave - A2764
Speed	HSPA, LTE, 5G	HSPA, LTE, 5G
Technology	GSM / HSPA / LTE / 5G	GSM / HSPA / LTE / 5G
	1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 7, 8, 12, 13, 14, 17, 18, 19, 20, 25, 26, 28, 29, 30, 32, 34, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42, 46, 48, 66, 71 - A2591	1, 2, 3, 5, 7, 8, 12, 14, 20, 25, 26, 28, 29, 30, 38, 40, 41, 48, 66, 70, 71, 77, 78, 79 SA/NSA/Sub6 - A2437, A2766

Launch
Announced	2022, March 08	2022, October 18
Status	Available. Released 2022, March 18	Available. Released 2022, October 26

Body
Build	Glass front, aluminum back, aluminum frame	Glass front, aluminum back, aluminum frame
Dimensions	247.6 x 178.5 x 6.1 mm (9.75 x 7.03 x 0.24 in)	280.6 x 214.9 x 6.4 mm (11.05 x 8.46 x 0.25 in)
SIM	Nano-SIM + eSIM	Nano-SIM + eSIM
Weight	461 g (Wi-Fi) / 462 g (5G) (1.02 lb)	682 g (Wi-Fi), 685 g (5G) (1.50 lb)
	Stylus support (2nd gen)	Stylus support (Bluetooth integration; magnetic)

Display
Protection	Scratch-resistant glass, oleophobic coating	Scratch-resistant glass, oleophobic coating
Resolution	1640 x 2360 pixels (~264 ppi density)	2048 x 2732 pixels, 4:3 ratio (~265 ppi density)
Size	10.9 inches, 359.2 cm2 (~81.3% screen-to-body ratio)	12.9 inches, 515.3 cm2 (~85.4% screen-to-body ratio)
Type	Liquid Retina IPS LCD, 500 nits (typ)	Liquid Retina XDR mini-LED LCD, 120Hz, HDR10, Dolby Vision, 1000 nits (typ), 1600 nits (peak)

Platform
CPU	Octa-core (4x3.2 GHz & 4xX.X GHz)	Octa-core (4x3.49 GHz performance cores, 4 efficiency cores)
Chipset	Apple M1	Apple M2
GPU	Apple GPU (8-core graphics)	Apple GPU (10-core graphics)
OS	iPadOS 15.4, upgradable to iPadOS 26.1	iPadOS 16.1, upgradable to iPadOS 26.1

Memory
Card slot	No	No
Internal	64GB, 256GB 8GB RAM	128GB 8GB RAM, 256GB 8GB RAM, 512GB 8GB RAM, 1TB 16GB RAM, 2TB 16GB RAM

Main Camera
Dual	-	12 MP, f/1.8, (wide), 1/3.0", 1.22µm, dual pixel PDAF 10 MP, f/2.4, 125˚ (ultrawide) TOF 3D LiDAR scanner (depth)
Features	HDR	Quad-LED dual-tone flash, HDR
Single	12 MP, f/1.8, (wide), 1/3.0", 1.22µm, dual pixel PDAF	12 MP, f/2.4, 122˚ (ultrawide)
Video	4K@24/25/30/60fps, 1080p@25/30/60/120/240fps; gyro-EIS	4K@24/25/30/60fps, 1080p@25/30/60/120/240fps; gyro-EIS, ProRes

Selfie camera
Features	HDR	Face detection, HDR, panorama
Single	12 MP, f/2.4, 122˚ (ultrawide)	12 MP, f/2.4, 122˚ (ultrawide)
Video	1080p@30/60fps	1080p@25/30/60fps, gyro-EIS, HDR

Sound
3.5mm jack	No	No
35mm jack	No	No
Loudspeaker	Yes, with stereo speakers	Yes, with stereo speakers (4 speakers)

Comms
Bluetooth	5.0, A2DP, EDR	5.3, A2DP, LE, EDR
NFC	No	No
Positioning	GPS, GLONASS (5G model only)	GPS, GLONASS, GALILEO, QZSS (Wi‑Fi + Cellular model only)
Radio	No	No
USB	USB Type-C 3.1 Gen2, DisplayPort, magnetic connector	USB Type-C 4 (Thunderbolt 3), DisplayPort, magnetic connector
WLAN	Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac/6, dual-band, hotspot	Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac/6e, dual-band, hotspot

Features
Sensors	Fingerprint (top-mounted), accelerometer, gyro, compass, barometer	Face ID, accelerometer, gyro, compass, barometer

Battery
Type	Li-Ion 7600 mAh (28.6 Wh)	Li-Po 10758 mAh (40.88 Wh)

Misc
Colors	Space Gray, Starlight, Pink, Purple, Blue	Silver, Space Gray
Models	A2588, A2589, A2591, iPad13,16, iPad13,17	A2764, A2437, A2766, A2436, iPad14,5, iPad14,6
Price	About 550 EUR	About 1450 EUR

Apple iPad Air (2022)

Excellent value for money
Powerful M1 chip
Lightweight and portable
Beautiful Liquid Retina display
Available in multiple colors

Less advanced display than Pro
No ProMotion
No Thunderbolt port
Less powerful camera system

Apple iPad Pro 12.9 (2022)

Stunning Liquid Retina XDR display with mini-LED
Powerful M2 chip
ProMotion (120Hz adaptive refresh rate)
Thunderbolt port for fast data transfer
Advanced camera system with LiDAR scanner

Higher price
Larger and heavier than Air
Battery life can be impacted by demanding tasks

Display Comparison

The iPad Pro 12.9 (2022) boasts a stunning 12.9-inch Liquid Retina XDR display with mini-LED backlighting, offering incredible brightness, contrast, and HDR performance. The iPad Air (2022) has a 10.9-inch Liquid Retina display, which is still excellent but lacks the Pro's advanced technology and larger size. ProMotion (120Hz adaptive refresh rate) on the Pro makes scrolling and animations incredibly smooth.

Camera Comparison

The iPad Pro 12.9 (2022) has a more advanced camera system, including a LiDAR scanner for improved AR experiences and better low-light performance. Both have excellent front-facing cameras for video calls. The Pro also has better video recording capabilities.

Performance

Both tablets are incredibly fast thanks to Apple's silicon. The iPad Pro 12.9 (2022) features the M2 chip, offering a slight performance edge over the iPad Air (2022)'s M1 chip. However, for most everyday tasks, the difference is negligible. The Pro's extra GPU cores provide a noticeable boost for demanding games and creative applications.

Battery Life

Both offer all-day battery life. The iPad Pro 12.9 (2022) has a slightly larger battery capacity, but the larger display and more demanding features can impact its longevity. Expect around 10 hours of mixed usage on both.

Buying Guide

Who should buy the Apple iPad Air (2022)? Students, casual users, and those seeking a powerful yet affordable tablet for everyday tasks, media consumption, and light creative work. Who should buy the Apple iPad Pro 12.9 (2022)? Creative professionals, designers, artists, and anyone needing the absolute best performance, a stunning display, and advanced features like ProMotion and Thunderbolt connectivity.

Frequently Asked Questions

❓ Is the M2 chip in the iPad Pro 12.9 significantly faster than the M1 in the iPad Air?

While the M2 offers a performance boost, the difference is often negligible for everyday tasks. The Pro's advantage becomes more apparent in demanding creative workflows and gaming.

❓ Does the iPad Air support the Apple Pencil 2nd generation?

Yes, both the iPad Air (2022) and iPad Pro 12.9 (2022) support the Apple Pencil 2nd generation, offering a seamless drawing and note-taking experience.