Without any doubt, Apple is one of the best smartphone manufacturers around the world and their devices do live up to the hype. Apple devices perform just as well as they look. The latest model in the iPad Pro series also lives up to its bidding. Since the launch of the iPad Pro model, Apple has brought numerous much-needed changes to its first model. There have been internal and aesthetic changes to this device which has made it a perfect idea for all types of users and applications. The latest model of the iPad Pro is a powerhouse and so are the other apple devices that recently been developed.
Choosing between iPad Pro 2021vs iPad Air 4 can be quite tricky. Now, that the iPad Pro 2021 has been released, you have to ask yourself if the tablet is worth paying extra money for.
Last year, many experts reviewed the iPad Air 4 as one of the tablets that you can lay your hands on. This is mainly due to its large body, efficient hardware, and enough power to be used as a laptop replacement (but you would need to pair it with a Magic keyboard). But now, we have a newer tablet in the market; iPad Pro 2021. This new iPad comes with the latest Apple M1 chip, an impressive new Liquid Retina XDR Display, solid cameras and 5G connectivity.
Yes, the iPad Pro 2021 is the most powerful tablet on the market, but is it worth upgrading to suit your needs? Read on to find out some interesting details.
iPad Pro 2021 Vs iPad Air 4: Specs
| Device | iPad Air 4 (2020) | 11-inch iPad Pro 2021 | 12.9-inch iPad Pro 2021 |
| Price | $599 | $799 | $1,099 |
| Processor | A14 Bionic | M1 (16-core) | M1 (16-core) |
| Display | 10.9 inches (2360 x 1640 pixels) | 11 inches (2388 x 1668 pixels) | 12.9 inches (2732 x 2048 pixels) |
| Dimensions | 9.7 x 7 x 0.24 inches | 9.74 x 7.02 x 0.23 inches | 11.04 x 8.46 x 0.25 inches |
| Weight | 1 pound | 1.04 pounds | 1.51 pounds |
| Storage | 64GB, 256GB | 128GB, 256GB, 512GB, 1TB, 2TB | 128GB, 256GB, 512GB, 1TB, 2TB |
| Front Cameras | 7MP TrueDepth | 12MP TrueDepth | 12MP TrueDepth |
| Rear Cameras | 12MP wide (f/1.8) | 12MP wide (f/1.8), 10-MP ultra-wide (f/2.4) | 12MP wide (f/1.8), 10-MP ultra-wide (f/2.4) |
| Accessories | Magic Keyboard, Apple Pencil (gen 2) | Magic Keyboard, Apple Pencil (gen 1 & 2) | Magic Keyboard, Apple Pencil (gen 1 & 2) |
| Port | USB-C | USB-C with Thunderbolt, USB-4 | USB-C with Thunderbolt, USB-4 |
| Connectivity | Wi-Fi 6, optional 4G | Wi-Fi 6, optional 5G | Wi-Fi 6, optional 5G |
If you are looking to buy the iPad Pro 2021 or iPad Air 4, it’s crucial to purchase protective cases to safeguard your device.
iPad Pro 2021 vs iPad Air 4: Price
Apple’s latest iPad comes with a starting price of $799 for the 11-inch model, while the 12.9-inch model is offered for $1,099. This is costlier than the starting price of the iPad Air 4 at $599, especially if you are considering purchasing the 12.9-inch model.
If there are problems with raising enough budget, you should consider going for the iPad Air 4. It’s even possible that you get a discount for your purchase now that it’s been for sale for months now.
When taking a look at the prices of both tablets, there’s an important factor to consider: individual specifications. The cheapest iPad Air 4 comes at $599 but only has 64GB of space which may not be large enough to store numerous apps and media. However, the cheapest iPad Pro 2021 comes in at $799 but has 128GB of space, which is a more reasonable amount of storage for a modern device.
iPad Pro 2021 vs iPad Air 4: Display
The iPad Air 4’s 10.9-inch Liquid Retina display is bright and impressive enough to let users enjoy working and watching their favourite shows and movies. The tablet has a good density of 264ppi and great colour production.
The iPad Pro 2021’s display outshines that of its predecessor in terms of brightness and colour quality. The iPad Air 4 also lacks the 120Hz refresh rate of the iPad pro. This difference is noticeable when scrolling through a document.
The iPad Pro 2021 has two different types of screen depending on the size you are interested in and both of them are a considerable improvement over the iPad Air 4’s display. The 11-inch iPad Pro 2021 has a liquid Retina display that designed with 4 million pixels while the 12.9-inch model offers 5.6 million pixels.
iPad Pro 2021 vs iPad Air 4: Performance
A major selling point of the iPad Pro 2021 is the installation of the new M1 chip, which was initially included in MacBooks last year. The iPad Pro 2021 is Apple’s first tablet to feature the M1 chip, and Apple claims that this octa-core chip is twice as fast as the A12Z Bionic processor used in iPad Pro 2020.
Apple also suggests that this new chip offers 2x storage access speed over its predecessor, which was already quite impressive. The iPad Pro 2021 also supports USB-4 and Thunderbolt which means more connectivity.
The iPad Air 4 is fairly powerful in comparison with the iPad Pro 202. This tablet is designed with an A14 Bionic chip with a Hexa-core CPU and quad-core GPU that easily makes it faster than most tablets. However, the iPad Air 4 is a bit slower than the iPad Pro 2020.
iPad Pro 2021 vs iPad Air 4: Battery Life
The iPad Air 4’s battery life is capable of running for 10 hours and 29 minutes in our web browsing-based battery test. But the iPad Pro 2021, is similarly rated to last for 10 hours while surfing the web or watching your favourite videos. This rating drops to 9 hours when the cellular connection is turned on.
The iPad Air 4 seems to have a more robust life than the newer tablet by some tens of minutes.
By comparison, the iPad Air 4 is capable of performing the same functions as the iPad Pro but at a lesser cost. However, the former lacks the hardware components and performance of the latter. If you don’t care about all that power, the iPad Air 4 is still a great tablet to buy. It’s rumoured to be more powerful than the iPad Pro 2020 and a keyboard can serve as a capable laptop replacement.
However, if you are willing to pay a high price for the latest hardware and top-class performance, the iPad Pro 2021 is the best choice for you.
