NEW M4 iPad Pro vs M2 iPad Air - Which iPad Should YOU Buy?

Max Tech
7 May 202411:31

Summary

TLDRApple has introduced the M2-powered iPad Air and the M4-equipped iPad Pro, both featuring significant upgrades. The new iPad Air retains its single camera design and display technology but adds a larger 13-inch size at a competitive price, starting with 128GB of storage and a new landscape camera for improved video calls. The M2 chip brings performance closer to the iPad Pro. The iPad Pro stands out with its super-slim design, new space black finish, and the introduction of tandem stack OLED displays, which offer doubled brightness and exceptional color contrast. It also features a 120Hz ProMotion technology for smooth visuals, an upgraded camera with Adaptive True Tone flash, and doubled storage options. The M4 chip in the iPad Pro is based on TSMC's n3e node, offering increased efficiency and performance, with additional cores and a 16-core neural engine. The new Apple Pencil Pro and the enhanced Magic Keyboard, available only for the iPad Pro, further elevate the user experience. Despite the iPad Air's affordability, the iPad Pro's advanced features, including the M4 chip and OLED display, justify its higher price for those seeking top-tier performance and capabilities.

Takeaways

  • 📱 Apple has released the M2 chip-powered iPad Air and the M4 chip-powered iPad Pro.
  • 📸 The iPad Air retains the same single camera design and display technology as its predecessor, but introduces a new 13-inch size.
  • 💾 The new iPad Air starts with 128GB of storage, doubling the base storage compared to the previous model.
  • 📱 The iPad Air features a new landscape camera, which is beneficial for video calls and similar applications.
  • 🔋 The M2 chip in the iPad Air is similar to the one found in the older iPad Pro models.
  • 🖥️ The M4 iPad Pro is incredibly thin, with dimensions of 5.3mm for the 11-inch model and 5.1mm for the 13-inch model.
  • 🌌 A new Space Black finish is introduced for the iPad Pro, similar to the new MacBook Pros.
  • 📺 The iPad Pro features a tandem stack OLED display, which significantly improves brightness and contrast over traditional LCD.
  • 🚀 The M4 chip in the iPad Pro offers improved performance and efficiency, with additional cores and a 16-core neural engine for AI.
  • 📹 The iPad Pro camera system has been updated with an Adaptive True Tone flash and the removal of the ultra-wide lens.
  • 💰 The 13-inch iPad Air offers a great value at $800, while the 11-inch model remains at $600, making it a more affordable alternative to the iPad Pro.

Q & A

  • What new chip has Apple released for their iPads?

    -Apple has released the M2 chip for the iPad Air and the M4 chip for the iPad Pro.

  • What are the display technologies used in the new iPad Air and iPad Pro?

    -The iPad Air uses the same display technology as its predecessor, while the iPad Pro features a new tandem stack OLED display, which offers higher brightness and better contrast.

  • What is the starting price for the new 13-inch iPad Air?

    -The new 13-inch iPad Air starts at $800.

  • How does the storage capacity of the new iPad Air compare to the previous model?

    -The new iPad Air starts with 128GB of storage, which is double the 64GB starting capacity of the previous model.

  • What is special about the new landscape camera on the iPad Air?

    -The new landscape camera on the iPad Air is designed to improve video calling experiences, such as Zoom calls, by providing a better camera angle in landscape orientation.

  • What are the dimensions of the new iPad Pro models in millimeters?

    -The new iPad Pro models are 5.3 mm thick for the 11-inch version and 5.1 mm thick for the 13-inch version.

  • What new color option is available for the iPad Pro?

    -A new space black finish is available for the iPad Pro, similar to the one on Apple's new MacBook Pros.

  • How does the brightness of the new iPad Pro's OLED display compare to the iPad Air's display?

    -The iPad Pro's OLED display can reach up to 1,000 nits of brightness in standard mode and 1,600 nits peak for HDR content, which is significantly brighter than the iPad Air's display that maxes out at about 500 nits.

  • What are the key features of the new Apple Pencil Pro?

    -The new Apple Pencil Pro features Find My support to prevent loss, a squeeze gesture for quick actions, and a gyroscope for precise control. It also supports charging through USB-C or a magnetic wireless charging method.

  • What is the price difference between the 11-inch iPad Air and iPad Pro?

    -The 11-inch iPad Air starts at $600, while the 11-inch iPad Pro starts at $1,000, resulting in a $400 price difference.

  • Which iPad model is compatible with the new Magic Keyboard, and what are its improvements over the previous version?

    -The new Magic Keyboard is only available for the M4 iPad Pro. It features a full function row, an aluminum bottom portion, a larger trackpad with haptic feedback, and a new hinge design that makes it even thinner.

  • What is the recommended choice for someone who wants the new Magic Keyboard and the best performance?

    -For someone who wants the new Magic Keyboard and the best performance, it is recommended to choose the iPad Pro due to its M4 chip, superior display technology, and compatibility with the new Magic Keyboard.

Outlines

00:00

📱 iPad Air and iPad Pro Features Overview

The video discusses the new features and specifications of the recently released iPad Air with the M2 chip and the M4 chip-equipped iPad Pro. It highlights the iPad Air's unchanged camera design, new 13-inch size at a competitive price, increased base storage, and landscape camera feature. The M2 chip is noted to be similar to the previous iPad Pro's chip. For the iPad Pro, the video emphasizes its ultra-thin design, new space black finish, and the introduction of tandem stack OLED displays for enhanced brightness and contrast. The Pro model also includes a 120Hz ProMotion technology for smoother visuals. The video also mentions ESR's iPad accessories, including a magnetic case, digital pencil, and keyboard case.

05:01

💻 M4 Chip and iPad Pro Enhancements

The video provides a detailed look at the M4 chip, which is a significant upgrade from the M2, featuring a new design based on TSMC's N3E node for improved efficiency and additional efficiency cores. The chip also includes a 16-core neural engine for AI capabilities. The iPad Pro's camera system is updated, with the removal of the ultra-wide lens and the addition of an Adaptive True Tone flash. Storage capacity has doubled for the iPad Pro models. The video argues that the additional cost for the M4 iPad Pro is justified due to its superior features, including the new OLED display, performance, and the exclusive new Magic Keyboard with a full function row, aluminum bottom, larger trackpad with haptic feedback, and a new hinge design. The Apple Pencil Pro is also introduced, available for both iPad models.

10:01

💸 Choosing Between iPad Air and iPad Pro

The video concludes with advice on choosing between the iPad Air and iPad Pro. It suggests that if the new Magic Keyboard is a priority, the iPad Pro is the way to go, and the additional cost for its features is worth it. The video also considers the value of the 13-inch iPad Air as a cost-effective alternative to the 13-inch iPad Pro, especially for users who want a large display and the new Apple Pencil Pro for drawing. It advises viewers to stay within their budget and highlights Apple's reduced price for the iPad 10 as a budget-friendly option for those who need a basic iPad.

Mindmap

Keywords

💡M2 Chip

The M2 Chip is a new processor released by Apple, which is a significant upgrade from its predecessor. In the context of the video, it is featured in the new iPad Air, offering improved performance and efficiency. The M2 Chip is compared to the older iPad Pro's chip, highlighting its role in enhancing the device's capabilities.

💡iPad Air

The iPad Air is a line of tablet computers designed, developed, and marketed by Apple Inc. The video discusses the new features of the iPad Air, including its new size, storage options, and the inclusion of the M2 Chip. It is positioned as a more affordable alternative to the iPad Pro, with some differences in features like Face ID and ProMotion display technology.

💡M4 Chip

The M4 Chip is a more advanced processor mentioned in the video, which is featured in the new iPad Pro models. It is based on TSMC's N3E node, offering greater efficiency and additional cores compared to the M2 Chip. The M4 Chip is highlighted for its AI capabilities, thermal performance, and the benefits it brings to the iPad Pro in terms of speed and functionality.

💡iPad Pro

The iPad Pro is Apple's high-end tablet line, known for its powerful performance and advanced features. The video focuses on the new M4 Chip, OLED display technology, and the design improvements such as the space black finish and the slimmer form factor. The iPad Pro is portrayed as a device with a significant leap in technology and features, making it a premium choice for users.

💡OLED Display

OLED, or Organic Light-Emitting Diode, is a display technology that offers superior contrast ratios and more vibrant colors compared to traditional LCD displays. The video emphasizes the use of a tandem stack OLED in the new iPad Pro, which doubles the brightness and provides perfect blacks, making it a significant upgrade over the iPad Air's LCD display.

💡ProMotion Technology

ProMotion is a marketing term used by Apple to describe the high refresh rate technology in their iPad Pro and iPhone models. The video mentions the 120 Hz ProMotion technology in the iPad Pro, which allows for smoother scrolling and more responsive touch input. This feature is a key differentiator between the iPad Air and iPad Pro, enhancing the user experience for tasks like drawing and gaming.

💡Space Black Finish

The Space Black Finish is a new color option for the iPad Pro, similar to the one introduced in Apple's MacBook Pro line. The video suggests that this finish will look incredible and is a notable design feature that adds to the device's aesthetics. It is also mentioned in conjunction with the new Magic Keyboard, indicating a coordinated design language across Apple's product lineup.

💡Magic Keyboard

The Magic Keyboard is an accessory developed by Apple for use with iPads. The video discusses the new Magic Keyboard for the M4 iPad Pro, which includes a full function row, an aluminum bottom portion, a larger trackpad with haptic feedback, and an improved hinge design. It is presented as a significant upgrade over the previous version and is only available for the iPad Pro, making it a distinguishing factor for potential buyers.

💡Apple Pencil Pro

The Apple Pencil Pro is a stylus designed for use with iPads, offering a more precise and natural drawing experience. The video mentions its new features, such as Find My support and a squeeze gesture for additional functionality. It is noted as a valuable tool for creative tasks on the iPad, with compatibility across both the iPad Air and iPad Pro models.

💡Tandem Stack OLED

Tandem Stack OLED is a display technology where two OLED panels are stacked on top of each other, resulting in increased brightness and improved display quality. The video highlights this technology as a standout feature of the new iPad Pro, allowing it to achieve brightness levels that rival the MacBook Pro while offering the deep blacks and vibrant colors characteristic of OLED displays.

💡ESR iPad Accessories

ESR is a brand that offers a range of accessories for Apple's iPad, including cases, the Digital Pencil Pro, and the Rebound Magnetic Keyboard Case 360. The video script mentions these products as high-quality options for protecting and enhancing the functionality of the iPad. The mention of ESR products serves to provide viewers with recommendations for complementary items to enhance their iPad experience.

Highlights

Apple has released the new M2 chip and iPad Air, as well as the M4 chip iPad Pro.

iPad Air retains the same single camera design and display technology as its predecessor.

The new iPad Air comes in a 13-inch size with a starting price of $800.

Base storage for the new iPad Air has been increased from 64GB to 128GB.

The iPad Air features a new landscape camera, improving video call experiences.

The M2 chip in the iPad Air is similar to the one in the previous iPad Pro models.

The M4 iPad Pro is extremely thin, at 5.3mm for the 11-inch model and 5.1mm for the 13-inch.

A new space black finish has been introduced for the iPad Pro, matching the new MacBook Pros.

The M4 iPad Pro features a tandem stack OLED display, offering doubled brightness and improved contrast.

The OLED display on the iPad Pro supports 120Hz ProMotion technology for smoother visuals.

ESR offers high-quality iPad accessories, including magnetic cases and keyboards.

The M4 chip is based on TSMC's n3e node, offering improved efficiency and performance.

The M4 chip includes a 16-core neural engine for AI, with up to 38 Tera flops of NPU performance.

The iPad Pro has a 20% better thermal performance due to its thin design and copper Apple logo.

The iPad Pro's camera system has been updated with an Adaptive true tone flash for better scanning.

Storage capacity on the iPad Pro has been doubled to 256GB.

The new Apple Pencil Pro is available for $129 and features find my support and advanced rolling with the gyroscope.

The new Magic Keyboard for the iPad Pro offers a full function row, aluminum bottom, and haptic feedback trackpad.

The 13-inch iPad Air offers a great value at $800, saving $400 compared to the 13-inch iPad Pro.

For budget-conscious consumers, Apple has reduced the price of the iPad 10 to $349.

Transcripts

00:00

Apple just released the brand new M2

00:02

iPad Air and the wait for it M4 chip

00:06

iPad Pro which was a shocker so in this

00:10

video I'm going to go through the new

00:12

features and the specs of both of these

00:15

models as well as the pricing to help

00:18

you decide whether you should buy the

00:20

new air or the new Pro which is

00:23

jam-packed with a ton of features that

00:25

you might not realize are a really big

00:29

deal so let's jump right into it

00:32

starting with the new features of the

00:34

iPad Air well first of all we thought

00:36

this would have a brand new camera bump

00:39

design but no it still has the same

00:42

exact single camera we don't even have

00:45

that iPhone 10 style pill shape and of

00:48

course just as expected we don't have a

00:51

different display it's the same exact

00:53

display technology even though Apple

00:54

mentioned the really nice liquid re

00:57

display that's the old one but what we

00:59

do have is the new 13in size which is an

01:02

incredible value at

01:05

$800 such a good price while the 11-in

01:09

model is 600 same as before the nice

01:13

thing though is that this does start

01:14

with 128 gigs of storage compared to the

01:17

previous iPad Air which started at 64

01:20

that's definitely a nice bonus and we do

01:23

have the brand new landscape camera

01:26

which is going to make it so much better

01:28

for Zoom call s and anything else and of

01:32

course to finish it off we have the M2

01:34

Chip which is basically the same one

01:36

from the old iPad Pro so this is

01:39

essentially almost like an iPad Pro in

01:42

terms of the features and the specs

01:45

except that it does not have face ID and

01:48

it does not have promotion now with that

01:51

said let's get into the new features of

01:53

the M4 iPad Pro we have the same 11 and

01:57

13 in sizes except that that these

02:00

models are super thin 5.3 mm for the

02:04

11in and 5.1 mm for the 13in which is

02:08

basically the thinnest Apple product

02:10

ever and one of the most exciting things

02:12

for me is the brand new space black

02:15

finish just like Apple's new Macbook

02:17

Pros that is going to look incredible

02:19

especially since you can match it with

02:21

that new magic keyboard which is

02:23

actually a big deal in terms of which

02:25

one to choose and I'll get into that in

02:27

just a minute but the number one

02:29

standout difference between both of

02:31

these is that this one gets the new OLED

02:34

displays compared to traditional LCD but

02:37

not only just OLED it's tandem stack

02:40

OLED that's two of the same OLED panels

02:43

stacked on top of each other to

02:45

basically double the brightness this

02:48

iPad Air maxes out at about 500 nits of

02:52

brightness standard and HDR everything

02:55

500 limit while this one goes up to a

02:59

th000 knits standard all the time it's

03:03

going to be crazy crazy bright and 1,600

03:06

nits Peak for HDR content that is

03:11

absolutely mindblowing basically

03:13

matching the brightness specs of the

03:16

MacBook Pros however instead of being

03:19

LCD it's OLED so you get perfect blacks

03:23

everywhere where it's black it's

03:24

completely turned off the contrast and

03:26

colors are going to pop like crazy while

03:28

LD the display is always on it's going

03:31

to be looking gray when you turn off all

03:33

the lights such a big difference in

03:35

terms of displays but not only that you

03:37

have 120 HZ Pro motion technology so

03:41

it's going to feel super smooth at the

03:43

same time now no matter which iPad Air

03:45

or pro model you buy our sponsor ESR has

03:48

some of the best iPad accessories you

03:50

can get including their shift magnetic

03:53

case their digital pencil Pro and their

03:56

rebound magnetic keyboard case 360 both

03:59

of these cases come with a detachable

04:01

magnetic case which always keeps your

04:03

iPad protected like when you switch into

04:06

portrait mode which both of these cases

04:09

support including the shift magnetic

04:11

case which comes with this raised screen

04:14

view as well as a nine notches so you

04:16

could switch between nine different

04:18

angles for various use cases like

04:21

drawing with their digital pencil Pro

04:24

which has a 1.5 mm Precision nib for

04:26

smooth drawing as well as two ways to

04:28

charge either USBC or place and Go

04:32

wireless charging but my favorite is

04:34

their rebound keyboard case 360 which is

04:37

the perfect replacement for Apple's

04:40

overpriced magic keyboard giving you a

04:42

quick set magnetic stand with premium

04:45

laptop style keys that are back lit as

04:48

well as a multi-functional trackpad for

04:50

a laptop like experience and it even

04:53

comes with a secure magnetic clasp for

04:56

the pencil and you can order any of

04:58

these ESR iPad EX accessories today

05:00

using the links in the description below

05:03

but now let's get into that brand new M4

05:06

chip keep mind M4 versus M2 that is

05:10

going to be a big difference because we

05:12

know the M3 chip in the MacBook Air and

05:15

the MacBooks was a pretty decent

05:18

difference it wasn't that big of a boost

05:20

the M4 takes it to another level with a

05:23

brand new design based on tsmc's n3e

05:27

node which is supposed to be a lot more

05:30

efficient and on top of that you get an

05:32

additional two efficiency cores in the

05:36

M4 chip so that's a 10 core compared to

05:41

an 8 core with the M2 of course we also

05:44

have the 16 core neural engine for AI

05:46

with up to 38 Tera flops of npu

05:50

performance that's very exciting going

05:53

to do a lot of AI features with

05:56

everything that Apple showed off in the

05:58

new Final Cut and the new log Pro using

06:00

all of that Ai and machine learning and

06:02

they also mentioned that this has 20%

06:05

better thermal performance which is

06:08

needed because of that thin design they

06:10

even said that the Apple logo is made

06:13

out of copper for better heat

06:15

dissipation I mean they went all out on

06:18

the iPad Pro they also updated the

06:20

camera it is still the same 12 megapixel

06:22

main camera but they've removed the

06:25

ultra wide which is very interesting I

06:26

think they just didn't really have much

06:28

use for it they also updated it with an

06:31

Adaptive true tone flash so when you

06:33

scan images or scan documents it takes

06:35

multiple photos puts them all together

06:37

for a really high quality scan and on

06:40

top of that they also doubled the

06:42

storage so 256 gigs on the iPad Pro

06:46

compared to 128 both models were doubled

06:49

compared to the previous models but keep

06:51

in mind that if you want to outfit the

06:54

iPad Air with the same 256 gigs you have

06:57

to pay an extra $100 so in terms of the

07:01

11in model this is going to be

07:03

$700 compared to

07:05

$1,000 so the question is is it worth

07:08

spending $300 more for the M4 iPad Pro

07:13

in my opinion heck yes spend the extra

07:16

300 there are so many features built in

07:19

with the M4 chip that's going to help

07:21

with resale value and of course

07:23

performance you have 120 HZ promotion

07:26

you have the tandem OLED the best tablet

07:29

display

07:30

in the world it is definitely worth it

07:33

in my opinion and on top of that you

07:35

actually get a couple of new products

07:38

you have the apple pencil Pro which is

07:41

brand new in only

07:42

$129 it's outfitted with a ton of

07:45

features including most importantly find

07:49

my support so you're not going to lose

07:51

it anymore with a squeeze gesture you

07:54

can roll it with the gyroscope that is a

07:57

must but you might not know this but you

08:00

can get this on the iPad Air as well so

08:03

in that case that's not really a deal

08:06

breaker in terms of which one to choose

08:08

but the new magic keyboard is because

08:12

that magic keyboard is only available on

08:14

the new M4 iPad Pro and that magic

08:17

keyboard is basically twice as good as

08:21

the current one which is supported by

08:23

the iPad Air first of all it has a full

08:26

function row it has an aluminum bottom

08:29

portion with a trackpad that has haptic

08:33

feedback just like their MacBooks the

08:35

trackpad is also larger it has a brand

08:38

new hinge design so it's even thinner in

08:41

my opinion that magic keyboard is so

08:44

much better and guess what you can get

08:46

it for the same

08:48

$299 as the old outdated much worse

08:53

magic keyboard which is supported by the

08:55

iPad Air so with all of that said here

08:58

are my thoughts on which one you should

09:01

buy well first of all if you want that

09:03

awesome new magic keyboard for a great

09:05

price you have to get the iPad Pro and I

09:07

would definitely recommend spending the

09:09

extra money for all of those features

09:12

like the M4 chip the performance the

09:14

displays the thinness everything is so

09:16

much better with Thunderbolt on the iPad

09:19

Pro however the iPad Air actually has

09:23

the 13in model don't forget about that

09:26

because you can get it for a killer

09:28

value only

09:30

$800 or $900 if you match the storage to

09:34

$256 that means you can save

09:36

$400 compared to the 13-in iPad Pro and

09:41

for that amount of money if you really

09:43

just want the large display with the new

09:46

Apple pencil Pro for drawing or whatever

09:49

else I would say save the money that's a

09:51

huge savings and it's nice that apple is

09:54

letting you use that apple pencil Pro

09:57

but honestly to me I'm a sucker for new

10:00

Apple silicon and new amazing features

10:03

like the display I think there's going

10:05

to be a world of a difference in terms

10:07

of the display quality it's going to be

10:10

night and day especially with

10:12

reflectivity likely being better on the

10:14

iPad Pro and all that contrast with the

10:17

tandem OLED that by itself you're going

10:20

to experience daily and the promotion

10:24

smoothness you're going to experience

10:25

daily because think about it this iPad

10:27

Air still has a 60 HZ display so even if

10:31

you get the new Apple pencil Pro it's

10:33

not going to feel as smooth on the iPad

10:35

Air as it does on the iPad Pro with 120

10:39

HZ promotion so keep that in mind as

10:43

well but regardless of all of that if

10:45

you are on a budget don't just go all

10:48

out and take out a loan to get the iPad

10:50

Pro live within your means and if both

10:53

of these are too expensive for you well

10:55

Apple just reduced the price of their

10:57

iPad 10 to only

10:59

$349 that's 100 bucks off that is a

11:04

great deal if you just need a good

11:07

basically 11-in budget iPad that's also

11:11

great so hopefully you guys enjoy this

11:12

video and if you did click that Circle

11:15

above to subscribe for more videos like

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this one and definitely check out one of

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those two right there thanks for

11:21

watching and we'll see you in the next

11:22

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11:24

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