This is the Ultra Portable M1 iPad AIR which starts at $599 for the 64GB version... and
this is the M1 iPad Pro, which starts at $799 for the 11 inch 128GB version.
Assuming you settled on the iPad and not another Tablet (more on that in my next
video).. But Assuming you decided on the iPad, things are getting interesting right now.
Why should you pay more for the M1 iPad Pro? Let’s have a look.
I am Alex and I do down to earth tech reviews.
And I’m here every week with at least one new video for you!
When it was announced last year that the iPad Pro would have the M1 chip... it felt like the
old days of Apple. It was a big surprise and it promised at lot. I was so excited for it!
Thing is, in my opinion,
Apple are massively sandbagging here in terms of what this device is capable of.
This M1 chip is not a standard mobile device chip right, this
chip is capable of running professional workloads.
Now, I am quite pragmatic and I realise the thermal footprint here is a limitation but
Apple and their partners could really do more in my opinion to make this device truly more... Pro.
(but they want us to buy MacBook Pros too) anyway..
This brings us to the iPad Air. Why would you pay more for the M1 iPad Pro
when in reality, the M1 iPad Air can do pretty much everything the Pro can?
There’s definitely good reasons but let’s take a look because I think
for the majority of people the iPad Air is gonna be a better buy overall.
**Weight**
Both are virtually the same weight. I think it will only matter if we are comparing the 12.9
inch iPad Pro. Between the 11” iPad Pro and the iPad Air, they are basically the same weight -
The 12.9 M1 iPad Pro is lovely, and it’s my go to device to work anywhere. But when
I’m given the option to pick the iPad Air to just lounge on the sofa or take it to a cafe,
the iPad Air is the one that to me at least, ticks all the boxes in portability.
I never do any intensive work on the M1 iPad Pro really.
I would if Apple let me! For exmaple, I would use an external monitor and I would
edit videos on it if Apple allowed Final Cut to work on it. I’d even accept a cut down version of
it. In general I’d use my iPad Pro much more if Apple allowed me to run more Pro apps. So
the iPad Air rigth now, is actually great for most things that I do. If am editing photos I
still go for the Pro but the difference is only marginal.
**Convenience**
The iPad Air is also much more convenient with TouchID.
TouchID is awesome and probably one of the most underrated features on
the iPad Air. I love it and it works every time.
I still don’t understand why Apple didn’t give us TouchID on the iPad Pro.
They had this feature on the previous iPad Air so... it’s beyond me really. Face ID is ok,
but when you are using the tablet handheld, it makes it difficult
to unlock and I personally end up just typing my password which is very 1990s.
Very unusual from Apple to do something so cumbersome.
**Build Quality**
As others have mentioned the build quality on the iPad Air
is a little questionable and some people are experiencing some movement and creaking.
I do drop things like my S22 Ultra here but... I don’t tend to twist my iPad or
use it as a tennis racket so I think it might be over-exacerbated by people like me on YouTube.
**Thunderbolt**
If you are moving lots of files about between cameras and the iPad for example and you care
about transfer speeds, then the M1 iPad Pro will be a better option... as it has that support for
Thunderbolt which the iPad Air doesn’t. Still USB-C though just not as fast.
**Display**
If I am watching content or editing photos as I said before, the M1 iPad Pro
has the edge... and is the one I’d go for because of the better display.
Using something like Adobe Lightroom on the iPad Pro is an absolute delight.
But the experience on the M1 iPad Air is also fantastic and really
not that noticeable unless you really go looking for it... and start pixel peeping.
In terms of colour accuracy they are both identical. They also both have
the same antireflective coating.. and the resolution is only marginally different as
the iPad Air is a 10.9 inch display as opposed to the 11” on the M1 iPad Pro.
Of course you can also go for the 12.9 inch version which is what I did, but the brightness
on the iPad Air at 500nits is very similar to the 11 inch iPad Pro which is 600 nits.
**Audio**
The speakers on the M1 iPad Pro are still mind-blowing to me. There is
a better one in town for audio quality and I will cover that in another video
but the M1 iPad Pro definitely packs a punch here on the speakers. There is no way I can
replicate the quality here on YouTube, but have a listen to how they compare:
Camera.
I am not really gonna talk about the cameras here. they are fine. But I know you don’t
care. You probably use your phone anyway. If you are student though and take photos
of lectures with the iPad, either option has a 12MP wide lens will be absolutely fine.
**Apple accessories**
# Now what really makes the iPad experience more enjoyable and arguably more complete, are
the accessories. The Magic keyboard is probably the most expensive keyboard you will ever buy.
# But it is pretty special. I love my mechanical keyboard and I’ve been in love with my Logitech
CRAFT keyboard too, but there's something really pleasing about typing on the Magic keyboard. And
if you're used to typing on a Macbook laptop, the transition here is pretty seamless.
The Magic Keyboard on the Air is slightly smaller but honestly the experience is almost the same.
My typing is only ever so lightly delayed on the iPad Air but that’s more because of my sausage
fingers. Also... I am not keen on the camera cut out here. It could be my OCD but feels lazy from
Apple. Especially when they made such a massive deal last time with the previous Magic keyboard as
the newer iPad Pro was like a nanometer thinner or thicker I don’t remember. Now they do this?
# Then you got the pen of course, which is still very responsive and lovely to use. And
it works with both interchangeably. That’s such an underrated accessory! I have these pen tips on it
which makes it even easier to use. I will leave link to them down below if you are interested.
One bug bear of mine is that it doesn’t support FindMe. And
trust me, I lose this thing at least once a week.
# But what about accessories outside of the Apple world.
I didn’t want to clutter this video with accessories and I've already done a few
videos on iPad Accessories that you can check out on the playlist I will leave at the end.
# But just a special mention to this beautiful stand from Satechi
and this superb Thunderbolt 4 hub from OWC. I am really happy with the performance on this hub,
how compact it is... So it won't clutter your setup.
**Battery Life**
Battery life on the air has been fantastic, no issues there for me.
Can any of these be your main computer? Sure, but it will depend on what you do with it.
The iPad Air has strong computing performance, in a very small form factor, it is the ultimate
tool for people on the road. I can see lots of students, estate agents, and various other
professionals taking this iPad Air and replacing a whole lot of weight and clutter from their bags.
What I dont like about these devices? Very simple for me.
On the iPad Air - 64GB is a joke. Come on! It’s 2022. I love using dongles and
cloud storage but I feel 256 or even 512 would make this a much more powerful device.
On the iPad Pro - There’s a lot of things I don’t like. The main one is
the 16GB version. It’s a massive rip off for me. I’d love to hear though,
if you are using 16GB RAM and are seeing any difference.
And you might be thinking, but I want some future proofing, I don’t want to
be buying an iPad every time Apple releases a new one. Well, you might have a point but
these devices are built to last. Despite the durability concerns we discussed earlier. And
the Air, unlike the iPad 9 comes with the M1 Chip so you are getting a future proof iPad already.
But if you are looking for more power then watch this playlist here
where I cover the M1 iPad Pro and lots of accessories that you will find very useful.
Don’t forget to subscribe as I will be covering lots more tablet content very soon!
And I will see you, and your smiling faces on the next one.