Apple
iPad Air 13 (M3) · 64GB · with Smart Folio
64GB · 2025
90
/ 100
From $878
VS
iPad Pro 13" (M5) wins by 5
Apple
iPad Pro 13" (M5)
M5 · Tandem OLED · Apple Pencil Pro
95
/ 100
From $1,299
Specdex verdict
iPad Pro 13" (M5) takes it — here’s why.
In our weighted Specdex score, iPad Air 13 (M3) · 64GB · with Smart Folio lands at 90 and iPad Pro 13" (M5) at 95. That puts iPad Pro 13" (M5) ahead by 5 points — a decisive margin driven mostly by its strengths in the categories below.
Pick iPad Air 13 (M3) · 64GB · with Smart Folio if…
- ✓Portable creative canvas
- ✓Strong SoC
- ✓App ecosystem matures per year
Pick iPad Pro 13" (M5) if…
- ✓Biggest generational leap for iPad Pro in years
- ✓M5 ray-traced graphics
- ✓visionOS-adjacent spatial capture
iPad Air 13 (M3) · 64GB · with Smart Folio 90
vs 95 iPad Pro 13" (M5)
Score breakdown
iPad Air 13 (M3) · 64GB · with Smart Folio
90 performance 90
display 88
battery 86
portability 88
software 86
iPad Pro 13" (M5)
95 performance 97
display 98
battery 88
portability 92
software 82
Specs side-by-side
| Spec | iPad Air 13 (M3) · 64GB · with Smart Folio | iPad Pro 13" (M5) |
|---|---|---|
| Storage | 64GB | ▲ 256 GB – 2 TB |
| Release year | 2025 | — |
| Chip | — | Apple M5 |
| Display | — | 13″ Tandem OLED, 120Hz |
| RAM | — | 16 GB |
| OS | — | iPadOS 19 |
iPad Air 13 (M3) · 64GB · with Smart Folio
Pros
- +Portable creative canvas
- +Strong SoC
- +App ecosystem matures per year
Cons
- −Keyboard/pen extra cost
- −RAM often soldered
- −Mid-tier cameras
iPad Pro 13" (M5)
Pros
- +Biggest generational leap for iPad Pro in years
- +M5 ray-traced graphics
- +visionOS-adjacent spatial capture
Cons
- −iPadOS multitasking still limited
- −Keyboard extra
- −Thermals matter on sustained RT workloads
FAQ: iPad Air 13 (M3) · 64GB · with Smart Folio vs iPad Pro 13" (M5)
Which is better, iPad Air 13 (M3) · 64GB · with Smart Folio or iPad Pro 13" (M5)? +
iPad Pro 13" (M5) scores 95 on our weighted rubric — ahead by 5. Your best pick depends on the sub-scores above.
Is iPad Air 13 (M3) · 64GB · with Smart Folio worth the price? +
At $878, iPad Air 13 (M3) · 64GB · with Smart Folio delivers a Specdex score of 90 — strongest in performance.
Is iPad Pro 13" (M5) worth the price? +
At $1,299, iPad Pro 13" (M5) delivers a Specdex score of 95 — strongest in display.
Does iPad Air 13 (M3) · 64GB · with Smart Folio or iPad Pro 13" (M5) last longer? +
Based on our long-term update and support ratings, both ship with multi-year support. Battery and reliability scores are visible in the breakdown above.