Apple
iPad Air 13" (M3)
M3 · 13″ · Apple Pencil Pro · $799
90
/ 100
From $799
VS
iPad Pro 13" (M5) wins by 5
Apple
iPad Pro 13" (M5)
M5 · 13″ Tandem OLED · Wi-Fi 7
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) 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) if…
- ✓M3 speed at Air price
- ✓Apple Pencil Pro support
- ✓Bigger 13″ canvas
Pick iPad Pro 13" (M5) if…
- ✓13″ Ultra Retina XDR Tandem OLED at 2752×2064
- ✓9- or 10-core M5 with 10-core GPU and 16-core Neural Engine
- ✓Wi-Fi 7 + Bluetooth 6 + Thunderbolt / USB 4
iPad Air 13" (M3) 90
vs 95 iPad Pro 13" (M5)
Score breakdown
iPad Air 13" (M3)
90 performance 94
display 86
battery 90
portability 92
software 82
iPad Pro 13" (M5)
95 performance 97
display 98
battery 88
portability 92
software 82
Specs side-by-side
| Spec | iPad Air 13" (M3) | iPad Pro 13" (M5) |
|---|---|---|
| Chip | Apple M3 | Apple M5 chip (9- or 10-core CPU, 10-core GPU, 16-core Neural Engine) |
| Display | 13″ Liquid Retina 60Hz | 13″ Ultra Retina XDR Tandem OLED, 2752×2064 at 264 ppi, ProMotion 10–120 Hz |
| Storage | 128 GB – 1 TB | ▲ 256 / 512 GB / 1 / 2 TB |
| Weight | 617 g | ▲ 579 g (Wi-Fi) |
| RAM | — | 12 GB (256/512 GB) or 16 GB (1/2 TB) |
| Connectivity | — | Wi-Fi 7, Bluetooth 6, optional 5G |
| Ports | — | Thunderbolt / USB 4 (40 Gb/s) |
| Pencil | — | Apple Pencil Pro + Apple Pencil (USB-C) |
| OS | — | iPadOS 19 |
iPad Air 13" (M3)
Pros
- +M3 speed at Air price
- +Apple Pencil Pro support
- +Bigger 13″ canvas
Cons
- −Still iPadOS multitasking limits
- −No OLED, no 120Hz
- −Keyboard sold separately
iPad Pro 13" (M5)
Pros
- +13″ Ultra Retina XDR Tandem OLED at 2752×2064
- +9- or 10-core M5 with 10-core GPU and 16-core Neural Engine
- +Wi-Fi 7 + Bluetooth 6 + Thunderbolt / USB 4
Cons
- −Lower-tier (256/512 GB) configs cap RAM at 12 GB
- −$1,299 base climbs fast with Magic Keyboard + Pencil Pro
- −iPadOS multitasking still trails macOS for power workflows
FAQ: iPad Air 13" (M3) vs iPad Pro 13" (M5)
Which is better, iPad Air 13" (M3) 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) worth the price? +
At $799, iPad Air 13" (M3) 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) 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.