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iPad Air 13" (M3) — M3 · 13″ · Apple Pencil Pro · $799
Apple

iPad Air 13" (M3)

M3 · 13″ · Apple Pencil Pro · $799

90
/ 100
From $799
VS
iPad Pro M5 13″ wins by 6
iPad Pro M5 13″ — M5 · Tandem OLED · 5G mmWave
Apple

iPad Pro M5 13″

M5 · Tandem OLED · 5G mmWave

96
/ 100
From $1,299
Specdex verdict

iPad Pro M5 13″ takes it — here’s why.

In our weighted Specdex score, iPad Air 13" (M3) lands at 90 and iPad Pro M5 13″ at 96. That puts iPad Pro M5 13″ ahead by 6 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 M5 13″ if…

  • ✓M5 silicon parity with MacBook Pro
  • ✓Tandem OLED with full Pro Display calibration
  • ✓Apple Pencil Pro hover
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Winner by scenario

Derived from the sub-score breakdown · not a separate test

Display

iPad Pro M5 13″

Compared on the display sub-score

iPad Pro M5 13″ leads on display (98 vs 86).

Battery

iPad Air 13" (M3)

Compared on the battery sub-score

iPad Air 13" (M3) leads on battery (90 vs 88).

Software

iPad Pro M5 13″

Compared on the software sub-score

iPad Pro M5 13″ leads on software (86 vs 82).

Value for money

iPad Air 13" (M3)

Specdex score per dollar at MSRP

iPad Air 13" (M3) more score per dollar ($799 vs $1,299).

iPad Air 13" (M3) 90
vs
96 iPad Pro M5 13″

Score breakdown

iPad Air 13" (M3)
90
performance 94
display 86
battery 90
portability 92
software 82
cpu 0
gpu 0
iPad Pro M5 13″
96
performance 0
display 98
battery 88
portability 0
software 86
cpu 100
gpu 98

Specs side-by-side

iPad Air 13" (M3) versus iPad Pro M5 13″ — full spec comparison
Spec iPad Air 13" (M3) iPad Pro M5 13″
Chip
Apple M3
—
Display
13″ Liquid Retina 60Hz
13″ Tandem OLED, ProMotion 120Hz
Storage
128 GB – 1 TB
▲ 512 GB / 1 TB / 2 TB
Weight
617 g
▲ 579 g
Chipset
—
Apple M5
RAM
—
12 / 16 GB
Battery
—
38.9 Wh
Charging
—
20W USB-C

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 M5 13″

Pros
  • +M5 silicon parity with MacBook Pro
  • +Tandem OLED with full Pro Display calibration
  • +Apple Pencil Pro hover
Cons
  • −iPadOS still trails macOS for power users
  • −Magic Keyboard sold separately ($349)
  • −Storage upgrades pricey

FAQ: iPad Air 13" (M3) vs iPad Pro M5 13″

Which is better, iPad Air 13" (M3) or iPad Pro M5 13″? +

iPad Pro M5 13″ scores 96 on our weighted rubric — ahead by 6. 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 M5 13″ worth the price? +

At $1,299, iPad Pro M5 13″ delivers a Specdex score of 96 — strongest in cpu.

Does iPad Air 13" (M3) or iPad Pro M5 13″ 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.

Which is better for display, iPad Air 13" (M3) or iPad Pro M5 13″? +

iPad Pro M5 13″ — leads on display (98 vs 86). Compared on the display sub-score.

Which is better for battery, iPad Air 13" (M3) or iPad Pro M5 13″? +

iPad Air 13" (M3) — leads on battery (90 vs 88). Compared on the battery sub-score.