Design and Build

The iPad M2 contains the iPad air (2024, 11 inch/13 inch) and iPad Pro 12.9 inch (2022). The air models are made of aluminum case, their dimensions are: 9.74 x 7.02 x 0.24 inches (11 inch, 462g) and 11.04 x 8.46 x 0.24 inches (13 inch, 617g). The Pro 12.9 inch is 11.04 x 8.46 x 0.25 inches, weighing 682g Wi-Fi, 685g Cellular. All models have flat edges, Face ID (Pro) or top mounted Touch ID (Air), support Apple Pencil Pro (Air) or 2nd gen Pencil (Pro), and are available in Space Gray, Blue, Purple, and Starlight (Air) or Silver, Space Gray (Pro), using the USB-C (Thunderbolt 4 on Pro). They all have no IP ratings. When users have used the Air they have said the device is portable, and have noted that the Pro is a little heavy.

• Aluminum chassis, flat edges
• Face ID (Pro) or Touch ID (Air)
• USB-C (Thunderbolt 4 on Pro)
• Supports Apple Pencil Pro (Air), 2nd-gen (Pro)
• No water/dust resistance

Display

The iPad Air M2 has a Liquid Retina IPS LCD (11 inch: 2360 x 1640, 264 PPI; 13 inch: 2732 x 2048 264 PPI) with a brightness of 600 nits (11 inch) or 680 nits (13 inch), True Tone, and P3. The iPad Pro M2 12.9 inch has a Mini-LED Liquid Retina XDR (2732 x 2048, 264 PPI) with 1000 nits (1600 nits HDR) and 120Hz ProMotion. All models refresh at 60Hz (Air) or 120Hz (Pro). The Pro's Mini-LED will clearly outperform the Air's IPS, but the Air looks visibly brighter than the Mini 7 (500 nits). When users have compared the Air's brightness, they have commented that the Air has a vivid presentation but without achieving an OLED experience.

• Air: Liquid Retina IPS LCD, 60Hz
• Pro: Mini-LED Liquid Retina XDR, 120Hz ProMotion
• True Tone, P3 wide color
• 600–1000 nits brightness

Performance and Software

The M2 chip (8-core CPU, 10-core GPU, 16-core Neural Engine) powers all, with 8GB RAM (Air, Pro 128GB–512GB) or 16GB (Pro 1TB–2TB). Storage ranges from 128GB ($599 Air, $799 Pro) to 2TB. Running iPadOS 16 (Pro) or 17 (Air, upgradable to 18), they support Apple Intelligence. The M2 is ~15% faster than M1, great for editing and gaming, but iPadOS limits pro workflows. Users find the Air versatile, Pro overkill for most.

• Apple M2 chip, 8-core CPU, 10-core GPU
• 8GB/16GB RAM
• Storage: 128GB–2TB
• iPadOS 16/17 (up to 18)
• Apple Intelligence support

Camera System

Each has a 12MP ultra-wide front (f/2.4, 122° FOV) with Center Stage and a 12MP rear (f/1.8, 5x digital zoom) with quad-LED flash. LiDAR and ProRes video are added by The Pro. Both support 1080p 60fps (front) and 4K 60fps (back). The cameras work mediocrely in low light, but they are good for AR and video chats. For most users, the Pro's LiDAR is specialized.

• Rear: 12MP (f/1.8, 5x digital zoom), LiDAR (Pro)
• Front: 12MP Ultra-wide (f/2.4, 122° FOV)
• Video: 4K 60fps (rear, ProRes on Pro), 1080p 60fps (front)

Battery and Charging

The Air (7606mAh) and Pro (10758mAh) have a video playback time of about 12 hours, or 10 to 12 hours in real life. Both come with a 20W charger and can be charged at 30W (50% in around 45 minutes). No wireless charging. The efficiency of the Air is matched by the larger battery of the Pro. Strong endurance is reported by users.

• 7606mAh (Air), 10758mAh (Pro)
• ~12 hours video playback
• 30W wired charging

Connectivity

All have Wi-Fi 6E, Bluetooth 5.3, and 5G (sub-6GHz, mmWave US-only on Pro). The Pro has Thunderbolt 4 USB-C, Air has standard USB-C. eSIM and GPS on cellular versions. Connectivity is solid, but mmWave is constrained.

• Wi-Fi 6E, Bluetooth 5.3
• 5G (sub-6GHz, mmWave US on Pro)
• Thunderbolt 4 (Pro), USB-C (Air)

Pricing and Availability

Air: $599 (11-inch, 128GB Wi-Fi), $799 (13-inch); Pro: $799 (128GB Wi-Fi, 2022). Released on May 2024 (Air) and October 2022 (Pro). If we talk about the price cut of Air, it will go down to $ 549 and Pro to $ 699. M4 Pro ($999) has the benefit of OLED and an extra amount of power.