iPad Pro 2021 iPad Pro vs Air 4

[rui no onna]

This is fine, I see your logic. You prefer to invest into the best possible specs to get the highest resale value in the future. This makes total sense with cars or houses, IMO. However, realistically any tech (iPhones and iPads) are fast ageing consumables and Apple wants them that way, else they would be losing sales. Three years from now both Air 4 and Pro 11 M1 will be worth very little (old screen tech, not enough RAM, not fast enough, etc., etc.) If you keep it in mint condition over these years, you may be lucky to sell it for about a 1/4 of what you had payed for it. Take this example - how much would you be willing to pay for an iPad Pro 10.5” today, knowing you could also get a Pro 11” from 2018, 2020 & 2021? See what I mean? With Pro you are just paying extra for the latest tech, effectively subsidising it for future “non-Pro” products.

I expect the Pro 11 with 8GB RAM will be able to cope better than the Air 4 with 4GB RAM three years from now. Chances are Apple may not even bump the RAM on entry level and Air to 6-8GB until then. We also haven't really been seeing the same CPU gains we used to have in the earlier days so devices don't get obsolete as quickly. To be honest, I expect both iPads (heck, even the 8th gen) to perform more or less fine 5 years from now. However, the Pro model is likely to age better and experience fewer hiccups.

Yes, you are paying extra for the latest tech on the Pro. However, you're also benefiting from that latest tech now instead of having to wait for it to trickle down. iPad Pros have had 4GB RAM since 2015 and it only made it to the mid-range Air last year. Also quad speakers since 2015 as well and the Air 4's just got stereo landscape. There's been 4 generations of the basic $329 iPad and they all still have the non-laminated display. ProMotion's been around since 2017 but Apple seems content to let that be a Pro-only feature.

Mind, I think any of the currently sold iPad models are all good options. It just depends on one's budget and what features one wants. Even the 2018 (A12X/4GB) and 2020 (A12Z/6GB RAM) iPad Pros are also good options with the right discount.

 

[Act3]

£200 isn’t necessarily a significant amount of money for me in daily life either but when you’re already spending £140 more for the Air, that £200 is now £340 more. What exactly does the Pro offer that I’m not getting from the Air? I see this mentality a lot on these forums and I saw the same comments when the iPhone 12/12 Pro launched. People saying if you pay just £150 more, you get the ‘Pro features’. So what? If someone has already paid £849 for a device, that supposedly little bit extra becomes more significant when you realise you’ve actually paid £1k+ for a device you’re likely not going to use any differently.

This is my major annoyance with advice from some tech enthusiasts and I’m glad I’m not reading a lot of these threads as a novice, otherwise I think I’d fall victim to some very poor advice. You have to buy the device that suits your needs and if the Pro offers those extras that you’ll use, then great. It’s not a necessity for everybody though and that’s the fundamental failure of some in this thread IMO.

what is the purpose of this thread ? ipad air 4 vs m1 pro?

why didn’t the OP just buy the air 4 and be happy with it ?

sounds like they wanted opinions on the matter but want them tailored to the air 4 to justify getting that one.

 

[jsmith1]

Purpose was to hear truth instead of agendas and there have been some good posts that others have found helpful maybe not to you but to others.

again landscape FID is messed up...does anyone know if Apple is going to address this issue instead of glossing it over with just talking about a new feature. Any digital home button coming?

 

[Digitalguy]

Purpose was to hear truth instead of agendas and there have been some good posts that others have found helpful maybe not to you but to others.

again landscape FID is messed up...does anyone know if Apple is going to address this issue instead of glossing it over with just talking about a new feature. Any digital home button coming?

Highly unlikely, if they haven't done it now during the pandemic, they won't do it next year... They may do it for iPhone, but unlikely for iPad pro.... As someone in the minority of those that find face id annoying and working poorly for my use (while I find it works much better on Windows) I wish the pro had other options. Personally I ended up just disabling it...

 

[The-Real-Deal82]

what is the purpose of this thread ? ipad air 4 vs m1 pro?

why didn’t the OP just buy the air 4 and be happy with it ?

sounds like they wanted opinions on the matter but want them tailored to the air 4 to justify getting that one.

Ask them?
It’s very difficult advising on an iPad if you don’t know what the end user needs it for. Just blindly advising the Pro because it works for you is pointless. Both are good iPads at the end of the day but a casual user will unlikely need a Pro.

 

[Digitalguy]

This is fine, I see your logic. You prefer to invest into the best possible specs to get the highest resale value in the future. This makes total sense with cars or houses, IMO. However, realistically any tech (iPhones and iPads) are fast ageing consumables and Apple wants them that way, else they would be losing sales. Three years from now both Air 4 and Pro 11 M1 will be worth very little (old screen tech, not enough RAM, not fast enough, etc., etc.) If you keep it in mint condition over these years, you may be lucky to sell it for about a 1/4 of what you had payed for it. Take this example - how much would you be willing to pay for an iPad Pro 10.5” today, knowing you could also get a Pro 11” from 2018, 2020 & 2021? See what I mean? With Pro you are just paying extra for the latest tech, effectively subsidising it for future “non-Pro” products.

I think this is a very pessimistic view... 3 years from now they will likely be both worth more than half the current value, maybe the pro will have lost a little bit more because of the higher starting price, especially if an oled/miniled version comes out, but in terms of functionality both will be perfectly functional.
The comparison with the 4 year old 2017 pro doesn't old. The old designed is not ageing well, but the air just got the new design.
Now, 5-6 years from now, they will have probably aged differently, depending if you consider resale value or functionality. In terms of resale value, probably similar percentage loss, but likely again slightly more in absolute terms for the pro (but even then, 1/4... a M1 pro for $200 in mint condition?) while in terms of functionality the pro will definitely hold up better if the person is not planning to sell and buy something newer by 2026-2027....

 

[Act3]

Purpose was to hear truth instead of agendas and there have been some good posts that others have found helpful maybe not to you but to others.

again landscape FID is messed up...does anyone know if Apple is going to address this issue instead of glossing it over with just talking about a new feature. Any digital home button coming?

there is nothing wrong with face ID in landscape. I provided a video showing it working just fine.

Post in thread '2021 iPad Pro vs Air 4'
https://forums.macrumors.com/threads/2021-ipad-pro-vs-air-4.2298238/post-29952568

 

[Digitalguy]

there is nothing wrong with face ID in landscape. I provided a video showing it working just fine.

except it doesn't work if you are standing, if you are "too far" or not at the right angle... which is most of the times for me, since my iPad does not sit in front of me as my main device but next to my laptop

 

[jsmith1]

Highly unlikely, if they haven't done it now during the pandemic, they won't do it next year... They may do it for iPhone, but unlikely for iPad pro.... As someone in the minority of those that find face id annoying and working poorly for my use (while I find it works much better on Windows) I wish the pro had other options. Personally I ended up just disabling it...

So you just use 4 digit code?

 

[Act3]

except it doesn't work if you are standing, if you are "too far" or not at the right angle... which is most of the times for me, since my iPad does not sit in front of me as my main device but next to my laptop

you know if you are at angle outside the camera/sensor in portrait mode it wont work either. Expected and not limited to landscape

 

[jsmith1]

except it doesn't work if you are standing, if you are "too far" or not at the right angle... which is most of the times for me, since my iPad does not sit in front of me as my main device but next to my laptop

You can provide all the videos you want I had one I had constant trouble with it and like I said what you’re not understanding if the thing is kept totally in landscape mode you’re going to have problems with it end of story...Your problem is you have one view and you can’t possibly think other people have different experiences so you keep pushing your one agenda

 

[jsmith1]

I expect the Pro 11 with 8GB RAM will be able to cope better than the Air 4 with 4GB RAM three years from now. Chances are Apple may not even bump the RAM on entry level and Air to 6-8GB until then. We also haven't really been seeing the same CPU gains we used to have in the earlier days so devices don't get obsolete as quickly. To be honest, I expect both iPads (heck, even the 8th gen) to perform more or less fine 5 years from now. However, the Pro model is likely to age better and experience fewer hiccups.

Yes, you are paying extra for the latest tech on the Pro. However, you're also benefiting from that latest tech now instead of having to wait for it to trickle down. iPad Pros have had 4GB RAM since 2015 and it only made it to the mid-range Air last year. Also quad speakers since 2015 as well and the Air 4's just got stereo landscape. There's been 4 generations of the basic $329 iPad and they all still have the non-laminated display. ProMotion's been around since 2017 but Apple seems content to let that be a Pro-only feature.

Mind, I think any of the currently sold iPad models are all good options. It just depends on one's budget and what features one wants. Even the 2018 (A12X/4GB) and 2020 (A12Z/6GB RAM) iPad Pros are also good options with the right discount.

Well sure the air’s by then will have the leftover parts from the iPads now so they should have 8 by three years I would think too.

 

[jsmith1]

except it doesn't work if you are standing, if you are "too far" or not at the right angle... which is most of the times for me, since my iPad does not sit in front of me as my main device but next to my laptop

Yes it doesn’t work in a lot of tablet applications...sitting in one spot might work if never moving and in portrait about it though...How many people turn their iPhone to landscape mode to open yeah they don’t

 

[Digitalguy]

you know if you are at angle outside the camera/sensor in portrait mode it wont work either. Expected and not limited to landscape

Sure, but the problem is that contrary to a laptop, the sensor is to the left side (while I am to the opposite side), which makes it not work in many more situations for me (also the distance is pretty short compared to the distance I can be from my laptop)
That's one of the disadvantages of having the cameras there... And I know it's due to the Apple pencil, but still it has drawbacks...

 

[Digitalguy]

You can provide all the videos you want I had one I had constant trouble with it and like I said what you’re not understanding if the thing is kept totally in landscape mode you’re going to have problems with it end of story...Your problem is you have one view and you can’t possibly think other people have different experiences so you keep pushing your one agenda

I guess you meant to quote someone else here...

 

[jsmith1]

I guess you meant to quote someone else here...

Yes, Face ID messed up so I didn’t see who it was?

 

[jsmith1]

there is nothing wrong with face ID in landscape. I provided a video showing it working just fine.

Post in thread '2021 iPad Pro vs Air 4'
https://forums.macrumors.com/threads/2021-ipad-pro-vs-air-4.2298238/post-29952568

You can provide all the videos you want I had one I had constant trouble with it and like I said what you’re not understanding if the thing is kept totally in landscape mode you’re going to have problems with it end of story...Your problem is you have one view and you can’t possibly think other people have different experiences so you keep pushing your one agenda

 

[snipr125]

So you just use 4 digit code?

Thats what i do with my iphone 12 mini, just turned off face id and use PIN code. The face id sensors seem to give me pressure behind my eyes, which is a whole different story altogether (its not PWM as fine with this as long as screen is above 50% brightness). Thats why the Power button touch id on the Air 4 is absolutely perfect for me.

 

[nStyle]

This is fine, I see your logic. You prefer to invest into the best possible specs to get the highest resale value in the future. This makes total sense with cars or houses, IMO. However, realistically any tech (iPhones and iPads) are fast ageing consumables and Apple wants them that way, else they would be losing sales. Three years from now both Air 4 and Pro 11 M1 will be worth very little (old screen tech, not enough RAM, not fast enough, etc., etc.) If you keep it in mint condition over these years, you may be lucky to sell it for about a 1/4 of what you had payed for it. Take this example - how much would you be willing to pay for an iPad Pro 10.5” today, knowing you could also get a Pro 11” from 2018, 2020 & 2021? See what I mean? With Pro you are just paying extra for the latest tech, effectively subsidising it for future “non-Pro” products.

I don't think that's quite true. You literally are getting a much faster processor and double the ram which will be supported longer - or at least, feel snappier for longer

 

[nStyle]

£200 isn’t necessarily a significant amount of money for me in daily life either but when you’re already spending £140 more for the Air, that £200 is now £340 more. What exactly does the Pro offer that I’m not getting from the Air? I see this mentality a lot on these forums and I saw the same comments when the iPhone 12/12 Pro launched. People saying if you pay just £150 more, you get the ‘Pro features’. So what? If someone has already paid £849 for a device, that supposedly little bit extra becomes more significant when you realise you’ve actually paid £1k+ for a device you’re likely not going to use any differently.

This is my major annoyance with advice from some tech enthusiasts and I’m glad I’m not reading a lot of these threads as a novice, otherwise I think I’d fall victim to some very poor advice. You have to buy the device that suits your needs and if the Pro offers those extras that you’ll use, then great. It’s not a necessity for everybody though and that’s the fundamental failure of some in this thread IMO.

I'm coming from the position that money is valuable and regardless of your needs, the M1 and double ram will be supported and last longer than the Air, period. If you truly don't see any value in double the storage, better speakers, a faster and brighter display, ThunderBolt port, etc, fine.

In truth, the base iPad will do everything anyone really needs from an iPad.

 

[jsmith1]

Thats what i do with my iphone 12 mini, just turned off face id and use PIN code. The face id sensors seem to give me pressure behind my eyes, which is a whole different story altogether (its not PWM as fine with this as long as screen is above 50% brightness). Thats why the Power button touch id on the Air 4 is absolutely perfect for me.

I don’t have trouble with the iPhone as it’s always close to portrait mode all the time and the feature works fine 90% if the time which is very acceptable. It is also easy to manipulate differently from the iPad which is never in portrait mode for me....

 

[Act3]

You can provide all the videos you want I had one I had constant trouble with it and like I said what you’re not understanding if the thing is kept totally in landscape mode you’re going to have problems with it end of story...Your problem is you have one view and you can’t possibly think other people have different experiences so you keep pushing your one agenda

what is your agenda with this thread ?

you started the thread with a link to article with false benchmarks for the new iPad Pro. Called you out on that fake news and provided factual results. Then I provide a video with landscape Face ID working just fine after you claim it is wacky.

 

[jsmith1]

what is your agenda with this thread ?

you started the thread with a link to article with false benchmarks for the new iPad Pro. Called you out on that fake news and provided factual results. Then I provide a video with landscape Face ID working just fine after you claim it is wacky.

Dude you haven’t called out anybody except your agenda...I provided all the proof I needed for bs FID ...I owned one...piss off

 

[scoblep]

I have a 2021 11 inch iPad Pro. Face ID is working better on this device than any others I've used. Maybe due in part to the updated front facing camera hardware. I have yet to have it fail from all angles, landscape, portrait, from close up, and from surprisingly far. Face ID shouldn't even be a topic relating to these new iPad Pros. It works fantastically.

 

[one more]

I don't think that's quite true. You literally are getting a much faster processor and double the ram which will be supported longer - or at least, feel snappier for longer

I totally get it, but won’t you be tempted to upgrade 2-3 years down the line as the tech matures anyway? Next year Pro 11” might well get a mini-LED screen, and Air - an OLED, both getting even better in 2023. It is just evolving so fast nowadays.