Apple - iPad Air 11 M3 vs Apple - iPad Pro 13 M4

These two are nearly even on the Mars Score (57.4 vs 60.3). The decision is not about overall quality — both clear the bar — it is about which specific trade-offs fit your use.

Pick the iPad Air 11 M3 if you carry the device everywhere and weight or thickness has been the deciding factor before. The biggest gaps in its favor are weight. The single most decisive one: Weight — 119.00 g less. 460 vs 579.

Pick the iPad Pro 13 M4 if the display is what you stare at all day — refresh rate, brightness, or sharpness is where the difference will be most visible. Its strongest claims are peak brightness, storage, refresh rate, among others. The single most decisive one: Peak brightness — 220.00% more. 1600 nits vs 500 nits.

Both ship with comparable ram, stylus support, so those specs do not separate the two — focus on the differences below.

Bottom line: there is no wrong answer here — match the spec advantages to how you actually use the product. The Mars Score parity says both are well-rounded; the differences are about trade-offs, not quality.