iPad Pro (2022) vs. iPad Air (2022): Which Apple tablet is right for you?

Touch ID, Face ID, and cameras

The iPad Pro has a superior dual lens camera that might be good enough to record video for your project compared to the iPad Air’s serviceable single camera.

Antonio Villas-Boas/Insider

You unlock the iPad Air with a Touch ID sensor on the power button located on the edge of the tablet. Apple makes it easy to find with an on-screen prompt to show you where to lay your finger, but I’ve found it somewhat temperamental with finger placement and unresponsive to damp or excessively dry fingers. I have to tap my PIN code more often than I’d like because the Touch ID sensor doesn’t properly register my fingerprint. 

The iPad Pros use Face ID for unlocking, which works significantly better. Plus, the iPad Pros don’t have a notch like the iPhones do. It’s not a good enough reason on its own to spend more on the iPad Pro, but it’s still something to consider when looking at the overall picture. 

The iPad Pros also include a dual camera that actually produces decent photos and videos compared to the iPad Air’s single, serviceable camera. Still, the iPad Pro’s superior cameras aren’t clinchers — most people use their phones for photos and videos, and transferring from an iPhone to an iPad is incredibly easy with AirDrop. And professionals may opt for professional gear depending on the project. I suppose it can be handy to have an all-in-one camera and workstation.

The iPad Pro cameras include a LiDAR scanner, which captures photos of objects or spaces (like a room) in 3D so you can navigate around the object or space.  It’s pretty neat, and it could be useful to have on hand if you work in some kind of designing role. These 3D images could even be used in augmented reality (AR) or virtual reality (VR).

Both the iPad Air and iPad Pro’s front-facing cameras are on the short side of the tablet, which is a shame for video calls. It means your video feed will always show your face at a slight angle instead of directly in front. Still, at least both tablets support Center Stage, which keeps the focus on you, even when you’re moving around.