Amazon’s newly announced Alexa Tablet 12 Pro is hailed as the most advanced tablet the brand has ever built, but how does it compare to Apple’s iPad Air (M4)?
We’ve compared the specs of the Alexa Tablet 12 Pro to the latest iPad Air to determine whether either device has a chance at making it into our best tablet round-up. Read on to see what separates the two and decide which tablet will likely suit you best.
Price and Availability
The Amazon Alexa Tablet 12 Pro is available to buy now in the US, Mexico and Canada and has a starting price of $499.99. Those in the UK, Germany, France, Italy and Spain can pre-order the Alexa Tablet 12 Pro ahead of its October 19th launch, for a starting price of £449.99.
The iPad Air (M4) is available globally to buy now, and has a starting price of £749/$749 – a pretty hefty RRP compared to the Alexa Tablet 12 Pro.
Android vs iPadOS
One of the biggest differences between the Alexa Tablet 12 Pro and the iPad Air is with their respective operating systems. While the iPad Air runs on Apple’s iPadOS, and supports the recently launched iPadOS 27, the Alexa Tablet 12 Pro is powered by Android.
This means that not only will the Alexa Tablet connect to all your Amazon accounts like Amazon Music, Prime Video and Kindle, but you’ll also have access to the full Google Play Store, allowing you to use apps like YouTube, Netflix, Gmail and more.
In addition, the Alexa Tablet 12 Pro will be fitted with Alexa+ – Amazon’s refreshed iteration of its voice assistant – which means you’ll be able to ask Alexa questions and receive relevant and personalised responses. In addition, the Alexa Tablet 12 Pro introduces On-Screen Intelligence that allows Alexa to see what you’re doing on-screen and offer support.
So how does this compare to the iPad Air? iPadOS offers access to Apple’s App Store which includes many desktop-level applications, access to Apple Arcade and third party apps like Amazon’s Kindle, Prime Video and other streaming services. In addition, the iPad Air includes the full Apple Intelligence toolkit which includes photo editing features, writing assistance and Genmoji. However, perhaps the most useful Apple Intelligence tool is Siri AI, a revamped version of Apple’s voice assistant. Siri AI promises to be more personalised and natural than ever before and, much like Alexa, can answer questions, control your devices and browse the web with a prompt.
While Siri AI is a step in the right direction, we should mention that Alexa remains one of the most usable and actually useful voice assistants, especially if you have paired smart home devices like video doorbells, smart lights and security cameras.
Amazon Alexa Tablet 12 Pro has a 120Hz refresh rate
There are a few differences between the screens of the Alexa Tablet 12 Pro and iPad Air. Firstly, and most obviously, the iPad Air comes in a choice between two sizes: 11- and 13-inch, while the Alexa Tablet 12 Pro is only available as a 12-incher. The Alexa Tablet 12 Pro is also thicker, at 6.5mm compared to the iPad Air which measures in at just 6.1mm thick, regardless of whether it’s the 11- or 13-inch iteration.
Otherwise the Alexa Tablet 12 Pro benefits from a 120Hz refresh rate and a 280ppi panel while the iPad Air maxes out at 60Hz and 264ppi. It’s frustrating that the iPad Air isn’t fitted with Apple’s ProMotion technology, especially as it’s finally made its way to the iPhone 17 and considering the fact the iPad Air is not a cheap tablet.
Amazon Alexa Tablet 12 Pro promises longer battery life
With a promise of around 10 hours of battery life when web browsing, the iPad Air can comfortably see you through a standard work day before needing a top-up. However, the Alexa Tablet 12 Pro promises up to a whopping 16 hours of video playback on a single charge.
Not only that but the Alexa Tablet 12 Pro can even stretch up to 20 hours when in Kindle mode – but more on that later.
Amazon Alexa Tablet 12 Pro includes a nanomatte display option
While the iPad Pro offers multiple display options, the iPad Air only comes with a standard glossy screen. Even so, the display is fitted with an anti-reflective coating that we found does a solid job at reducing glare.
In comparison, the Alexa Tablet 12 Pro offers two display options: a standard and a Nanomatte screen with anti-glare. Found only on the 12 Pro, the nanomatte display promises to “dramatically reduce” screen glare while preserving detail and colour accuracy. To achieve this, Amazon explains that it has partnered with Corning, the brand behind Gorilla Glass, on a process that “etches a precise, pixel-aligned texture into the glass”.
Amazon promises this will result in a “first-of-its-kind” cinematic viewing experience and means the tablet is easy to read both in and outdoors.
Amazon Alexa Tablet 12 Pro acts like a Kindle
If you like the idea of an e-reader, specifically a Kindle, but know you’ll miss the ability to access other apps and the Google Play Store, then the Alexa Tablet 12 Pro could be a brilliant alternative. Once you open a book in the Kindle app, the tablet will silence notifications, reduce blue light and, as mentioned earlier, will stretch the battery life up to 20 hours.
Plus, if you opt for the Nanomatte display, then you’ll benefit from a more paper-like feel and sharper text. Even so, both the standard and Nanomatte options allow you to choose a display theme that best suits your reading preferences, from warmth with natural colour to pure grayscale too.
We should note however that you can also use the Amazon Kindle app on an iPad Air and you can choose to put the tablet on Do Not Disturb or Focus mode if you’d prefer not to receive any notifications too. It’s just you won’t benefit from an eked out battery nor a more matte display.
The Amazon Alexa Tablet 12 Pro is a seriously promising device, and seems like a huge upgrade from the older Fire tablets. With its more affordable price tag, Google Play Store access and the promise of a premium display, the Alexa Tablet 12 Pro looks like a solid alternative from the more expensive iPad Air.
We’ll be sure to update this versus once we review the Alexa Tablet 12 Pro.