iPad Pro 11-inch vs 13-inch (M4) Speakers: How Much Do 2 Inches Change the Sound?

This is the English edition of a review from my Japanese YouTube channel, iestaLife. I review gadgets from my home studio in Japan, so product links go to Amazon Japan.

Quick take

At maximum volume, the iPhone 15 Pro Max, the 11-inch iPad Pro and the 13-inch iPad Pro (M4) are surprisingly close in loudness. Sound quality is a different story: the 13-inch iPad Pro has clearly the richest, most spacious sound of the three, and the gap between the 11-inch and 13-inch models is bigger than I expected.

13-inch iPad Pro, iPhone 15 Pro Max and 11-inch iPad Pro side by side — From left: 13-inch iPad Pro, iPhone 15 Pro Max, 11-inch iPad Pro

What I tested

iPad Pro 13-inch (M4)
iPad Pro 11-inch (M4)
iPhone 15 Pro Max, for reference
All at maximum volume, recorded with a ZOOM H1essential handheld recorder. I played music and then a video with speech on each device.

What I found

Volume is roughly equal. For its size, the iPhone gets impressively loud — not far behind the biggest iPad.
The iPhone sounds thin. Weak bass, a bright, slightly tinny top end and little sense of space. On the plus side, voices and vocals are easy to follow.
11-inch vs 13-inch is an obvious difference. The 13-inch sounds much richer, with clear left-right separation and fine detail, even though it is just a slab about 5 mm thick.
You rarely hold a big iPad at arm’s length the way you hold a phone, so the small volume differences matter even less in practice.

Side-by-side comparison

	iPhone 15 Pro Max	iPad Pro 11-inch	iPad Pro 13-inch
Max volume	Very loud for its size	Close to the iPhone	Close to the iPhone
Character	Weak bass, bright and tinny	More bass and body than the iPhone	Deep, wide, detailed
My impression	Easy to hear voices	Fine for video and music	The richest of the three

These are my listening impressions from the recordings, not measurements.

11-inch and 13-inch iPad Pro side by side — Side by side, the difference in area is bigger than it looks on paper

Who it’s for

Choose the 13-inch if you mainly watch video, listen to music or play games on the iPad’s own speakers and want more immersion.
The 11-inch is fine if loudness is what you care about — it is not noticeably quieter.
If you mostly use headphones, this comparison matters less.

Watch the comparison

[新型iPad Pro] 11インチと13インチで音は違うのか！iPhone交えて音量・音質を比較検証してみた

The video is in Japanese, but the point is the sound: music starts at 0:47 and the speech test at 3:23. Headphones help.

Limitations

This is a simple test with a handheld recorder in my room, and the descriptions above are my own impressions. The M4 iPad Pro has since been succeeded, so I have not linked it.

Products

ZOOM H1essential (the recorder I used): on Amazon Japan

The Amazon Japan links above are affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases. Check the listing for the exact model, current price and shipping availability in your region.

More reviews in English