You’re scrolling through a webpage and it feels... sticky. Jagged. Like the text is vibrating just a little bit too much as you move your thumb. That’s the 60Hz curse. If you’ve ever used a modern iPhone Pro or a high-end gaming monitor, going back to a standard screen feels like walking through mud. You want that buttery, liquid-smooth motion. You want the 120Hz.
But Apple is kinda stingy with this. They call it ProMotion.
Most people think "ProMotion" is just a fancy marketing word for "fast." It’s actually more than that. It’s an adaptive system that can ramp up to 120Hz for gaming but drop down to 10Hz when you’re just looking at a static photo to save your battery life.
If you are looking for which iPad has 120Hz, the answer is surprisingly specific. You can't just walk into a store and grab the newest iPad Air and expect it to be smooth. It won't be.
The "Pro" Only Club
Here is the cold, hard truth: As of early 2026, only the iPad Pro models have a 120Hz refresh rate.
Apple has kept this feature locked behind the "Pro" paywall for years. Even the brand-new iPad Air M2—which is a powerhouse in its own right—is still stuck at a 60Hz refresh rate. It’s a bit of a letdown, honestly. You’d think by now they’d let the mid-tier models have some of the fun, but nope.
If you want the high refresh rate, you have to look at these specific lines:
- iPad Pro 11-inch: Every single model from the 1st generation (2018) all the way up to the current M4 iPad Pro (2024).
- iPad Pro 12.9-inch / 13-inch: All models starting from the 2nd generation (2017) to the newest M4 13-inch OLED.
- The "Vintage" Pro: The original 10.5-inch iPad Pro from 2017 also had it.
If it doesn't say "Pro" on the box, it’s 60Hz. Period.
Wait, What About the New iPad Air?
I get this question all the time. The iPad Air M2 (released in 2024 and still the current mid-range king in 2026) is basically an iPad Pro in a cheaper suit. It has the big 13-inch screen option now. It has a desktop-class chip. But it does not have 120Hz.
When you use an Apple Pencil on an Air, there is a tiny, almost imperceptible delay between the tip of the pencil and the "ink" appearing. On a 120Hz iPad Pro, that lag is gone. It feels like real graphite on paper. If you're an artist, that's the ball game right there.
Why Does 120Hz Actually Matter?
It’s not just about bragging rights.
When a screen refreshes 120 times per second instead of 60, your brain perceives movement as "real."
Think about "jelly scrolling." This was a big drama with the iPad mini 6. Because the screen refreshed slowly, one side of the display would lag behind the other while scrolling in portrait mode, making the text look like it was wobbling. 120Hz effectively kills that sensation.
Gaming is a Different World
If you play Genshin Impact, Call of Duty: Mobile, or PUBG, 120Hz is a massive competitive advantage. You see enemies a few milliseconds faster. Your inputs feel instantaneous. Most "regular" iPads cap these games at 60fps. The M4 iPad Pro laughs at that.
The Secret "Old" iPad Trick
You don't need to spend $1,000 to get a 120Hz iPad.
Because ProMotion has been around since 2017, the used market is actually great for this. An old 2018 iPad Pro with the A12X chip still feels smoother in daily navigation than a brand-new $600 iPad Air. Why? Because of the screen.
If you’re on a budget but crave that 120Hz smoothness, look for a refurbished iPad Pro 11-inch (2nd or 3rd Gen). You get the 120Hz ProMotion, the four-speaker audio, and Face ID for usually less than the price of a new base-model iPad.
The Display Tech Gap
It’s worth noting that the newest M4 Pros (2024/2025/2026 era) use "Tandem OLED." This is a fancy way of saying they stacked two OLED panels on top of each other.
It’s incredibly bright.
But even if you go back to the older mini-LED or standard LCD Pro models, you still get that 120Hz. The quality of the colors might change, but the fluidity stays the same.
Is the iPad Mini 7 120Hz?
No. And people are still mad about it.
The iPad mini 7 (A17 Pro chip) fixed some of the display controller issues to minimize jelly scrolling, but it’s still a 60Hz panel. Apple seems convinced that if you want a small, fast screen, you should just buy an iPhone Pro. It's a bummer for those of us who want a "mini Pro" tablet.
Checking Your Own iPad
Not sure what you have? There’s a quick way to tell if your iPad is actually running at a high refresh rate.
Go to Settings > Accessibility > Motion.
If you see a toggle that says Limit Frame Rate, congratulations—you have a 120Hz iPad. That toggle exists so people can lock the screen to 60Hz to save battery. If that option isn't there, your iPad is hardware-locked to 60Hz anyway.
Summary of 120Hz Models (Quick List)
- iPad Pro 13-inch (M4) – The current gold standard.
- iPad Pro 11-inch (M4) – The best portable 120Hz experience.
- iPad Pro 12.9-inch (Gens 2 through 6) – All have ProMotion.
- iPad Pro 11-inch (Gens 1 through 4) – All have ProMotion.
- iPad Pro 10.5-inch (2017) – The oldest 120Hz model.
Basically, if it’s an iPad Pro made in the last 8 years, you’re good. If it’s an Air, a Mini, or a "standard" iPad, you’re stuck in the 60Hz slow lane.
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Actionable Buying Advice
If you are a professional artist or a heavy gamer, do not buy the iPad Air. You will regret the 60Hz screen within a week. The ghosting and slight lag with the Apple Pencil will drive you crazy once you know what 120Hz feels like.
For students who just want to take notes? The 60Hz Air is fine. Honestly. Most people can't tell the difference until they put the two devices side-by-side.
But if you’ve used a 120Hz phone for the last two years, your eyes have already been "spoiled." Stick with the Pro line. Look for a used M1 or M2 iPad Pro if the new M4 price tag makes your eyes water. You’ll get the 120Hz experience without the "Pro" price premium.