Hardware updates
I’ve never thought about buying a 13-inch iPad Pro. In addition to the high price, an iPad this large and heavy feels difficult to use handheld. The large screen is great for multitasking, so it’s great when it’s on a keyboard dock, but the iPad is great for casual tasks, playing games, watching movies, and all the other basic tasks where a tablet is better suited. We also want to make it easier to hold.
The iPad I currently own is a 2020 11-inch Pro, so I’m obviously eyeing the new iPad Air. And after testing the 13-inch Air, I’m thinking of jumping on the large tablet bandwagon for the first time. Part of my reasoning is that the 13-inch iPad Air weighs less than the previous generation 12.9-inch iPad Pro it’s based on. These tablets typically weigh around 1.5 pounds, but the Air weighs 1.36 pounds.
It doesn’t seem like a huge difference, but for me it was enough to make me feel more comfortable using the Air as a tablet rather than just docking it in a keyboard case. It’s still a little more unwieldy than I’d like, and it’s still heavier and thicker than the new 13-inch iPad Pro. However, the iPad Air is $500 cheaper. For that price, I’m willing to accept some tradeoffs.
The new 11-inch model is indistinguishable from the 10.9-inch model it replaces in terms of dimensions, weight, and screen size. Don’t let Apple fool you into thinking the screen is 0.1 inch bigger this year. Actually, that’s not the case. The company is simply rounding up. (The 13-inch Air is similar, with the same 12.9-inch screen size and resolution as the older iPad Pro.)
The M2 chip is a big selling point for the iPad Air, but if you have a 2022 model with the M1, keep in mind that you won’t see a significant performance increase. Geekbench 6 testing shows that the M2’s GPU is about 30% faster than the M1, but the single-core and multi-core performance gains are smaller. However, compared to my 2020 iPad Pro, which has an A12Z processor, the M2 is more than twice as fast. So if you don’t have an iPad with an M-series chip, the new Air will be a big step forward.
This camera is basically the same as the one on the last iPad Air, but it’s on the side edge, which makes video calling much better when used with a keyboard. In fact, I now consider taking work calls on my iPad, whereas I didn’t before.
I’m also very happy to see that the base iPad Air comes with 128GB of storage instead of the stingy 64GB of last time. It’s now much easier to encourage people to choose the least expensive configuration. You can also get up to 1 TB of storage with Air for the first time, if you need it.
Magic Keyboard and Apple Pencil Pro
The Air is still the old Magic Keyboard, heavier and thicker than the new model, and lacking the useful row of function keys. The Magic Keyboard is still very expensive ($299 for the 11-inch and $349 for the 13-inch), but it’s still my favorite keyboard for the iPad. Well, it’s my favorite after the iPad Pro update. It’s comfortable, quiet, and responsive, especially considering how thin it is, and I have no trouble typing out stories for hours at a time.
However, the good news for Apple Pencil fans is that iPad Air supports the latest Pencil Pro. As we cover in detail in our iPad Pro review, it does everything the older, second-generation Apple Pencil could do, but includes features like haptic feedback, Find My support, a grip gesture to bring up menus, and the ability to rotate the Pencil. New features have been added. Thanks to the built-in gyroscope, you can change the width of the brush while holding it in your hand. The price is $129, the same as the second-generation Pencil. The only bad news is that the older Pencil isn’t compatible with the iPad Air, due to a redesigned charging and pairing system to accommodate the landscape-oriented front camera.
What hasn’t changed?
That’s basically all the new features of iPad Air this year. The display remains the same standard Apple LCD, which makes it very suitable for anything you use the iPad for. This isn’t on the same level as the iPad Pro’s new tandem OLED screen or the mini-LED display that came before it. In a side-by-side comparison with the Pro, I did notice that the Air’s screen had relatively poor brightness and contrast. But the good news is that I don’t spend my entire life comparing screens, and the iPad Air remains a strong selling point for a tablet. Unlike the basic iPad screen, it’s stuck to the front glass and is bright enough to use indoors.
The only thing I wanted was a higher frame rate. The iPad Pro’s “ProMotion” feature adjusts the frame rate from 10 to 120hz, but the Air’s maximum value is 60hz. Over time, you stop noticing that his UI for animations is relatively jerky, and you don’t think about it too much. But every time I switch back to the iPad Pro, I immediately notice how smooth and fluid everything feels.
The rear camera is the same as the previous iPad Air and is fine. It takes decent snapshots in good lighting and can shoot 4K videos at various frame rates. However, you cannot record in ProRes format. Apple limits it to the iPad Pro. But for those considering the iPad Air, that probably won’t be an issue. Similarly, the iPad Air’s USB-C port doesn’t support faster Thunderbolt 4 speeds, but in my testing it had no problem bringing in his RAW photos from the camera. If your workflow is such that you use that port a lot and would benefit from faster speeds, then you should definitely check out Pro.
I’ve only had my iPad Air for less than a week, so I haven’t run any lengthy battery tests yet. But in my daily use, it usually meets Apple’s 10-hour rating for light tasks like browsing the internet and watching videos. Performing processor-intensive tasks will definitely wear it down faster. While using the Magic Keyboard, I noticed that the battery life tends to be a little short. However, like most iPads, you won’t have to reach for the charger often.
summary
go back and forth between iPad Air And the pros emphasized what a great value the Air is. There’s no denying that there are some great things to do to improve your iPad Pro experience. For example, Face ID is clearly better than Touch ID. I quickly got tired of reaching for the power button to unlock the Air. The iPad Pro’s screen is the definition of luxury, and the improved keyboard case provides a slightly better experience. It’s lighter and easier to hold, and has better speakers. And of course, it also has the new M4 chip.
These are all important and useful things, but once you get used to the Air again, you won’t miss it too much. The M2 is powerful enough for my needs, the Apple Pencil Pro experience is comparable, the old Magic Keyboard still provides great typing, the screen is bright and colorful, and perhaps most importantly, the comparable iPad It’s $500 cheaper than the Pro.
For some people, that extra cash may be well worth it. There are some things the Pro can do that the Air can’t, like shooting ProRes video and going to Apple’s Reference mode for better color accuracy and consistency against a number of color standards. M4 also saves time on processor-intensive jobs such as video rendering. And you might want to get the best iPad possible without worrying about money.
But for the rest of us, the iPad Air is still around, offering around 80 percent of the iPad Pro experience at a much cheaper price. And for the first time, his iPad has arrived at a more affordable price and with a larger screen. While my heart may want the iPad Pro, my head (and wallet) agrees that the iPad Air is a much more logical choice.