Up to 10 hours of surfing the web on Wi‑Fi, watching video, or listening to music Up to 10 hours of surfing the web on Wi‑Fi, watching video, or listening to music Up to 10 hours of surfing the web on Wi‑Fi, watching video, or listening to music Up to 10 hours of surfing the web on Wi‑Fi, watching video, or listening to music Up to 10 hours of surfing the web on Wi‑Fi, watching video, or listening to music
iPad vs. iPad Air: Apple’s basic and cheapest tablet will serve most people, but the Air is our pick for power users
Get honest reviews on top products & services — delivered weekly to your inbox. In short, I’d recommend the standard iPad to most people who want a simple, effective tablet to use on the couch or in bed for video streaming and running basic, normal apps, and even light productivity, like writing emails.
That’s because it offers the same processor inside as the iPad Pro models, but it doesn’t come with frivolous features that some creative professionals might not need, like a dual-lens camera system or Apple’s super-smooth ProMotion display tech. I’d also argue that the screen and design upgrades the iPad Air offers aren’t “$270” better for casual users, either. Specification 2021 iPad 2022 iPad Air Display 10.2-inch (2,160 x 1,620) Retina LED 10.9-inch (2,360 x 1,640) Liquid Retina LED Processor Apple A13 Bionic Apple M1 Memory and storage 3GB RAM (estimated) / 64GB, 256GB storage 8GB RAM / 64GB, 256GB storage Battery and charging 32.4 Wh, 20W charger included 28.6 Wh, 20W charger included Cameras 8MP main camera 12MP main camera Front camera 12MP FaceTime HD camera with Center Stage 12MP FaceTime HD camera with Center Stage Audio Two speakers Stereo speakers Authentication Touch ID Touch ID (on power button) Price Starting at $330 Starting at $600 That’s a huge amount of power for a tablet, but casual users aren’t likely to notice it with normal apps, or even with graphics-heavy games.
I played a little “Call of Duty Mobile” on both tablets, and the experience was practically identical. Meanwhile, the standard iPad’s A13 Bionic processor from the iPhone 11 series offers less power, but it’s still perfectly capable of running normal apps, games, and streaming video.
The standard iPad lasted five hours and 25 minutes in our battery test, where we continuously stream a YouTube video at full brightness and at the closest resolution that matches the iPad’s display. Still, if you’re out for battery life as a primary concern, the standard iPad generally lasts longer due to its smaller display.
For taking notes and doodling, the standard Apple Pencil works just fine. Indeed, if you’re navigating around iOS and apps often and quickly, lifting your arm and tapping the screen can get surprisingly tiring — more so than simply using a mouse.
You certainly can get the iPad Air if you want to, but the benefits aren’t immediately obvious outside of its sleeker, larger design. Plus, those creative professionals can benefit from the iPad Air’s speedy 10 Gigabit-per-second (Gbps) USB-C port for quickly transferring work files and data from an external SSD drive that can support 10Gbps.
iPad vs iPad Air – Which is Best?
There’s a reason for that – coupling sleek design and speedy processors with an intuitive user interface, the iPad appeals to Apple experts and newcomers alike.
iPad vs. iPad Air: What’s the Difference?
The current iPad (9th generation), released by Apple in September 2021, is almost a year newer than the latest iPad Air (4th generation) released in October 2020. While both tablets have attractive touch screens, the iPad Air’s display is superior and slightly larger.
iPad (9th generation) Touch ID button front and center.
iPad Air (4th generation) Touch ID moves to power button.
Overall, the iPad Air nets you a larger display in a lighter, thinner frame. While both use Touch ID login for security, the iPad Air moves it to the top button. With the iPad, you use the Touch ID button for specific tasks, like going to the home screen. iPad Air (4th generation) 10.9-inch Liquid Retina display.
The iPad Air’s display is “fully laminated,” which means it is closely bonded to the glass. This decreases the tiny gap between the display and the glass covering it, creating a premium touch screen experience. The iPad Air’s display suffers less glare and has a wider color gamut. The iPad Air is better for viewing photos, watching videos, or playing games.
Limited to older Wi-Fi and Bluetooth 4.2. iPad Air (4th generation) Apple A14 chip. Buying the iPad Air nets you the Apple A14 chip.
Despite the gap in performance, battery life is a tie, with both iPads promising 10 hours of web surfing and video playback.
The iPad Air’s better support helps future-proof the tablet. There’s no significant difference in cellular wireless options for each tablet, and neither supports 5G. The Extras: iPad Air Supports the Latest Technology
That’s a usable amount of storage, though you’ll run out if you work with high-resolution photos or video. It’s quicker, has a more usable display, supports the latest Apple accessories, and has better Wi-Fi and Bluetooth.
The iPad is still an excellent tablet, and owners who only plan to browse the web and watch videos will be happy. Running out of space is a real pain, and with the size of applications increasing over time, the base models will force you to rely on cloud storage.
Apple iPad vs. iPad Air vs. iPad mini vs. iPad Pro: Which Tablet Should You Buy?
A few years ago, Apple formally split the iPad’s operating system off from iOS, which powers iPhones, into iPadOS. The tablet-specific operating system is very similar to iOS, but focuses on streamlining and expanding multitasking to improve the usefulness of iPads as workplace devices, with pinnable widgets and cross-app workflow features like split screen and rapidly sliding between screens.
The only significant change to the latest model’s screen is the addition of Apple’s True Tone feature, which adjusts color balance based on surrounding light.
The selfie camera is 12MP, with a 122-degree field of view and support for Apple’s Center Stage tracking feature.
It doesn’t support Face ID, though; that’s still exclusively an iPhone and iPad Pro feature. If you want a versatile entertainment device for watching videos, reading books and comics, browsing the web, communicating with your friends, and even doing light text-crunching and presentations, it’s an excellent choice.
The iPad mini weighs 0.66 pounds and measures less than a quarter of an inch thick, small enough to easily fit in a bag or even a large jacket pocket. It doesn’t have the ProMotion technology of the iPad Pro’s screen, but it features the same P3 Wide Color and True Tone modes, in a fully laminated panel with anti-reflective coating.
The selfie camera is the same as the standard iPad, a 12MP ultra-wide sensor that supports Center Stage in FaceTime to automatically frame your face. The 2022 iPad Air tilts that balance heavily toward the Pro end, with extensive upgrades that put it within striking distance of the pricey, professional tablet.
It’s a huge step up from the A14 Bionic mobile processor in the previous model, and starting at $599, it’s by far the least expensive M1 device available. That distinction is important, because it needs to justify the much higher $799 and $1,099 baseline price tags the Pro models command over the other versions.
It’s still an utter beast that can handle pretty much any processing tasks you can throw its way, and beats out the iPad Air with its smoother ProMotion screen and multiple rear cameras, along with the choice between 11- and 12.9-inch models. The 11-inch iPad Pro has a Liquid Retina display with a 2,388-by-1,668 resolution and Apple’s ProMotion 120Hz refresh rate and True Tone technologies, as well as Wide Color support.
The 12.9-inch iPad Pro has all of those technologies and a higher 2,732-by-2,048-pixel resolution (for the same 264 pixels per inch as the smaller model), but adds a mini-LED backlight system that can both get much brighter and more precisely control the light output of the screen for better contrast.
The front-facing TrueDepth camera is also 12MP, with support for Face ID, 1080p60 recording, cinematic video stabilization, and Smart HDR 3.
No matter which model you choose, make sure you learn how to master iPadOS with our top tricks and tips.
Apple’s 2020 iPad vs. iPad Air: What’s the Difference?
The iPad Air features a square aluminum unibody design available in blue, gray, green, rose gold, or silver, with a full-screen display. USB-C has finally made its way to the Air, replacing the Lightning port and offering a more universal charging option. In addition to an updated design, the iPad Air sports a larger 10.9-inch laminated IPS LCD without a noticeable increase in footprint via slimmer bezels. It has the same 10.2-inch screen as its predecessor, with 2,160-by-1,620 resolution, for the same pixel density as the iPad Air, though it lacks the wide color and True Tone aspects.
Apple doesn’t share exact battery or RAM specifications, though it promises the iPad Air can last a day between charges. It now sports an A12 Bionic processor with Apple’s Neural Engine, the same chip that’s in the iPad mini and the iPhone XR.
Again, Apple doesn’t disclose RAM or battery capacity specifications, but says the iPad should make it through a day between charges. It features tap to focus, autofocus, Smart HDR, auto image stabilization, wide color capture, and can record video in 4K.
The iPad appears to have the same 8MP rear lens and 1.2MP FaceTime camera as its predecessor; we’ve reached out to Apple for confirmation.
iPad vs iPad Air vs iPad mini: Which non-Pro tablet is best for your budget?
During its “Peek Performance” event, Apple gave its mid-range tablet the update it should have gotten six months ago. Now the iPad Air is up to date with the rest of Apple’s lineup, with a new processor, camera, and connectivity.
Like the iPhone SE, it has a home button, giant bezels, and a tapered design in the classic iPad colors, silver and space gray.
Due to the giant bezels, it’s as big as the iPad Air despite having a smaller screen and is also the heaviest of the three models here, clocking in at 1.07 pounds. They have an all-screen design like the iPhone, with slim, uniform bezels, rounded display corners, and flat edges. They both use Apple’s Liquid Retina technology with rounded corners and fully laminated construction, with a wide color gamut and True Tone support.
The performance difference is roughly 30 percent in benchmarks, but you likely won’t notice the faster speeds in real-world use. Similarly, the iPad has a Lightning port like the iPhone, while the Air and mini have USB-C.
All three iPads have the same front camera and it’s a good one: 12MP Ultra Wide with Center Stage, which uses machine learning to keep you in the frame during FaceTime and other video calls. On the back, the ninth-gen iPad has an aging 8MP Wide camera while the Air and mini have 12MP wide cameras with Smart HDR 3 You can record 4K video on the Air and mini and HD video on the ninth-gen iPad.
All three models also support Universal Control so you can use your Mac’s keyboard and mouse to work on apps or transfer files when in Bluetooth range. iPad (2021, 9th generation) Read our review MSRP: $329 (base model) Best Prices Today:
It’s not a bad tablet—especially when compared to any Android tablet—but it has a two-generation-old processor, outdated design, and subpar display.
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