To make matters more interesting, Apple still sells the older, ninth-generation 2021 iPad, which starts at $329. While it may not have the latest features, it remains an accessible option for people looking for a basic iPad. The 2022 iteration of the entry-level iPad brings a lot of upgrades from its predecessor, but it also starts at $449, making it $120 more than the previous model.
iPad (2022) vs. iPad Air (2022): Which one’s really better for you?
iPad (2022) iPad Air (2022) Display 10.9-inch IPS running at 2,360 x 1,640 10.9-inch IPS running at 2,360 x 1,640 Apple Pencil support Supports Apple Pencil (1st gen) Supports Apple Pencil (2nd gen) Processor A14 Bionic M1 Physical connectivity USB-C charging and data port, Nano-SIM tray (cellular models) USB-C charging and data port, Nano-SIM tray (cellular models), magnetic connector Storage options 64GB, 256GB 64GB, 256GB Cameras 12MP rear camera; 12MP ultra-wide front camera It matches the iPad Air in every way that matters for a youngster, including screen size, battery life, local storage, and connectivity. While it doesn’t feature the magnetic connector included with the iPad Air that lets that model connect with Apple’s Magic Keyboard, the standard iPad does support the new Magic Keyboard Folio, which offers nearly all of the same capabilities, and turns the device into a homework powerhouse.
The jump between the two versions isn’t revolutionary, but the newer 5.2 protocol offers faster pairing and longer battery life through improvements to transmission efficiency.
The only problem is that the first-gen Pencil is designed to charge via its built-in Lightning connector and the latest iPad has switched its power/data port to USB-C. This means you’ll need an adapter cable to connect and charge your Pencil, adding more hassle and another thing to forget.
That’s because the iPad Air’s latest update uses the same M1 chip that Apple used in its MacBook and Mac Mini lines. This laptop-class CPU provides far more oomph than most tablet apps will ever need, ensuring you can get work done without slowdown no matter how many tabs you have open, or how intense your creative processes are. The newer stylus also features a matte finish and angular design that makes it more pleasant to hold in the hand and less likely to roll away on you. If you plan to use your iPad of choice as a drawing tablet, note-taking device, or for any purpose that requires a stylus, the extra price difference might be worth it for this one upgrade alone.
Apple’s Magic Keyboard is a big part of the reason why you might now consider iPad as a legitimate replacement for your laptop or desktop. The M2 chip in the latest model puts just about every other laptop to shame, while its upgraded camera array is useful for some serious content creation, which it can store thanks to its 2TB of maximum space.
you won’t save any cash by going smaller, but if it’s the most ideal size for your, the Mini is worth it, even at about the same price.
Apple iPad Air (2022) review: Almost future-proof
There are a handful of other little changes here, including a much-improved front-facing camera and 5G connectivity, but the M1 is the real upgrade of note. And while the basic experience of using the Air is mostly the same as it was when we last tested one, having the power of an M1 means this is one of the most future-proof iPads you can buy. Otherwise, it’s exactly the same size and effectively the same weight; Apple’s specs page says it is two hundredths of a pound heavier than the old model, not something anyone would notice.
It’s a 10.9-inch “liquid Retina” LCD display with Apple’s True Tone feature for optimizing the screen’s color temperature based on ambient light.
It’s just perceptibly smaller than the 11-inch screen on my iPad Pro, and the bezel looks a bit chunky, but it doesn’t change the way I use the tablet. The main difference between this display and the one on the 11-inch Pro is the latter has the ability to refresh at up to 120Hz, while the iPad Air is stuck at 60Hz.
Although I definitely enjoy using Apple’s “ProMotion” screens, I can’t say I noticed much of a difference once I sat down and started using the Air. Unsurprisingly, the second-generation Apple Pencil that magnetically snaps to the top of the iPad is supported here, too. It’s comfortable to use and extremely responsive, but unless you really want to take handwritten notes with your iPad or have serious visual arts chops, it’s inessential. But there are loads of wonderful drawing and note-taking apps available for the iPad, so if you are an artist, it’s an excellent tool.
iPad Pro (2022) vs. iPad Air (2022): Which Apple tablet is right for you?
A few months later, the company introduced the sixth-generation iPad Pro, which stands as the most powerful and responsive tablet in Apple’s current lineup. On top of that, the iPad Pro includes Apple’s ProMotion high-refresh-rate display for a silky smooth experience when navigating and working on the tablet.
Apple iPad (10th gen) vs iPad Air
They deliver some of the smoothest performance you’ll find on a slate, with gorgeous displays for catching up on Netflix shows and loads of accessory options for typing and drawing, plus sleek designs, heaps of battery and 5G. They look the same at a glance and share the same screen size, resolution and cameras, but there are differences to justify the £170 jump in price from the £499 iPad to the £669 Air.
Unlike the entry-level iPad 9th gen, which has the older look with big bezels and a physical home button, the 10th-gen model was given a design refresh when it was released last year. And yes, it looks remarkably similar to the Air and Pro models, with a sleek aluminium alloy casing and thinner black borders around the screen edges.
On the iPad Air, it’s intended to be used in portrait position, but on the 10th gen, it is made to be held in landscape as the lens is in the middle of the longer side of the tablet. The iPad Air comes in grey, white, pink, purple and blue, and the tones are slightly more subtle than the most affordable model. Unlike the iPad 10th gen, the Air’s display is fully laminated and coated in an anti-reflective material, so it’s slightly easier to use in bright conditions. You’ll generally get around five to eight years of software support, so you won’t have to worry about OS updates and security patches.
If you’re only using it to watch YouTube videos and send a few emails, the chip won’t matter too much, but if you’ll be using it by typing lots of documents with a keyboard, handling some light photo editing or opening dozens of tabs – you’ll appreciate the performance bump that the M1 provides.
That means if you’re buying the tablet for productivity or art, the Air is the better choice as you can easily pair it with a Bluetooth keyboard and mouse. Whether you need to pay the extra money for the iPad Air depends on how much you want to use it for productivity – you’re getting a faster processor and it’s compatible with the laptop-like Magic Keyboard, while the 2nd generation Apple Pencil snaps magnetically to the back of the slate for charging wireless and has a slimmer design. Buy the iPad 10th gen if: You want a more colourful tablet that has enough power for streaming shows, checking your social media feeds and internet browsing.
iPad – Compare Models
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 (2022) vs. iPad Air (2022): Which one’s really better for you?
iPad (2022) iPad Air (2022) Display 10.9-inch IPS running at 2,360 x 1,640 10.9-inch IPS running at 2,360 x 1,640 Apple Pencil support Supports Apple Pencil (1st gen) Supports Apple Pencil (2nd gen) Processor A14 Bionic M1 Physical connectivity USB-C charging and data port, Nano-SIM tray (cellular models) USB-C charging and data port, Nano-SIM tray (cellular models), magnetic connector Storage options 64GB, 256GB 64GB, 256GB Cameras 12MP rear camera; 12MP ultra-wide front camera It matches the iPad Air in every way that matters for a youngster, including screen size, battery life, local storage, and connectivity.
While it doesn’t feature the magnetic connector included with the iPad Air that lets that model connect with Apple’s Magic Keyboard, the standard iPad does support the new Magic Keyboard Folio, which offers nearly all of the same capabilities, and turns the device into a homework powerhouse.
The jump between the two versions isn’t revolutionary, but the newer 5.2 protocol offers faster pairing and longer battery life through improvements to transmission efficiency.
The only problem is that the first-gen Pencil is designed to charge via its built-in Lightning connector and the latest iPad has switched its power/data port to USB-C. This means you’ll need an adapter cable to connect and charge your Pencil, adding more hassle and another thing to forget.
That’s because the iPad Air’s latest update uses the same M1 chip that Apple used in its MacBook and Mac Mini lines. This laptop-class CPU provides far more oomph than most tablet apps will ever need, ensuring you can get work done without slowdown no matter how many tabs you have open, or how intense your creative processes are.
The newer stylus also features a matte finish and angular design that makes it more pleasant to hold in the hand and less likely to roll away on you. If you plan to use your iPad of choice as a drawing tablet, note-taking device, or for any purpose that requires a stylus, the extra price difference might be worth it for this one upgrade alone. Apple’s Magic Keyboard is a big part of the reason why you might now consider iPad as a legitimate replacement for your laptop or desktop. The M2 chip in the latest model puts just about every other laptop to shame, while its upgraded camera array is useful for some serious content creation, which it can store thanks to its 2TB of maximum space.
you won’t save any cash by going smaller, but if it’s the most ideal size for your, the Mini is worth it, even at about the same price.
iPad 10 vs. iPad Air Buyer’s Guide: Is the $150 Difference Worth It?
The 10th-generation model completes the transformation of the iPad product lineup toward a flat look with squared-off edges, no home button, and an all-screen design with curved corners. With the exact same display size and identical features like a Touch ID top button, USB-C port, and 5G connectivity, many prospective customers may now be considering a purchase of the standard iPad instead of the iPad Air – but there are more differences between the devices than immediately meets the eye. Combined with a more advanced display, support for the second-generation Apple Pencil, a thinner and lighter design, and even a different selection of color options, many users still have good reasons to preference the iPad Air. Beyond their designs, the two iPads share the majority of their fundamental features, even including storage options:
10.9-inch Liquid Retina display (2360‑by‑1640 resolution at 264 ppi) with True Tone and 500 nits max brightness (typical) The main difference between the devices is their chips and amount of memory, so if you plan on using your iPad for more demanding tasks like 3D graphic design, advanced photo editing, and gaming, the iPad Air will be the better choice by far. The M1 chip’s dedicated media engine will also be particularly helpful when video editing, and supports Stage Manager, Apple’s new multitasking system for the iPad. While these aspects are unlikely to be major reasons to preference the iPad Air, they are worth bearing in mind when trying to justify the $150 leap to the more expensive device.
The iPad Air is marginally thinner and lighter, with differences that are so minor as to be unimportant to most customers, but the more muted tones of its color options may make it more or less appealing based on your personal preferences. Support for the first-generation Apple Pencil is a major disadvantage for the 10th-generation iPad, not least due to the fact that an adapter is needed to pair and charge it. The first-generation Apple Pencil is also longer and heavier, has a cap that needs to be removed for charging, and cannot magnetically snap to the side of the iPad for storage, which could be important factors for those prone to losing things. People who plan to use the Apple Pencil heavily for tasks like note-taking and illustration will undoubtedly have a significantly better experience with the iPad Air.
In theory, the iPad Air is a more compelling package with the M1 chip, 4GB of additional memory, a dedicated media engine, Stage Manager for multitasking, a better display, and a much better Apple Pencil experience, but in practice, users are unlikely to notice much difference between the devices.
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.
Apple iPad vs iPad Air: What’s the difference?
Though the price has fluctuated and grown in line with inflation, the 10th-gen iPad will generally set you back around £499/$449. Though it got a little flatter and bigger in recent years, it’s still quite reminiscent of the original iPad with thick bezels and a now-ageing Home button. It’s also more limited in terms of accessory support, lacking the smart connectors present on most other recent models of iPad.
It ditches the Home button completely to expand screen space with much smaller bezels than the entry-level tablet, sports smart connector support for advanced accessory use and, as the name suggests, it’s pretty damn lightweight too. That said, the processing power of the iPad Air is usually equal to – or greater than – what’s available on the equivalent flagship iPhone of the time. That’s a significantly more powerful chip compared to the A14 Bionic inside the vanilla iPad, with our benchmarks (see above) proving so.
Where the iPad Air will shine, however, is with more processor-hungry apps like LumaFusion Pro and Procreate. Rather than supporting the older first-gen Apple Pencil and basic folio keyboard, recent models of iPad Air boast support for the same pro-level second-gen Apple Pencil and premium Magic Keyboard, making them a tempting option for those that want a tablet for both work and play without forking out for an iPad Pro. But you’ll likely only notice that performance difference if you engage in heavy duty tasks such as video editing – the iPad 10 is perfectly fast enough for day-to-day jobs. Elsewhere the iPad Air boasts an advantage with the addition of a fully laminated display, support for the 2nd Generation Apple Pencil, and a marginally slender design. If you think those features are worth paying the extra cash for, then the iPad Air is your go-to tablet.
Is the new iPad basically the same as iPad Air? The answer is no.
The tablet has a new design and a 10.9-inch display that makes it quite similar to the 10.9-inch iPad Air, which launched in March 2022. First, the obvious: The iPad Air has a vastly more powerful processor, Apple’s M1. In contrast, the new iPad is powered by Apple’s A14 Bionic chip, which you can find in the company’s iPhone 12 line of products. It’s the same Liquid Retina display with the same resolution, but on the iPad it’s not laminated.
That last difference enabled Apple to make the iPad Air a little bit thinner (in accordance with its name and heritage). The front-facing camera on the iPad is positioned on the side, meaning it will work best when using the device in landscape mode. I haven’t yet tested the new iPad, but I do have the latest iPad Air, and I can say that I’m mostly using the front camera when the tablet is on a table in front of me in landscape mode, so the landscape-friendly camera does make a little bit more sense. On the iPad Air, you get to choose between Space Gray, Blue, Pink, Purple, and Starlight, but the colors are quite subdued. As you can see above, for the extra money you do get a far more powerful processor and a number of small perks.
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