Apple released the M2 iPad Air alongside the M4 iPad Pro. But is it a good one to buy or is it better to leave it aside?
Tim Cook called Let Loose the biggest day for the iPad since the launch of the first model. During the event, Apple announced the new versions of the iPad Pro and iPad Air.
And while Tim Cook’s words were probably mostly referring to the thinnest iPad Pro ever and the new OLED screen, so there’s that Air, too. But is the latter an ideal model to buy, or is it better to pass it up?
Apple’s new M2 iPad Air
I myself am an avid user of the iPad Air. I use the tablet mostly at home, so I never have to use my laptop outside of work. For me, it’s much nicer than fiddling with an iPhone screen. All those WhatsApp notifications aren’t constantly on the screen on an iPad, either. So I don’t need all that power from the Pro at all. Still, I do wish I could just work on my iPad from time to time.
The biggest innovation to the iPad Air is on the inside. It is the M2 chip that is also in the MacBook, among others, yet is not quite the same. Still, there is a slight difference, as this one has one less core, so there is slightly less processing power.
(Image: WANT/Jeroen Kraak)
In practice, you hardly notice this. The iPad Air is still tremendously fast. So fast that people who use a tablet casually don’t even need all that power. Only if you really game on your iPad or use heavier apps like Final Cut Pro or Adobe apps for video editing will you really notice a difference. But if you use those programs often, the iPad Pro is the better choice.
In addition, there is now a 13-inch version of the iPad Air, as Apple said there was demand for a larger model. We tested the 11-inch version, but the 13-inch variant could be the real gamechanger. For a 13-inch tablet, you are now much cheaper with the iPad Air than with the iPad Pro. The new 13-inch Pro costs at least $1,569, while the Air is available starting at $969.
Little new about the iPad Air
Back to that 11-inch version. The screen is beautiful, but barely improved over the previous iPad Air from 2022. This is still a Liquid Retina screen, but brighter. And it actually makes sense for Apple to choose this, because that’s how the iPad Pro with OLED screen stands out. Despite being an LCD screen, the colors are fine and everything looks realistic.
What is disappointing is that this screen still only has a refresh rate of 60 Hz. Surely you should expect 120 Hz for a device in this price range. This makes movements look smoother. Competitor Samsung does have this in the Galaxy Tab S9.
(Image: WANT/Jeroen Kraak)
Is there anything else updated about M2 iPad Air? Actually no. The design of the iPad is unchanged. What does stand out is the new location of the selfie camera: it is now in landscape mode instead of at the top of the tablet. A pleasant upgrade! The fingerprint scanner is still on the side. As with the refresh rate, one wonders why this has not been addressed. Surely we can expect Face ID with the Air in 2024, right?
Battery life doesn’t seem to have changed much either. Apple itself says the battery lasts about 10 hours. I myself came up with about 11 hours with all-round use. Think of surfing, gaming, Netflixing and just fiddling with a picture. That’s fine for a tablet.
To upgrade or not to upgrade?
Still, there is one small positive change. The base model now comes with 128 GB of storage, a big improvement over its predecessor’s 64 GB. Before, you had to go straight to 256 GB if you wanted more space, which was quite inconvenient. With 128 GB as standard, Apple now offers a better balance of storage options.
If you have a 2022 iPad Air you really don’t need to upgrade for this model just yet, the innovations are too minimal for that. However, that doesn’t mean it’s a bad tablet. On the contrary, it is still a wonderful device that competes at the top.
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So it really is a question of who Apple is looking for with these tablets. For casual users, the regular iPad is a better choice, which is also 300 euros cheaper. The previous version of the iPad Air is also an attractive alternative. In contrast, people who need maximum performance, for example for video editing or Photoshop, are better off with the iPad Pro. It offers a more powerful chip and a greatly improved screen.
Who is the M2 iPad Air for?
So who will choose the new iPad Air? Probably people like me: users who do the occasional photo editing or simple tasks that don’t require heavy applications, but who want a great screen. For them, the 13-inch version is probably more attractive than the 11-inch.
If you really want to use the iPad Air as a work tablet, then the new Magic Keyboard is a must-have. But that comes with a price tag of $399 for the 13-inch version. Add that to the 1,099 euro 256 GB iPad Air and you end up above the price of a MacBook Air with an M3 chip and 256 GB of storage. And let’s face it, typing and multitasking is still finer on a MacBook.
M2 iPad Air 11-inch (2024)
Apple
7
Score
Plus points
Incredibly fast and powerful Great battery life Old-fashioned good design Liquid Retina is still good 13 inches is now possible Supports the new Magic Keyboard and Apple Pencil Pro
Minuses
60 Hz refresh rate No Face ID If you really want to work well you really need that Magic Keyboard anyway
The M2 iPad Air is a wonderful powerhouse ide still has very much to offer, but the big question is who really needs that power. For people who are really demanding there is the iPad Pro and people who are casual tablet users there is the regular iPad. Then if you’re still going for a new one, it’s best to go for the 13-inch. Then you have a bigger screen that you can get just a little bit better with. It is currently the cheapest option for a 13-inch tablet from Apple.
