IPad (left), iPad Air (middle), iPad Pro (right). If that iPad Pro from 2021 is ever on sale for the same price as this Air, snap it up. (It starts at £569 in the UK and AU$929 in Australia.)Īlso consider that last year's iPad Pro is technically even better, even if its advantages are relatively minor (better rear cameras, lidar for some 3D depth scanning/AR, smoother refresh rate display, extra speakers and a USB-C port that has faster Thunderbolt 4 data throughput). Add in some of these accessories, or a case (also sold separately), and bump up the storage (the included 64GB for $599 isn't enough, so you'll want the 256GB version for $750), and you're going to end up with a nearly thousand-dollar iPad after tax. So, that's your choice.Īnd keep in mind that there are extras. I'd love to see those features make it to the entry-level iPad, but instead, Apple makes you pay up for them. The Air's key advantages over the entry-level iPad: USB-C, a faster processor, a slightly larger screen, better stereo speakers, compatibility with the second-gen Pencil stylus that magnetically clips to the iPad's side (sold separately) and also with Apple's very nice and expensive Magic Keyboard case, which has its own trackpad (also sold separately).
That basic iPad still probably makes the most sense for casual users. But it works with keyboard cases, it uses that first-gen Pencil and it's all pretty much fine. Its screen's a bit smaller, the A13 processor is less powerful, perhaps, and yes, it has a Lightning port, not USB-C. The 10.2-inch iPad really does a lot of the same things, for a lot less money. And if you're looking to treat yourself to an excellent iPad that feels future-proof for a while, at least as far as its processor goes, this may seem like the choice.īut it's not that simple. This makes the Air the best high-end iPad for its price. The entry-level iPad and iPad Mini were refreshed last fall, and the year-old iPad Pro, which has the same M1 processor as this but costs more, came out a whole year ago. The middle iPad in Apple's lineup has come at a weird time. But what are that speedy processor and the more iPad Pro/iPad Mini-like design (larger screen, less bezel, USB-C, Pencil 2 support) worth to you? It has the same design as the iPad Air revamp in 2020, and the redesigned iPad Mini last fall. It does, however, mean that the latest iPad Air has a very, very nice processor and that it's lovely and speedy. The iPad has crept incrementally closer with keyboard and trackpad support and with now the same M1 processor as the MacBook Air, but that still doesn't mean your iPad is now a Mac.
I've wanted the iPad to be a Mac tablet for years.
Personally, I alternate between iPad and laptop.