Summary
It’s possible that the next iPad Air won’t be as thrilling as the iPad Pro M4 at all. There has not been a significant makeover of it, and it does not have an OLED display fitted. In addition to being updated with an M2 processor, this might be mistaken with the iPad Air M1, which is also an upgrade. On the other hand, the iPad Air now comes in two different sizes and features a front camera that is set in a landscape orientation.
iPad Air 2024 hands-on review
But after spending a short amount of time with the Air, I am certain that it will be the more successful of the two tablets since it offers a better combination of functionality and pricing than the other one. In addition to the new purple and blue color choices, which are pretty lovely, the 13-inch model is an excellent alternative to consider if you are looking for a display that is bigger. Additionally, the faster Wi-Fi 6E is a welcome plus.
Before long, we will have a comprehensive review of the iPad Air 2024. For the time being, have a look at my early views.
iPad Air 2024 hands-on review: PRICE & AVAILABILITY
On Apple’s website, the new iPad Air is currently available for pre-order, and it will be ready for purchase the following week at a price of $599. This first version is equipped with a display of 11 inches, a storage capacity of 128 gigabytes, and Wi-Fi connection. With an upgrade to 1 terabyte of storage and Wi-Fi and cellular connectivity, the price goes up to $1,299.
There is a 13-inch iPad Air available with 128GB of storage and Wi-Fi connection, and it can be purchased for a starting price of $799. That price goes up to $1,499 if you get Wi-Fi and cellular service in addition to 1 terabyte of storage space. Blue, purple, space gray, and starlight are the colors that are available for the bigger tablet, just as they are for the 11-inch device.
Last but not least, we have components. It is possible to integrate the brand-new Apple Pencil Pro for a price of $129. There are two different price points for the Apple Magic Keyboard: $299 for the 11-inch model and $349 for the 13-inch variant.
iPad Air 2024 hands-on review: SPECS
| 11-inch iPad Air | 13-inch iPad Air | |
| Price | from $599 | from $799 |
| Display | 11-inch LED (2360 x 1640 pixels) | 13-inch LED (2732 x 2048 pixels) |
| Colors | Blue, Purple, Starlight, Space Gray | Blue, Purple, Starlight, Space Gray |
| Chip | M2 | M2 |
| Storage | 128GB, 256GB, 512GB, 1TB | 128GB, 256GB, 512GB, 1TB |
| Cameras | 12MP front landscape, 12MP rear | 12MP front landscape, 12MP rear |
| Wireless | Wi-Fi 6E, 5G | Wi-Fi 6E, 5G |
| Size | 9.7 x 7 x 0.24 inches | 11.04 x 8.5 x 0.24 inches |
| Weight | 1.02 pounds | 1.36 pounds |
iPad Air 2024 hands-on review: DESIGN & DISPLAY
Despite the fact that the iPad Air has not undergone a significant redesign, the little enhancements that have been made make using the tablet more enjoyable.
The choice made by Apple to relocate the front camera to the edge of the landscape display is the most notable distinction. In the event that you are utilizing the iPad Air in laptop mode, this will make it much simpler to make video calls.
Additionally, there is a Touch ID button for logging in, as well as dual speakers that are oriented in a landscape orientation. For the amount of money that you are going to spend on this, I, along with a great number of other people who are passionate about face identification, would have liked to have Face ID integrated into the Air.
Upon taking possession of the iPad Air with a 13-inch screen, I was pleasantly delighted. Even though it is heavier than the one with 11 inches, it does not seem awkward to handle since the weight is distributed evenly across the device. To put that into perspective, the 13-inch iPad Pro weighs 1.28 pounds, making it somewhat heavier than the iPad Pro, which weighs 1.36 pounds. At the time when I was examining both gadgets, I became aware of this distinction. However, despite this, the bigger Air does not feel nearly as weighty to grasp as the smaller Air does.
Blue is my favorite of the four colors that are accessible; however, purple, starlight, and space gray are all very great hues to use in the mix.
The Liquid Retina display seen on the new iPad Air is identical to that found on the previous model. This is OK in a vacuum since the panel in question produces visuals that are vivid and full of color. On the other hand, when contrasted with the bright OLED screen seen on the new iPad Pro 2024, the display on the iPad Air is much less stunning. It would have been nice if there was an OLED alternative available, even if it had been more expensive.
iPad Air 2024 hands-on review: PERFORMANCE
The M2 chip is already there in this new slab, just as it is in the iPad Pro M2. The team in Cupertino says that this makes the new iPad Air fifty percent quicker than its predecessor, the M1, and that it has an overall performance that is up to three times faster than the previous iPad Air, which was equipped with an A12 Bionic CPU.
In 2022, while I was reviewing the iPad Pro M2, it was the most powerful iPad (and tablet) that I had ever examined. It was able to handle numerous open applications as well as a game such as Genshin Impact without any issues. My expectation is that the new iPad Air, which also has an M2 processor, will provide results that are comparable; nonetheless, our laboratory test will reveal the extent of this tablet’s capabilities.
The iPad Air M2 is also capable of doing artificial intelligence activities in iPadOS, such as Visual Lookup and Subject Lift. Applications such as Photomator allow you to automatically improve your photographs in a shorter amount of time. This chip has always had a Neural Engine, but it’s amazing that Apple (and developers) are putting more of an emphasis on the artificial intelligence capabilities of the CPU.
iPad Air 2024 hands-on review: OUTLOOK
Although it is not the most popular tablet in Apple’s portfolio, the iPad Air is one of the most popular tablets because it combines great performance and battery economy into a premium and stylish chassis. Because of this, it is quite probable that the corporation did not want to implement any significant adjustments.
On a tablet that is arguably built to be almost flawless, it is difficult to use the latest updates. To put that into perspective, the introduction of a 13-inch device and a front camera that is oriented toward the landscape, in addition to the addition of the strong M2 processor, might make this iPad Air the greatest one yet.
Be sure to check back for our comprehensive review of the iPad Air 2024!.
