The 2024 iPad Air ( left ) and 2022 iPad AirDigital Trends
Apple recently inclose the newiPad Air 2024after decamp over it for two years . While thenew iPad Pro model , which are svelte and lighter , make the Air terminology less impactful , Apple is upgrading the 2024 iPad Air with an M2 chip and adding a larger 13 - inch model , largely limiting the improvements to the viscera .
Even though it is no longer the swooning large iPad , theiPad Air is still the best option to an iPad Pro . More importantly , it is still the better value for the money at $ 599 despite some less - pleasing ( but satisfactory ) aesthetic than the new Pro model . Meanwhile , Apple has nuked the 2022 iPad Air , but you’re able to still find it in lineage at third - party retailers .
So , whether you are already using the2022 iPad Airand are deal upgrade to the 2024 model or are just looking to buy the new iPad Air with M2 silicon , we will compare the two and assist you make up one’s mind which is better for you .
iPad Air (2024) vs. iPad Air (2022): specs
iPad Air (2024) vs. iPad Air (2022): design
The 11 - inch 2024 iPad Air is largely the same as the 2022 model in price of design , with indistinguishable dimensions , weights , and displays . You would n’t be able to place the two apart without await at one key aspect : the position of the front - face camera , which is now located along the longer edge on the 2024 mannikin . The purpose of the new camera arrangement ? To regenerate warp and show a more balanced vista in television calls .
To splash some novelty over the design , Apple adds a with child model with a 13 - column inch display . This is not but scaled out , but come with dissimilar dimension and aspect ratios . It features a wider display with a 4:3 aspect ratio , presumably to accommodate more school text in the first flexure while using the iPad Air in landscape orientation .
Besides these subtle changes , there are n’t many dispute to spot compare to the 2022 iPad Air . Alas , if you liked the pinkish color , you ’ll be let down that Apple has break off it . The other options — Space Gray , Starlight , Purple , Blue — stay on , but the vividness has been toned down in line with the mutediPhone 15colors from last year . The app of atomic number 13 for the back has n’t deepen either .
iPad Air (2024) vs. iPad Air (2022): display
Like the design , Apple is n’t bringing any changes to the display on the 11 - in iPad Air . The 11 - inch iPad Air ( 2024 ) has meager and ignorable differences from the 2022 model and nothing that will stand out . The bombastic bezel around the LCD can still feel like an eyesore , but Apple stay unapologetic about them .
Meanwhile , the 13 - column inch iPad Air get a 2732 x 2048 pixel LCD with 20 % high brightness level than its smaller sibling . As mentioned above , this display has a broader layout than the 11 - in modeling , suggesting Apple expects you to expend the bigger iPad Air more like a laptop and less like a tablet .
Apple could have upgrade the video display to support a120Hz refresh pace with ProMotion , but go forward to use the same 60Hz displays as earlier . It would probably advance sales if Apple lend a mini - LED display alternative to the iPad Air 2024 for unspoilt color and dividing line , but it has n’t .
Apple says that both the 11 - inch and 13 - inch iPad Air models boast anti - reflective coating over the display , which improves visibility . However , it does n’t advert thepaper - similar matte coating introduced on the previous Pro models(only on the top - end variants ) .
iPad Air (2024) vs. iPad Air (2022): performance
The most outstanding change on the 2024 iPad Air compare to the 2022 model is the new M2 chip shot at heart . The M2 fleck inside the 2024 iPad Air models is the same we have regard on the iPad Pro ( 2022 ) , as well as other Mac modelling .
UnlikeApple ’s M3and theM4 silicon , which are build on more effective 3 - micromillimetre node , the M2 still rely on a 5 nm summons . This makes it slightly less powerfulness - efficient than the new microchip . allot to Apple ’s original declaration of the M2 iPad Pro , the CPU is 15 % faster than the eight - core CPU on the M1 .
The GPU has 10 cores instead of eight on the M1 cow chip , which results in a 35 % firm graphics carrying out .
The M2 also features an incredibly powerful Neural Engine with 16 center capable of 16 trillion operations per second ( TOPS ) . Although it is still slower than the 38 TOPS of the new M4 silicon , it will still turn out immensely utile for AI applications that Apple design to build natively into iOS and iPadOS 18 . These capabilities will beshowcased at Apple ’s Worldwide Developers Conference ( WWDC ) next calendar month .
Another significant improvement is the available storage options on the iPad Air ( 2024 ) , with the base variant now elevated to 128 GB and options move up to a whopping 1 TB . The RAM , however , remain uninfluenced at 8 GB and is consistent across all example . That differs from the young iPad Pro , which hasdifferent CPU form and RAM base on the storage options .
It ’s a shame Apple did n’t upgrade the iPad Air to the M3 alternatively . This suggests that the poker chip , which Apple substitute after only six month , was either not optimize for the iPad or had way out the company does n’t want to discuss publicly .
For creatives who care to force on the iPad , the new iPad Air ( 2024 ) has been upgraded to support the newApple Pencil Pro with the squeeze gesture . It also supports the more affordable Apple Pencil , which charges using USB - C ( or else of the earlier Lighting connector ) rather than connecting magnetically to the iPad Air .
If you plan to use the iPad Air as a computer , you will have to resort to using the first - gen Magic Keyboard folio case or else of the new one , which appear to be undivided to the iPad Pro at the consequence .
Lastly , as part of the upgrade to the M2 , the iPad Air ( 2024 ) also gets support for fast Wi - Fi 6E and more authentic Bluetooth 5.3 , while the cellular example retain to support 5 G via an eSIM .
iPad Air (2024) vs. iPad Air (2022): battery and charging
Like many other facial expression , the battery capacity on the 11 - in 2024 iPad Air continue unchanged compared to the 2022 simulation . It still feature a 28.6 - watt - hour electric battery ( which roughly translate to 7,700mAh ) . Meanwhile , the larger 13 - in iPad Air sport a 36.6Wh battery ( almost 9,900mAh ) .
Apple does not explicitly advert charge fastness , but they are likely to have persist unaltered , too . The previous iPad Air turn on at 32W via the USB - C cable length , and this is what we expect the 2024 models to maintain at the least . We will account any changes or anomaly we encounter while reviewing the iPad Air .
As per Apple , the battery on all of these theoretical account is good enough to last for 10 hours of video playback , presumably at average brightness and using Wi - Fi rather of 5G.
iPad Air (2024) vs. iPad Air (2022): cameras
The 2024 iPad Air continue to use the same 12MP cameras on the front and the nates . The rearward camera lacks any Time of Flight ( ToF ) or wide - angle detector construe on the iPad Pro , while the front camera comes with Face ID . Even without these sensors , you’re able to still bask augment realness experiences such as face filter with these tv camera .
The only modification , as we observe above , is the location of the front camera , which now allows for a horizontally symmetrical image in video calls .
iPad Air (2024) vs. iPad Air (2022): software and updates
In terms of software , both the iPad Air ( 2024 ) and the honest-to-goodness iPad Air ( 2022 ) are selfsame , and Apple does not seem to allow any features alone for the M2 chip . Currently , both black market iPadOS 17 and should be eligible for the next few yr of update .
However , the iPad Air ( 2024 ) will get two more twelvemonth of iOS update than the 2022 model .
iPad Air (2024) vs. iPad Air (2022): price and availability
The 11 - in iPad Air ( 2024 ) is price at $ 599 , while the 13 - inch iPad Air ( 2024 ) will sell for $ 799 . These are up for preorder now across major on-line and offline retailer other than Apple ’s own internet store and will get shipping on May 15 .
Meanwhile , the 2022 iPad Air has been formally discontinue , but you’re able to still find pending stock on Amazon and other third - party retailers . The , although the prices might change base on stock and demand .
iPad Air (2024) vs. iPad Air (2022): verdict
The iPad Air ( 2024 ) and the iPad Air ( 2022 ) are nearly very , and the only reason for you to advance if you already have the 2022 modeling is for teh additional storage space or the gravid 13 - inch display . The slight performance relegate that the M2 offer over the M1 is not a stack surf , especially since the M1 itself is a fairly capable chipset . For a noticeable upgrade , you ask to bribe the M4 iPad Pro — but some of its feature may be overkill for fair user .
If you have been using an older iPad Air or any other mannequin without the M - series micro chip , you would greatly benefit from the increase in performance . However , if you just fancy an iPad that does n’t feel outdated , the 2022 iPad Air will satisfy most of your necessity .
You might also be capable to grab an attractive plenty with the2022 iPad Pro , which features a superior display , better cameras , and the same powerful M2 chip . However , note that it wo n’t support the new Apple Pencil Pro if that is something you are looking to use to enhance your workflow .
