Why the iPad Air has been Apple’s best iPad in years

It really is a good time to be apple fan, no?

In the past two months, they have introduced two new Apple watches, two new iPads and four new iPhone 12.

And although we have to wait until mid-November for them to fall iPhone 12 Mini and iPhone 12 Pro Max, it seems like Apple maintains its momentum with a fairly discreet launch of the 4th generation iPad Air.

With an attractive aesthetic IPad Pro style At an equally attractive price, Apple’s mid-range iPad is arguably one of the more interesting products of this version. But does it live up to expectations?

An iPad Pro

As we have already mentioned, the new ipad air take a lot of design cues del iPad Pro

. From the flat-rimmed design to the removal of the home button and USB-C port for charging, it essentially looks like a slightly smaller version of the Pro (10.9 to 12 inches).

And aesthetics aren’t the only thing the iPad Air inherited from the iPad Pro; it is also compatible with second generation Apple Pencil ($ 189), smart keyboard (S $ 269) and magic keyboard (S $ 439).

These accessories are essential if you intend to use the iPad as a replacement for your laptop, and being the only non-Pro model compatible with them, the iPad Air really sets itself apart from the lower level iPads and iPad Minis. .

Everything you need

In terms of performance, ipad air is equipped with Apple’s new A14 Bionic processor, which, in our experience so far, has been able to handle everything we have thrown at it (multiple tabs in Safari, multitasking between two applications, even exporting videos to Adobe Premiere Rush).

The versatility of the iPad Air makes it one of our most used devices, so it’s good that it has exceptional battery life.

Apple’s website claims you’ll get 10 hours of web browsing and video playback on a single charge, but we actually managed to get more than that with 20% left after a full day of moderate use.

And considering what you will be using it for, a special mention should be given to the stereo speakers on the iPad Air.

Older versions of the iPad Air only had speakers on one side, which created a rather unbalanced soundscape. Apple has rectified that, and everything from watching videos to listening to music is a much more enjoyable experience now.

When it comes to photography, the iPad Air comes with a single 12MP wide camera on the back that is also capable of recording 4K videos at 60 frames per second. The iPad lineup as a whole is catching up with the iPhone (portrait or night mode isn’t there), but that will suffice if you need to take an occasional snapshot.

What’s (not) in the box?

At this point, you might be wondering “is there something about the iPad Pro that the iPad Air doesn’t have?”

It’s not a long list, but it is there. For starters, the iPad Pro is still the only iPad that has a 120Hz display, making everything from general use to mobile gaming simple. The Pro also uses Face ID to unlock, while the Air stays with Touch ID (now located on the lock button).

The iPad Pro also comes with an additional ultra-wide camera on the back, allowing for more options when it comes to photography. These features are nice to have, but is their absence a factor? If you ask us, no.

Touch ID is still great (especially when COVID has hid us all), and how often will you be taking photos with your iPad? And sure, that would be nice to have a 120Hz display, but for the price difference, we’d say it’s a steal.

Second best

As we mentioned in our Apple Watch and iPad buying guide, the iPad Air will be the best choice for most people, from its modern, flat-rimmed design to its future-proof specs that will last you. more than a few years. you won’t need much more than that on an iPad.