iPad 10 vs. iPad Air Buyer's Guide: Is the $250 Difference Worth It?

[bhik7uk]

WTF is Apple doing this year?? I've been an Apple fanboy since the iPhone 3GS and currently own a MacBook Air M1, Apple Watch Series 7, iPhone 13 Mini, iPhone 13 Pro Max and iPad Mini 6. But this iPad...a complete joke; the iPhone 14 series...a complete joke; the Apple Watch Series 8...a complete joke; the new iPad Pro (just M2 update)...a complete joke; the iPhone 14 Pro...plagued with so many issues since its release. I have less and less respect for this company's products everyday. Its product line-up has become so bloated with too many options and the "updates" to its products are really starting to become a complete embarrassment, and I don't think they are fooling anyone anymore.

 

[Orange Bat]

I agree with you, but a lot of people really have no clue what they need, and they certainly don’t buy what they need.
There’s nothing wrong with buying what you want, of course. If they’ve got the money, let’em spend it.

But I often wonder why people buy stuff that’s far more powerful than what they need and thus spend a lot more than they have to.

It’s kinda like buying a race car when all you need a car for is driving to the store for your weekly shopping.

Apple is really, really good at playing the WHAT IF game. “9th gen iPad will be fine for me. WHAT IF I want to do more on my tablet than just simple things? Great, 10th gen it is! But WHAT IF I want to do something with the Apple Pencil? I’d much rather have second gen over first.” etc, etc. This is a game Apple has played for years and is still doing it, just with many more products. I can‘t tell you how many times I talked myself in to an iPad Pro 12 inch before I settled on the (terrific) iPad Air.

 

[jouster]

The new one is going to look pretty good if Appe (or, more likely, Amazon/other retailers) can get it to $399.

 

[rmcq]

$150 is worth it just for the substantially better screen, especially the anti reflective coating. IMO that’s the most important difference for a device that is 95% screen.

 

[Nuno Lopes]

Once each of us in our family had an iPad. I had one, my wife had one, each of my two boys had one. Me and my wife had the Pro version, the boys the Air version. We even had another iPad. In 12 years we might have had about 10 Air up iPads in total.

It's official. We can no longer afford the iPad. Hope my wife's and mine iPad Pro (the one just before the M1) will work for 5 years or so. It might well be the last ones I buy. My kids already broke theirs and I'm not replacing them as I've done in the past. At the current new prices there are simply better ways to spend our money ... I wonder what will be the price of the iPad Air M2 ...

Cheers.

PS: An iPad Air M1 with 256GB starting at 1000 Euros? ... Cya. Having an M1 or M2 does not matter, this is a companion to a Mac or PC kind of product ... a sidekick.

 

[anson42]

I really wish Apple could have refreshed the 5th Generation iPad Air (2022) hardware design. That alone would have justified the $150 cost.

I think it's just a matter of timing. If the iPad Air is to remain in the lineup, there's no way it doesn't get a M2 bump at the least. Just as M1 came some time after the Pro's did, the Air will get it, too. Perhaps the next Air will also get the landscape front camera as well. If it does, it suddenly makes more sense than spending extra for the M2 11" Pro for many folks. I would happily go from my 2018 iPad Pro 11" to a M2 Air with landscape camera.

 

[Rocko99991]

Wow $329 is a great price for an iPad. I haven’t shopped for them in a while and had no idea the intro model was such a steal.

The 9th Gen was on sale for $269 a few days ago. $279 currently.

 

[JippaLippa]

The only iPad that would make sense to me would be the 2021/22 pro, as watching content while in bed (and I do LOVE the HDR experience) would be 60% of its use (the remaining 40% drawing).

I'm in no financial position to purchase something extra, these days, but I wouldn't mind getting a 2021 12,9" Pro in spring 2023, probably refurbished.

 

[ronno]

With the M1, 8 gb ram, and pencil 2 support, There is no doubt the Air is the long term future better buy. One would have to be a very casual user to pocket the $150 difference and think you’re ahead.

“Very casual user” probably describes 95% of iPad purchasers. Watching Netflix and such…

 

[colocolo]

I know I have said this before, but how about a prettier version of this as a comparison chart?

 

[Karma*Police]

What a cluster.

Elon is right. Tesla will easily overtake AAPL in market cap in the not so distant future. Apple’s only saving grace is the complete and utter incompetence of its competitors.

 

[The_Martini_Cat]

Super happy with my iPad Air, and it’s not even a new one. The main thing about it? The Magic Keyboard. it’s… Magic!🍸😹

 

[JCADX]

This is essentially comparing the Air 4 to the Air 5 and everyone agrees that the latter is a huge upgrade, as M1 + x2 Ram is a deal breaker. Imagine comparing it to this iPad 10, which is essentially a downgraded Air 4.

No debate here imo. The only way i could justify choosing the iPad 10 is maybe if you are a casual user and find it on discount, and even then, the iPad 9 could be enough and you will not deal with nonsense like the Pencil adapter.

 

[dampfnudel]

The laminated display on the Air is worth it alone. It feels so much more solid, durable, and high-quality than the unlaminated screens. Plus you get better color gamut, the M1 chip, twice the RAM, thinner, Space Gray....

Once you go laminated, it’s hard to go back and most people who had an iPad with a laminated display won’t.

 

[pcmike]

With the same design, display size, camera systems, and more, the entry-level iPad is now closer than ever to the iPad Air. With just $150 between the two devices, exactly how different are they and which should you buy?

Now starting at $449, the 10th-generation iPad is more expensive than its predecessor, which remains on sale for the same $329 starting price. This means that the 10th-generation iPad is just $150 less than the $599 starting price of the iPad Air that Apple released earlier this year, effectively becoming a new device in the middle of the ninth-generation iPad and the iPad Air, with a mix of features from both devices.

The 10th-generation model completes the transformation of the iPad product lineup toward a flat look with squared-off edges, no home button, and an all-screen design with curved corners. With the exact same display size and identical features like a Touch ID top button, USB-C port, and 5G connectivity, many prospective customers may now be considering a purchase of the standard iPad instead of the iPad Air – but there are more differences between the devices than immediately meets the eye.

The M1 chip and double the amount of memory make the iPad Air much more powerful than the 10th-generation iPad. Combined with a more advanced display, support for the second-generation Apple Pencil, a thinner and lighter design, and even a different selection of color options, many users still have good reasons to preference the iPad Air.

So should you consider buying the 10th-generation iPad to save money, or do you need the iPad Air instead? This breakdown serves as a clear way to see all the similarities and differences between the two devices.

Similarities

Beyond their designs, the two iPads share the majority of their fundamental features, even including storage options:

• Apple silicon chip with 16-core Neural Engine, fabricated with 5nm process
• 10.9-inch Liquid Retina display (2360‑by‑1640 resolution at 264 ppi) with True Tone and 500 nits max brightness (typical)
• Fingerprint-resistant oleophobic coating
• 12MP Wide rear camera with ƒ/1.8 aperture, digital zoom up to 5x, Smart HDR 3 for photos, 4K video recording at 24 fps, 25 fps, 30 fps, or 60 fps, Extended dynamic range for video up to 30 fps, 3x video zoom, Slo-mo video support for 1080p at 120 fps or 240 fps, and Time-lapse video with stabilization
• 12MP Ultra Wide front-facing camera with ƒ/2.4 aperture, 2x zoom out, Center Stage, Retina Flash, Smart HDR 3 for photos, Extended dynamic range for video up to 30 fps, Cinematic video stabilization
• Touch ID top button
• Landscape two-speaker audio
• USB-C port
• 5G connectivity on cellular models
• Up to 10 hours of battery life
• 64GB and 256GB storage options

Differences


10th-Generation iPad (2022)

• A14 Bionic chip
• 6-core CPU with 2 performance cores and 4 efficiency cores
• 4-core GPU
• 4GB RAM
• sRGB display
• 12MP landscape Ultra Wide front-facing camera
• Bluetooth 5.2
• First-generation Apple Pencil support (adapter required to pair and charge)
• Magic Keyboard Folio support
• 7mm thickness
• Weight of 477/481 grams
• Silver, Pink, Blue, and Yellow color options
• Starts at $449

5th-Generation iPad Air (2022)

• M1 chip
• 8-core CPU with 4 performance cores and 4 efficiency cores
• 8-core GPU
• Media engine with video encode and decode endines for hardware-accelerated H.264 and HEVC
• 8GB RAM
• Wide color display (P3)
• Fully laminated display with anti-reflective coating
• 12MP portrait Ultra Wide front-facing camera
• Bluetooth 5.0
• Stage Manager support in iPadOS 16
• Second-generation Apple Pencil support
• Magic Keyboard and Smart Keyboard Folio support
• 6.1mm thickness
• Weight of 461/462 grams
• Space Gray, Starlight, Pink, Purple, Blue color options
• Starts at $599

The main difference between the devices is their chips and amount of memory, so if you plan on using your iPad for more demanding tasks like 3D graphic design, advanced photo editing, and gaming, the iPad Air will be the better choice by far. The M1 chip's dedicated media engine will also be particularly helpful when video editing, and supports Stage Manager, Apple's new multitasking system for the iPad.

The 10th-generation iPad's display lacks P3 wide color, full lamination, and an anti-reflective coating. While these aspects are unlikely to be major reasons to preference the iPad Air, they are worth bearing in mind when trying to justify the $150 leap to the more expensive device.

The iPad Air is marginally thinner and lighter, with differences that are so minor as to be unimportant to most customers, but the more muted tones of its color options may make it more or less appealing based on your personal preferences.

The only sense in which the iPad is materially better than the iPad Air is Bluetooth 5.3 connectivity, but this is a very minor difference. The landscape front-facing camera may provide a better video-calling experience, but the camera hardware itself is identical.

Apple Pencil support is also a key consideration. Support for the first-generation Apple Pencil is a major disadvantage for the 10th-generation iPad, not least due to the fact that an adapter is needed to pair and charge it. The first-generation Apple Pencil is also longer and heavier, has a cap that needs to be removed for charging, and cannot magnetically snap to the side of the iPad for storage, which could be important factors for those prone to losing things. People who plan to use the Apple Pencil heavily for tasks like note-taking and illustration will undoubtedly have a significantly better experience with the iPad Air.

While both devices support external keyboards, they have different strengths. The 10th-generation iPad's Magic Keyboard Folio will be better for table-typers, those who prefer function keys, and those who want to easily detatch the keyboard but keep the iPad propped up on a surface, while the iPad Air's Magic Keyboard is better for lap-typers and those who want backlighting.

In theory, the iPad Air is a more compelling package with the M1 chip, 4GB of additional memory, a dedicated media engine, Stage Manager for multitasking, a better display, and a much better Apple Pencil experience, but in practice, users are unlikely to notice much difference between the devices. Unless you have specific needs for the iPad Air's added features, it will be worth saving the $150 and buying the 10th-generation iPad.

Article Link: iPad 10 vs. iPad Air Buyer's Guide: Is the $150 Difference Worth It?

What we really need is a comparison between the Air and IPP 11 and some in depth reporting on when the IPP 11 will actually shine versus the 5th gen Air. For non creatives I’m willing to bet the Air should be the move, but I’m willing to bet lots of people (me included for better or worse) actually end up getting the Pro, because Pro (and it’s just $50 if you compare 256GB Air to 128GB Pro).

 

[retroneo]

The non-laminated display is required for education markets where school children crack their screened regularly. The glass can be changed inexpensively whereas the entire panel needs replacing on the Air.

 

[CarAnalogy]

Gonna have to pile on with the crowd saying please do actual tables. People have been clamoring for it for a long time now. Even as the authors and editors you can’t possibly look at those lists yourself and say “Yep that looks great.”

If it was just every now and then it would be one thing, but these articles are published on a regular basis. If this is going to be an article format that’s going to be run several times a week, please make a more readable template.

 

[CarAnalogy]

The non-laminated display is required for education markets where school children crack their screened regularly. The glass can be changed inexpensively whereas the entire panel needs replacing on the Air.

It may be true that they took that into consideration. Now please explain how the headphone jack is not required for education.

 

[entropys]

If price was the keyconsideration just get the ninth gen iPad. Otherwise get the Air.
The 10th gen iPad with a price rise and needing a dongle for the pencil should not be on anyone’s shopping list.

 

[Biro]

This 10th-generation is essentially a 2020 iPad Air without the laminated screen. Schools don't want laminated screens. The specs are virtually identical otherwise - even down to the same A14 chip and 4gb of RAM. My wife has a 2020 Air and it is still a formidable piece of tech. While I wish this gen-10 iPad had an A15 chip, I still think it'll be a solid buy if Amazon, Best Buy, et al put it on sale for $399 or less.

As for me, I have an 11-inch M1 iPad Pro and an iPad Mini (with A15 chip). Both meet my needs very well. In fact, I probably don't need the M1 chip in a tablet. For heavy work I have the iMac and 14-inch MBP with M1 Pro. So I expect to keep my iPads for a long time. Neither my wife nor I need the Apple Pencil, either. So that's not a factor. If her iPad Air goes I can see picking up one of these new iPads on sale.

 

[unchecked]

This thing is $75~$100 too expensive.

If it replaced the 9th gen at the $330 point it would even better and I will make do with the stupid Pencil situation. But not at $450.

 

[svish]

Love the bright colours of 10th gen iPad. The biggest drawback is that by not having M series chip, it is most likely to miss out on future features that Apple will make exclusively for M1 and newer chips.

 

[adb1973]

The real secret here is that the 4th generation iPad Air is probably the winner here because it's probably cheaper than both and has more features than the 'copy paste iPad' with a new marketing name and some color.

 

[UltimaKilo]

The most perplexing thing about the iPad, at this price point, is that Apple decided not to ship it with an A15, which really makes this iPad a tough buy at that price point along with the limited RAM and memory.

 

[UltimaKilo]

Love the bright colours of 10th gen iPad. The biggest drawback is that by not having M series chip, it is most likely to miss out on future features that Apple will make exclusively for M1 and newer chips.

An A16 would have been able to handle almost anything you throw at it.