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iPad 11 vs. iPad Air Buyer's Guide: 30+ Differences Compared

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The iPad Air costs at least $250 more than the entry-level iPad, so is choosing the pricier model worth it? Or should you save the money and buy the 11th-generation iPad? This guide helps you to understand the differences between the two models and decide which is best for you.

iPad-11-vs-2024-iPad-Air-Feature.jpg

The 11th-generation iPad is positioned as an entry-level model with essential features for basic use, while the iPad Air is for users who need more from their tablet, such as students, creatives, or anyone who wants a future-proof device with newer, more advanced features. All of the differences between the entry-level iPad and the iPad Air are listed below:

iPad (11th generation)iPad Air (seventh generation)
11-inch display11- or 13-inch display
500 nits max SDR brightness11-inch: 500 nits max SDR brightness
13-inch: 600 nits max SDR brightness
sRGBWide color (P3)
Fully laminated display
Anti‑reflective coating
Apple Intelligence support
Stage Manager support
A16 chip (introduced with iPhone 14 Pro in 2022, made with TSMC's 4nm N4P process)M3 chip (introduced with iMac in 2023, made with TSMC's N3B process)
16 billion transistors25 billion transistors
5-core CPU with 2 performance cores and 3 efficiency cores8-core CPU with 4 performance cores and 4 efficiency cores
4-core GPU9-core GPU
Hardware-accelerated ray tracing
Hardware-accelerated 8K HEVC, 4K H.264, ProRes and ProRes RAW
Video decode engine
Video encode engine
ProRes encode and decode engine
AV1 decode
16-core Neural Engine (17 TOPs)16-core Neural Engine (18 TOPs)
6GB memory8GB memory
51.2GB/s memory bandwidth100GB/s memory bandwidth
Wi-Fi 6 connectivityWi-Fi 6E connectivity
Landscape 12MP Center Stage camera with ƒ/2.4 apertureLandscape 12MP Center Stage camera with ƒ/2.0 aperture
Weighs 477 grams (1.05 pounds)11-inch: 460 grams (1.01 pounds)
13-inch: 616 grams (1.36 pounds)
7 mm (0.28 inches) depth6.1 mm (0.24 inches) depth
Smart Connector (side)Smart Connector (back)
Supports Magic Keyboard FolioSupports Magic Keyboard for iPad Air
Supports Apple Pencil (USB‑C) and Apple Pencil (first generation)Supports Apple Pencil (USB‑C) and Apple Pencil Pro
Apple Pencil hover
128GB, 256GB, or 512GB storage128GB, 256GB, 512GB, or 1TB storage
Available in Blue, Pink, Silver, and YellowAvailable in Blue, Purple, Starlight, and Space Gray
Starts at $34911-inch: Starts at $599
13-inch: Starts at $799


The entry-level iPad is best for people who mainly use their iPad for light, everyday tasks. If your typical day includes browsing Safari, watching YouTube or Netflix, reading articles, messaging friends, and maybe doing some basic schoolwork or light gaming, the 11th-gen iPad has more than enough power and suitable features.

The A16 chip is still very capable, and the device still has Apple Pencil support for casual note-taking or drawing. However, the display is not laminated, which means there's a slight air gap between the glass and the screen content—something most users won't notice unless they're drawing or writing precisely. The entry-level iPad also lacks the anti-reflective coating, so it can be more reflective in bright lighting, as well as wide color support.

It's a great choice for students or casual users who don't need advanced multitasking features or professional apps. The starting price of $349 makes it especially appealing for families, kids, or those upgrading from an older iPad. For many users, the extra $250 to buy the iPad Air is not justified.

On the other hand, the iPad Air is for users who want noticeably more performance and versatility. Its M3 chip is noticeably faster and supports things the A16 doesn't, such as hardware-accelerated ray tracing and ProRes video encoding/decoding. That makes it far more suitable for video editing, high-end gaming, working with large documents, running creative apps like Affinity Photo or Logic Pro, or even writing code. It also supports Apple Intelligence, so if you want the latest AI features such as writing tools or Genmoji, as well as anything Apple brings to Apple Intelligence in the future, the Air is the better choice.

The display is fully laminated, which eliminates the gap between your Apple Pencil and the screen, making writing and drawing feel more natural—especially important if you're using Apple Pencil Pro, which also brings extra features like barrel roll and haptic feedback. The 13-inch model offers significantly more screen real estate for multitasking, side-by-side apps, or content creation. It also supports Stage Manager, allowing true multi-window multitasking with resizable windows and external display support.

If you're planning to use the iPad for productivity tasks or want something that feels more like a laptop alternative, the iPad Air is likely the better choice. Its starting price is $599 (or $799 for the 13-inch), so it is a more substantial investment—but one that makes sense for users who will take advantage of its more advanced capabilities.

Article Link: iPad 11 vs. iPad Air Buyer's Guide: 30+ Differences Compared
 
Article Link
https://www.macrumors.com/guide/ipad-11-vs-ipad-air/
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Reactions: JapanApple
Why do "Video decode engine" & "Video encode engine" get separate lines and "ProRes encode and decode engine" is in one line?

This is discrimination...

Or... we`re mostly reading mindless AI written scheduled content for SEO purposes
 
  • Haha
Reactions: PlayUltimate
I was thinking of buying a new iPad of some sort, so I could trade in my old iPad mini 5, that are mostly used as meditation-timer these days.

iPad Air M2 or M3 was in question for purchase, even a Refurb was in question - but as I have a Pad mini 6 too, I’m really good with it.
I don’t use iPad’s that much - Mac’s are way better.
But generally, Timmy made me loose interest of buying Apple stuff at the moment.
 
Not directly relevant to this thread but why would you purchase an iPad Pro when the iPad Air exists?
 
Got the tenth gen and love it. Use it every day for all sorts of basic tasks and media consumption. I’m sure the eleventh gen will be even better. One of today’s great bargains in computing.

I see no need to move up to the Air, though I am glad others see extra value in it.
 
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The Air still has a place in the lineup for the next 2-4 years. The issue is that beyond that, the iPad is going to catch up to it unless the processor is continually gimped. This is where U can see Apple dropping the iPad Air out of the lineup.
 
The laminated display and the faster chip is the only difference.

I always thought there was a bigger difference but the screens are virtually identical on the Air and base iPad. If they laminated the display on the base iPad, the Air sales would tank.
 
Last edited:
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Lioness~ said:
I was thinking of buying a new iPad of some sort, so I could trade in my old iPad mini 5, that are mostly used as meditation-timer these days.

iPad Air M2 or M3 was in question for purchase, even a Refurb was in question - but as I have a Pad mini 6 too, I’m really good with it.
I don’t use iPad’s that much - Mac’s are way better.
But generally, Timmy made me loose interest of buying Apple stuff at the moment.
Click to expand...

Instead of trying to be cute and clever maybe you should learn how to spell the word lose?
 
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MrGimper said:
For more money.
Click to expand...

Did you think you were sharing information not in the article?

currentinterest said:
Don't forget, one can download the ChatGPT app, or others, and set up a shortcut to voice interaction, and one essentially has AI on the least expensive iPad.
Click to expand...

It’s a good reminder, but I’d disagree that one “essentially has AI”. You have a generalized AI with no privacy.
But it could be essentially the same for an individual.

I, for example, don’t see them as essentially the same given the use cases I’m looking forward to.

UK-MacAddict said:
The laminated display and the faster chip is the only difference.
Click to expand...

I assume you forgot to add “for me” at the end of that statement.

UK-MacAddict said:
I always thought there was a bigger difference but the screens are virtually identical on the Air and base iPad. If they laminated the display on the base iPad, the Air sales would tank.
Click to expand...

I thought so to. That said, 11” 500 nits vs 13” 600 nits is a noticeable difference ;-)
 
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UK-MacAddict said:
If they laminated the display on the base iPad, the Air sales would tank.
Click to expand...
I would agree with this thought. I've had iPad Pro's before, and I have the M2 iPad Air 13" now. I'd trade it in for a base model if it wasn't for the non-laminated display. I write a lot of notes and do a lot of PDF markup. I've tried using the base model at an Apple Store and the gap between the tip of the pencil and the actual display under the glass was something I just couldn't stop noticing. Maybe if I used it for an extended period of time I would get used to it, but it just put me off too much. For everything else I use an iPad for, the base model would be perfectly fine and save me some money.
 
I don't have big needs for an iPad, but will probably pay extra for the Air because my iPad 8th generation is now so slow doing basic functions (like screenshots) it's painful to use (even after a clean install). I don't need to replace my iPad very often, so would rather it perform well over time that need frequent replacement.
 
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