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iPad Air iPad AIr 4 or 5?

N

nph

macrumors 65816
Original poster
Feb 9, 2005
1,049
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I am looking at upgrading from Air 2 to either:
Air 4 with 256GB (at $599 a good price) or Air 5 with 64G for $569 (ok I guess).

I use mine for Safari, emails, Office work, Garageband midi with keyboard.
Not really for video work maybe some pictures but definitely Swift playgrounds or whatever new tool comes out that will allow me to learn Swift on my iPad.

Most important, be a laptop replacement when I can't bring my powerbook and will travel for work with my windows pc and just bring my iPad.
Now I have used my Air 2 with 64GB and not really run out of space as long as I don't download two Civ games at the same time.

For iOS 16 I am guessing it will require more memory to be used efficiently given you now have Air, the Pro's with 6+ GB RAM and M1 processor, only Mini has A15 (still pretty good). Not taking iPad 9 gen into consideration here since I suspect it will be upgraded as well or they don't really care if it performs on par with the Air or Pro machines.

I guess it boils down to is it worth M and 8GB RAM with 64GB SSD or pay $100 less for A14, 4GB RAM and 256GB.

Thoughts?
 
Last edited:
The M1 will likely be much more future proof, especially with the RAM. But I think you'll run into space issues with 64 Gb, now you seem to actually use it for real work. But the Air 4 will definitely be fast enough for what you use it for, and is a significant bump over the Air 2 (I have both). So you need to really dig into wether the expanded space is worth it over future proofing?

Third option, wait it out until the Air 5 comes down in price.
 
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iPads tend to last a very long time but I’d pick the one with more RAM for sure.
 
I just realized i put in the wrong costs so i corrected it. Air 4 with 64 GB SSD is $469, with 256GB SSD it is $599.
Kind of feels like the Air 5 is stil the way to go given RAM and M1.
 
I am currently not running out of space, question is if more space is better or processor and RAM. Kind of leaning towards the latter.
Refurbished actually sounds good but don't see the Pro 2020 with M1/128/6GB available.
 
nph said:
I am currently not running out of space, question is if more space is better or processor and RAM. Kind of leaning towards the latter.
Refurbished actually sounds good but don't see the Pro 2020 with M1/128/6GB available.
Click to expand...

Did you mean the Pro 2020 A12Z/128/6GB? They go in and out of stock. Just check another day or sign up on one of those alert sites.
 
Am I off or isn’t there a pro 11” with M1 processor?
 
The refurbished is available for 2020 Pro (A12Z/6gb). The M1/8gb is 2021 Pro model (latest model).
 
If you are ok with 64Gb before, and if you only have these options then get the Air 5.

you can work around the storage space but you will not be able to upgrade the ram.
 
MrSky said:
If you are ok with 64Gb before, and if you only have these options then get the Air 5.

you can work around the storage space but you will not be able to upgrade the ram.
Click to expand...

You can work around both low RAM and low storage. Alas, the alternative solutions to both scenarios usually require greater reserves of patience (frequent reloads for low RAM; frequent content management and download times from cloud, maybe external devices for low storage).

Just a question of which compromises you can tolerate better.
 
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I purchased my iPad through T-Mobile 12. 9 inch 256 cellular 2021 and after the down payment I only pay $30 a month I turned off cellular service to it after a few months and I’m still paying the device off over time
 
rui no onna said:
You can work around both low RAM and low storage. Alas, the alternative solutions to both scenarios usually require greater reserves of patience (frequent reloads for low RAM; frequent content management and download times from cloud, maybe external devices for low storage).

Just a question of which compromises you can tolerate better.
Click to expand...
you can not work around the lower 4 GB of ram if Apple release an iPadOS that requires a minimum of 6 or 8 GB of ram or M1 to enable extra functions , then he will be out of luck if he is using iPad air 4 with only 4gb of ram.
 
MrSky said:
you can not work around the lower 4 GB of ram if Apple release an iPadOS that requires a minimum of 6 or 8 GB of ram or M1 to enable extra functions , then he will be out of luck if he is using iPad air 4 with only 4gb of ram.
Click to expand...
Apple wouldn’t be doing something like that for years, if ever– the most popular iPad only has 3GB of RAM and the 6th generation mini only has 4GB.
 
MrSky said:
you can not work around the lower 4 GB of ram if Apple release an iPadOS that requires a minimum of 6 or 8 GB of ram or M1 to enable extra functions , then he will be out of luck if he is using iPad air 4 with only 4gb of ram.
Click to expand...
That requirement is going to show as a future OS not being available. Considering my 9.7" iPP is able to run iPadOS15, and I'm expecting iPadOS16 as well, by the time that happens the OP will be ready to upgrade again.
 
darngooddesign said:
That requirement is going to show as a future OS not being available. Considering my 9.7" iPP is able to run iPadOS15, and I'm expecting iPadOS16 as well, by the time that happens the OP will be ready to upgrade again.
Click to expand...
Sure, unless rumors about some more advanced ipad os features will be available only to m1 ipads will turn out to be true, than op will get screwed with ipad air 4
 
majkom said:
Sure, unless rumors about some more advanced ipad os features will be available only to m1 ipads will turn out to be true, than op will get screwed with ipad air 4
Click to expand...
The user would only be “screwed” if any of these theoretical advanced features actually matter to the person using the iPad.
 
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