iPad Air Upgrading from iPad Air 2020, but to what?

[ChiLLon]

I plan on upgrading from my iPad Air 2020 but I am unsure to what. I was waiting for the new lineup, but I am kinda meh about it. So I am playing with the idea of waiting to see if some sites have a iPad Air 2022 fire sale and pick one of those up instead. The difference between 2022 and 2024 seems very small in terms of just watching media and surfing the web. Do I need the m2 chip? No.

So, if I can find a discounted new Air 2022, is the 2024 version even worth it?

 

[rMBP2013]

I have an iPad Air 2020 (4th gen) and just took the plunge to get the 13" Pro. Main reason was the dual OLED display. That alone is reason enough to upgrade to the newest iPad.

 

[ChiLLon]

I have an iPad Air 2020 (4th gen) and just took the plunge to get the 13" Pro. Main reason was the dual OLED display. That alone is reason enough to upgrade to the newest iPad.

I cannot justify paying $1700 for a freakin ipad. Never ever in a million years. If screen size is so important I'll just use my computer or my TV. For me the ipad is just for watching youtube or some semi trashy tv series while folding laundry. If my 4th gen Air wasn't broken I wouldn't even buy a new one.

 

[rMBP2013]

I cannot justify paying $1700 for a freakin ipad. Never ever in a million years. If screen size is so important I'll just use my computer or my TV. For me the ipad is just for watching youtube or some semi trashy tv series while folding laundry. If my 4th gen Air wasn't broken I wouldn't even buy a new one.

$1,700 for the best screen in the business is not bad, given that I plan on keeping the iPad for 10+ years.

 

[ChiLLon]

$1,700 for the best screen in the business is not bad, given that I plan on keeping the iPad for 10+ years.

We likely have very different usage areas for the iPad. Having a slightly better viewing experience is to me not worth $1000. But for people who use it professionally for creating content then absolutely it can be worth it. For me the iPad is just a portable time waster so I don’t have very high requirements.

The Air has a noticeable better screen than the base iPad and that I’m willing to pay a couple hundred for, but it stops there. Just don’t know if 2024 model is worth it over 2022. Is it better? Yes absolutely, but better in ways I can’t really utilise.

 

[Jackbequickly]

Much depends on how much you want to spend.

 

[mvdw84]

Did you look at a refurbished 2022 M1 iPad - should fit your needs quite well

 

[troubleonline]

So, if I can find a discounted new Air 2022, is the 2024 version even worth it?

That's a fairly personal decision. I waited for the announcement with plans to pick up a 2022 Air at discount then the 2024 Air was announced at much lower price than the 2022 (£200 less in UK comparing wifi 256gb models before factoring in educational discount) so I've ordered a new one. Though I also had birthday money I had been saving for the purchase, have had my last iPad for 7 years (its getting awful though) and intend to keep this one for 4/5 years also so preferred to go with a newest model so doesn't go obsolete as soon as the 2022.

I'd be questioning if upgrading from 2020 to 2022 model is worth bothering about........

 

[satchmo]

I have an iPad Air 2020 (4th gen) and just took the plunge to get the 13" Pro. Main reason was the dual OLED display. That alone is reason enough to upgrade to the newest iPad.

I'm curious if you considered a 5th (M1) or 6th (M2) gen iPad Pro instead.
You still get Pro-motion.

But I guess if you wanted OLED, that might have been the determining factor over mini-LEDs.

 

[ChiLLon]

That's a fairly personal decision. I waited for the announcement with plans to pick up a 2022 Air at discount then the 2024 Air was announced at much lower price than the 2022 (£200 less in UK comparing wifi 256gb models before factoring in educational discount) so I've ordered a new one. Though I also had birthday money I had been saving for the purchase, have had my last iPad for 7 years (its getting awful though) and intend to keep this one for 4/5 years also so preferred to go with a newest model so doesn't go obsolete as soon as the 2022.

I'd be questioning if upgrading from 2020 to 2022 model is worth bothering about........

It was a good plan. My 2020 is broken and repairing is costs about $400, so that is not worth it. So I have no choice but to buy a new one. Just gotta see what discounts come to the 2022 air and decide then I suppose.

 

[ChiLLon]

Did you look at a refurbished 2022 M1 iPad - should fit your needs quite well

I do want the screen from Air, the base model has a screen that is easily noticeably worse. Spotting the difference between air and pro however is very difficult.

 

[ChiLLon]

I'm curious if you considered a 5th (M1) or 6th (M2) gen iPad Pro instead.
You still get Pro-motion.

But I guess if you wanted OLED, that might have been the determining factor over mini-LEDs.

I’d say my budget is what the new iPad Air 2024 costs, so about $800. Wouldn’t mind paying less, if the gain isn’t worth the $.

 

[troubleonline]

It was a good plan. My 2020 is broken and repairing is costs about $400, so that is not worth it. So I have no choice but to buy a new one. Just gotta see what discounts come to the 2022 air and decide then I suppose.

ah that makes sense then!

 

[ChiLLon]

Right now in Sweden I can get the iPad 2022 for $415 and the iPad Air 2024 for $780. iPad Air 2022 hasn’t been discounted yet and sells for $690 like entire past year.

I had apparently mixed up iPad 2021 with iPad 2022, didn’t even realise there was a 2022 one. But now that I look at the iPad 10th gen (2022) it is very similar to iPad Air 2022, just an older chip.

I felt my Air 2020 was fine chip wise, but I did notice the low amount of RAM even when browsing the web with a few tabs open.

 

[ChiLLon]

Then there's the iPad Pro M2 2022 which with a discount might sell for the same as an Air M2 2024...

Why oh why does it have to be so freakin difficult to decide.

 

[rui no onna]

I felt my Air 2020 was fine chip wise, but I did notice the low amount of RAM even when browsing the web with a few tabs open.

iPad 10th gen (2022) has the same chipset/RAM as your Air 2020. It has the new design but comes with non-laminated display instead of laminated.

 

[ChiLLon]

iPad 10th gen (2022) has the same chipset/RAM as your Air 2020. It has the new design but comes with non-laminated display instead of laminated.

Cost wise it's like repairing my broken Air 2020. Still better buying a new iPad 10th gen than repairing, due to that camera placement but more importantly a new warranty period (3 years legally mandated here in Sweden).

Not sure I can "allow" myself to buy such outdated tech though, even if it's cheap.

 

[troubleonline]

Not sure I can "allow" myself to buy such outdated tech though, even if it's cheap.

That would be my dilemma - so I'd likely go for 2024 model. However good chance it is too early to see discounting on 2022. There will be lots of people completely unaware that a new model is being launched next week and might walk in to a shop this weekend and happily buy current models. If stores don't have a lot of stock to shift they probably wont discount until after launch to keep their margins higher.

 

[ChiLLon]

That would be my dilemma - so I'd likely go for 2024 model. However good chance it is too early to see discounting on 2022. There will be lots of people completely unaware that a new model is being launched next week and might walk in to a shop this weekend and happily buy current models. If stores don't have a lot of stock to shift they probably wont discount until after launch to keep their margins higher.

I’m totally fine waiting a few weeks after launch, I’ve been without an iPad for a few months now patiently waiting for 2024 launch to see what’s up.

In terms of software support I feel one generation older is fine, but buying a 2 generations old device will lead to not having software support during its lifetime.

I’m pretty disappointed Air 2024 doesn’t have a 120hz display I have to say. It’s what makes me consider Pro M1 2022 over Air M2 2024. But that camera placement…

 

[Spindel]

I borrow this thread instead of making another one.

Because I’m also conteplating if I should hope for a good discount on the 2022 Air? To me I do not need an M2 Air but on the other hand the best discount I can currently find here is about 700 SEK (I’m also in Sweden) which is about $65 compared to an M2 Air.

I currently have a 5th gen regular iPad (7 years old). The iPad I had before that was a 3rd gen iPad that I used for 5 years. I’m more concerned for long term support than raw power and wonder what the best course would be.

I’m a bit worried that Apple will drop aoftware support too soon for the 2022 Air and even more worried about the 10th gen (regular) iPad (why I’m contemplaiting if I should hope for a better discount of the 2022 Air).

The whole point of this post is that I find the Air a tad to expensive compared to my needs. But on the other hand I’m worried that if I get an 10th gen iPad now it will be supported for a short time. On the other hand with the current price difference here between the M1 and M2 I might as well get an M2 or should I hope there will be some fire sale coming in the next couple of weeks?

 

[ChiLLon]

I borrow this thread instead of making another one.

Because I’m also conteplating if I should hope for a good discount on the 2022 Air? To me I do not need an M2 Air but on the other hand the best discount I can currently find here is about 700 SEK (I’m also in Sweden) which is about $65 compared to an M2 Air.

I currently have a 5th gen regular iPad (7 years old). The iPad I had before that was a 3rd gen iPad that I used for 5 years. I’m more concerned for long term support than raw power and wonder what the best course would be.

I’m a bit worried that Apple will drop aoftware support too soon for the 2022 Air and even more worried about the 10th gen (regular) iPad (why I’m contemplaiting if I should hope for a better discount of the 2022 Air).

The whole point of this post is that I find the Air a tad to expensive compared to my needs. But on the other hand I’m worried that if I get an 10th gen iPad now it will be supported for a short time. On the other hand with the current price difference here between the M1 and M2 I might as well get an M2 or should I hope there will be some fire sale coming in the next couple of weeks?

Couldn't really find a firm amount of years of support, but there's been iPads that have had 8 years of support since their release. So, buying an iPad 2022 today should still be OK. Doubt you'd want to keep it for more than 5 years anyhow because by then you could get a new $400 base iPad but with much much better tech.

It is still too early to see the "new" price of the iPad Air 2022 here in Sweden. If you check prisjakt and check price history you can see that it isn't a recent discount, it's been 700 SEK "cheaper" for over a year now. As someone mentioned, some people are clueless and might still walk in and buy an Air today, without realising and paying full price. Personally I feel Air M1 2022 needs to be at least $200 cheaper than Air M2 2024 for me to consider that.

I like everything about iPad 2022 except the low RAM. Even the chip I can live with. The low memory I have felt being annoying on my now broken Air 2020 so many times. Like if you have too many tabs open, or tabs with too much content, they will forcefully refresh when you run out of RAM. That has caused me on multiple occasions to lose long messages/texts for example. Air 2022 has double the RAM, but no landscape camera and we don't know if price can even drop enough to make it worth it over Air 2024. Buying the Air 2024 over the iPad 2022 would basically be paying $400 for the extra 4GB of RAM and future proofing, which is a a lot.

 

[rui no onna]

I like everything about iPad 2022 except the low RAM. Even the chip I can live with. The low memory I have felt being annoying on my now broken Air 2020 so many times. Like if you have too many tabs open, or tabs with too much content, they will forcefully refresh when you run out of RAM. That has caused me on multiple occasions to lose long messages/texts for example. Air 2022 has double the RAM, but no landscape camera and we don't know if price can even drop enough to make it worth it over Air 2024. Buying the Air 2024 over the iPad 2022 would basically be paying $400 for the extra 4GB of RAM and future proofing, which is a a lot.

If you’re already finding 4GB RAM inadequate with your current usage, going 8GB isn’t even future proofing. It’s just buying more suitable hardware based on your use.

 

[ChiLLon]

If you’re already finding 4GB RAM inadequate with your current usage, going 8GB isn’t even future proofing. It’s just buying more suitable hardware based on your use.

The future proofing part was the M2 chip and longer software support. 8GB of RAM is not future proofing, that is correct.

 

[ChiLLon]

Another version to this would be finding a discounted or a used, but in mint condition, iPad Pro 2022. If you can find that for the same price as an Air M2 2024 you're basically trading landscape camera + potentially 2 extra years of software support for 120hz display and better speakers. That to me is a mighty fine trade because what I use the iPad for is almost exclusively media and web browsing.

 

[ninaco]

I plan on upgrading from my iPad Air 2020 but I am unsure to what. I was waiting for the new lineup, but I am kinda meh about it. So I am playing with the idea of waiting to see if some sites have a iPad Air 2022 fire sale and pick one of those up instead. The difference between 2022 and 2024 seems very small in terms of just watching media and surfing the web. Do I need the m2 chip? No.

So, if I can find a discounted new Air 2022, is the 2024 version even worth it?

For me, it came down to storage. The base version of the 2022 Air is 64GB. Not enough. I would need to buy the 256GB version, even though 128GB is sufficient for my needs. The new Air‘s base version is 128 GB, my sweet spot.

So, based on my requirements, the new Air would be the same purchase price as a discounted 2022 Air - no brainer.