Key Sentence:
- For most users, the new iPad Air is the best tablet Apple has ever made.
- Introduced in September 2020, the redesigned iPad Air is essentially an iPad Pro with a few settings to choose from.
It has the same design with sharp edges and a full-screen front that isn’t smeared with anything ugly like the start button. However, unlike the iPad Pro, it doesn’t have to Face ID but Touch ID, which is integrated with the power button. This makes it the iPad Pro’s closest competitor and a reliable alternative for anyone looking for a mid-range tablet with high-end functionality.
Rumor has it that Apple will announce an updated iPad lineup later this year, although it’s not confirmed that we’ll be seeing the iPad Air 5 any time soon. Additionally, rumor has it that a future update of the iPad Air lineup will have an updated OLED display. Still, right now, it’s speculation – the next model might not appear until 2022.
We’re not even a year into the life of the iPad Air 4, so there’s plenty of life in this versatile, portable, and powerful tablet. Here’s our review.
How we test:
We tested the iPad Air 4 early on and used the tablet for everything from gaming to video conferencing, watching movies and TV shows on the go, and reading the news and books in bed.
iPad Air 4 (2020): 499 €, Amazon.de
Apple iPad Air weighs 458 grams
iPad Air weighs 458 grams
(Steve Hogarth / The Independent)
Screen: 10.9 inch LCD
Security system: The touch ID
Processor: A14 Bionic
Connection: USB-C
Compatibility: 2nd generation Apple Pencil, Magic Keyboard
Storage: 64GB or 256GB
Color: cosmic gray, silver, rose gold, or sky blue-green
Price: From £579 with WiFi; From £709 with WiFi and cellular
The new iPad Air launched in late 2020, introducing a whole suite of upgrades for Apple’s lightest tablet.
The update improves on what was already a great device, with many of the most notable iPad Air improvements filtered out by the class-leading iPad Pro. That means top-notch features like full-screen display and iPad Magic Keyboard compatibility for an average price of £579.
The iPad Air is great for iOS games. The image shows “Overboard!” which is very good! by Inkle Studios
While the previous model followed the original iPad design, the 2020 iPad Air is similar to the latest iPad Pro. However, it throws its rounded curves favor sharper, flatter edges: a clean, slightly industrial aesthetic reintroduced into the iPhone 12’s range of microscopic aberrations.
It is a pleasure to act by pretending to be light and robust. The 2020 iPad Air is also available in a broader and more creative color palette than ever before – good news for anyone who prefers a little individuality on their tablet.
The bezel is thinner than before but still very noticeable – as thin as the one on the Samsung Galaxy S7 Plus, but since it’s typically a smaller tablet, the frame appears to occupy more of the front of the device.