The New iPad Air Is Now the Best “Big iPad” for Almost Everyone

The iPad Air is bigger, faster and more Pro than ever.

Published May 7, 2024

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Updated May 7, 2024

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During May’s Let Loose event, Apple unveiled the 6th generation of the iPad Air — the company’s midrange tablet for users who want a bump in performance over the entry-level iPads but aren’t willing to shell out for one of the Pro models.

That said, the new iPad Airs (yes, plural) edge closer than ever to Apple’s top-of-the-line tablets in both size and performance. Here are the most significant updates now arriving to the iPad Air lineup.

Check out our overview of the new iPad Pro, Apple’s premium tablet updated for 2024.

THe Ipad air lineup now includes a bigger, 13-Inch model

Previously, users who wanted a big iPad had to fork over more than a grand for the 12.9-inch iPad Pro. No longer.

The iPad Air now includes a 13-inch screen, which should appeal to budget-oriented users who want the extra real estate for split-app multitasking or movies and are willing to forgo a bit of power.

Apple iPad Air (2024)

Starts at $599

Apple has claimed that more than half its Pro users opt for the larger model, so it will be interesting to see what the 13-inch Air does to Pro sales, assuming much of those buyers were enticed by the Pro’s larger screen (not necessarily its speed).

The iPad Air Features apple’s m2 processor

Speaking of power, the new iPad Air is no slouch in performance or speed. Both sizes (11 and 13 inches) ditch Apple’s M1 chip for the M2 processor found in various MacBooks, the Vision Pro and 2022 iPad Pros.

apple vision pro — Don’t worry: the M2 chip promises high performance. It’s the same processor in the Vision Pro, as well as the old iPad Pro models.

Apple says the new iPad Air will prove to be 50 percent faster than those with the M1 chip and three times as fast as iPads built with the A12 Bionic chip. It also supports Wi-Fi 6E for lightning-quick connectivity.

Suffice to say, users won’t sacrifice much by choosing the Air over the Pro, unless they plan to use the tablet primarily for gaming or photo-editing.

The iPad Air Carries a Landscape Front Camera

Apple also embedded the new iPad Airs with a highly requested feature: a front-facing camera on the landscape edge. Since 2022, this kind of camera had been exclusive to the entry-level iPad.

an ipad air with a keyboard — A front-facing landscape camera turns the iPad Air into a video-conferencing workhorse.

It makes sense that Apple would trickle the landscape camera upward to its nicer tablets, since it effectively turns the iPad into a video-conferencing workhorse and a practical replacement to a larger MacBook for commuters and students.

The 12MP camera also features what Apple calls “Center Stage,” which uses machine learning to make sure you’re positioned in a flattering angle for whomever is on the other end of a video call.

There Are New Colors

As is tradition, Apple also released a suite of new colorways with latest hardware unveiling. Buyers now have four options with the iPad Air, including Space Gray and Starlight (metallic beige), as well as a blue-green and purple.

four colors of the Apple ipad air — The M2 iPad Air comes in four colorways: Space Gray, Starlight, purple and blue-green.

The Ipad Air Starts at $599. Still!

So how much extra will all this cost? Nothing, actually. Apple has kept the starting price of the 11-inch iPad at $599. Meanwhile, the larger 13-inch iPad Air starts at $799. Both models are available on Apple’s website and ship next week.

Apple iPad Air (2024)

The 2024 iPad Air comes in two sizes — 11 and 13 inches. Both models boast a front-facing landscape camera for video-conferencing and the same M2 chip found in the Vision Pro and various MacBooks, as well as the previous generation of the iPad Pro.