Review: Is the iPad Air Really Better Than the 11-Inch iPad Pro?

This sleek new iPad Air got its big refresh in 2020. Now, in 2022, the latest midsize tablet from Apple is simply refining itself with a powerful M1 processor, a new front-facing camera with Center Stage, new colors and the option for 5G cellular connectivity, among other tricks.

The pattern certainly looks like the iPad Air is following the 11-inch iPad Pro closely in order to steal its looks or specs, blurring the lines until that "professional" device can get updated in a future revision. Until that happens, however, it can be tricky to determine which iPad to buy. By most accounts, the new iPad Air is more attractive, both from a color and a price perspective.

In testing the new iPad Air, I wanted to get a sense if I missed the few niceties the iPad Pro offers or if I could get by just fine with the colorful midrange device.

TL;DR

Pros:

• M1 processor is very fast and capable
• 12 megapixel front-facing camera with Center Stage

Cons:

• Only 64GB of storage at the base level
• No Face ID

Buy at Best Buy.

The Big Upgrades

Even though the exterior looks like the previous model, there are new features to make this iPad Air fresh. Personally, I think the two big ones are the processor and front-facing camera.

The addition of the M1 processor to the iPad Air was a bit of a surprise and feels like it could have big ramifications. For example, this new iPad Air has the exact same processor as my main computer—the MacBook Air. That's pretty remarkable. I'm not sure if iPadOS and the software are really pushing the machine over the Apple A12Z processor that's in the 2020 iPad Pro, but hopefully, software capabilities will grow to consume the power that the M1 offers. The bottom line is that the inclusion of this processor future proofs this handheld computer for close to the next five years.

I played with GarageBand, I typed up some documents, I streamed shows and used a bunch of other tasks common for an iPad. I'm a heavy computer user, though not a user with process-intensive needs. I gave the iPad Air to my son to play games, and he seemed to think it felt the same as a 2018 12.9 iPad Pro he normally uses.

There was about six months between September 2021 and now, when the $329 iPad had a better front-facing camera than the last generation iPad Air's. It was a bit awkward when going down the line of iPads and comparing their features. Thankfully, things are more harmonious again. The iPad Air now has a 12 megapixel ultrawide camera with Center Stage—the same camera in use on all other iPads. So, even though this is a main feature, there's not much to say about it, other than it's about time.

I prefer to do Zoom and other video calls on my iPad for battery life and versatility reasons. The new camera looks nice. My biggest gripe here isn't the quality, but with the camera's placement. When using it for a video call in landscape orientation, attached to the Magic Keyboard, it appears as though I'm not looking directly at the other person because the camera is off to the side. Maybe it's time to move the iPad's camera to the long side of the device.

The option to add 5G cellular connectivity will be a big deal for a few people, but only a minor one for most. If you were waiting for the increased bandwidth because your location has significant 5G coverage, then this will be great for you. I didn't get fast 5G speeds, but again, this will depend on your location and service provider.

These couple of features could be enough to entice new buyers, while still not making the last generation of iPad Air buyers to feel slighted. To confirm, nearly all other items with this new iPad Air are the same as the last one. It uses the same screen, has the same quoted battery life, and the dimensions are the same, so it can use the Apple Pencil and Magic Keyboard. It's familiar.

iPad Air Versus iPad Pro

For me, Face ID is the significant difference between the iPad Air and the iPad Pro. On a spec sheet, that item is rather inconsequential, but in practice, the loss of unlocking the iPad by just looking at it is a huge blow. It's not just about unlocking the device, though. Having to reach over to rest a finger on the top button to input a password, download an app or pay with Apple Pay gets annoying.

Some people will notice the 120Hz Pro Motion screen on the Pro. The higher refresh rate makes scrolling smoother. In testing, I briefly forgot about it while using the Air and haven't noticed it enough to justify the $200 price difference. I also didn't feel too strongly about the difference between the iPad Air's two speakers instead of the Pro's four.

The truth is the only real difference I noticed on a regular basis was the ever-so-slightly larger black bezels of the 10.9-inch screen compared with the 11-inch one. The increased black along the screen's edge allows both machines to use the same physical size body but for one to have a smaller screen. Overall, the small differences between the two devices do add up, but to a general purpose user, they'll be very minor.

Should You Buy an iPad Air (Fifth Generation)?

If you want a small iPad, the mini is a great choice. If you want the cheapest iPad, you can get that, too. For everyone else who knows they don't want either of those iPads but isn't quite sure which one to get, here is my simplified iPad buying advice: Buy the base level iPad Air. The $599 price with the M1 processor is a solid value. It's unfortunate that it only has 64GB of storage, but I think a lot of people can make that work.

If this new iPad Air will be more of a main machine than a streaming device, and you want to actually download movies and pictures to store, then switching over to get the iPad Pro base model for $799 with 128GB of storage might make sense. Face ID, Pro Motion and better speakers are nice for the extra $50 over the iPad Air with 256GB of storage.

The iPad product lines can be a little messy once you fall outside the advertised configurations. Still, the iPad Air remains a very capable and solid product in the middle that gives the high-end 11-inch iPad Pro a run for its money.

Buy at Best Buy from $599.99.

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