The magic of the M1 chip no longer amazes: Apple’s new silicon debuted in 2020 by reinventing the Mac line first and then the iPad Pro line. The real question now is: where else will the Apple be able to insert her miraculous chip? The answer came in March of this year and as always left everyone surprised: the fifth generation of iPad Air, the mid-range tablet that dominates the market, arrives with only one big news (5G aside): M1 on board. . It may seem like a little, but only if you’ve never got your hands on this technology. The question is legitimate: how much computing speed does a tablet need? And this is where things get more intricate, because now iPad is a convertible that becomes a computer in no time at all. In recent years, Apple has been able to push on two fronts in a millimeter way: on the one hand iPadOS and its mutation into a more complex system entirely inspired by (and increasingly communicating with) macOS. On the other, a selection of accessories that greatly expand the capabilities of the device, like the Apple Pencil or the Magic Keyboard. Accessories that now abound in choice even from third parties, which often offer excellent alternatives for working, drawing and entertaining with iPad.
And this is where iPad Air fits, increasingly similar to iPad Pro but more accessible, with prices starting at 699 euros (64GB Wi-Fi model) against the 899 of the Pro (still Wi-Fi, but with 128GB of memory). In the face of the loss of quality in the display, less bright (500 nits vs 600) and with a steady 60Hz refresh, iPad Air offers the same full-screen design, with 10.9 inches of width at 1640 x 2360 pixels resolution. In addition, full compatibility with the same accessories. Now, with the arrival of the M1 on board, the distance is reduced even less until it disappears. Also because the unlocking with fingerprint reader, here present on the on / off button, is often almost more convenient than the Face ID mounted on the iPad Pro. The idea is excellent and works perfectly, even if choosing to start with 64GB as a base makes iPad Air more dependent on iCloud. Also because to move on to the next cut you get to 256GB for 170 euros more. Last major differences with the high-end: iPad Air has a single rear 12MP camera with no Lidar scan for depth and no flash. The same as the previous model, from which it differs, however, for the front camera, which here is a 12MP with ultra-wide angle and automatic framing. Apple thus includes the availability of Center Stage technology, with the camera that follows the subject, on the entire range of iPads. In our tests, conference calls proved to be much more effective and manageable, both for the wider field of view and because the camera also tracks multiple subjects without missing a beat.
Like the previous model, the fifth generation of iPad Air comes with a single USB-C port, for connecting peripherals, flash drives, portable hard drives, cameras and any other accessories. This time though the input is twice as fast, unlocking up to 10Gbps of data transfer. Not only that: the tablet is fully compatible with Pro Display XDR at 6K resolution or Studio Display at 5K resolution, and of course with all 4K monitors. In terms of connectivity, the Cellular version of iPad Air becomes compatible with 5G, allowing both the insertion of a SIM or the scan of an eSIM, and the subscription to a mobile plan directly from the options, offering different possibilities depending on the area from which you connect. Wi-Fi 6 and dual band on board, with Bluetooth 5.0, conclude the range of possible connections. The Wi-Fi version works very well with the hotspots of our smartphones even outside the home, as long as you have a connection with enough traffic data.
The real star of the package is him, M1, making its debut on the cheapest device that ever contained it. And this is where things start to get really interesting. 8-core CPU, 8-core GPU, 16-core Neural Engine: M1 is 60 percent faster than last generation with A14 Bionic, states Apple. The RAM integrated in M1 is 8GB, double compared to iPad Air 2020. In practice, what does this mean about everyday use? It depends: for browsing on the browser, the use of social networks, writing and e-mails there is certainly a more responsive reactivity, but nothing that really makes the difference compared to the past generation. But now fifth generation iPad Air can be used for even more purposes: it is faster in video editing, in working on 3D objects, in the manipulation of RAW images and in general guarantees a smoother and more enjoyable workflow. Gaming also improves in terms of loads and yield, handling the heaviest video games without missing a beat. By now on iPadOS (iPad Air arrives with 15.4) there are almost all the macOS apps, andecosystem is designed to communicate easily with all Apple devices. In particular, iPad can be used as a second screen of a Mac and the Universal Control function has also been introduced, which allows you to switch files from Mac to iPad to MacBook and control up to three devices with the same mouse and keyboard.
iPad Air is therefore an excellent work tool, which according to your needs and the apps you use the most it can easily replace a laptop. As we said, accessories make the difference: Magic Keyboard adds backlit keyboard and trackpad to the tablet, completely changing the user experience and releasing all its potential, even if you have to spend 399 euros. Apple has also made other cases, such as the Smart Keyboard Folio with integrated keyboard (without trackpad) and the Smart Folio that protects front and back. The main (and indispensable) accessory remains Second generation Apple Pencil, which attaches magnetically to the side of the tablet and makes it a truly unique tool thanks to the numerous implementations in iPadOS. The operating system has really improved in recent years, and now offers very useful functions such as Live Text to select text from photos and interact with it (by copying and pasting it, or extrapolating a phone number from an image to call it), a functional multitasking , the presence of widgets and much more.
Space gray, pink, purple, galaxy and a new point of blue are the colors you can choose from. It starts from 699 euros for the 64GB Wi-Fi configuration, 869 for the 256 one. The fees with 5G connectivity cost 869 euros and 1,039 euros respectively. With the arrival of M1 and a whole series of marginal but noticeable improvements, and in view of an iPad Pro update about which too little is still known except rumors (Mini-LED screen on all models? Chip M2? MagSafe top-up?), We feel like crown the fifth generation iPad Air as the best of the range for value for money. Its new power makes it possible to forego any compromise in the mid-range in terms of performance. In addition, the optimization of iPadOS and its versatility also work well on a 10.9-inch screen, the only size in which the iPad Air is offered (iPad Pro exists from 11 and 12.9). The upgrade from the fourth generation iPad Air is not fundamental on balance, but for anyone who wants to choose a new iPad not only to have fun but also to work taking advantage of the advantages of the Apple ecosystem the choice to consider is certainly this.
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