The Apple iPad Air (5th generation), launched in 2022, continues to be a strong contender in the tablet market despite the release of the iPad Air (M2). Despite announced upgrades to the iPad Pro lineup, the iPad Air 5 is still a solid performer, was built with a nice sleek design, and provides an affordable price comparable to that of the iPad Pro models in 2024. Why it is still worth thinking about and what it is like compared to newer models.
Solid Build and Sleek Design
The iPad Air 5 is carried along from the iPad Air 4 design from 2020: a beautiful, sophisticated app that is also conveniently lightweight. This is not a drawback, though the age. It is quite portable thanks to its slim 6.1mm thickness and 461-gram weight. On the 10.9-inch Liquid Retina display, the colors that appear on screen are vibrant and the retinas pixels sharp, and a useful anti-reflective coating makes it easier to read or use on sunny balconies or porches. The screen has thin bezels around it that are not wide enough to disrupt the display but for a comfortable grip.
Between the fresh take of the iPad 10 and the more serious soul of the iPad Pro the iPad Air 5 offers a pastel color aluminum body that rounds things out even more. Touch ID is integrated with the power button, a feature that remains appreciated for its power just as much as the iPad Pro shook off Face ID. Face ID would have been nice as well, but Touch ID does its job well.
Performance and Power
The power in the iPad Air 5 is one of the main reasons to think about it. This tablet is equipped with Apple’s M1 chip, which delivers the kind of smooth, consistent performance you would want with multitasking, or even with more demanding apps. The M1 chip does support stills editing, the iPad Air 5 plays games, supports layered editing, and processes two apps simultaneously, all of it for some insanely close to real-world performance.
The iPad Air 5 is powerful enough for the vast majority of users, for just about every day use, and beyond. For video editors or those with a need for pro processing, the iPad Pro (M4), iPad Air (M2) is probably the way to go but the iPad Air 5 is still a powerful option for casual users, students, and professionals alike.
Functionality and Features
With the iPad Air 5, this is pretty much the only feature on the back worth calling important: it’s the Smart Connector, which lets you connect Apple’s Magic Keyboard or third party equivalents. This makes the iPad into a helpful workspace. Apple Pencil (2nd generation), of course, but the nice thing is that it supports the magnetic strip, which will be really nice for creatives, but the new Apple Pencil Pro isn’t compatible with this model.
New features in iPadOS 17 include Stage Manager for better multitasking that sets up your apps in resizable windows. Stage Manager is not as powerful as macOS, but it does make the iPad a somewhat more viable laptop alternative. Also, safari profiles help users to distinguish personal from work. During this one will also have to wait for iPadOS 18 later this year for compatibility.
What Could Be Better
The iPad Air 5 is great, but it is not perfect. The design is outstanding, but this has not changed since 2020, and the iPads it replaces are not particularly worse than the 2020 Air. In addition, the price is quite reasonable, especially considering the small amount of base storage when taking into consideration the newer iPad Air (M2) that comes with twice the base storage.
Another area which they could have improved is the front camera placement. The landscape oriented camera on the iPad (10th generation) is a much more practical video call camera, especially for business calls. It is a minor disadvantage for going without this feature on the iPad Air 5.
Battery Life and Usage
The iPad Air 5 claims up to 10 hours of web browsing or video playback on Wi-Fi, which, based on user experience, we have found to be true. Battery life does well under more intense usage, although 5G connectivity will slightly impact battery performance. Adding to the weight of the device, the Magic Keyboard offers a great typing experience and it’s definitely worth that investment for productivity.
Should You Buy the iPad Air 5 in 2024?
Though it has been overtaken in the market by the iPad Air (M2) and other models, iPad Air 5 is still a great all round package if you are looking for a power portable device. The iPad Air (M2) extends on top of that with more power, Apple Pencil Pro support, etc., but the iPad Air 5 is still a solid, solid option in 2024. If you are looking for a tablet, but do not need the extras that come with the Pro models, it is a great buy.
