iPad Air Shootout: Comparison of 2024 iPad Air M2 and iPad Air M1

5th generation iPad Air [left], sixth generation iPad Air [right ]

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Two years after the last update, Apple introduced the sixth generation iPad Air with an M2 processor and a new size. Here's how they compare on paper.

The iPad Air is definitely a mid-range option in Apple's tablet catalog. It's a step up from the iPad and iPad mini in terms of pro-grade performance thanks to Apple Silicon, but it's not quite on par with the iPad Pro line itself.

Apple's last change to the iPad Air came in March 2022, meaning there was a two-year gap between the fifth and sixth generations.

To make the wait worth it, Apple not only updated the chip to M2, but also added a new size. One that offers much more screen real estate for users to work with.

This may be enough to encourage end users to upgrade to the latest model. In this comparison, we will explain what you should pay attention to.

2024 iPad Air and 2022 iPad Air Specifications

Specs	2024 iPad Air	iPad Air 2022
Screen size (inches)	11, 13	10, 9
Base Price	$599 , $799	$599
Processor	M2	M1
Resolution	2360 x 1640 (11 inches), 2732 x 2048 (13 inches)	2360 x 1640
Pixel Density (ppi)	264	264
Brightness (nits)	500 (11 inches), 600 (13 inches)	500
Display Type	Liquid Retina, True Tone, Wide Color (P3), Fully Laminated , Apple Pencil Hover	Liquid Retina, True Foundation, Wide Color (P3), Fully Laminated
Apple Pencil	Apple Pencil Pro, Apple Pencil USB-C	Apple Pencil second generation, Apple Pencil USB-C
Smart Connector	Yes	Yes
Dimensions (inches)	9 .74 x 7.02 x 0.24 (11 inch), 11.04 x 8.46 x 0.24 (13 inch) inch)	9.74 x 7.02 x 0.24
Weight (lbs)	1.02 (11 inches), 1.36 ( 13 inches)	1.02
Capacity	128 GB, 256 GB, 512 GB, 1 TB	64 GB, 256 GB
Rear camera (MP)	12 MP wide	12 MP wide
Front camera (MP)	12 MP Wide Angle	12 MP Ultra Wide
Video recording	4K 24/30/60fps per second	4K at 24/30/60 fps
Biometric	Touch ID	Touch ID
Speakers	Landscape Stereo, Enhanced Bass (13 inches)	Landscape Stereo
Port	USB-C	USB-C

2024 iPad Air and 2022 iPad Air – Looks

The iPad Air is a tablet that combines the utility of the iPad Pro with the value of the iPad. A package that combines the best of both worlds.

It uses the same design language as the iPad Pro. It's essentially a slab of aluminum and glass with flat edges and an edge-to-edge display.

The fifth and sixth generation models are very similar in appearance. From a style point of view, there are practically no externally visible differences between them.

There is one big difference – size. The sixth generation models consist of 11-inch and 13-inch variants, while the fifth generation has a 10.9-inch screen.

Size is a new option for the sixth-generation iPad Air.

For the 11-inch and 10.9-inch screens, however, the only difference is the name. In Apple's fine print, the measured diagonal for both models is 10.86 inches.

There are still quite a few similarities between the 10.9-inch fifth-gen version and the 11-inch sixth-gen version, if not what Apple is calling it.

The fifth-generation model measures 9.74 by 7.02 inches and is 0.24 inches thick. The sixth-gen 11-inch has exactly the same dimensions, as well as a weight of 1.02 pounds.

The 13-inch sixth generation is naturally larger and heavier. At 11.04 inches by 8.46 inches and 0.24 inches thick, it takes up a much larger footprint. The 1.36 lb weight is not surprising here either.

iPad Air 5

The 5th generation iPad Air features the Apple M1 processor, a 12MP ultra-wide-angle front-facing camera with a center bezel, and 5G support (Only Wi-Fi + cellular models). Buy from Adorama Buy from B&H Buy from Amazon

2024 iPad Air and 2022 iPad Air – displays

Using a 10.9-inch display, the fifth-generation iPad Air is quite close to the iPad and 11-inch iPad B Overall a plus, including the display.

The Liquid Retina screen of the 2022 iPad Air has a resolution of 2360 by 1640, giving a pixel density of 264 pixels per inch. In terms of brightness, the fifth-generation model's LED backlight delivers a useful 500 nits of brightness.

The fifth-generation model also includes True Tone and Wide Color (P3) support, although it lacks the iPad Pro's ProMotion feature.

The screen on the 10.9-inch fifth-generation iPad Air is almost the same as on the 11-inch sixth-generation iPad Air.

These specifications also apply to the sixth-generation 11-inch model, except for a slightly larger screen size.

The 13-inch iPad Air has a higher resolution of 2732 by 2048 pixels with a similar pixel density of 264 pixels per inch. It's also brighter, up to 600 nits.

In terms of stylus use, Apple is including support for the second-generation Apple Pencil in the fifth-generation iPad Air, as well as the Apple Pencil with USB-C. Sixth-generation models support the new Apple Pencil Pro and Apple Pencil USB-C.

The new displays also support Apple Pencil Hover, a feature that shows you where the Apple Pencil is on the display without touching it.

2024 iPad Air vs. 2022 iPad Air – Performance

First introduced in 2020 as a Mac chip, the M1 in the fifth-generation iPad Air has proven to be a powerful performer in terms of performance. An octa-core processor with four performance cores and four efficiency cores, it also has an eight-core GPU and a 16-core neural processor, along with 8GB of memory.

Although all other Apple Silicon chips have Media Engines, the M1 still supports hardware-accelerated encoding and decoding of H.264 and HEVC video content. The only thing it lacks is ProRes and ProRes RAW acceleration.

Sixth generation models feature the M2 processor with a faster 8-core processor and 10-core GPU. Apple claims the new iPad Air is nearly 50% faster than the M1 version at many productivity and creative tasks.

Again, a 16-core Neural Engine is available, which is 40% faster than the M1 version. The built-in RAM remained at 8 GB.

GeekBench single-core test scores for the M1 iPad Air and M2 iPad Pro 5th generation

Before the release of new iPad Air models, we will conduct the closest comparison we can do. actually quite appropriate. The previous generation iPad Pro used an M2 chip with 8GB of memory, so it will be very close to reality.

According to Geekbench, the fifth-generation iPad Air with M1 scores 2255 points in the single-core test and 8081 points in the multi-core version. He also managed to score 31,752 in metal.

GeekBench multi-core test scores for iPad M1 iPad Air and M2 iPad Pro 5th generation

The 11-inch iPad Pro with M2 has a single-core score of 2536 test, which is 12% better than M1. In multi-core mode, a score of 9631 represents a 19% performance increase.

The M2 iPad Pro's Metal score, which measures graphics performance, is 45,160. That's 42% better than the previous iPad Air.

Metal GeekBench scores for the M1 iPad Air and M2 iPad Pro 5th generation

Suffice it to say that the M2 should provide consumers with much better performance when used with their iPad Air than the M1.

2024 iPad Air and 2022 iPad Air – Cameras and Audio

On the back of the fifth-generation iPad Air is a 12-megapixel wide-angle camera with f/1.8 aperture and 5- multiple digital zoom. This camera is capable of recording 4K video at up to 60fps, 1080p slow motion at 240fps, and high dynamic range at up to 30fps.

Apple didn't bother with the rear camera: the sixth-generation models had the same specifications. The only difference is that it uses Smart HDR4 support for photos rather than Smart HDR 3.

The camera on the back of the sixth-generation iPad Air is the same as the sixth-generation iPad Air. fifth generation.

The front camera has undergone major changes during the transition from the fifth to the sixth generations. The fifth option places the front camera on the short edge, optimizing it for portrait orientation during video calls.

The sixth one instead moves it to the longer edge, making it more convenient for FaceTime calls in landscape orientation.

This camera in both generations is a 12 MP ultra-wide-angle camera with f/2.4 aperture. It can handle 1080p video at 60fps, complete with cinematic video stabilization, but its real highlight is Center Stage support for video calls.

In terms of sound, the fifth-generation iPad Air doesn't quite have the iPad Pro's quad speakers, but it does have horizontal stereo speakers. A pair of microphones are used to capture sound.

The sound of the sixth-generation 11-inch model remains unchanged, but the speakers manage to achieve double the bass boost compared to the 13-inch version.

2024 iPad Air and 2022 iPad Air – connectivity and battery

The main physical connection of the 2022 iPad Air is the USB-C connector at the base, which runs on USB 3.1 Gen 2 or 10 Gbit/s. . It handles charging, accessory and storage functions, and can even work with an external DisplayPort-enabled display.

There are no changes for sixth-generation models, as they still use USB-C.

For both options, there is a secondary connection at the back in the form of a smart plug. It is used to connect to accessories such as the Magic Keyboard.

The Smart Connector is still available for using iPad Air with the Magic Keyboard.

On one long side there is a magnetic connector that is used to pair and charge the Apple Pencil 2 or Apple Pencil Pro, depending on the tablet model.

For wireless connectivity, Wi-Fi and Wi-Fi + Cellular versions are available for each generation. Cellular connectivity is the same, supporting sub-6GHz frequencies and Gigabit LTE rather than mmWave.

The only thing the sixth generation models lack is a SIM card slot, which is only available in the fifth generation model. While the fifth generation can use a physical card or an eSIM, the sixth generation only uses an eSIM.

Bluetooth differs between them: Apple chooses Bluetooth 5.3 in new models instead of version 5.0. Wi-Fi is also improved, from Wi-Fi 6 to Wi-Fi 6E.

Biometric data is processed by Touch ID and remains in the same location as the top button.

As for the battery, the 28.6 Wh lithium polymer battery in the fifth generation model is replaced by a similar 28.93 Wh version in the 11-inch new model, and in the 13-inch model – inches receives a 36.59 W/h version.

Regardless of the model, Apple still says all versions can last up to ten hours of web surfing or video viewing over Wi-Fi, or up to nine hours of web surfing over a cellular network.

2024 iPad Air and 2022 iPad Air – capacity and prices

The 2022 iPad Air was sold in two variants: a Wi-Fi model with 64 GB of memory cost $599, and version with 256 GB of memory – $749. Cellular connectivity costs an additional $150, bringing them to $749 and $899, respectively.

The 11-inch variant of the 2024 model starts at $599 for a starting capacity of 128GB, with expanded storage options available. You can get 256GB for $699, 512GB for $899, or 1TB of storage for $1,099.

The 13-inch version starts at $799 for 128GB capacity, making it $200 more expensive. At 256GB it will cost $899, 512GB will cost $1,099, and 1TB will cost $1,299.

2024 iPad Air color options

Cellular upgrades across the board cost $150. This could raise the price of sixth-generation models to $1,249 for the most expensive 11-inch iPad Air, or up to $1,449 for the 13-inch iPad Air.

In terms of colors, Apple has reduced the color range for the sixth generation from five to four.

The fifth-generation iPad Air comes in Space Gray, Starlight, Pink, Purple and Blue colors. The sixth generation features Space Grey, Starlight, Purple and Blue colors.

iPad Air 2024 and iPad Air 2022 – is it worth upgrading?

It's been a long time since the last iPad Air update. But despite the time between updates, there aren't too many changes here.

Between the 10.9-inch fifth-gen models and the 11-inch sixth-gen models, you're essentially looking at a chip upgrade from the M1 to the M2. There is also a front-facing camera shift to the long axis, like on the 10th generation iPad, as well as support for the new Apple Pencil.

Owners of earlier iPad Air models and people who need more power than the base iPad will find it attractive. And the new Apple Pencil, combined with a 12.9-inch screen that doesn't cost $1,299, is also attractive.

That said, anyone who really cares about tablet performance will be looking at the iPad Pro M4 line rather than the Air family.

If size matters, then this along with other updates might be enough for a fifth-generation iPad Air owner to make the leap.

In some cases, this size matters, both in terms of the space you are working in and in terms of price. For some people, the 13-inch iPad Air is a good balance of features and price, especially for users who aren't primary iPad users and prefer their iPhone or Mac to their iPad.