You’re standing in the Apple Store, or maybe just scrolling through a dozen tabs on Safari, staring at the iPad Air. It looks like a Pro. It costs less than a Pro. But then you see the base iPad, and suddenly that price tag looks a lot more attractive. People get paralyzed here. They wonder if the M2 chip actually matters for scrolling Instagram or if they’re just paying for a thinner bezel and a prettier blue finish. Honestly? Most people buy the wrong one because they focus on the spec sheet instead of how the thing actually feels in their hands on a Tuesday night when they're just trying to answer emails.
The iPad Air exists in this weird, beautiful middle ground. It’s the "Goldilocks" tablet.
Apple’s lineup has become increasingly crowded, especially with the 2024 updates that introduced the M2 chip to the Air and the OLED display to the Pro. If you’re looking at the 11-inch or the brand-new 13-inch Air, you’re looking at a device that is essentially a Pro from two years ago, but with a few intentional compromises. Is it worth it? Let's get into the weeds of what actually makes this tablet tick.
The M2 Reality Check
Speed is a marketing trap. We hear "M2" and think "lightning fast," but what does that even mean for a tablet? If you are just watching Netflix, the M2 chip is like putting a Ferrari engine in a lawnmower. It’s overkill. However, if you’re using Logic Pro for iPad or trying to edit 4K video in LumaFusion, that silicon starts to breathe.
The M2 features an 8-core CPU and a 10-core GPU. It’s about 50% faster than the previous M1 model, according to Apple’s technical briefs. But here is the nuance: most users won't feel that 50%. Where you will feel it is in longevity. An M2 iPad Air bought today is likely to receive iPadOS updates until 2030. That’s the real value. You aren't buying speed for today; you're buying relevance for five years from now.
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I’ve seen people complain about the 60Hz refresh rate. Let’s talk about that. The Pro models have "ProMotion," which is 120Hz. It’s buttery smooth. The Air stays at 60Hz. Does it matter? If you use an iPhone Pro or a MacBook Pro with ProMotion, the Air will look "stuttery" for the first ten minutes. Then your brain adjusts. It’s a compromise, but it’s how Apple keeps the price down. If you aren't a digital artist or a high-end gamer, you probably won't care after the first day.
The 13-inch Air Changes Everything
For years, if you wanted a big screen, you had to sell a kidney for the 12.9-inch iPad Pro. Not anymore.
The introduction of the 13-inch iPad Air is the biggest shift in the lineup’s history. It gives you that massive canvas—perfect for Stage Manager and split-screen multitasking—without the $1,000+ entry price of the Pro. It’s lighter than the old 12.9-inch Pro, too. Holding it feels less like a chore.
Why the Big Screen Isn't Just for Pros
- Split View actually works. On the 11-inch, two windows side-by-side feel cramped. On the 13-inch, it’s like having two mini-iPads glued together.
- The Pencil Pro. Yes, the Air now supports the Apple Pencil Pro with barrel roll and squeeze gestures. If you’re a student taking notes on a massive PDF, this is the sweet spot.
- Landscape Camera. Finally. Apple moved the front-facing camera to the long edge. No more looking like you’re staring off into space during a Zoom call because you’re holding the tablet horizontally.
Storage and the "Pro" Price Trap
Apple is notorious for the "upsell." You start at $599 for the 11-inch Air. But that comes with 128GB of storage. Maybe you think, "I need more," so you jump to 256GB. Now you’re at $699. At that point, you’re only a few hundred bucks away from a Pro, and you start wondering if you should just go all the way.
Stop.
Unless you are a professional photographer or a video editor, 128GB is actually fine for most people. Cloud storage—whether it’s iCloud, Google Drive, or Dropbox—has changed the math. If you stream your movies and keep your photos in the cloud, don't let the storage fear-mongering push you into a higher price bracket you don't need.
The Landscape vs. Portrait Dilemma
The iPad Air is clearly designed to be a "computer replacement" more than ever. The move of the camera to the landscape edge is a massive tell. Apple wants you to buy a Magic Keyboard. They want you to use this as a laptop.
But there’s a catch.
The iPad Air still uses the older Magic Keyboard design, not the fancy new aluminum one that launched with the M4 Pro. It’s still a great typing experience, but it’s heavier than you’d expect. When you dock an Air into a Magic Keyboard, the total weight is actually more than a MacBook Air.
If your goal is a lightweight laptop, just buy a MacBook Air. Seriously.
The iPad Air shines when you use it as a hybrid. It’s for the person who wants to type an article in the morning, then rip the tablet off the magnetic dock and draw or read a comic book on the couch in the evening. If you never plan to take it off the keyboard, you’re buying the wrong tool for the job.
What about the "Budget" iPad?
Some people look at the iPad Air and then look at the 10th Gen iPad (the "cheap" one). The price gap is roughly $250.
Here is what you lose if you go cheap:
The screen on the base iPad isn't laminated. There is a tiny air gap between the glass and the pixels. It sounds like a small thing, but it makes the screen feel "hollow" when you tap on it with a Pencil. The Air's screen is laminated and has an anti-reflective coating. If you plan to use your tablet near a window or outdoors, the Air is non-negotiable.
Also, the base iPad doesn't support the Pencil Pro or the M-series chips. It’s a great device for a kid or for someone who just wants a couch-tablet, but for anyone "doing work," the Air is the actual entry point.
Real-World Limitations
Let’s be honest. The iPad Air isn't perfect.
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The battery life is "fine." Apple claims 10 hours. In reality, if you’re on a video call at 80% brightness, you’ll be hunting for a charger in five or six hours. It hasn't really improved in a decade.
And then there's iPadOS. It’s getting better—Stage Manager is actually usable now—but it’s still not macOS. You can't easily run a background process like a heavy file download while you play a game. The file system is still a bit clunky. It’s a "task-focused" machine. It forces you to focus on one or two things at a time. For some, that’s a bug. For others, it’s a feature that helps them actually get work done without getting distracted by a million windows.
The Actionable Verdict
If you are currently using an iPad Pro from 2018 or 2020, the M2 iPad Air is actually a sidegrade or a slight upgrade. You’ll lose the 120Hz screen but gain a much faster processor and better accessory support.
For everyone else—especially those coming from an old base-model iPad or no tablet at all—here is how to buy:
- Check your current phone. If you have an iPhone 13 or newer, your phone screen is likely "faster" (ProMotion) than the iPad Air. If that doesn't bother you, the Air is fine.
- Pick the 13-inch if you take notes. The extra vertical space in portrait mode is a game-changer for students. It's almost the exact size of a standard sheet of paper.
- Don't overbuy storage. Start with the base 128GB. Use the money you saved to buy a decent case or the Apple Pencil Pro.
- Education pricing is real. If you have a college email or know someone who does, Apple almost always offers a discount or a gift card. It usually knocks $50 off the price.
The iPad Air is the most practical tablet Apple makes. It doesn't have the "wow" factor of the ultra-thin OLED Pro, but it also doesn't cost $1,300 with accessories. It’s a workhorse dressed in a tuxedo. Just make sure you’re buying it for the right reasons—longevity and the screen quality—rather than just the "Air" branding.
Stop overthinking the benchmarks. Pick a color you like, get the Pencil if you draw, and start using it. The tech is finally at a point where the hardware is way ahead of the software anyway, so you really can't go wrong with the M2.