Apple announced the all-new iPad Air in May 2024. This marked the first time in two years that the iPad Air was updated, and surprisingly, it is only moving to the M2 chipset and not the M4, which is already almost two years old at this point. But it still has quite a few new features. So, in this article, we’re going to go over everything that you need to know about the new iPad Air. And help you make the right purchasing decision.
If you’re interested in the iPad Pro, you can check out that article here.
Apple iPad Air 2024 Specs
Here are the specs of the iPad Air 2024, compared to the previous generation from 2022. The specs are pretty similar, with a few changes, like the processor and storage variants. Apple finally ditched the 64GB option this year, which is wonderful.
| iPad Air (2024) | iPad Air (2022) | |
| Display | 11-inch and 13-inch | 10.9-inch |
| Processor | M2 chip (8-core CPU, 10-core GPU, 16-core Neural Engine) | M1 chip (8-core CPU, 8-core GPU, 16-core Neural Engine) |
| RAM | 8GB | 8GB |
| Storage | 128GB, 256GB, 512GB, 1TB | 64GB, 256GB |
| Cameras | 12MP wide Camera, 4K video | 12MP wide Camera, 4K video |
| Size | 247.6 x 178.5 x 6.1mm | 247.6 x 178.5 x 6.1mm |
| Weight | 462g (WiFi, WiFi+Cellular) | 461g (WiFi), 462g (WiFi+Cellular) |
| First Available | May 2024 | March 2022 |
How much does the iPad Air cost?
The iPad Air is actually starting at the same $599 as the previous model. But, at that price, you are getting double the storage. It now starts at 128GB of storage. So, finally, 64GB of storage on a $500-plus iPad is over.
Here are the prices for the iPad Air (2024):
- 128GB for $599
- 256GB for $699
- 512GB for $899
- 1TB for $1099
This year, Apple is offering the iPad Air in a second size, which is a 13-inch model. And here’s the price points for the 13-inch iPad Air storage models:
- 128GB for $799
- 256GB for $899
- 512GB for $1099
- 1TB for $1299
For the first time, the iPad Air is going up to 1TB of storage, and it’s also the first time that Apple has offered it in four storage sizes. Typically, it was only available in two storage sizes.
When can I buy the iPad Air?
You can pre-order the new iPad Air today from Apple’s website and a few other retailers. The iPad Air will start shipping next week, on May 15.
After May 15, you’ll be able to buy the iPad Air at virtually every retailer and carrier. Don’t expect to see any price cuts anytime soon for the iPad Pro or the new iPad Air. Apple rarely discounts its products, other than for shopping holidays like Black Friday. And that will only see a $50-$100 discount.
However, if you are an education customer (that includes teachers and students), you can save $50 on the iPad Air and $100 on the iPad Pro. Making the starting price of the iPad Air just $549. You technically don’t need to be enrolled to use the education discount, but if you’re not a student, please don’t ruin it for those that are students.
What’s new with iPad Air?
So, what’s actually new with the iPad Air this time around? Apple says that the iPad Air has been redesigned, but the biggest change here is actually moving the Facetime camera to the long edge of the iPad. That is a big deal, though, especially for those that use Facetime a lot. Keep in mind that this is not the same camera setup as the iPad Pro since this does not have Face ID. Instead, it uses Touch ID in the power button.
Similar to the previous model of the iPad Air, this time around it is available in four colors. These are lighter colors (much like the iPhone 15), which include Space Gray, Blue, Purple, and Starlight.
Powered by Apple’s M2
With the iPad Air, Apple is sticking with the M2 here. That does mean that the iPad Air is not as powerful as the iPad Pro, separating them a bit more than previously. That’s a good thing, because before the iPad Air and iPad Pro were so similar that the only main difference was storage sizes and ProMotion (120Hz display).
The M2 chip inside means that the iPad Air is about 50% faster than the previous iPad Air which was using the M1 chipset inside. And Apple says that it si 3x faster than the iPad Air with the A12 Bionic chip.
An incredibly powerful device with AI
Something that Apple did talk about a little bit with both new iPads today was that they are incredibly powerful with AI. They didn’t expand a whole lot on that portion, but we do expect to hear more on it next month at WWDC. That is a pretty good hint on what to expect at WWDC when it comes to iPadOS however.
Now available in a 13-inch size
Customers wanted the 13-inch iPad size without paying for the larger iPad Pro. So, Apple made it happen. For the first time, you can choose between an 11-inch and a 13-inch iPad Air. There is a $200 price difference, but Apple claims that you get 30% more screen real estate with the 13-inch iPad Air. That’s expected since it is a full two inches larger.
Landscape Stereo Speakers
The iPad Air also added landscape stereo speakers, which is going to make the content sound incredible on this tablet. Because the 13-inch model has far more space, it is going to offer about double the bass compared to the 11-inch model. That’s going to make content consumption way better on this tablet compared to the previous version of the iPad Air.
Should you buy the new iPad Air?
Now the big question here is whether you should buy the new iPad Pro. This comes down to two things: How do you use your iPad or tablet? And how old is your current iPad or Tablet? If you’re someone that is looking to use an iPad to get some work done, then you might want to check out the iPad Pro instead. It is more powerful, with an OLED display, and it also uses ProMotion.
But for those who are using an iPad for watching content on services like Netflix, YouTube TV, Hulu, and more, the iPad Air is going to be plenty of iPad for you. Apple is really promoting this as a tablet for students, from recording the part of the event about the iPad Air at Berkeley to even mentioning students multiple times. And to be honest, at $599, it is a good option for students. And even at the $799 price point for the 13-inch model, it’s still a great option. For many students, it could replace their laptops, too.