Apple hasn’t made any radical changes with its new iPad and iPad Air, but both tablets benefit from faster processors and other small perks. The entry-level iPad, which starts at $349, sees its first update since 2022 and gets a slightly larger 11-inch screen (up from 10.9 inches). The iPad Air has been refreshed from the 2024 model and still comes in 11 or 13 inches for $599 or $799, respectively.
But apart from price and screen size options, what separates these two tablets? We haven’t tested them yet, but we’re here to break down all the most important distinctions in specs to help you pick the best one for your needs.
Price and Storage
The 11-inch iPad gets a bump in base storage without a price increase. It now starts with 128GB of space (up from 64GB) for $349. You can also get it with 256GB for $449 or 512GB for $649. The iPad is still the most affordable tablet Apple sells and an even better value than before.
The 11-inch and 13-inch iPad Air retain the same prices and storage capacities as before. The 11-inch model costs $599 for 128GB of storage, $699 for 256GB, $899 for 512GB, and $1,099 for 1TB. The 13-inch model is available with the same storage amounts, though uniformly at $200 more.
Keep in mind that no matter which iPad you get, you pay an additional $150 for cellular capabilities.
Winner: iPad
Size and Design
The 11-inch iPad has a slightly larger screen but keeps the dimensions of the 2022 model. It measures 9.79 by 7.07 by 0.28 inches (HWD) and weighs 1.05 pounds.
The 11-inch iPad Air measures 9.74 by 7.02 by 0.24 inches and weighs 1.01 pounds. It is a hair lighter than its predecessor (1.02 pounds) but otherwise the same size. The 13-inch iPad Air measures the same as the previous model, at 11.04 by 8.46 by 0.24 inches and 1.36 pounds.
iPad (Credit: Apple)
Both the iPad and iPad Air designs look almost identical, with thin bezels, rounded corners, and a single camera on the back. Both come in fun colors, too. The iPad is available in Blue, Pink, Silver, or Yellow, while the Air comes in Blue, Purple, Space Gray, or Starlight.
The Air has an advantage when it comes to data transfer speeds. The iPad’s USB-C 2 port tops out at 480Mbps, whereas the iPad Air’s USB-C 3 port enables 10Gbps speeds.
Winner: iPad Air
Display
The display on the 11-inch Air retains the same resolution of 2,360 by 1,640 pixels, which equates to a density of 264 pixels per inch (ppi). It uses LCD ISP technology with LED lighting and reaches up to 500 nits of brightness. The 11-inch iPad Air has the same display specs. The 13-inch iPad Air has a resolution of 2,732 by 2,048 pixels for the same density of 264 ppi. It reaches up to 600 nits of brightness. The Air models both have the advantage of anti-reflective coatings and wide color (P3) support.
iPad Air (Credit: Apple)
All iPad and iPad Air Models have a Touch ID fingerprint sensor in the top button for biometrically unlocking the device. You have to upgrade to the iPad Pro to get Face ID.
Winner: Tie
Processors, Battery Life, Connectivity
The new iPad has an A16 chip, the same as in the iPhone 14 Pro and iPhone 14 Pro Max. Apple says the processor is 30% faster than the A14 Bionic chip in the 2022 iPad.
iPad (Credit: Apple)
Both iPad Air models get an upgrade from Apple’s M2 chip to its M3 chip, which debuted in the debuted in the 2023 Macbook Pro. The M3 comes with an 8-core CPU, a 9-core GPU, hardware-accelerated ray tracing, a 16-core Neural Engine, and 8GB of RAM.
Apple claims that both the iPad and iPad Air will get up to 10 hours of battery life over Wi-Fi with web surfing and video streaming.
The iPad is compatible with Wi-Fi 6, whereas the iPad Air supports the faster Wi-Fi 6E standard. All cellular models work with an eSIM and use sub-6GHz and C-band for 5G connectivity. You can connect your wireless devices via Bluetooth 5.3.
Winner: iPad Air
Cameras and Software
The iPad and iPad Air use the same camera, a 12MP f/1.8 wide lens with 5x digital zoom. It supports auto image stabilization and can record 4K at 24 fps, 25 fps, 30 fps, or 60 fps.
The landscape-oriented 12MP f/2.0 front camera has the Center Stage feature to keep you in the frame, even when you’re moving around. It also has auto image stabilization.
iPadOS 18 (Credit: Apple)
All iPads run iPadOS 18, though the entry-level iPad doesn’t have enough power to run Apple Intelligence. All of Apple’s other current iPads, including the iPad mini, support Apple Intelligence. Whether you should upgrade to one of those models depends on how much you care about Apple’s AI features.
No matter what iPad you have, iPadOS 18 still has impressive features, such as an enhanced calculator that helps you solve hand-written expressions, audio recording and transcription features, and the ability to personalize the home screen with dark or tinted widgets.
Winner: iPad Air
Apple Pencil Support
The iPad supports either the Apple Pencil (USB-C) or the original Apple Pencil. The iPad Air supports the Apple Pencil Pro, which comes with a few more features, including a squeeze gesture that gives haptic feedback and the ability to locate the pencil using Apple’s Find My service.
Winner: Tie
Which iPad Should You Get?
Ultimately, picking an iPad is a personal decision, but here are some tips to keep in mind:
-
If you want to experience Apple’s tablet ecosystem for as little money as possible and aren’t interested in Apple Intelligence, pick the regular iPad.
-
Choose the iPad Air if you want a powerful device to run resource-intensive games and apps or want to use the Apple Pencil Pro and/or Apple Intelligence.
Stay tuned for our reviews of the new iPad models. We’ll also update this story with our findings and definitive buying advice.
