Apple’s M1 iPad Air has fallen to one of its best prices yet

Apple launched a new round of iPads on Tuesday, upgrading the iPad Pro to the more powerful M2 chip and unveiling a new 10.9-inch iPad closely modeled after the existing iPad Air launched last March came onto the market. While the new 10.9-inch iPad particularly complicates the latter’s value, those who have already thought about treating themselves to a tablet upgrade should still note that the 64GB version of the fifth-gen Air at Amazon is currently down to $519.

Buy Apple iPad Air (2022) at Amazon – $519

Barring a one-day drop to $479 in August, this is the lowest price we’ve tracked for this SKU of the tablet, and it matches the offer we saw at Amazon’s Prime Early Access sale last week. Overall, the deal is $40 less than the typical street price we’ve seen online over the past few months, and $80 less than Apple’s MSRP.

When we reviewed the new Air earlier this year, we broadly thought it was the best Apple tablet for most people, given its still powerful M1 chip and significant design upgrades over the 10.2-inch -Basic iPad, which Apple says will remain Sales going ahead.

However, compared to the upcoming 10.9-inch iPad, the differences appear to be more marginal. We’ll have to get our hands on the device for confirmation, but the new iPad starts at $449 and appears to follow the design of the Air almost exactly, with the same 2,360 x 1,640 resolution, narrow bezels, USB-C connector and WiFi 6 support , Touch ID button, 12MP front camera and the like. On the new iPad, this front camera is also located along the right bezel, making it better suited for capturing videos in landscape mode.

This new iPad uses Apple’s A14 Bionic chip, the same silicon that powers the fourth-generation iPad Air and iPhone 12 lineup. This SoC should be powerful enough for media consumption and most others tablets things most people do this with an iPad. However, our review found that the Air’s M1 chip is noticeably faster across the board, and the M1 should be a bit more future-proof with gaming and more demanding productivity tasks in the future, while also being good for lighter work, web browsing and more streaming remains exaggerated.

Unlike the Air, the new iPad also lacks support for Apple’s second-generation Pencil stylus. That means creative types have to use a USB-C dongle to charge the first-gen stylus, and lose the magnetic charging and faster setting-changing features of the newer model. However, the new iPad supports a new Magic Keyboard Folio for $249. This accessory is similar to the Magic Keyboard supported by the Air and iPad Pro, but this model’s “floating” design has been replaced with a built-in stand and detachable base. It also adds a row of 14 function keys.

It’s also worth noting that Apple doesn’t list the new iPad’s display as fully laminated, meaning there’s still an air gap between the display and the glass itself and therefore can feel a little more like you’re using an image interact under the glass rather than under the screen itself, which many find irritating. Apple also doesn’t list this panel as having an anti-reflective coating or a wide color gamut. In terms of size, brightness and resolution, it should be the same.

Additionally, the price difference between the new 11-inch iPad Pro and the iPad Air is prohibitive for many – the former will start at $799 – for those who do can If you afford the upgrade, you still get twice the standard storage (more robust 128GB), better integrated speakers, a more advanced camera system, a brighter display that supports a faster 120Hz refresh rate, WiFi 6E support, and now even more stronger chip. For most, the Air should remain a better value, but in a vacuum, the Pro is a better tablet.

All in all, if the M1’s extra performance, laminated display, or second-gen stylus support isn’t worth an extra $70, it’s probably worth waiting to see how the new iPad fares. And if you want minimal access to the iPadOS ecosystem, the 10.2-inch iPad is still a solid little tablet overall, and it’s still at an all-time low of $269.

If you do However, if you need the performance boost or improved stylus of the M1, or are looking to upgrade from an entry-level iPad or a pre-2020 iPad Air, this offering still represents good value for those looking to upgrade a tablet wish without completely breaking the bank.

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Originally published October 18, 2022 at 10:30 am