Apple unveils the iPad Air (2022), a supercharged 5G tablet from €699
During its “Peek Performance” keynote, Apple presented the fifth generation of the iPad Air. Taking the chassis of the previous iPad Air, it integrates the Apple M1 chip that you find in the latest iPad Pro presented in October 2021. New selfie sensor, brighter screen, Apple Pencil compatibility, it will be offered from 699 euros. That is a price very slightly higher than that of its predecessor.
As expected, Apple released its virtual keynote tonight. Her name was ” Peek Performance because the overall theme of this conference was, of course, the pure hard power. Whether it’s with the new iPhone SE, 5G compatible and featuring the same SoC as the iPhone 13. Whether it’s with the Mac Studio, powered by Apple’s new processor, the M1 Ultra. Or whether it’s with the Studio Display, the new screen that displays 1 billion colors in 5K definition. You can find in our columns complete articles on each of its subjects.
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Tablets have not been forgotten in this busy program. The Cupertino company presented the iPad Air (2022), or iPad Air 5th generation. And he, too, can flex the muscles under his metal chassis. Because this tablet integrates the processor of the latest iPad Pro presented at the end of last year: the Apple M1. It’s the same component that powers the 2020 MacBook Air that we tested when it launched. A very powerful chip, of course, but also very energy efficient with regard to its performance.
The iPad Air (2022) integrates the powerful M1 processor of the iPad Pro of 2021
The version of the Apple M1 integrated into this iPad Air matters 8 cores for the CPU, 8 cores for the GPU and 16 cores for the NPU (the neural processor dedicated to artificial intelligence). This information is very important, since some products equipped with the Apple M1 are not so well off. This is particularly the case with the MacBook Air 2020. The component is accompanied by 8 GB RAMinformation made official by Apple (which is rare enough to note).
Another great novelty, this new iPad Air is 5G-enabled. This is not the first time that Apple has offered this connectivity to an iPad, since the Pro range from the end of 2021 is also compatible. But this is the first time that an iPad Air can connect to 5G, the previous model being “only” 4G compatible.
On the other hand, Apple does not disclose any information regarding the battery. However, the firm specifies that this tablet offers 10 hour battery life in Web use in WiFi and 9 hours in 4G/5G. Figures identical to those of the iPad Air 2020 whose battery capacity reached 7606mAh. We should find the same here.
Same frame, same main photo sensor, same screen
On the chassis side, we find the same design as that of the iPad Air 2020, which was inspired by the iPad Pro range. The edges are therefore straight and the faces are flat. A bit like the iPhone 12 and iPhone 13. The dimensions are strictly unchanged. But the weight has changed slightly: 2 to 3 grams more depending on the version.
At the front, you find a selfie sensor placed in one of the side borders around the screen. It is a sensor 12 megapixels with ultra-wide-angle lens opening at f/2.4. It’s a new sensor inherited from the iPad Pro range (but not as powerful, however). At the back, you find the main module of the 2020 iPad Air: a 12 megapixel sensor with lens opening at f/1.8.
Let’s talk about the screen first. Apple hasn’t said much about this panel. And for good reason: it is the same as that of the previous model, without change. It is therefore always a IPS screen whose size reaches 10.9 inches. Its definition is slightly lower than Quad HD: 1640 pixels in width and 2360 pixels in height. The resolution is 264 pixels per inch. The brightness reaches 500nits in standard use. And the screen is compatible with the color sample DCI-P3. No ProMotion, it’s a shame.
Besides the design, the main photo sensor and the screen, there are other commonalities between the two generations of iPad Air. Both stereo speakers are back. The fingerprint reader Touch-ID too. the USB Type-C port (whose bandwidth has however been multiplied by two). The two storage capacities (64 GB or 256 GB). Or the compatibility with the 2nd generation Apple Pencil, the Magic Keyboard and the Smart Keyboard Folio.
iPad Air (2022) prices are up slightly
We would have liked the price to also be a common point. But this is not the case, at least in France. Indeed, the iPad Air 2022 is sold from 699 euros (64 GB WiFi version), against 669 euros for its predecessor, without offering twice as much storage. Of course, there have been some improvements. But let’s always cherish the secret hope that one day prices won’t increase at Apple. Here are all the prices at a glance:
- iPad Air (2022) WiFi 64GB: 699 euros
- iPad Air (2022) WiFi 256GB: 869 euros
- iPad Air (2022) WiFi + 5G 64GB: 869 euros
- iPad Air (2022) WiFi + 5G 256GB: 1039 euros
The tablet is available in five colors. It will be available for pre-order on March 11, 2022. And it will arrive in stores on March 18. As a reminder, the Apple Pencil is sold for 135 euros, the Magic Keyboard for 339 euros, the Smart Keyboard Folio for 199 euros and the Smart Folio (without keyboard) for 89 euros.