Apple's new M1-powered iPad Air is a slim, powerful and truly versatile tablet that's likely to let professionals down.
I know, it can be confusing. The 10,9-inch panel features the exact same Apple Silicon M1 chip as the 11-inch iPad Pro. They even run at the same 3,20GHz clock speed and are also backed by 8GB of RAM.
What you get with an iPad Pro (M1)
-Promotional technology
-The module TrueDepth and Face ID
--Quad speakers
Dual rear cameras (wide and ultra wide)
-LiDAR
--Memory options up to 16 GB
Storage options up to 2TB
-Ray 4
It's not just the components, these two tablets look alike, at least from the front. However, to understand why the iPad Air is a more affordable tablet aimed at creatives but not necessarily professionals, you need to see what's included in the Pro line and what's missing from the new iPad Air.
The Apple iPad Air M1 is no slouch in most of these departments, but the specs are obviously designed for a different class of user.
The question is not so much what can be done on the iPad Air (2022). The M1 chip works the same on both tablets. It has massive power for CPU-intensive tasks like web browsing, creating documents, and plenty of free space when it comes to graphics-intensive tasks like playing 4K video.
But content gathering for some of these tasks is limited by the single, decent-but-not-stellar 12MP rear camera. Without the LiDAR scanner, you can't collect detailed 3D maps of your environment and 3D objects that you want to capture and 3D paint in Procreate.
The iPad Air (2022) has:
12 megapixel wide rear camera
A 12-megapixel ultra-wide front camera
Stereo speakers
256 GB maximum storage
8GB RAM maximum
One USB-C connector
Yes, you'll shoot 4K video, but even if you spend more on the 256GB model ($749), you could quickly run out of space. Video editors need a lot more storage than that.
The iPad Air 11's Liquid Retina display is colorful and bright at 500 nits, but it's not in the same class as the iPad Pro's slightly higher-resolution 11-inch display (2388 x 1668 vs. 2369 x 1640). At 600 nits, it's brighter than the iPad Air's panel, but it's the addition of ProMotion that makes, pardon the phrase, the Pro difference. The smooth motion of refresh rates up to 120Hz and its ability to reduce speed and saving energy when the screen doesn't need as many refresh cycles is something professionals need (for more hours of work on the go) and they need quality images in motion graphics. worked.
Both iPads have a USB-C port for power and data, but only the iPad Pro offers Thunderbolt 4 connectivity. That's 40Gbps throughput, essential for downloading 4K (perhaps even 8K) video and using external storage devices efficiently. .
The True Depth module and Face ID aren't necessarily a pro feature, but busy professionals might appreciate the hands-free speed of unlocking and signing in with just your face (iPad Air has a nice Touch ID button on the side). Additionally, this forward-facing depth-sensing technology can be useful for certain professional tasks that require AR.
On the speaker front, the Apple iPad Air M1's stereo speaker system is more than acceptable for video consumption and gaming, but professionals crave the power and clarity of the Apple iPad Air's four-speaker system, the iPad Pro.
Not that we don't recommend the M1 iPad Air. We make. Our global editor, Gareth Beavis, really liked it and I had a wonderful 24 hours with it, but it's not the tablet for everyone and for all use cases.
If you're wondering why you'd pay $200 more for an entry-level iPad Pro, here's your answer. For those whose needs are on the Pro side, the M1 iPad Air offers the power but lacks many of the key features you'll need to get the job done at a professional level.