The difference between iPad and iPad air

iPad Air 4

iPad Air is the lightest, thinnest and smallest tablet Apple introduced in 2020. Its thickness is 6.1 mm. Accordingly, the body of the gadget is even thinner than the body of any of the new iPhones.

The iPad is powered by the advanced A14 Bionic CPU, so it catches up with the Pro model in terms of performance. Using a tablet is advisable for demanding applications, as well as for creativity.

• draw, write poetry or prose (both using the keyboard and by hand);
• process photos and videos;
• play games;
• watch multimedia content.

Enjoyable multimedia viewing experience thanks to a high-quality 11.9 ”enlarged screen made with Liquid Retina technology.

iPad Air is compatible with 1st generation Pencil and Magic Keyboard and Smart Keyboard Folio.

Apple iPad, iPad Air or iPad Pro: which tablet to choose?

The new gadgets surpass their predecessors in terms of performance and functionality. Each model has a number of advantages that make it the best option for solving certain problems. What is their feature?

iPad 8

Apple iPad 2020 is suitable for reading books, studying educational materials and working with text files, tables in various editors.

The iPad is small. It is convenient to take it when traveling. Weighs less than 500 g, so it won’t overload a suitcase or backpack. Display diagonal 10.2 ”. The compactness of the case is preserved due to the narrow frames.

The central processor of the gadget is A12 Bionic. The chip supports machine learning technologies and is energy efficient. The same CPU is used by popular Apple smartphones from the X-series.

The maximum amount of built-in permanent memory is 128 GB. It is enough to store important documentation, as well as software for work.

iPad Pro 2020

Introduced in the Pro line, the tablet concentrates power and productivity. Top performance, no lags, impressive storage. all these features make the iPad Pro 2020 the perfect gadget for solving resource-intensive tasks.

The dual camera (12MP 10MP) with LiDAR sensor turns iPad into an effective creative tool. Laser sensor improves the quality of portraits, as well as allows you to experiment with augmented reality.

Performance and speed feel great in games. And the 11- or 12.9-inch screen is responsible for the quality of the graphics. With a wide color gamut, optimal black depth and a resolution of 2732 × 2048 pixels, scenes in games look as realistic as possible.

With up to 1TB of storage, Apple Pencil and trackpad support, iPad Pro makes it easy to get creative. With accessories (physical keyboard, stand, mouse), iPad Pro 2020 can be turned into a full-fledged workstation.

Important: in popular benchmarks, the A12Z Bionic processor demonstrates higher performance indicators than the chips of some laptops.

What to choose?

As a gadget that is always at hand, it is advisable to choose a compact solution. iPad or iPad Air.

The first option is the most affordable and suitable:

• to support communication
• internet surfing
• launching business applications

The second one can be used, including for photography, working with multimedia and playing games.

If the priority is not compactness and lightness, but top-end performance, you should give preference to the iPad Pro with the maximum diagonal. This gadget will be able to surprise with computing power and other “chips”.

Prices

The younger iPad Air 64gb costs about 56,000 (official price), and the iPad Pro 2020. 70,000. But the Pro has 128GB for this money, not 64. And if we compare the matching memory, then the will be 70,000 for air and 79,000 for the pro.

Unlocking

In Eire, for the first time in history, Apple has integrated Touch ID into the power button. Honestly? I do not like. I used to turn on the iPad with a tap on the screen, but now I have to reach for the top of the tablet anyway. Ergonomically, this is inconvenient, I tell you as a person who has used the iPad air for a certain time.

The iPad Pro has Face ID, familiar to us from iPhones, which also works in a horizontal position. So here is my favorite tap to turn on. it works. I turned on the screen by pressing, the iPad recognized you and unlocked. Comfortable! When we talk about a thing that costs 50,000 rubles, convenience is an important part of the overall user experience.

Set

Both there and there are the same. Powerful 20W adapter and USB-C cable. Don’t forget that the new Air and Pro have a USB-C connector, which makes them compatible with various accessories and, for example, a charger for MacBook.

Screen

The clear advantage of the iPad Pro is the Pro Motion display with a 120Hz refresh rate. iPad Air has a frequency of 60Hz. To be honest, I used to think that this was not important at all, but when I pick up the Air after the Pro, my eyes are much less pleasant to look at, for example, scrolling pages or other scenarios where the picture changes very often. It’s much smoother on iPad Pro.

And this difference in the screen makes the Pro much more comfortable to use than Air.

Frame

The dimensions are almost identical. iPad Air is a millimeter thicker and a few grams heavier. So we can say that both models weigh the same, about 470g. And in the hand they feel in general the same.

iPad Air 4 or iPad Pro 2020?

This year, Apple released a new bezel-less iPad Air 4 that looks very similar to the older iPad Pro models. And the question arises. is saving itself worth it??

So let’s figure out what is worth buying a new Air, how it differs from the Pro and how advisable is buying any of these tablets.

Processor and RAM.

A12Z Bionic on iPad Pro and A14 Bionic on iPad Air.

In fact, in synthetic tests, Pro and Air show almost the same results, from which we can conclude that the overclocked processor in 2018 is not inferior in power to the processor in 2020. By the way, this is an additional argument in favor of the fact that all modern processors in Apple technology are not older than 3 years. approximately equal.

RAM in Air is 4GB, and in Pro. 6GB. So here the score goes iPad Pro.

Iron and performance

The iPad Air is powered by the 64-bit A14 Bionic processor. There is support for the Neural Engine system.

The user can only choose between 64 GB or 256 GB drives. There is no data on the amount of RAM yet. Most likely, the tablet will receive 4 GB of RAM.

iPad Pro is powered by the 64-bit A12Z Bionic processor and Neural Engine support. All models are equipped with 6 GB of RAM, which is a very good start for the future.

The lineup has modifications for 128, 256, 512 GB and 1 TB.

The key difference between the processors in the Air and Pro models is their manufacturing technology. The A14 Bionic is made using a 5nm process technology. Such a chip will be installed in the new iPhone 12 models.

“Proshka” has a processor with a 7-nanometer process technology. Such a chip generates almost twice as much heat under load, which will require a more advanced cooling system.

Comparison of processors in single and multi-core performance tests

The iPad Air processor is a solid winner in the single-core performance test, but it does not take into account multithreading and the impact of fast RAM on information processing speed. In other words, such tasks practically do not arise for tablets during operation.

In the multi-core test, the iPad Pro processor turned out to be more powerful, but the advantage is not so significant.

Calculating the theoretical power of processors in GFLOPS

illustrative is the iGPU. FP32 test, which displays the theoretical computing performance of the processor. Based on its results, we can assume that the iPad Pro 2020 under load will show 30% more performance.

Who has better filling: if you measure only “virtual parrots”, the professional model has an advantage. For day-to-day use, both devices will perform similarly.

It is likely that the difference in processor power is provided for LiDAR operation and image processing with a frequency of 120 Hz.

Camera

iPad Air received one 12 MP ƒ / 1.8 main camera module. Supports 4K shooting at 24, 30 or 60 frames per second. When shooting at 1080p, you can get up to 240 frames per second.

The front panel houses a 7MP FaceTime HD camera. The maximum shooting resolution is 1080p. Strange, but the tablet does not support portrait mode and Animoji.

iPad Pro is equipped with a similar 12MP ƒ / 1.8 module with 4K up to 60fps and 1080p up to 240fps.

At the same time, the professional tablet has a second wide-angle module 10 Mp ƒ / 2.4. When taking a photo, it captures a picture with a wide angle of view and also knows how to shoot 4K video up to 60 frames per second.

The front camera is completely identical. 7 megapixels with 1080p shooting.

In addition, a LiDAR laser rangefinder is located on the main camera module, which is still useful only for a narrow circle of professionals.

Who has a better camera: Many users don’t use the camera on their iPad at all. At the same time, the capabilities of the main modules are the same for the tablets. Front camera parameters are the same except for portrait mode and Animoji.

iPad Pro has an add-on module and a LiDAR scanner, but these will only benefit a small percentage of buyers.

Display

iPad Air received a 10.9-inch Liquid Retina matrix. The resolution is 2360-by-1640 pixels and the density is 264 ppi.

The maximum screen brightness is 500 cd / m². Supports True Tone technology and wide color gamut (P3).

iPad Pro (its 11-inch version) has an 11-inch Liquid Retina display with a resolution of 2388 x 1668 pixels for a similar 264 pixels per inch.

Other distinctive features include the best maximum brightness of 600 cd / m² and the presence of ProMotion technology. This is the same feature that allows you to increase the refresh rate of the screen to 120 Hz, if necessary, making the picture smoother.

Who has a better screen: of course, the Pro model has a killer feature in the form of 120 Hz support, however, not everyone needs it. Changing from another “smooth” Pro model to the Air will be tough. If you have not used a display with a similar refresh rate before, you can safely look towards the “air”.

A slight difference in the diagonal and a difference in brightness you will not feel at all.

Design and dimensions

The new iPad Air is the first non-professional tablet to feature an updated bezel-less design. Most likely, in a couple of years, a budget iPad and a compact “minicom” will lead to this form.

The device is almost indistinguishable from the latest iPad Pro models. If there is a massive block with a pair of cameras and a LiDAR sensor on the back of the 2020 firmware, then you can easily confuse the new Air with the 2018 Pro model.

Same sharp-edged look, one camera module on the back of the tablet, and no Home button below the display.

This design looks great. Just for the sake of it, many owners of the iPad 3-5 years ago will want to update their tablet.

Dimensions iPad Air 4: 247.6 x 178.5 x 6.1 mm. Tablet weight 458 g.

The Best iPad to Buy in 2021. iPad Pro vs iPad Air vs iPad 8th Generation

Dimensions iPad Pro 2020: 247.6 x 178.5 x 5.9 mm. Weight 471 g.

The length and width converge to a millimeter, and the thickness of the “proshka” is slightly less.

Who has better design and dimensions: the models are almost identical. That said, the slightly increased thickness of the iPad Air could even be an advantage.

It is more comfortable to hold such a tablet, the edges cut into the hand less, and the chance of bending the tablet is less. The Air range also has pink, blue and green colors.

Prices

New iPad Air models will only start shipping next month, but for all modifications are already known.

The 2020 iPad Pro has been available for purchase for a long time. At the moment, the configurations and are as follows:

So iPad Air occupies a niche in the cheaper segment, and the second model successfully competes with the most affordable iPad Pro.

What makes the iPad Air 4 different from the iPad Pro

Together with the updated Apple Watch Series 6 and Apple Watch SE presented a couple of iPad updates.

The budget iPad 8th generation received too few differences from its predecessor, but the new iPad Air model is radically different from its brothers in the line.

It is just right to compare with the iPad Pro, which was presented this spring. We will compare it with the younger 11-inch version of the professional tablet. IPad sales have already begun in Russia.

Other features

iPad Air can be considered innovative in terms of introducing a new fingerprint scanner. The developers have built Touch ID into the device lock button on the end of the tablet.

Only the first reviews and operating experience will show the convenience of such a solution. A noticeable drawback immediately arises. it will be inconvenient to use the iPad Air with a case covering the button.

iPad Pro has more advanced and time-tested Face ID. Unlike the iPhone, it works in both portrait and landscape orientations. There will definitely not be any problems with unlocking and confirming transactions.

The tablet is equipped with four speakers versus two for the Air, which makes the sound more spacious.

Both models are equipped with a Wi-Fi 6 (802.11a / b / g / n / ac / ax) module with support for MIMO, Bluetooth 5.0 and eSIM. Both gadgets have a USB-C port for connecting accessories, Smart Connector, support Magic Keyboard and Smart Keyboard Folio, as well as the 2nd generation Apple Pencil.

iPad Air VS iPad VS iPad Pro. Which iPad Should You Buy in 2020?

Who has more chips: in favor of the professional model, the presence of Face ID and four speakers. The rest of the devices are very similar.

All differences are brief

▶ Design. The appearance of the models is the same, the dimensions are practically the same, and the devices can be distinguished only by the camera module.

▶ Display. The diagonal differs by one tenth of an inch, on the Pro side there is support for a refresh rate of 120 Hz and a 20% higher limit of maximum brightness.

▶ Filling. Performance of the Pro model is higher in synthetic tests, in practice, both devices will perfectly cope with all daily tasks.

WHY PAY MORE? iPad 8 vs iPad Air 4 Buying Guide!

▶ Camera. “Proshka” benefits from the presence of an ultra-wide-angle lens, but in fact it is needed in isolated cases.

▶ Other chips. The Air loses here, due to the lack of two additional speakers and the more convenient Face ID in the Pro model.

▶ Price. Both Air models are a bargain. The most affordable one for 56 thousand is 10 thousand cheaper than the base Pro model. The 256GB model is priced similar to the 128GB iPad Pro.

Here, each customer will make their own choice: for more storage in Air or Face ID, a second camera and four speakers in Pro.