The iPad Air 5 is official, after being announced on stage during the Apple March Event, alongside the iPhone SE 2022, Mac Studio and M1 Ultra chipset.
The Air line of iPads is the company's mid-range family, though we've seen some impressively premium features used here.
Tim Cook said, "we're taking its performance to the next level" in regards to the iPad Air 5 - and one of the big updates is performance.
Apple claims it is taking a massive leap, with the introduction of the M1 chip to the Air series. It offers a 60% uptick in performance over the iPad Air 4, and graphics that are twice as fast.
5G is another new feature in the iPad Air 5, giving users who opt for the cellular-capable model access to the fastest internet speeds when away from Wi-Fi.
That said, there are very few additional upgrades on the new iPad Air over its predecessor, so if you're already using the Air 4, the changes to the Air 5 likely won't tempt you away from your current slate.
Cut to the chase
- What is it? The fifth generation in Apple's mid-range tablet line
- How much will it cost? From $599
- When will it be out? March 18, pre-orders open March 11
iPad Air 5 release date and price
- iPad Air 5 pre-orders: March 11
- iPad Air 5 release date: March 18
- iPad Air 5 price: from $599
The iPad Air 5 price starts at $599 / £569 / AU$929 for the 64GB Wi-Fi only model and goes up if you want 5G connectivity, 256GB storage or both.
| Configuration | US price | UK price | AU price |
| 64GB, Wi-Fi | $599 | £569 | $929 |
| 64GB, 5G | $749 | £719 | $1,159 |
| 256GB, Wi-Fi | $749 | £719 | $1,159 |
| 256GB, 5G | $899 | £869 | $1,389 |
As a bit of background, the iPad Air 4 cost $599 / £579 / AU$899 for the entry-level, Wi-Fi only, 64GB of storage model, with prices going up for more storage and cellular connection.
iPad Air pre-orders open on Friday, March 11, and the iPad Air 5 release date is confirmed as March 18.
You'll be able to pick up the new iPad Air in five different colors; Space Grey, Starlight, Pink, Purple and Blue.
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iPad Air 5 vs iPad Air 4
| iPad Air 5 | iPad Air 4 | |
|---|---|---|
| Screen size | 10.9-inch | 10.9-inch |
| Screen resolution | TBC | 2360 x 1640 |
| Chipset | M1 | A14 Bionic |
| Storage | 64GB / 256GB | 64GB / 256GB |
| Rear Camera | TBC | 12MP |
| Front Camera | 12MP ultra-wide | 7MP wide |
| Connectivity | Wi-Fi / 5G | Wi-Fi / 4G |
| Weight | TBC | From 458g (Wi-Fi only) |
| Dimensions | TBC | 247.6 x 178.5 x 6.1mm |
| Biometrics | Touch ID | Touch ID |
iPad Air 5 performance
- M1 chip offering 60% better performance
Apple is being bold with its claims when it comes to iPad Air 5 performance. The fifth generation Air tablet gets Apple's M1 chip, which you find in its MacBook and iPad Pro lines.
The new chipset provides the new iPad Air with 60% better performance versus the iPad Air 4, which came with the iPhone-focused A14 Bionic chipset.
GPU performance has also improved by 2x versus the Air 4 according to Apple, all of which makes the iPad Air 5 the fastest tablet in its segment.
The performance of the USB-C port has also been upgraded, with transfer speeds doubled, while the inclusion of 5G support in the cellular Air 5 models will give you access to fastest internet speeds when you're away from Wi-Fi (so long as you're in a 5G coverage area).
Running the show on the new iPad Air is iPadOS 15, which is already available on the previous Air 4.
iPad Air 5 camera
- Front camera upgraded to a 12MP ultra-wide offering
The front camera has been upgraded in the new iPad Air, with a 12MP ultra-wide camera (vs a 7MP wide cam in the previous gen slate) that supports Center Stage, which allows the camera to keep people in frame as they move around.
iPad Air 5 display
- 10.9-inch Liquid Retina display
There doesn't appear to be any upgrades in the screen department for the new iPad Air versus its predecessor.
It means you get a 10.9-inch Liquid Retina display with 500 nits of brightness, P3 wide color gamut, True Tone and anti-reflective screen.
That's not necessarily a bad thing though, as we wrote in our iPad Air 4 review: "the screen on the iPad Air 4 is a great size and fantastic quality, and you'll be happy with it whatever you use this slate for."
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