This article may contain affiliate links. Learn more on our Partner Program page.
Just a few days before the official market launch, the first reviews of the iPad Air 5 were published. With the new M1 chip inside, an improved Center Stage front camera and much more, the new iPad Air has a lot to offer.
Apple introduced the iPad Air 5 at the “Peek Performance” event. While the design is similar to its predecessor, some things have been updated under the hood. In a Item For MacStories, Federico Viticci explains that the new iPad Air is probably the most “balanced” iPad Air model yet.
After a week of using the new iPad Air for both work and media consumption, I can say this: The new Air is the most balanced tablet in Apple's lineup - a lightweight, colorful 10.9" iPad that combines the power of the M1 iPad Pro with increased portability reminiscent of the 8.3" iPad mini. The iPad Air is neither as fancy as a 1TB iPad Pro with Liquid Retina XDR display nor as tiny as an iPad mini. But as a device that can be a bit of both, now with M1, 5G, faster USB, and Center Stage support, I can confidently say that the iPad Air is the definitive multipurpose tablet for most people right now. Even more so than in 2020.
In a Item Writing for The Verge, Dan Seifert notes that one of the biggest limitations of the iPad Air is that it still comes with 64GB of storage, and upgrading to 256GB costs $150. Seifert explains:
The base model of the iPad Air still comes with 64GB of storage, which feels a bit stingy at a $600 price tag. It doesn't take much to fill that space, especially if you use the iPad for gaming (Genshin Impact, for example, uses up 14GB alone), and if you keep the iPad for multiple years, as most people do, you'll probably need to do a bit of storage management at some point. Upgrading to 256GB of storage costs a hefty $150, bringing the price up to $749. That puts it dangerously close to the iPad Pro, which offers 128GB of storage at its $799 base price.
iPad Air 5 appears colorful
Engadget, however, expressed about the new Center Stage camera in the iPad Air 5:
While the M1 chip is the most significant update, there are a few other new features to note. It's no surprise that the iPad Air's front-facing camera has been improved to match the rest of the iPad lineup. It's a 12-megapixel ultra-wide camera, which isn't really intended for full resolution. Instead, it enables Apple's "Center Stage" feature, which zooms in on the subject and continuously moves to keep the person (or people) in the center of the screen. I don't think most people move around much during video calls, but it's still a handy feature. While the camera is definitely better than on the previous iPad Air, it's still on the left side of the screen when using the iPad in landscape mode. If you're holding the iPad in portrait mode, it's fine to have it on top, but it's definitely inconvenient when you're on a video call with the tablet attached to the keyboard.
All in all, the reviews paint a clear picture. The iPad Air 5 is an impressive tablet thanks to 5G, M1 chip and more. The device can be officially pre-ordered. It is available in space gray, rose, purple, blue and polar star and can be purchased in 64 GB and 256 GB storage variants. Of course, the new tablet can be selected as a pure WiFi model or with cellular support. The iPad Air 5 starts at 679 euros and can cost up to 1,019 euros depending on the variant. (Image: Apple)
