Hello reader! If you’re wondering if the iPad Air 4 is worth the upgrade, I’m here to take you on a deep dive into the latest iPad Air offering from Apple and whether you should get yourself one, if you currently own an iPad Air 3.
When Apple announced its September event this year (usually used to launch the latest iPhones), people were quick to notice the “Time Flies” tagline.
Most assumed that because the new lineup of iPhones has been delayed this year, Apple would be launching a new Apple Watch, which tied in with the reference to time.
While that did happen, there were also new iPads that have become a talking point in the tech industry. Take a look at this post where Adam talks about the 10 biggest moments of the Apple WWDC 2020.
But back to the iPad Air 4. There are quite a few differences between the 2020 iPad Air 4 and the 2019 iPad Air 3. Let’s break it down into a few categories.
DESIGN
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The new iPad Air 4, which boasts a design that is more like the iPad Pro, than a standard iPad. The Air 4 features a stunning and sleeker look, with flat edges and no bezels to the side. The edge to edge display gives it a very modern look that is a far cry from Air 3.
I love that the Touch ID button is at the top edge of the iPad and there is no longer a Home button on the device. The USB-C port is an upgrade that was, of course, expected in the new iPads.
Compare that to the iPad Air 3, which is very similar looking to earlier iPad designs. It features the characteristic rounded edges and thick bezels. It also has a physical home button on its lower half.
The iPad Air 3 comes with a 3.5mm headphone jack and uses a Lightning port to charge the device.
In terms of screen size, the iPad Air 4 is slightly bigger at a 10.9-inch display, as compared to the 10.5-inch display of the iPad Air 3.
TLDR:
iPad Air 4
- Edge to Edge Display
- Flat Edges
- USB-C port
- No headphone jack
- Touch ID to the side
- 9-inch screen
iPad Air 3
- Thick bezels
- 5-inch screen
- 5 mm headphone jack
- Lightning port
- Touch ID is the Home button on the bottom
DISPLAY
The iPad Air 4 comes with an upgraded 10.9-inch 2360 x 1640 display, making it a sharper successor to the iPad Air 3 which features a 2224 x 1668 pixels display.
Both models do support Apple’s True Tone Display.
PERFORMANCE
Of course, it is to be expected that even though the iPad Air 3 is only a year older than the iPad Air 4, the latter’s performance will show some serious advancements. As usual, Apple does not disappoint.
The iPad Air 4 comes with the company’s most advanced and refined chip, till date – the A14 Bionic. This makes the new 2020 iPad Air 4 considerably faster than the iPad Air 3 (which has an A12 Bionic chip), almost 40 percent faster if the stats from Apple are to be believed.
The iPad Air 4 is also fantastic news for gamers and editors because it boasts 30 percent faster graphics processing as compared to the iPad Air 3.
TLDR:
iPad Air 4
- Features the A14 Bionic
- 40% faster than the iPad Air 3
- 30% faster graphics processing than the iPad Air 3
CAMERA
Everyone has noticed how the 2020 iPad Air 4 is so similar to an iPad pro. One of the other similarities between the new iPad Air 4 and the iPad Pro is the cameras they have.
The iPad Air 4 features a 12-megapixel camera, that can shoot stunning 4K video at 60 frames-per-second.
If you compare that to the iPad Air 3, the older iPad comes with a lower 8-megapixel camera, that can shoot 1080p video at 30 frames-per-second.
The front cameras on both the iPad Air 4 and 3 are very similar to each other and Apple hasn’t come up with a very noticeable upgrade to the selfie camera.
Having said that, the new iPad Air 4 is a big and better upgrade if you use the main camera on your iPad frequently.
TLDR:
iPad Air 4
- 12-megapixel camera
- 4K video
- 60 frames-per-second
iPad Air 3
- 8-megapixel camera
- 1080p video
- 30 frames-per-second
ACCESSORIES & SPECIAL FEATURES
One of the major and immediately noticeable upgrades to the iPad Air 4 is that it supports the Apple Pencil 2, something that was earlier restricted to the iPad Pro versions only.
Of course, the iPad Air 3 only supports the original, 1st generation Apple Pencil.
So, if you’re a professional/student user of the iPad and use it for drawings or design, the iPad Air 4 is a definite upgrade.
Side note: If you’re looking to get the best out of your Apple Pencil, here’s something I wrote on the subject.
The iPad Air 4 is also compatible with Apple’s Magic Keyboard, something that is not available for the iPad Air 3.
TLDR:
iPad Air 4
- Apple Pencil 2
- Magic Keyboard
iPad Air 3
- Does not support Apple Pencil 2
- Does not support Magic Keyboard
Should You Upgrade To The iPad Air 4?
To be super honest, if money isn’t a huge factor of consideration, there is not a shred of doubt that the iPad Air 4 is definitely worth the upgrade, even if you don’t currently own the iPad Air 3.
If you are looking to buy an iPad and are considering buying the iPad Air 3 because it costs less, think about what you are going to be using the device for, and also how frequently do you intend to use your iPad.
If you will be using it almost as a stand-in for a laptop, I would definitely recommend the iPad Air 4. The CPU performance of the A14 Bionic chip, the camera, the overall design- no matter what you use to compare the iPad Air 4 to the 3, the newer Air 4 comes out on top.
However, if you will be using the iPad only to watch Netflix, read an e-book, and answer the occasional email, you may be okay buying the iPad Air 3, which comes at a lower price.
The differences between the iPad Air 4 and the iPad Air 3 are stark and the two devices are like night and day. If you can afford the $100 price difference, get the iPad Air 4, it is the better device of the two.
Also, a quick word of advice, protect your iPad from the start. Find some great protection options from ESR here and here.
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