Apple announced two new iPads as expected today. There is the new iPad Air which is the first device in the world powered by a 5nm processor and there is the more affordable 8th Gen iPad.
iPad Air
The iPad Air series is designed as a middle ground between the iPad Pro line and the standard iPad. This year’s iPad sort of switches things a bit as it is the first device to launch with the all-new 5nm Apple A14 Bionic.
The new hexa-core processor has 11.8 billion transistors and boasts a 40% improvement in CPU performance and a 30% increase in GPU performance. The new chip also boasts a 10x improvement in machine learning.
Coming to the tablet itself, Apple has gone for a new design. The new iPad Air ditches the thick bezels for slimmer and uniform ones. This new design means the TouchID button at the bottom of the screen is gone and it has a new home now. Apple has moved the fingerprint scanner to the top where it is buried under the power button. So when you push the power button, the iPad also unlocks.
The new iPad Air has a slightly larger screen than last year’s model but still skips on the 120Hz refresh rate available on the iPad Pro. It is a 10.9-inch liquid retina display, but with the trimmed bezels, it should be easier to hold. The screen is fully laminated and has an anti-reflective coating, P3 color gamut, and True Tone support.
The new iPad has a 7MP f/2.0 selfie camera and the same 12MP f/1.8 rear camera available on the iPad Pro. It also has a USB-C port with support for 20W fast charging (20W charger included in the box). There is support for the 2nd gen Apple Pencil, Smart Keyboard Folio, and the Apple Magic Keyboard.
The iPad Air starts at $599 for the 64GB version while the 256GB version is priced at $749. If you want the LTE version, the 64GB version goes up to $729 while the 256GB version is $879. It will be available for purchase in October in Space Gray, Silver, Rose Gold, and Green, Sky Blue.
8th Gen iPad
If you want something more affordable, the new 8th Gen iPad Air announced today is an option. It comes with the Apple A12 Bionic chip which offers a significant boost in performance compared to the A10 Fusion in last year’s model.
The design has not gotten much change if at all. So you are still stuck with thick bezels and ToucID remains in the familiar position you are accustomed to. Just like the iPad Air, this too will run the new iPadOS 14 which brings new features that make using the tablet a breeze. There is support for the first-gen Apple Pencil this allowing you to handwrite in any text field. There is also shape recognition which means your circle which doesn’t look anything like one can become a perfect one.
The A12 chipset will allow you to play games from Apple Arcade without any hiccups, and to make the experience better, you can pair your Xbox or PS4 controller to it.
The new iPad has a 10.2-inch 2160 x 1620 resolution, 32GB (Seriously, Apple?) or 128GB of storage, an 8MP rear camera, and a 1.2MP FaceTime camera. Apple says the 32.4 watt-hour battery should last up to 10 hours of web surfing on Wi-Fi.
The 8th Gen iPad is available for pre-order starting today and will go on sale on Friday. It is priced at $329 for the 32GB Wi-Fi version and $459 for the LTE version. The 128GB model is $429 for the Wi-Fi version and $559 for the LTE version. The tablet is available in Space Gray, Silver, and Gold.
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