Apple’s new M1-powered iPad Air is a thin, powerful and truly versatile tablet that will likely let professionals down.
I know this can be confusing. The 10.9-inch panel incorporates exactly the same Apple Silicon M1 chip as the 11-inch iPad Pro. They even run at the same clock speed of 3.20 GHz and are also supported by 8 GB of RAM.
What to do with an iPad Pro (M1).
-Promotional Technology
-The TrueDepth and Face ID module
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1;Quad speakers
Dual rear cameras (Wide and Ultrawide)
-LiDAR
– Storage options up to 16 GB
Storage options up to 2TB
-Thunderbolt 4
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It’s not just the components, these two tablets look alike, at least from the front. However, to understand why the iPad Air is a more affordable tablet aimed at creatives but not necessarily professionals, you need to look at what’s included in the Pro line and what’s missing from the new iPad Air.
The Apple iPad Air M1 is no slouch in most of these areas, but the specs are obviously designed for a different class of user.
The question is less what can be done on the iPad Air (2022). The M1 chip works the same on both tablets. It delivers impressive performance for CPU-intensive tasks like web browsing, document creation, and plenty of headroom for graphics-intensive tasks like rendering 4K videos.
But content gathering for some of these tasks is limited by the single decent, but not exceptional, 12MP rear camera. Without the LiDAR scanner, you cannot collect detailed 3D maps of your environment or 3D objects that you want to capture and 3D paint in Procreate.
The iPad Air (2022) has:
Single 12 MP wide rear camera
An ultra-wide 12-megapixel front camera
stereo speakers
Maximum memory 256 GB
8 Go the RAM maximum
Un port USB-C
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Yes, you’ll shoot 4K video, but even if you spend more for the 256GB ($749) model, you could quickly run out of storage. Video editors take up much more storage space.
The iPad Air 11’s Liquid Retina display is colorful and bright at 500 nits, but it’s not in the same class as the iPad Pro’s 11-inch display, which has a slightly higher resolution (2388 x 1668 versus 2369 x 1640). At 600 nits it’s brighter than the iPad Air’s panel, but it’s the addition of ProMotion that, pardon the expression, makes the Pro difference. Smooth motion up to a 120Hz refresh rate and its ability to downclock and save power when the screen doesn’t need as many refresh cycles is something professionals need (for more work hours on the go) and want quality imagery to get moving. graphic work.
Both iPads have a USB-C port for power and data, but only the iPad Pro offers Thunderbolt 4 connectivity. That’s 40 Gbps of throughput, crucial for downloading 4K (maybe even 8K) video. and efficiently use external storage devices.
True depth module and Face ID aren’t necessarily pro features, but busy professionals can appreciate the hands-free speed of unlocking and logging in using just their face (iPad Air has a nice Touch ID button on the side ). . Also, this forward-facing depth-sensing technology can come in handy for some professional tasks that require AR.
On the speaker side, the Apple iPad Air M1’s stereo speaker system is more than acceptable for video consumption and gameplay, but pros will crave the power and clarity of the Apple iPad Air’s quad-speaker system. ‘iPad Pro.
It’s not that we don’t recommend the M1 iPad Air. We are doing it. Our Global Editor Gareth Beavis really liked it and I spent a wonderful 24 hours on it, but it’s not the tablet for everyone and every use case.
If you’re wondering why you should pay $200 more for an entry-level iPad Pro, here’s your answer. For those whose needs are on the professional side, the M1 iPad Air delivers the performance but lacks many of the key features you’d need to get the job done at a professional level.
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