iPad Air (2020) is already in our hands. The new tablet in Apple’s mid-priced offer after the redesign has become an extremely attractive proposition – in many cases even better than the iPad Pro.
There is no doubt that today almost all of our attention was stolen by the new Apple phones, i.e. the iPhone 12 and iPhone 12 Pro, but these are not the only devices from the Cupertino company that we got our hands on. My editorial colleague Dawid Kosiński left the store with the 4th generation iPad Air today.
The star of our Spider’s Web TV channel has been lurking on this tablet since it was presented – and I’m not surprised at all. I would have been aiming for this year’s mid-range model if I had not used the 11-inch iPad Pro since 2018, because they are basically identical to each other.
iPad Air (2020) is almost the same as iPad Pro 11 ”from 2018 and 2020.
I have been using the 11-inch iPad Pro for two years and while testing this year’s Aira I was amazed to discover that it is completely irrelevant for the fact that the new mid-range model has a bit thicker frames due to a slightly smaller, 10.9-inch display. In fact, I would only miss two things.
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iPad Air (2020) is the same width and height as the 11-inch iPad Pro, and is only 0.2 mm thicker. This means that the same accessories fit it, including Apple’s Magic Keyboard with a built-in trackpad. In the mid-range device there is also the A14 processor, which in benchmarks testing calculations with one core is even better than the A12Z chip from a slightly older device from the top shelf.
Despite this, when it comes to speed of operation, tablets with Apple A14, Apple A12X and A12Z processors at first glance do not differ in performance at all, because the two-year-old model still does not lack anything. It is possible that these differences would only arise during work.
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What I lack in the 4th generation iPad Air is ProMotion mode support, i.e. screen refreshing at 120 Hz.
The iPads from the Pro line have been supporting the ability to change the resolution from the standard 60 Hz to another for several years. Thanks to this, when, for example, playing games or scrolling web pages, you can use the 120 Hz mode, which provides much greater fluidity. On the other hand, when reading e-books, for example, the screen refresh rate drops to 30 Hz, which saves energy.
In the case of the iPad Air (2020), the automatic refresh rate change was unfortunately lacking, which can be seen at first glance. When switching from the iPad Pro to a newer and cheaper model, I immediately feel that “something” is wrong. Apple Pencil also works a bit worse here, because in the newer and cheaper tablet it is sampled less frequently.
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However, I do not think that it is worth paying extra for such a faster refreshing of the image – it is a really cool gadget that improves the experience of using the tablet, but there is no need to place ProMotion too much on a pedestal. I had to make some compromises, and I’m even more worried about the fact that the 120 Hz mode present in tablets from the iPad Pro line for years did not go to the iPhone 12 Pro.
In this year’s iPad Air, I also miss Face ID.
For two years I have not used fingerprint scanners every day and I praised it a lot – until there was a need to wear masks. I was hoping that the fingerprint reader in the lock button, which went to the 4th generation iPad Air, will also go to the iPhone, but it did not happen.
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So far, the iPad Air (2020) has remained the only Apple device with Touch ID placed on the lock button and I have mixed feelings about it. Contrary to the phone, I use it mainly at home, where I do not wear masks and Face ID works perfectly. Having to touch a button with your finger every time is a pain in the ass – especially when using an external keyboard.
I am aware that no one will change from the 11-inch iPad Pro to the iPad Air (2020).
For people who buy the first Apple tablet or have previously had an iPad from a different line than the Pro, such a button reader will be a step in the right direction. From my perspective, however, this is a significant functional regression – but with the proviso that in virtually every other respect, the new iPad Air of the 4th generation breaks down the previous model.
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After a few hours with this tablet, I am fully convinced that the iPad Air (2020), which in the cheapest version costs PLN 2,899, is the best price-performance Apple tablet you can buy today. This model marries modern design and great components with an acceptable price compared to the Pro line, and at the same time breaks the style of tablets with a Home button that already clashes with the mouse.
If you have any questions about the iPad Air (2020), feel free to ask in the comments. We will try to answer all of them either under the post or in one of the following materials about it.
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