The new iPad Air (2022) is here, packing new pro-like specs

It is March 8 and Apple just announced the new iPad Air (2022) in its first event of the year. While at first sight it does not look too different from the previous iPad Air which was released in October, 2020, this new version of Apple’s “mid-range” tablet has a few key upgrades.

Thankfully, Apple has decided not to increase the price despite the huge jump in the new iPad Air’s performance. The 2022 iPad Air starts at the same $599 for the Wi-Fi only models and $749 for the Wi-Fi + Cellular ones.

The iPad Air (2022) comes in space gray, starlight, pink, purple, and a new blue. It will be up for pre-orders on Friday, March 11 and officially available on Friday, March 18.

Here is the full price list for the iPad Air (2022):

iPad Air (2022) specs

iPad Air (2022) processor

Seeing that we are already delving into the new iPad Air specs, let’s talk about them. First and foremost, the big star of the show is, of course, the included M1 chipset. Previously, the only other Apple Tablet to come with the beastly silicone was the super high-end 2021 iPad Pro.

Having the M1 chipset inside the iPad Air (2022) means 60% faster CPU performance and up to twice as more graphics performance. It is truly a gargantuan leap for the Apple’s mid-range tablet and coupled with the improved RAM and exact same price as before, it is a sweet bargain.

iPad Air (2022) storage and memory

Thanks to the added M1 chip, a both the 64GB and 256GB versions of the new iPad Air come with 8GB of RAM.

iPad Air (2022) connectivity

Another upgrade with the iPad Air 2022 is the addition of 5G connectivity. This was a well-expected addition, as all other tablets that Apple currently offers in its lineup already have it.

Not that Apple remove it, but it’s always nice to see that USB-C ports can in fact exist on its products — the new iPad Air being one of them. Sadly, there is no Bluetooth 5.2 or even 5.1 support.

iPad Air (2022) camera

Another improvement that is coming to the iPad Air series is the addition of the Center Stage feature that Apple first introduced in 2021. By this point, Center Stage has become a crucial part of owning an iPad, as it helps with keeping everyone in the frame even when they move around.

Paired with a new 12MP ultra-wide camera, video calls should be a more pleasant experience than before, especially compared to the rather weak 7MP selfie snapper on the 2020 iPad Air. Of course, there is also a quad-LED True Tone flash alongside it.

iPad Air (2022) design and display

Other than that, the iPad Air 2022 has the same display as the previous iteration, measuring in 10.9 inches with a 2360-by-1640-pixel resolution. Apple has decided to keep the 120Hz Pro Motion displays for the Pro models, so you wont find it here on the new iPad Air (2022).

No Face ID this time either, with the Touch ID sensor remaining on the same position as before — on the top edge and under the power button.

iPad Air (2022) battery

The new iPad Air comes with the same battery found in the 2020 model, which can last up to 10 hours for web browsing on Wi-Fi or watching video and movies. With cellular on, that drops to 9 hours of web surfing.

Thankfully, there is also an USB-C port, which you can use to fast-charge the iPad Air (2022) at up to 30W, provided that you have a power brick that can output such wattage.