M2 iPad Air Review: 3 Weeks Later!
Vložit
- čas přidán 7. 09. 2024
- Apple released new iPads in the middle of May, and we recently posted our review of the M4 iPad Pro. Now, it’s time to focus our attention on the new M2 iPad Air that was released alongside it.
Is this iPad the one for everyone? Probably not. I think the newly reduced-price iPad 10th gen is the one that everyone should get if they just want a solid iPad to do normal iPad things.
the iPad for (probably) everyone - amzn.to/4aSGfSD
M2 iPad Air - amzn.to/4ee5cuo
M4 iPad Pro - amzn.to/4e9E4ge
🌐 Connect with Dan:
𝕏: / danbarbera
Instagram: / danbarbera1
TikTok: / macrumors
Dan's CZcams Channel: / danbarbera1
🎙️ Follow The MacRumors Show Podcast: / @themacrumorsshow
The most popular Apple News & Rumors site on the Internet.
Welcome to MacRumors, your ultimate destination for in-depth and insightful Mac reviews, where we go beyond the surface to bring you a comprehensive look at everything Apple & Mac! 🍎✨
🖥️💻Thorough Reviews: We meticulously test and evaluate each product, exploring the features, performance, and understanding its capabilities.
🔍 In-Depth Analysis: Dive deep into the intricacies of Apple's latest technologies and innovations.
🌐 Mac News & Rumors: Stay up-to-date with our coverage of the latest tech news, and be the first to know about upcoming new Apple product releases, updates, and developments.
🔧 Apple Accessories: Enhance your Mac experience with our reviews and recommendations for must-have accessories.
💡 Tips & Tricks: Unlock the full potential of your Mac with our tips and tricks that make your user experience easy.
Subscribe now and join our community of Mac enthusiasts!
I was thinking about the iPad 10 but have concerns that Apple won’t support updates in about 2 years. So thinking of this iPad Air.
Exactly my concerns too
why? ipads usually get around 6-7 years of updates. But the M chips are def a better choice for the future
One aspect that I rarely see being commented: the iPad is also a device to hold in your hand. I bought the 11 inch Pro because I find it better to hold it than the Air. Lighter and thinner does make a difference here.
I agree the 11inch is best for in hand, I had a real struggle deciding on 13 or 11, but just loved the big screen which I dock to the new Magic Keyboard which I never used prior. Just great for everyday use and video watching. The keys feel great and touch pad is responsive with nice feedback. The extra screen size is great for doing other general work. I thought I may still need folio case for times I would just wanna carry around but I think it will just be sitting around not being used having to take on off then on. Only complaint with keyboard is opening it is a bit of a pain in the ass. I think Apple even with thin design could have fit an SD card slot for video/picture transfer ease rather than dongle.
I am extremely happy with the new pad. I had a 12.9 years ago and then moved to the mini but was just too small after living with it. The FaceTime camera being moved was much needed. The screen on the new generation pad is just memorizing and was biggest selling point with amazing colors and very bright screen. Great job Apple with exception of price 😊
Exactly. I have my laptop if have to dock it.
Yeah, essentially M2 Pro iPad 12.9 but
13” and 60hz and LCD screen.
Landscape camera.
Supports for older Apple Pencil+Keyboard-Yes to new Apple Pencil Pro.
No Face ID.
2 speakers (air) vs 4 speakers (pro).
If none of those bother you, get the new M2 Air 13”.
I would recommend the M2 iPad Pro 12.9 over this new M2 Air 13”..or even the M1 iPad Pro.
What you are saying makes sense ... the only problem is, the m2 pro's (new) are getting harder to find (in my country at least) ... and if you do happen to find one, they are still pricey cause its an apple product and they (annoyingly, in this case) hold their value.
No pro motion is criminal
The biggest issue with the M2 pro is that the screen has PWM. Dealbreaker for me so I’m really happy the Air M2 has a screen with no PWM.
You need to thing about the average consumer which isn’t gonna care about 120Hz so stop forcing your preferences on others.
Bought the 11” M2 Air. It’s really good. The display is meh. I’m ok with 60Hz but it’s ”only” good quality IPS not OLED. Definitely not a MacBook replacement. And it’s not “just a USB-C for charging” it’s at least 10 Gb/s port supporting HDMI hubs etc. Pro Pencil is great though in Notes and Freeform it causes overheating and battery drain, Goodnotes 6 work OK.
Good to know about the heating and battery drain. That happens in notes when I use on my iPad mini. Little attention has been drawn to this (no pun). Are you saying the good notes app is better and avoids heat/drain?
@@rickiehoxton yeah, doesn’t drain battery doesn’t overheat. IMHO notes are poorly optimized. Someone suggested adding page breaks so it doesn’t consider all of the text as one image. I wrote about 10 pages and then it also started lagging. Goodnotes are good enough and you won’t burn your hand. Heard it’s the same on M4.
thanks for the clarification on the 10gb/s supporting HDMI hubs. Immediately I saw that information on just USB-C for charging, I paused the video and kept scrolling till I found your comment! Just got my iPad Air M2 with the pencil pro yesterday, and I think it is fantastic
I got the same one, going from an iPad 9 the screen is a minor upgrade
@@jonplukehughes2807I upgraded from an iPad Air 2
i have the iPad 10th gen and it’s chip is showing signs of being slow when I’m trying to scroll on websites and streaming services, that coupled with the fact that i want stage manager and i don’t own an M-silicone anything and id love to start the switch with my daily driver which is my iPad. plus… i really want 13 inches it’s such a big difference and honestly probably the number one reason why I’m gonna go for the iPad.
Is it worth waiting for a newer iPad in Sep rather than getting the reduced iPad 10? Is it likely the iPad 10’s price will be further reduced if there’s an iPad 11 announced next month?
Could not agree more. I’ve been using the M1 Pro with Magic Keyboard for many years as a thin client or terminal machine during the day and then netbook at night when work is done and I am in content consumption mode. It’s near perfect!
I wish the browser was a full browser with extension support like the Mac’s and I would like a better trackpad.
Great review. Thank you for mentioning more occupations than video editing. Considering enterprise is one of the iPad’s biggest buyers you’d think more reviewers would give a shout out to the professionals that probably USE it professionally. Several reviewers have commented that Apple’s 60hz is noticeably smoother and more fluid than the same on competitors devices. That would make going from 60 to 120 less dramatic on Apple devices though.
Surprisingly the 60hz isn’t as bad and noticeable unless you actually focus on it.
I actually own a m2 pro 12.9 inch and just checked the Air out in store. The screen does stand out as a bit off a downgrade if you are super picky. I am not. I think it’s just fine. A big screen Air is welcoming
I dont mind buying the airs as the pros are pretty high. I do feel the 60hz often though when scrolling through news and text. I wish theyd go to 90hz
@@TranceFan05 I think we know 90hz won’t happen lol. I personally would suggest Apple do away with the Air models and start with a base iPad, iPad Mini, iPad Plus, and then go to your pro level. The iPad lineup is basically a mess with now
Respectfully disagree. 120hz makes a huge difference in smoothness and responsiveness. It makes it feel like a whole different device, more premium
@@jessechristman1471no it not I ask young people in my family what is 120hz they will not know what it is
My phone is still 60hz so i actually dont mind a 60hz tablet to be honest.
I have the 13 inch air. Only thing that slightly bothers me is the battery life doesn’t seem that great, or as good as expected.
Yea the battery life is disappointing, and there’s some heating issues with the M2 Air as well. Just using Notes and Freeform already heats up my iPad.
Got mine for $599 for the air + cellular, best bang for buck iPad for sure
I'd say it'd be better to get the 2022 iPad Pro 12.9 with M2 over any newer Air iPad because you get Face I.D., 120 hz pro motion and miniled screen
Only one glitch - the battery only last about 6 hours with screen up to half light.
I bought the 13 inch Air purely for the LCD rather than the PWM Mini-LED/OLED and my expectations were just to suck up the 60hz.
However, the screen is absolutely fantastic and whilst its 60hz on paper when in the midst of use I just marvel at how buttery smooth it all is.
TBH, rather than than the lack of Promotion, the biggest compromise is lack of Face ID
Anyone thinking of a 13 inch Air I'd say absolutely go for it.
How is the battery life?
@@JEYMS very good I say. Not something I've measured too closely, but you won't find any complaints
@@swblade6190You are okay with the 60Hz display with that price tag? As an iPhone 15 pro user, i just can't handle that 13 inch 60Hz display.
@@kfx3907 price tag wasn't great, but an M2 iPad should/could last 10 years and beyond
I just bought a 10th gen iPad today. I love it.
Do you use for social media only or you play video games as well? How is performance?
at that price point an iPad Air m1 would have been much better
@@MrLibardoqhonestly, as someone who chose the m2 air over the 10 gen, there ain’t much difference except the air has anti reflective coating which makes it a much better experience to watch movies or take it outdoor to do stuff. Gaming Performance is great on both devices and pretty much the same experience except the air can handle the graphic intensive games like Assassin’s creed mirage etc while the Grand Theft Auto’s definitive edition experience some lagging on the 10 gen while in the air, its almost nonexistent. The 10 gen also don’t have those advanced video editing softwares but I didn’t do any of that so it doesn’t matter but the difference is the pencil where the usb-c pencil have to get charged separately which is a bit annoying whilst the pro can charge just by attaching it to the air. P.s, the air is lighter which feels great when you put it on your hands. Thats my two cents😊
@@ChromaSupno, the air m1 starts with 64 gb which really sucks and also it doesn’t support the pencil pro which is another downside.
@@Passque666 I said at that price point, the 10th gen also got 64gb and m2 cost much more than m1 for basically the same iPad
I just got this iPad and Magic Keyboard, for the trackpad you can go into settings and toggle on the feature to tap on the trackpad rather than click.
I know a Lot of water has flown under the bridge since Steve Jobs passed away and that Apple has changed down through the years, but harking back to when Steve first demod the iPad, it was NEVER meant to be anything other than a consumption device, albeit with a little office work (Pages, Number, Keynote) the idea being you started a project on the iPad finished it on a Mac.
it was never meant for any heavy duty programs (Logic Pro, Final Cut Pro etc) oh sure you can start a simple project on it, but to finish it you did so on your MacBook or your iMac.
Maybe it isn't only Apple that have forgotten this, maybe it Is all of us as well, Year over Year the common complaint over the iPad is how constrained it is by the software (Professional Software)
I don't think it helped when Tim Cook first started to tell everyone who would listen, how he thought the iPad could actually be a computer replacement, again we took him at his word and as a result started to. believe that as well. In hynsight maybe Apple should have stopped production of the iPad when it had the M1 and just concentrated on the software for that chip.
I plan on picking up the iPad Air as I feel that thr iPad Air M2 has more than enough power for my needs and the fact that it’s 60Hz doesn’t bother me either. I feel it’s the best iPad for most people that aren’t pro users.
Forgot to mention it's thinner and lighter than m2 iPad pro. I think that's a big deal for a lot of people.
Other way around. The pro is actually thinner and lighter than the air this time.
@@SpaceDad42 yeah I'm comparing to me (last gen)
So, for a student that does have a laptop they use and just wants to draw with procreate and also read some articles for school (for annotating/marking with apple pencil), would you recommend the 10th gen or this air? I was thinking 10th gen at first until I saw that the base storage for the air was 128GB (upgrading the 10th gen costs almost as much as an air). Now, I am torn.
As seen in WWDC, I would suggest you to go for one that has an M chip inside it, because it will receive future updates like Apple Intelligence, and M chips are generally very powerful.
If you want multitasking, go for the 12.9 air or an older pro! If you don’t mind the smaller size, go for the iPad 10th gen!
if i'm going to use ipad along with magic keyboard in daily basis then macbook is far better than any ipad out there simply for OS alone .
i got my ipad air m2 last week and it’s the best ipad ever!
You mentioned home inspections. That is my trade and I use the iPad Pro all the time and I so wish Apple didn't discontinue the ultra wide angle camera on the new pros. I need those Ultra wide angle photos for CYA. Kinda tired of airdropping all my photos from my phone into the iPad. I really wish the iPad mini had an ultra wide angle camera too but I have a feeling those cameras are gone from the iPad lineup.
Waiting for the next IPAD Mini. That is the only IPAD I am interested in.
Same here.
I think you’ll be waiting a very long time imo I think Apple is killing all the Mini devices 😢
@@katinasoutherland7693that wouldn’t make sense for them, the mini is the most sold iPad if I’m not mistaken.
The screen is keeping me from buying it.
I swear, can use lcd if only its 90 or 120 hz. Cannot go back to 60 hz at that size.
I mostly drawing on my iPad, so it’s really nice to have ProMotion…. Feels different with the pencil
are there exclusivities that only the "Pro" models have or can have? (i know about the lidar, screen (no pro-motion and miniled/oled option), face id, etc. i'll happily trade those for experiencing the new pen without having to pay twice as much)
The best tablet ever🎉🎉🎉
Should I buy 13 inch ipad air m2 or 11 inch ipad pro m4 for digital art and animation and it will be my first ipad???
I have the same question.
@@nelofnazar6318 I have asked this same question to more than 20 creators and almost all them have said to buy 13 inch ipad air m2 as it has larger screen and m2 is also future proof and powerful and the display is also very good . So I think you should also m2 air 13 inche 😁😁
i recommed you to go with 13 inch i pad air because it has much larger screen and good for your work. 11 inches seems to be small and the difference is refresh rate for me.
Still using air 4 as a replacement of personal computer. No need for an upgrade for now
Between the new Air and new Pro is not thousands it’s approximately $400-$500 and also you can’t just leave your Apple Pencil in the drawer until you want to use it as it needs to be charged. If you want a tablet you can have a pencil that can be stowed away somewhere and is always ready to be used get a Samsung tablet.
No face-id is a no go! It makes things much easier!
@@alecbarton28Probably with the next tablet refresh in 2026.
I don’t mind LCD but 60hz is terrible
Should have got the Pro then.There is a choice.
@@davidjacobs6244 I actually did get the pro babes! Upgraded from iPad Air 4th gen to m4 iPad Pro 😘
M1 IPad pros are available in the refurbished store for less than this . Much much better deal.
Terrible idea.
Can’t change the volume button orientation in the setting. It sucks.
THIS
lol that’s been driving me crazy after 10 years with the volume rocker set opposite
64gb is a crime
Air m2 comes with base 128gb storage
This was always the plan since it was announced, it’s priced fairly decently and the M2 should in theory make it very future proof which means it’s a cost effective option
it’s replacing my iPad air (yep the first one)
Same. I replaced my 2014 iPad Air 2. So far loving the M2 … perfect jump a device that lasted years to a device that should last for years.
I've 3rd gen iPad that was the last model that had 3.5 mm jack and for me personally to buy any further iPad from that model is a big no as not a single one has simple 3.5 mm jack and Apple is asking crazy sum for any iPad when you consider this. It's just a marketing, some upgrades here and there but it's a same crap and people buy it.
I still use my 7th gen iPad
I'm just drawing with procreate, but I get 1.40 hours of screen time. Why is it too low, what should I do? (ipad air m2)
You got scammed by apple with their overpriced garbage 😂
@@johnboona4048 How?
60hz and lcd screen in present day is criminal
No it’s not
No it’s not.Not everybody is bothered about the refresh rate.It’s still a great display.For people who want OLED and 120hz there is the Pro models.There is a choice.
@@davidjacobs6244 exactly
@@davidjacobs6244 💯
@@davidjacobs6244 could rather buy older pro version than this new one with outdated display . iPad is mostly for content consumption no matter how hard we try to use as a computer so for that display quality matters as well. if you need iPad which is far more cheaper then get entry level iPad .For me I feel this air version is there just to upsell use into buying pro models.Still could've been lot better if apple decides to give somewhat better display in non-pro models though.
After using the Logitech Combo Touch keyboard for my tenth generation iPad, I could never use a keyboard without a function row and backlit keys 😊
I love my 13 inch air
Very helpful review.
Is that the ultrahuman ring on your hand? will you do a review soon? confused between trying this or waiting for the samsung one
Don’t waste your money. Garbage hype trend.
I bought it around a month ago, it overheats a lot
I already have the MacBook Air so the 11 inch is good enough for me 😊
The port is "just USB-C, not Thunderbolt, so it's good for charging"???
That USB-C port will still connect to external SDD's, port replicators, HDMI and DisplayPort displays (via passive USB-C-to-HDMI and passive USB-C-to-DisplayPort cables), right? It is just slower (10Mbit/sec versus 40 for Thuderbolt), and it will not work with USB-C-only displays (like the Apple Display), right???
Let's be honest, the only real difference between the air and pro is the refresh rate.
The m2 pro has a mini LED display
@@macrumors and most of us don’t care 🤷
Nobody ever mentions one if the biggest reasons to go with the new Airs - NO PWM
I upgraded from the iPad mini 5 to the 11” M2 iPad Air because I wanted a bigger laminated display for watching movies and CZcams. I got a good trade in along with education discounts overall cost was $364 with tax for the base model. I have no regrets, kept my mini for 5 years and I’m sure the air will last me longer than that. So far the size is welcoming and the 11” is really portable for me as well.
I just wanted to say thanks. You just convinced me.
I have been a happy mini 5 user since they were released but have been desperately needing an upgrade. The glass is chipping at the edges, it’s noticeably slower and the battery is at the annoying “50%+ to
@@SmokeyChipOatley oh wow, I hope you like it. What did the trick for me was when I noticed I watch content more than read. I was never holding my iPad for long periods. The mini was always prompt up by the folio case. Movies and CZcams on the 11” make a world of difference. I’m very happy, it was time for me to upsize. Best of luck with your purchase.
I don’t think there’s anyone who is completely using an iPad as a laptop replacement
You’d be very surprised
Touch ID atleast one the 11‘ is perfectly fine
Kinda funny to see those iSheeps screaming they are okay with the 60Hz display😂😂 They don't think about the price-value and just keep saying 60Hz is nothing different from 120Hz so i'm okay.
Now i know what makes Apple so lazy as hell😂
I prefer tab s9
IPados can’t be paired with M chips. Need macos
60Hz LCD 😂
What about battery life pls hurry up
Google it, gen z kiddo.
SnackRumors
$600 for an iPad... Jesus
I like your oura ring ;)
no PROblem
Xiaomi 6s pro is much more better!!!
The whole M-series is overpower for the iPad that's iPadOS throttles it back. So buy M2 M4 iPad makes no sense. It's like buying a Ferrari and having a rev' limiter on the engine no matter what you do it's only going to go so fast. Once Apple put out it M1 chip they were hitting the point of diminishing return for the typical Apple buyer.
Why would I spend thousands on a laptop? Decent ones sell for less than 500!!
Decent one less than $500?
Lol
Waste of money.
Not a good review video
Ita a Samsung tab s9 without oled without one with out keybord and without tablet😂😂😂
It’s not Samsung anything
You forgot it also runs iPadOS and enables the awesome ecosystem that is decidedly not the trash heap that is the android ecosystem...
Thank God it’s not that junkie ass FE or S6 light Samsung tablet for the same damn price of the 10Th generation powerful IPad
@@katinasoutherland7693 ipad is an old samsung tab ! this ipad air is an old generation of samsung tab
I compared the Pro M4 vs Air M2 side to side for couple hours and the only difference I noticed was the color black are more black on the Pro. I bought the Air and Comparing to my iPhone pro max or my Mac Book Pro, I don't see any huge difference between 60hz and 120hz. The only thing I REALLY noticed is Apple sponsored fans trying to justify spending more for the Pro.
Update: I also have the iPad 10th and I don't see any noticeable difference on screen compared to the Air M2 (only the gap). I keep the Air m2 just because I want to use the new Apple Pencil Pro, to have more powerful chip because I edit videos and because Apple is really good discontinuing hardware that is still capable.
how is the battery compared to the 10th gen iPad?
You can’t see the difference in 60hz and 120hz when scrolling???
@elimporta2 how's the battery backup?
does touch id work even if the screen is off or do i need to press the power button first?