New iPad Air 4 Review: More Pro than Air

The new 2020 iPad Air 4 was one of the biggest reveals during the newest Apple event which took place on the 15th of September at their Apple Park headquarters in Cupertino, California, along with the Apple Watch Series 6.

iPad Air 4 Review: Specs Overview

10.9-inch (1640 x 2360 pixels) Liquid Retina Display
Apple A14 Bionic chip (5nm)
Apple GPU
Single 12 MP wide rear camera and 7 MP selfie camera
Up to 10 hours of on-screen time
iOS 14

iPad Air 2020 Review: Design

One of the very first impressions you’re most likely to get is that the new iPad Air 2020 4th gen looks just like the 2018 iPad Pro.

The whole setup of bezel-less display on the front and the single camera on the back is just all too familiar.

Now, following along with the likeness to the iPad Pro 2018 in terms of design, it’s only logical to assume the iPad Air 2020 would have a face ID, which Apple has improved and developed into a pretty reliable option and not just a gimmick. But surprisingly, it does feature one. Instead, you get a Touch ID sensor that is integrated into the top button.

Nevertheless, it’s an interesting choice to go with the touch ID instead with face ID making the new iPad Air 4 the first Apple tablet to have a touch ID.

iPad Air 2020 Review: Performance

The new 5nm A14 Bionic chip is one of the prominent features on the iPad Air 4. With a six-core architecture, it is supposed to be more powerful than the A13 by a significant amount

With the Neural Engine and the 64-bit architecture on the new six-core Bionic Chip, it’s said (according to Apple) that the A14 will be around 40% more powerful than the previous model.

Hopefully, this will also be the processor that integrates the iPhone 12 that will still have to wait a few weeks to be introduced, and we will surely see how the A14 Bionic is precisely responsible for much of the performance of your camera system.

These internal improvements also affect LTE connectivity, which can be up to 60% faster for example. Wi-Fi 6 connectivity support is another improvement in that area.

iPad Air 4 Review: Display

With 10.9 LED Liquid Retina display at 1640 x 2360 pixels, the iPad Air 4 is covered in the display department, It’s pretty much the same quality screen as on the iPad Pro, with one exception.

When it comes to color reproduction, brightness, and all that, True Tone technology still works wonders on adjusting your screen accordingly. With 500 nits, the display offers good legibility even in direct sunlight, with the antireflective coating doing a handy job.

One of the things we expected but didnt get was of course the ultra-smooth 120Hz refresh-rate display with ProMotion tech. But, hey, you get a lot of Pro for an Air price point.

So, in that particular aspect, the iPad Pro stays in front of the iPad Air 4.

iPad Air 4 Review: Battery Life

The 28.6 watt-hour battery on the new iPad Air should be able to hit anywhere around 10 hours of uninterrupted usage. Actually, Apple themselves backed the claim that the iPad Air will enable you 10 hours of screen-on time while you browse the internet, watch movies, etc.

New iPad Air 2020 Review: Audio

The quad-stereo speaker setup on the iPad Air 2020 4th gen is something that lives up to the expectations which Apple has set so far when it comes to the audio experience. It is definitely on par with the iPad Pro.

New iPad Air 2020 Review: Cameras

Now, when it comes to cameras on a tablet, people just don’t use them much, except for selfie cameras which are mainly used for video calls and that’s why there’s never been a proper focus on tablet cameras. I don’t think there are many people who would want to take photos with their iPad Air but Apple made a few tweaks here too.

iPad Air cameras also take a generational leap. The front features a 7 MP f/2.2 sensor capable of capturing 1080p video at 60 FPS and ensuring FaceTime HD quality video conferencing.

On the back we have the wide-angle 12 MP sensor and f/1.8 aperture that we already saw on the iPad Pro and that will allow this iPad Air to have a remarkable photographic quality and that it is also possible to record 4K video at 60 FPS with improved video stabilization.

iPad Air 4 Review: Ports

The USB-C port featured on the Pro models is also present on the new iPad Air 4, instead of the lightning port. That, along with a 20W charging adapter is an improvement over the lightning cable and the previous 18W adapter. You can also connect your iPad Air 4 with a Magic keyboard via the smart connector.

So, thanks to the USB-C port, the transmission of data and charging will be a lot easier and almost 10 times faster, as Apple claims, giving you also the possibility to connect your iPad Air to external devices, monitors and such.

iPad Air 4 2020 Review: Accessories

One of the greatest accessories that iPads got was the Apple Pencil, and now the second iteration, the improved Apple Pencil 2.

And now the iPad Air 4 gets into the line of tablets that support this magnificent accessory

Besides tha Apple Pencil 2, the new iPad Air 2020 is now compatible with Magic Keyboard as well so you have the full set of compatible accessories that the iPad Pro has access to.

That means you get to enjoy enhanced productivity and workflow.

Apple Pencil

The Apple Pencil Gen 2 will improve on productivity and workflow for anyone in the creative field or just using the iPad for taking notes, and college students can benefit the most.

The Pencil itself docks firmly to the side of the iPad Air 2020 with the help of a magnet.

In its simplicity and genius design and ergonomics, the Apple Pencil 2 will provide you with that much better of an experience. Regardless of whether you are just taking notes on the new iPad air 2020 or doing design, illustration and more.

Magic Keyboard

The Magic Keyboard is one of the accessories that will be available for the new iPad Air 2020.

The folio-style Magic Keyboard itself is also a brand new 2020 accessory and is already getting fairly popular because of its capabilities, responsive keyboard switches (which supposedly use the same key switches as the new Macbook ) and compact design.

Including an USB-C port, you can charge or connect other devices to your Magic Keyboard than just the iPad Air 4.

Conclusion

The new iPad Air 2020 has much to offer. Starting from the powerful A14 Bionic processor, gorgeous design, and Liquid Retina display all the way to the available accessories like the Apple Pencil 2 and Magic Keyboard.

Available in 5 colors ( space gray, silver, sky blue, green, and rose gold) and starting at $599 for the 64GB version and $749 for the 256B version, you can find the iPad Air 4 on Amazon, and it is worth every penny.