Thinking about buying a new iPad? I've been in your shoes.
I've never been much of an Apple user but as a liveaboard cruiser the thought of getting an iPad for the boat had been playing on my mind for a while. With the release of the iPad Air M2 I decided to take the plunge and buy one, planning to use it for my freelance work, daily organization and various sailing apps.
Having had the iPad for a while now here's my take on the pros, cons, features and accessories, as someone who uses it on a daily basis.
CONTENTS:
Specifications
Physical features
Functionality & performance
Recommended accessories
Pros & cons (Would I buy again?)
Fast FAQ from an iPad Air owner
iPad Air specifications
Currently Apple have three iPads for sale in the Apple Store.
iPad (10th Gen)
iPad Air (M2)
iPad Pro (M4)
Let's take look at how each of these compares, focusing on specifications that are relevant to people who want the iPad for a mix of work and play.
Specifications | iPad 10 | iPad Air | iPad Pro |
Size | |||
Display Type | LED Backlit display 2420x1668 | LED Backlit display 2420x1668 | Tandem OLED display 2420x1668 |
Chip | A14 | M2 | M4 |
Rear Camera | 12MP with 4K video | 12MP with 4K video | 12MP with 4K video & ProRes |
Audio | 2 speakers 2 microphones | 2 speakers 2 microphones | 4 speakers 4 microphones |
Connectivity | Wi-Fi 6E 5G cellular Bluetooth 5.2 | Wi-Fi 6E 5G cellular Bluetooth 5.3 | |
Capacity | 64 GB, 256 GB | 128 GB, 256 GB, 512 GB, 1 TB | 256 GB, 512 GB, 1 TB, 2 TB |
Battery | Up to 10 hours of web surfing on Wi-Fi | Up to 10 hours of web surfing on Wi-Fi | Up to 10 hours of web surfing on Wi-Fi |
Price | From $349 | 11 inch from $599 13 inch from $799 | 11 inch from $999 13 inch from $1299 |
Having reviewed the specifications and some online reviews I chose the iPad Air. I thought that buying the middle of the road option would help to future proof my purchase without having to outlay the money for a Pro, which to be honest I don't really need given my laptop is my main work device. For the size I chose 256 GB, planning to rely mostly on Cloud based storage.
Comparing Apple chips
Knowing which processing chip is best can be a little tricky, especially if you aren't familiar with Apple products. In general, the more powerful the chip the more expensive the device, but the faster and more futureproof it is too.
A useful point of comparison I found was looking at the specifications of other Apple products, such as the MacBook and MacBook Air, to see what they're using. At the moment, M2 and M3 chips are being used in the MacBook Air lineup, the same M2 chip used in the iPad Air.
Physical design
The M2 version of the Apple Air comes in two sizes; 11 inch or 13 inch. The price difference between the two is around $200, so it depends on your budget and needs as to which one is better. Personally I chose the 11 inch as I wanted something compact and budget friendly, but if I had a do-over I think I'd get the 13 inch so I had more screen space to work with when using productivity and typing apps.
Regardless of the size, the iPad Air screen is an LED backlit Liquid Retina display. When held landscape there's a 12 MP Ultra Wide front camera at the top center, which is great positioning for video calls. Above that is the magnet for holding and charging the Apple Pencil.
On the other side of the iPad is the rear camera, which is a 12 MP Wide camera capable of shooting 4K video. I don't usually take photos with my iPad, but the ones I have for quick social media updates have turned out fine.
Aside from that, the iPad has buttons on the side to turn the volume up and down, and on the top to lock the iPad. There's a USB-C charging port at the bottom, and speakers on either side.
iPad Air setup
The first part of the setup is done when the iPad is first turned on. You don't have to have an Apple ID at this stage, just follow the prompts to input the basic information and accept the user agreement.
When you start trying to install apps, that's when you must have an Apple ID. To set up an Apple ID you need a valid email address and a phone number that can be verified. Something to keep in mind is that the area code of the phone number needs to match the country of the billing address. As a liveaboard cruiser this took a bit of time and coordination with people back home as Australian numbers don't work where we currently are.
Functionality of the iPad Air
The iPad Air has the power to work faster and harder than the entry level iPad, and from my experience it's great for basic tasks like word processing, emails, video calls, social media coordination (part of my job) and day planning. It's not as suited for high demand computing tasks like heavy photo or video editing, website editing, backend content management, or programs that aren't optimized for iPad, but that's where I'd use my laptop instead.
Having the Apple Pencil Pro to use with the iPad opens up a whole realm of possibilities that aren't available with a laptop. For creatives it works flawlessly with apps like Procreate, which I use for work (creating graphic designs) as well as leisure. Using the pencil to take notes has also been handy, and the programming is able to convert my cursive to type with a relatively high degree of accuracy. My only gripe is the pencil seems to drain the iPad battery faster than it should.
As a liveaboard cruiser the iPad also acts as an anchor alarm hub, I can mirror our MFD and it's become the main point of reference for apps like Predict Wind. It's also set up as a back up navigation device in case of a lightning strike, using Garmin Active Captain.
iPad Air accessories
If you buy an Apple iPad through the Apple store you get offered the option to buy an Apple pencil or keyboard, and can have your iPad custom engraved on the back.
These are the Apple pencils and keyboards that are compatible with the current range of iPads.
Accessory | iPad 10th Gen | iPad Air M2 | iPad Pro M4 |
Apple Pencil | Apple Pencil USB-C Apple Pencil (Gen 1) | Apple Pencil USB-C Apple Pencil Pro | Apple Pencil USB-C Apple Pencil Pro |
Apple Keyboard | Magic Keyboard for iPad Pro M4 | Magic Keyboard | Magic Keyboard Folio |
As you can see not all keyboards and pencils are compatible with all iPads. Personally, it was interesting to note that my old Apple Pencil (Gen 2) is not compatible with the current M2 iPad Air. In the end I chose to get the Apple Pencil Pro over the Apple Pencil USB-C since I knew I'd use it a lot, but bought it from Amazon because it was cheaper.
For the keyboard I chose to get a cheaper, well rated Bluetooth keyboard from Amazon, as I didn't feel the Magic Keyboard was worth the price tag. For me it's only there to serve in place of my laptop when needed, and I thought a full sized option would be better for heavy typing. The downside; since it isn't attached to a case it would be inconvenient if I needed to use the iPad on the go.
Protective Case
One crucial accessory to consider is a protective case to keep the iPad safe in the event of a fall. Some come with an integrated keyboard while others just protect the iPad. Personally I went for a cheap but well rated rubber case, prioritizing impact protection and a fold out stand for landscape use.
Pros and cons of the iPad Air
Taking in all of the features, here are some of the pros and cons that could sway you towards or away from buying the M2 Apple iPad Air.
Pros of the iPad Air (M2) | Cons of the iPad Air (M2) |
M2 chips is more future proof than the A14 chip in the iPad Larger storage capacity options than the iPad, up to 1 TB Available in the larger 13 inch size Supports Apple Pencil Pro | LED backlit screen instead of OLED Doesn't have Thunderbolt support for fast transfers No SD card slot Not compatible with Apple Pencil 2 |
Would I buy it again?
Buying an iPad for our boat has been great so far. I've transitioned my daily planning to apps (Planmore is brilliant!), it's being integrated with the boat systems and also gives me multiple options for entertainment as well as providing redundancy for my work laptop. So far the iPad Air has met all my expectations and if I had my time again I'd happily get another, although maybe in the 13 inch.
Fast FAQ
Q: Is the iPad Air good for students?
A: Having working in education for several years the iPad Air is a great option for high school and college students. The issue with the entry level iPad is the lack of storage space, which is one of the greatest problems my students would run into. Also, the faster processing of the iPad Air means it should be able to cope with the progress of app technology for the duration of your course. I would recommend an Apple pencil and portable keyboard, as this vastly improves the functionality in a schooling context.
Personally I wouldn't recommend the iPad Air for elementary school students or younger, simply because of the cost and likelihood of the iPad being damaged. The iPad 10 is enough to cope with the demands of their school work, with the biggest problem I encountered being home apps, photos and videos using up the memory.
Q: What is the Apple Intelligence feature?
A: Apple Intelligence is a personal intelligence system integrated into Apple devices that's designed to enhance communication, productivity, and self-expression while prioritizing privacy. It offers features such as summarizing notifications, prioritizing urgent messages, and providing smart replies based on email content. It can also curate photos and videos into AI-generated movies, understands on-screen actions to streamline tasks and has integration with ChatGPT.
A: In my opinion no, because while it may seem like overkill for now, it helps future proof your device as apps become more complex and increasingly demanding on the processor.
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