The 5th generation “iPad Air” has been newly added to Apple’s iPad series. This new iPad Air seems to be the best choice for those who are thinking about getting started with iPad / tablets. I will explain the reason.
As of March 2022, Apple’s iPad series has the flagship model iPad Pro at the top, the high-end model iPad Air, the 8.3-inch compact iPad mini, and the cheapest basic model, the 9th generation “unbranded” iPad. Are available.
We will compare what the iPad Air is like in these lineups.
In addition to the same high-performance M1 chip as the iPad Pro, it also has Touch ID that the iPad Pro does not have
First, I will explain the features of the 5th generation iPad Air. “Apple M1” is installed in the system-on-chip that is the brain of this machine. It is a chip designed by Apple that has the same high processing performance and power saving performance as the current iPad Pro.
On the other hand, there are some parts that are the same as the 4th generation iPad Air, such as an all-screen design that does not have operation parts such as buttons on the front side, and the size of the main body is 178.5 width × 247.6 height × 6.1 mm thickness.
The Touch ID fingerprint authentication sensor, which securely unlocks the screen and makes electronic payments using Apple Pay while identifying the user’s fingerprint, is built into the top button on the side of the iPad Air. This top button embedded Touch ID fingerprint sensor has also been adopted for the 6th generation iPad mini.
I mainly use the iPad Pro with Face ID, but sometimes I find it inconvenient to be unable to unlock the screen while wearing a mask when I’m on the go, and the 5th generation iPad Air that can perform fingerprint authentication is that. In terms of points, it makes me want it.
Now, if you want to see the 5th generation iPad Air as an easy-to-use tablet that replaces laptops like the iPad Pro, now is the time to buy a Wi-Fi + Cellular model that allows you to stretch out and perform mobile data communication.
The Wi-Fi + Cellular model is 18,000 yen (tax included) higher than the Wi-Fi single model, but once you experience the comfort of a “tablet that can always connect to the network” including 4G LTE, you can not go back. The advantage of having more freedom of remote work and more secure network communication than public Wi-Fi will be a big advantage in the business scene.
The fact that you can use a genuine Apple keyboard is a charm that the iPad mini does not have
The 5th generation iPad Air can use genuine Apple keyboard accessories such as the Magic Keyboard (34,980 yen including tax) and Smart Keyboard Folio (21,800 yen including tax) that connect to the Smart Connector. These do not require Bluetooth pairing settings or separate charging.
In addition to the iPad stand that allows you to adjust the angle of the screen, it also serves as a robust cover, so it’s a little expensive accessory, but if you use it for various purposes, you should be able to recover it firmly.
In terms of portability, the 6th generation iPad mini with an 8.3-inch Liquid Retina display is also an attractive tablet, but it does not support this genuine Apple keyboard, and it is a big difference from the 5th generation iPad Air in the user experience. Will be. Especially if you’re looking to use the iPad as an alternative to mobile laptops for the production of long texts and presentation sheets, you shouldn’t miss the features of the genuine Apple keyboard that integrates with the 5th generation iPad Air.
The author, who also uses the iPad mini, had a hard time finding a wireless keyboard and stand that wouldn’t compromise the portability of the console.
The difference in display size between the 5th generation iPad Air and the 6th generation iPad mini is effective when enjoying entertainment content such as movies and dramas. However, when it comes to mobile games, I think the iPad mini is the limit for operating the screen with both hands while traveling by train or airplane.
So for mobile games, it would be great if you could play on your iPhone when you’re on the go, settle down at home, and enjoy the large screen of the iPad Air with a Bluetooth wireless remote control.
The iPad Air is more “beginner-friendly” than the unbranded iPad because of its second-generation Apple Pencil and all-screen design.
The 9th generation iPad is also an excellent tablet that strongly supports remote work and remote school. The performance achieved by the A13 Bionic chip is clearly not inferior to that of the 5th generation iPad Air, and “what you can do” such as mobile data communication by 4G LTE, fingerprint authentication by Touch ID, and support for Smart Keyboard. You will not feel any shortage.
The 64GB Wi-Fi model with the least storage capacity is as cheap as 39,800 yen (tax included), so the cost performance is perfect.
However, the more seriously you use the iPad, the more you may start to worry about the details of the basic model, MUJI iPad. In particular, the usability of Apple Pencil is very different.
The 2nd generation Apple Pencil, which is not supported by MUJI iPad and can be used with the 5th generation iPad Air, is lighter, more compact and easier to handle. In addition, the display of the 5th generation iPad Air supports anti-reflection coating. Furthermore, due to the technology of the full lamination display, there is almost no gap from the liquid crystal panel to the pen tip, so you can get a comfortable writing feeling as if handwritten characters and lines stick to the pen tip.
The typing feeling of the keyboard is different for each person, but I feel a little uncomfortable with the soft keystroke feeling of the Smart Keyboard compatible with the MUJI iPad.
Another thing is that the unbranded iPad has a home button with a built-in Touch ID fingerprint authentication sensor on the display side, so the immersive feeling when displaying videos and game images will still be enhanced by the all-screen design iPad Air.
The 5th generation iPad Air has solved the dissatisfaction that seems to come out after starting to use it.
In this way, when you compare it with the iPad Pro / iPad mini / MUJI iPad, you can see that it is differentiated in detail. Among them, if you try to select it as an introductory machine, the iPad Pro with “Pro” in the name seems to be good even if it is an iPad mini or an unbranded iPad, assuming that it is set aside.
However, the iPad, which has a high degree of perfection as a product in the first place, makes you want to use it more when you have it, and then you want to consider purchasing genuine Apple accessories. At that time, you may be dissatisfied with the iPad mini that does not support Magic Keyboard / Smart Keyboard Folio or the unbranded iPad that cannot use the 2nd generation Apple Pencil. Also, if you want to enjoy content on your tablet, you may regret the small screen and non-all-screen design later.
The 5th generation iPad Air seems to have resolved the dissatisfaction that seems to come out after such an introduction. For those who are thinking about using the iPad more seriously for work and entertainment, choosing the iPad Air as the “first iPad” will be a long and satisfying purchase.
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