One of the main differences, and which is also really important in terms of the user experience offered by these two devices, is the screen. Both have a 10.9-inch panel and while, again, they may initially appear the same, the reality is that they are not. The iPad Air screen is laminatedwhile that of the iPad 10 does not, which means that this small space that can be seen between the glass and what is the screen In itself, what is on the iPad does not exist on the iPad Air, thus giving the sensation of really writing on the screen itself.
In addition, when it comes to seeing them, they are not the same either, especially taking into account the possible use that many users can give these iPads together with photo editing apps. The iPad has a wide color gamut (P3)while iPad Air is sRGBwhich directly affects when doing creative work where color correspondence plays a fundamental role.
In the rest of the sections, both have the same characteristics, that is, a True Tone screen, a 500 nits peak brightness, and a resolution of 2360 x 1640 at 264 pixels per inch. To consume content, both are really good, now, if you want to do more or less professional photo editing or similar tasks, the iPad Air is the most suitable device for it of the two.
Power
Taking into account that the iPad is increasingly focused on meeting the needs of professionals, or at least that is Apple’s intention, the power that these iPads have is important to the extent that the user wants, since everything will depend on the use that they are going to make of the device. The iPad Air has the M1 chipso in power and performance, this device is completely left over, while the 10th generation iPad has the A14 Bionic chip insidemuch lower than the M1.
Nevertheless, the public to which each device is directed must be taken into account, and it is that the iPad 10 has the mission of fulfilling a series of very basic needs, hence it is classified as the entry model to the iPad range. On the other hand, the iPad Air is much more demanding, since, in theory, users who opt for this equipment will have much more demanding needs.
Accessories
Undoubtedly, one of the points where the 10th generation iPad has advanced the most and, therefore, has cut ground on the iPad Air 5 is in the accessories with which it is compatible. On the one hand, the iPad Air 5 has compatibility with the Apple keyboard Magic Keyboard and the 2nd generation Apple Pencilwhile the iPad 10 supports the Magic Keyboard Folioan exclusive keyboard for this iPad model and also maintains compatibility with the 1st generation Apple Pencil.
We say that the iPad 10 has cut the path to the iPad Air 5 mainly due to the presence of the Magic Keyboard Folio, since although it is far from being similar to the Magic Keyboard, it does incorporate a fundamental element that brings the experience that users can have with the Air and the Magic Keyboard, which is the trackpad. In this way, all those who have the iPad 10 will be able to use it “as if it were a computer”.
On the part of the Apple Pencil, the differences between using the first and second generation They lie mainly in the comfort that the second generation provides when you are not using it, since you can magnetize it to the side of the equipment, making the pencil always “stored” and also charging. For its part, the first generation with the iPad 10 does not have such a good relationship, since it does not magnetize but it is also that to charge it you need to have an adapter and a cable, since the pencil has Lightning input but the iPad 10 has a USB-C port.
Something in which they do coincide, fortunately, is in the USB-C port that both have at the bottomThis means that users can connect a large number of accessories to these computers, either directly or through the popular USB-C Hub, giving them both great potential in terms of taking advantage of all their capabilities.
they look alike in this
Obviously, when two teams look so similar aesthetically, they also have to have some points in common. Well, that is exactly what we want to talk about in this section, since it is irremediable that these aspects also affect the user experience that they provide to all the people who have them on a day-to-day basis.
Design
The first point that we want to touch on in this regard is, obviously, the design. They are practically twin brothers and that is not negative at all, on the contrary, it is a point that is very much in favor of the two teams, mainly the iPad 10, which is the one with the lowest price and the one that has made the leap to this all screen designbeing the last iPad to adopt it.
Apart from the fact that they are aesthetically attractive to the vast majority of users, this design has allowed both teams to have a 10.2-inch screen in the same body, now a 10.9-inch screen, since in the end the front You are much better off by removing those flashy frames that your previous versions had. Where there are differences is in the colors in which they are available, or mainly in their finish. Below we leave you the options offered by each of them.
- iPad Air 5
- space grey.
- Star white.
- Pink.
- Purple.
- Blue.
- iPad 10
- Silver.
- Pink.
- Blue.
- Yellow.
unlock method
One of the consequences that both models have suffered equally has been the Touch ID relocationsince yes, despite the fact that both the iPad Air 5 and the iPad 10 have the design of the iPad Pro, they have not adopted, at least for the moment, Face ID, so they continue to maintain Touch ID as a method of main unlocking, yes, you can always resort to the mythical security code.
As we said, due to the design change, both have had to relocate the location of the fingerprint sensor that was previously located on the front of the device, moving now to the frame at the top, specifically to the on and off button of the iPad. In this way Apple has achieved that whether you use the iPad horizontally or vertically, it is very comfortable to access it.
cameras
Who says that the cameras of an iPad are not important? Well, surely they are not as important as in the iPhone, but there is one in particular that is very important since all those who use their iPad to work, surely have the obligation to use it on many occasions. Is about the front camerathe chosen one to make video calls, either with your loved ones or with coworkers.
The iPad 10 in this sense has been a pioneersince while the rest of the iPad models, including the iPad Air 5, have the front camera on the top of the device, the iPad 10 has it located on the right side, forcing users to put it horizontally whenever a video call is made. This is a feature that only the iPad 10 has and that seems to be a kind of test that Apple is carrying out in order to incorporate it or not, in the next models of the other iPad ranges.
On the back both have the same lensthat although it does not obtain bad results at all, far from being designed to take photographs, it has a much more productive approach, that is, to scan documents and those types of tasks that require a camera and that equipment like the iPad does. can bring you
Prices
How can it be otherwise, one of the points that marks both the comparison and the final decision of users to purchase an iPad or another is the price they will have to pay for them. Until now, the price difference between the iPad range and the iPad Air range was much greater, however, after the launch of this iPad 10, its new features and the price increase, has caused the gap that had been has reduced considerably.
The iPad Air 5 starts at 769 euroswhile the 10th generation iPad is priced at 579 euros. Obviously there is still a difference between them, but it is much less notable than before, perhaps meaning that many users who are attracted to the iPad 10 may consider buying the Air by making a somewhat larger investment. In addition, you also have to take into account that if you want to make the most of these two pieces of equipment, you will also have to buy the accessories that you require for your use.
Which one do we stay with?
Whenever we make a post of this type, from La Manzana Mordida we want to tell you what our personal choice would be, but you have to take into account just that, that in the end our opinion is based on specific needs, so we encourage you to be yourself or yourself who, depending on the needs you have, choose one option or another.
It is clear that both are two great products, two iPads that can be used tremendously, however they are aimed at different audiences. iPad 10 It is intended for an audience that does not want to invest as much money in an iPad as to buy the iPad Air, but does want to go one step further than the 9th generation iPad allowed. They achieve that thanks to the Magic Keyboard Folio and especially thanks to the USB-C port. Not to mention the design change.
For their part, those who want to have a more Pro experience without actually purchasing the iPad Pro are the typical users of the iPad Air. Surely this is the most balanced device of all, since the experience that it offers together with the Magic Keyboard and the Apple Pencil is really fantastic. In addition, you have to take into account the type of screen it has, which is certainly well above that of the iPad 10, but with a higher price as well.
