During the Peak Performance event underway at the moment, Apple has finally unveiled its new fifth-generation iPad Air, the mid-range tablet offer of the Cupertino company. After years as the flagship, in fact, the Air series has given way to the Pro range in the higher segment, going to play an even more interesting role in a more accessible price segment, without however bringing strong compromises in terms of design and performance.
Precisely on the design front, we find the less marked differences compared to the last generation; the body of the fifth-generation iPad Air takes up the lines of its predecessor, leaving some of the key features unchanged, including the presence of the double stereo speaker and the USB Type-C port.
So if the design remains unchanged, if not for the new ones, the main novelty of iPad Air 5 lies in the introduction of a new SoC that allows the Apple tablet to make a clear leap forward in terms of performance. The possibility had already been anticipated by the rumors of this morning and actually, it seems that Apple has chosen to equip the new Air with one of its most performing mobile chips, or the famous M1.
iPad Air 5th Gen introduced: More powerful with M1 and 5G connectivity
This allows Air to reach the same performance level as the iPad Pro 2021; which guarantees unprecedented power and longevity for a tablet in this price range. M1 allows the iPad Air 5 to rely on the octa-core CPU and the particularly advanced GPU of the chip; to offer a marked generational leap compared to its predecessor.
The arrival of M1 is also accompanied by a revision of connectivity; since now the Air series can also count on the 5G modem; that we previously saw debuting on the iPad in last year’s Pro models.
Apple has also placed emphasis on the new 12MP Ultrawide front camera with Center Stage technology; which automatically centers subjects in the center of the frame. Confirmed on the back the 12MP wide to take photos and record videos up to 4K.
Improved the USB Type-C port, which will allow up to double fast file transfer, according to Apple, and also expanded support for accessories with Magic Keyboard and Apple Pencil 2 available for those who want them.
Available with 64GB or 256GB of storage, obviously both in the Wi-Fi version and with the 5G module. The prices will start from $599. There are five colors (space gray, galaxy, pink, purple and blue) in which the new iPad Air will be sold. The pre-orders will start on March 11th, while the availability will start from the 18th of the month.
