iPad Air 4 vs iPad Air 3: Whats new

Apple has finally unveiled the iPad Air 4 – the brand’s latest mid-range tablet – and it comes with a whole host of interesting upgrades inside and out. This iPad Air, seems targeted at those that want an iPad Pro experience, but don't mind compromises in some areas. 

If you are interested in upgrading your tablet experience and already own an iPad Air 3 and contemplating this new Apple iPad Air, then we have the comparison for you. We compare the 3rd and 4th gen iPad Air side-by-side and tell you the differences between the two. 

Display and Design:

The iPad Air 4 does indeed come in a modern new design, similar to the iPad Pro. It includes much smaller, symmetrical black bezels, while the iPad Air 3 still reminiscent of the large chin and forehead, with rounded edges and a 3.5mm headphone jack.The iPad Air 4 now looks a world away from the iPad Air 3. Putting them side-by-side, you’d be forgiven for thinking that they don’t even belong to the same series.

iPad Air 4 has a 10.9-inch screen size, slightly smaller than that of the 11-inch Pro, with a resolution of 2360 x 1640, while the iPad Air 3 is 10.5 inches with a resolution of 1668 x 2224.

Touch ID:

The new iPad Air 4 includes one of the most interesting changes, that is the inclusion of the TouchID sensor into the top power button.

While the older iPad contained it in the front of the device in the middle of the chin.

Camera:

The new iPad Air's main camera is the same as the one found on the iPad Pro, 12-megapixel, and can shoot 4K video at 60 frames-per-second (FPS). Its front FaceTime camera is 7-megapixel,capable of HD video capture (1080p) and Smart HDR. it should be noted that the iPad Air 2020 does not have the LiDAR or the multiple camera setup found on the iPad Pro.

The iPad Air 3 has an 8MP rear camera and a 7MP front-facing camera, which is good enough for video calling or taking reference images for projects, but won't take fantastic photos that'll get put up in art galleries.

Specs/Performance:

iPad Air 4 is the first iOS device to run using the new A14 chip architecture, something we expect to see nestled inside the iPhone 12 whenever that gets its big reveal. This should give the iPad Air 4 a notable upgrade over the iPad Air 3, which runs on the much older A12 chip. It is upto 40% faster than iPad Air 3 in processing and 30% faster in GPU intensive applications. It is a big leap ahead as it is the most advanced chipset from Apple till date. Thus making it more future proof and lasting than the previous models. You can learn more about Apple new A14 chip here. 

Accessories:

While both versions of the iPad Air work with keyboards and pencils, the ones they use are very different. The new iPad Air 4, for instance, uses the newer second-gen Pencil that charges atop the tablet rather than being plugged directly into the port.

In addition, the new iPad Air 4 has a USB Type-C port instead of Lightning, giving it data transfer speeds upto 5 gigabits per second, which is 10 times faster than the iPad Air 3. The USB Type-C port on the new model also allows it to connect easily with cameras, external drives and external monitors upto 4K resolution.

Worthy of Upgrade?

If you have an iPad Air 3, then upgrading to the iPad Air 4 depends on your usage. It is compatible with Apple’s new Pencil, keyboard dock and comes with a USB-C port which means connecting it to peripherals and external devices is easier. It has a sharper display too which should make content crisper. An iPad generally can last a user upto 5 years quite easily, so if you just got an iPad Air 3, then you may want to hold off for some time. Having said that, if you need the power under the hood of the A14 for tasks like video editing, photo editing, etc. then yes, you can consider it. 

The new iPad Air bridges the gap for those that want a “pro” experience but don't want to invest in an iPad Pro and are ok with the compromises that comes with the iPad Air. Whether those compromises are justified is something we will tell you when we get our hands on the new iPad Air for review. 
 

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Daksh Khorana

A Tech wanderer, with a craving for newest tech in the Alpha Stage. View Full Profile