Apple Gives New iPad Air a 13-Inch Display and Doubles the Base Storage
Another screen size in Apple’s really big iPad family.
The iPad Air is getting a big update for this year — literally.
At its “Let Loose” virtual event, Apple upgraded the iPad Air lineup with the first-ever 13-inch model, along with a refresh to the classic 11-inch size. It’s been a long time coming for an iPad Air refresh since the last models were released more than two years ago. Now with the availability of a more affordable 13-inch model, Apple customers aren’t forced to shell out more for an iPad Pro if they want a bigger display.
Apple also proved it’s listening to its customers: the base iPad Air starts at 128GB, compared to the previous base model’s 64GB starting storage. When you add up the larger display, the better storage options, and the upgrades throughout, the latest iPad Air feels like a much better value, starting price of $599.
Packing a Ton of Performance
On the inside, Apple updated the iPad Air with its M2 chip, which promises 50 percent better performance than its predecessor. Apple says the new chip means a 15 percent boost with the CPU, a 25 percent faster GPU, and a 40 percent bump up with its Neural Engine, which makes it faster at AI-related tasks like Visual Look Up, Subject Lift, or Live Text. If you’re still rocking the older iPad Air with an A14 Bionic chip, it may be time for an upgrade since the newest iPad Air has triple the performance.
On the outside, the front-facing 12-megapixel camera has been moved to the landscape edge, making it feel more natural for apps like FaceTime or Freeform. The refreshed iPad adds Center Stage too, which automatically keeps everyone in the frame during video calls. Apple even updated the iPad Air’s audio system, which now has landscape stereo speakers that support Spatial audio. The 13-inch model gets even better sound quality and bass, according to Apple.
The refreshed iPad Air for 2024 starts at $599 for the 11-inch model.
Up to 1TB of Storage
Apple bumped up the starting storage for its latest iPads, which now start at 128GB. If that’s not enough, there are also far more storage options, including 256GB, 512GB, and 1TB. The refreshed iPad starts at $599, which gets you the 11-inch model with 128GB of storage. Starting at $799, you can upgrade to the 13-inch model.
The latest iPad Air models will also come in a lighter shade of blue and purple, as well as the classic starlight and space gray colors. You can order the iPad Air on Apple’s website ASAP, and they’ll be available on May 15.
