Our opinion on the new iPad Air 4 (2020): technical sheet and price

During its traditional end-of-year keynote, Apple unveiled its latest iPad Air, and more precisely thefourth generationof it. On the menu this time, a massive makeover, updated components and cutting-edge software. So, what is this iPad Air 2020 worth? Here we go for the technical sheet.

This great new design!

If you already know the iPad Air 3, you have already noticed: its successor haschanged style. Indeed, from now on, the design of the fourth generation iPad Air is more reminiscentthat of the most recent iPad Pro. We thus find much more pronounced angles, straighter slices, which immediately give the impression of having a producthigh endin the hands. The finishes are clean, smooth and straightforward. The result is a very elegant tablet, with a particularly neat appearance but nevertheless not flashy: a good twenty out of twenty.

In terms of pure dimensions now, the iPad Air 2020 spec sheet shows the following figures: 247.6mm for width, 178.5mm for width, and 6.1mm for thickness. The weight, for its part, has also been reduced: only 458 grams (the model compatible with 4G is a bit heavier). We are therefore facing an iPad Airvery easy to transport, which fits into a school bag as well as an airplane-sized suitcase.

The iPad Air 2020 comes in six different colors: silver, space gray, rose gold, green, and sky blue. The materials used, for their part, are aluminum for the shell on the sides and rear, against glass for the front. This time, unlike last year's iPad Air, we also note thatthe home buttonsimply disappeared. The only buttons that remain are installed on the edges, including on/off (where Touch ID has been moved) and volume. This is also where the two stereo speakers are located.

Software: welcome iPadOS 14

We have now arrived at the virtual part. The iPad Air 4 - and this is what especially differentiates them from most of its competitors manufactured by other brands - is powered by iPadOS 14, aproprietary operating systemdeveloped by Apple and which is only available on this tablet. This program, inspired by iOS, is also based on the same source code. So if you have an iPhone at home, you won't be out of place by purchasing the iPad Air 2020. Likewise, thanks to thecontinuityand Handoff, all your connected devices will be synchronized: iPod, Apple TV box, AirPods Pro headphones, MacBook Pro computer, etc.

In iPadOS 14, there are also a whole bunch ofapplications created by Applesuch as Translate to be able to easily communicate in another language with someone you don't usually understand. The iPad Air 4 also has its own mapping service system: Apple Maps. Jumbled together, we can also cite Mail, the Safari browser, the Locate application to find a lost Apple device, or the Photos gallery which lists and classifies all the photos saved in your accountiCloud. The manufacturer has also chosen to place particular emphasis on theconfidentialitywith its iPad Air 2020, since a whole bunch of notifications are there to warn you and allow you to block the tracking of certain developers.

The interface itself is particularlyfluid and minimalist: Colorful icons help easily navigate between menus and many optionsaccessibilityallow any user to control the iPad Air 4. Whether you're coming from an Android tablet or have simply never picked up a mobile device OS, you would have no problem using the iPad Air 2020: soundUXwas really designed for the general public.

In theApp Storededicated to the iPad Air 4, you can also find millions of applications created by independent developers or by companies like Facebook, Google or the French studio Voodoo. Besides, if you buy the iPad Air 2020 for entertainment, know that there are multiple support servicesstreamingcompatible films and series like Apple TV+, Netflix and Disney+. It is the same thing for themusique: Spotify, Deezer, YouTube Premium…

Raw performance

Where the iPad mini 2020 and the classic iPad are rather mid-range or even entry-level tablets, the iPad Air 2020 is at the top of the basket. It runs thanks to an Apple A14 Bionic chip also manufactured by the Apple brand with a precision offive nanometers. This processor reaches speeds worthy of the best products on the market and will ensure that your work or video gaming sessions go off without a hitch.

To tell the truth, the iPad Air 4 does not knowno slowdownand unless you open a benchmark application to carry out precise and quantified tests, you will not even see a difference with the iPad Pro.

To end this chapter, let's now talk aboutautonomyof the iPad Air 2020. Here, Apple talks aboutten o'clockmaximum when browsing the Internet if you are connected via Wi-Fi. Using cellular data, on the other hand, reduces this endurance by approximately one hour. Of course, these figures are estimates made through laboratory testing of the iPad Air 4 and may vary depending on your personal use. However, what is certain is that if you are planning to devour your favorite filmin transportand if you have properly charged your fourth generation iPad Air before leaving, you do not risk running out of battery right away.

iPad Air 2020: connectivity and network

There is one thing to know if you plan to buy the iPad Air 4: Apple has decided to do it again as it did with the iPad Pro or with the iPhone and you don't have tomore straight to the jackon this model. It is therefore essential to equip yourself with an adapter ora pair of Bluetooth headphones. Moreover, speaking of grip, we will also notice thatiPad Air 4 switched from Lightning to USB-Cwith this version. It will therefore be much easier to connect to anything since this standard is more universal and used by more people and by more accessory manufacturers.

Of course, the iPad Air 2020 is also compatible with Bluetooth and Wi-Fi, however if you need 4G (and not 5G in this iPad!), you will have to pay a fee additional (we will see the prices at the end of the article). On the back of the iPad Air 2020, we also find theSmart Connector. This sheet is designed so that you can plug in keyboards specially designed by Apple for its iPad Air 4.

Keyboards and accessories for iPad Air 4

And precisely, among its accessories, the most emblematic is now theall new Magic Keyboardcompatible with iPad Air.Already released for fourth generation iPad Pros, this backlit keyboard is the only one manufactured by Apple that also includes atouchpad. It also works thanks to the scissor mechanism, much more efficient than the butterfly keyboard, and has already been praised by critics for itsdesignparticularly successful. Indeed, when you use it in tandem with the iPad Air 2020, not only does it serve as a protective shell for the back of the tablet, but it also allows it to appear to be floating in the air when you use it in computer mode.

But the Magic Keyboard is not the only accessory that will quickly become essential if you buy an iPad Air 4. In fact, we also advise you to equip yourself withl’Apple Pencil, a stylus also created by the Cupertino brand. Moreover, while only its first generation was compatible with the iPad Air 3, now its new version can be used with the iPad Air 2020. Let's end this paragraph by specifying that it is also recommended to purchasescreen protectorsto avoid scratching the display of your iPad Air 4.

Finally for accessories, note that Apple provides a mains charger with a power oftwenty wattsfor his iPad Air 4 but the latter is notnot compatible with wireless charging. The charger, thanks to its USB adapter, can be connected to a wall outlet as well as to a computer, which still increases the possibilities for quickly powering your iPad Air 2020 in case of urgent need.

Photo

We will now focus on the camera - or rathertocameras- which are installed on the new iPad Air 4. In fact, there is one in front and one behind. So let's start with the front camera which will be used to takeselfiesor make video calls, which have become increasingly common since the coronavirus pandemic. No miracles here: Apple only offers a sensorseven megapixelscapable they film oneFull HD up to sixty frames per second. But in truth, it will be enough since if you really want to take quality images you might as well turn to a dedicated device.

Let's now move on to the rear camera, installed at the top left of the iPad Air 2020. This relies on an HDR definition oftwelve megapixels and with its f/1.8 apertureallows you to capture wide-angle landscapes. You can also record videos in 4K resolution at up to sixty frames per second, theoptical stabilizationalso being there, Apple speaking without hesitation of “cinema quality“. 1080p HD video recording, on the other hand, is available at 30 or 60 frames per second. Additionally, slow motion support in 1080p reaches 120 or 240 frames per second.

iPad Air 4 screen

Now let's move on to the screen characteristics of the iPad Air 2020. Here there is actuallylittle difference with the previous model-once again- because the panel is barely larger with10.9 inchesdiagonal and displays a definition2K. Apple has also integrated True Tone technology which adapts the colors of the screen (it knows sixteen million) according to your environment and the ambient brightness, which allows you to spend long hours in front with less fatigue. eyes.

The screen of the iPad Air 2020 is protected by Gorilla Glass technology from the manufacturer Corning. More precisely, this concerns the editionFoodof their famous anti-scratch shield, the best at the moment. Its brightness reaches500 nits. We will also note that the iPad Air 4 still has a screen with the old IPS LCD standard which was previously manufactured by Asian subcontractors. Disadvantage: less deep blacks, less striking contrast but above all aincreasing energy consumptionwhich also affects the autonomy of the device.

You will have understood, the screen of the iPad Air 4 is very well made and even if it is not the largest in its range it will be the ideal companion for any gaming session.binge-watchingor office automation. The viewing angles are also very good, while the refresh rate is sufficient even for intensive use.

iPad Air 2020 pricing, storage, and availability

The iPad Air 2020 was announced on September 15, 2020 during an online-only keynote given that the COVID-19 outbreak was still not over at that time. It went on sale on different platforms some time later, atstarting price of €669. To date, only two parameters influence the price of your final purchase. The first is compatibility with the4G (for +140€): a device with only a Wi-Fi modem will cost less. The second option that you must choose when ordering your iPad Air 4 is the internal memory:

• 669 euros for the iPad Air with 64 GB of memory
• 839 euros for the iPad Air with 256 GB of memory

As we can see, there is no longer an edition with only 32 GB of storage. This is good news at a time when content is increasingly heavy, for example with all series in 2K. However, if you need more memory, it will be best to turn to the iPad Pro which also offers 512 GB or 1 TB.

Also specifying that Apple markets its own insurance which covers, for example, screen breakage, subject to a certain deductible. This one is calledAppleCare+and protects your iPad Air 2020 for two years against such damage. But be careful, because you can no longer subscribe to it if you bought your iPad several months ago. So consider buying it at the same time as the iPad Air 4!

We have come to the end of our technical sheet for the iPad Air 2020. So, what can we learn from it? First of all, that this time we are not entitled to a simple update of the iPad Air but indeed to anew productthanks to a processormore powerful, a software revisited from top to bottom as well as a newdesignmuch more serious and premium. Some disadvantages of previous editions have finally been removed from the iPad Air 4: the edges are thinner and the Lightning port has been abandoned.

From now on, we can even consider the iPad Air 2020 as areal workstationthe same size as mid-range laptops like the MacBook Air. In fact, thanks to the newMagic Keyboard, you will be able to work wherever you want: a welcome advantage at a time when remote working tends to become more and more popular. If you are a student, run a store and need a reliable cash register or simply looking for an ideal iPad Air to keep the whole family entertained all day long, theniPad Air 4is exactly the tablet you need.

So of course, there are some drawbacks with this iPad Air 4. It is quiteexpensive incomparison of the classic iPad for example, but its multiple qualities very quickly eclipse the negative points that you may encounter when using it. To finish our technical sheet, we invite you to consult ourcomparative table of the best prices on the iPad Air 2020currently by the various French resellers, updated in real time: