iPad Air 2022 (5th generation): technical sheet, price and reviews

Cheaper than an iPad Pro but better than an iPad 10: this is the value proposition of the fifth generation iPad Air, presented by Apple in March 2022. Let's see what is hidden in the bowels of the beast, and what it can bring you on a daily basis.

Screen

The component with which you will interact the most is obviously its touch screen. On iPad Air 5, Apple offers a diagonal of 10.9 inches which, it must be said, is particularly magnificent. And for good reason; The manufacturer has chosen here to focus on complete support for the P3 colorimetric range, with the added bonus of a bright panel (500 nits on the meter) which can withstand full sunlight quite well outdoors. Practical, for a portable machine.

Moreover, note that the resolution here is 2,360 by 1,640 pixels, enough to offer you a density of 264 ppi and that the developer has thought of implementing the True Tone functionality to adapt the colors of the display in depending on your environment and different times of the day.

Furthermore, we know the prices for repairing a screen at Apple: count on 49 euros if you have subscribed to AppleCare+ insurance… or 481 euros otherwise! And again, this is only the price for the iPad Air (5th generation) with Wi-Fi only, because if you opt for the model with cellular connection the amount increases to 541 euros…

iPad Air 5 : photo

The fifth generation iPad Air has a duo of photo sensors: one on the front and one on the back. You will probably use the front lens for your selfies, so we might as well get down to business and tell you what Apple has come up with for the occasion. An iPad Air 5 integrates a front camera with a definition of twelve megapixels with ƒ/2.4 aperture and the possibility of recording videos in 1080p and up to sixty frames per second, the accelerated mode being accompanied by stabilization. Everything you need for a successful video call,as the test of our colleagues fromPresse-citron.net.

On the back, the fifth generation iPad Air adopts a twelve-megapixel sensor with ƒ/1.8 aperture and the possibility of zooming up to 5x. The focus is also automatic, which is very practical for the uninitiated.

An almost perfect design

When you hold an iPad Air 5 in your hands, it's impossible to consider it as anything other than a beautiful technological gem. Indeed, the tablet adopts a very attractive and unadorned sleek design, thanks to 100% recycled aluminum which does not look like much with a choice of Space Gray, Starlight, Pink, Mauve or Blue colors.

The only downside, and not the least important: this material is, as we know, quite flimsy so you will have to be very careful to avoid breakage.

iPad Air 5 performance

If the iPad Pro is an emperor, the iPad Air 5 is a king. Indeed, as we can see in the benchmark apps, our hero is doing very well thanks to the integration of an M1 chip and 8 GB of RAM. So expect high-level power whether with three-dimensional animations, video editing or even gaming sessions.

Be careful though, as this quickly drains the energy from your battery. With an iPad Air 5, you will be able to last seven or eight hours in a row but no more. Then, you will need to recharge the beast with its dedicated adapter equipped with a USB-C connection which can transfer energy up to twenty watts. Allow a little more than two hours to get full battery life.

iPadOS at its best

An iPad Air 5 is a tablet with iPadOS 16 under the hood. This means that you will benefit from the entire Apple experience thanks to the brand's official apps, from office automation to entertainment, including productivity and synchronization with other Apple devices. Among our favorites are Mail, an inbox compatible with your own domain names, or Photos, which allows you to share your vacation albums with your friends.

As we just said, iPadOS 16 is also able to pair with your other Apple devices in one click. For example, with Universal Control, your Mac screens become external monitors while remaining compatible with your mouse. With this, Stage Manager resizes your windows as if you were working on a computer. Magic!

Of course, with an iPad Air 5 you can also surf the net using the proprietary Safari browser. Its capabilities take full advantage of those of the 5G chip integrated into the tablet, which can download films at lightning speed. In addition, you should know that this browser is now compatible with extensions: no need to use Chrome or Firefox for this.

As a bonus, users will also be able to personalize the home screen of their fifth generation iPad Air thanks to the arrival of widgets such as the Calendar, photo album, weather or even the clock and maps on Apple Plans. The app library feature automatically organizes your apps “in the form of practical categories” and is integrated directly into the Dock. Operation reminiscent of Android devices.

Price comparison for the iPad Air 2022

Now that you know more about the software of the fifth generation iPad Air, let's take a look at their prices:

• 699 euros for the version with 64 GB of internal storage without 5G
• 869 euros for the version with 256 GB of internal storage without 5G
• 869 euros for the version with 64 GB of internal storage and 5G
• 1,039 euros for the version with 256 GB of internal storage and 5G

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  iPad Air 5 © iPhon.fr

Our opinion on the iPad Air (5th generation)

We have finally reached the end of this technical sheet. The opportunity to give you our opinion on the fifth generation iPad Air. For us, this is clearly a real success in terms of high-level performance which has nothing to envy of the iPad Pro M1 thanks to the same processor under the hood. We won't even regret its unchanged design, because it remains in tune with the times and offers multiple choices of colors.

The camera is also of very good quality, as is the screen, sublime. In reality, it seems that only the price is so off-putting here, especially when we know that there are still stores sellingiPad Air 4 at a lower costbecause reconditioned or second-hand.

Finally, let's talk about the accessories that are welcome with the fifth generation iPad Air. The best thing here is to opt for a keyboard, such as the Magic Keyboard which offers, in addition to physical keys, a trackpad like on MacBooks. Everything connects to your iPad Air 5 with the Smart Connector port, installed on the back of the device. Finally, know that you can do without your fingers to control your iPad Air 5 with an Apple Pencil, a smart stylus that clips to a magnet on the edge of the tablet.