Test of the 13-inch iPad Air (M2): finally a large, more affordable iPad!

The thirteen-inch slab

The iPad Air screen isexcellent, whether at the front of the thirteen-inch model or on the side of its little eleven-inch brother. This is proven by our several-day test, which notably allowed us to use the tablets in direct sunlight thanks to their better brightness. For workers who love the great outdoors, this is a real plus.

Previously, at Apple, it was necessary to break the bank to buy an iPad Pro if you wanted to benefit from a large screen. But with the thirteen-inch iPad Air, Apple has finally found a solution that will suit many users.

Design

On the design side, Apple takes oversame formulathan with the fifth generation iPad Air. Several colors are therefore offered to buyers. On the other hand, a notable detail is located on the front of the tablet. This is the new camera layout. This is not noticeable at first glance, but it turns out that the sensor has been moved. From now on, thelens dedicated to selfies is thus installed on the longest edgeof the iPad Air M2. So when you're watching a movie horizontally, you don't need to grip and then flip the iPad Air to answer a Zoom or FaceTime call. It's more ergonomic, quite often.

In its defense, however, the iPad Air M2 is thicker than an iPad Pro. However, when presenting the new range of tablets a few years earlier, Apple had promised that they were the thinnest available at the moment. The trend has therefore been reversed, which is a real shame. Fortunately, quality design can remedy this, because the eleven and thirteen inch iPad Air offer frank and premium guidelines, with a minimalist design, even if the aluminum is quite fragile, particularly on the corners. .

It's hard to want more power

The performance offered by the iPad Air M2 is more than sufficient for the vast majority of appsthat you use every day. If you're a professional looking for raw power, this statement applies to you too.

What's more, we see with simple benchmarks that the iPad Air M2s are much faster than the iPad Air M1. The speed gain from one version to another is significant. Without having the associated suffix, the iPad Air is therefore a true “pro” tablet.

A certain lack of options

Despite everything, many options available on iPad Pros are still not available on iPad Air with M2 chip. Considering their price, it's quite a shame. For example, it is impossible to take advantage of biometric unlocking technologyFace ID, passing through the TrueDepth sensor of the iPad Pro. Many Microsoft tablets are also equipped with Windows Hello, without necessarily being more expensive.

Apple also forgot to install a socketjackon the edge of his iPad Air, and that's intentional. We also regret the RCS support for messages, with the tablet which is equipped with 4G technology.

Audio & photo

The sound provided by the iPad Air M2 is quite good. For a mobile device of this ilk, we can even say that the tablet does very well here. But then, how is this possible, when even today the iPhone struggles to offer us good audio results? Perhaps because here the speakers are offered not only in stereo but also in landscape mode. Ideal to go with the new photo sensor in the same direction! On the photo side, however, the iPad Air doesn't do very well.An ultra wide angle would have been appreciatedon the back, like at Samsung.

Support des Apple Pencil

The new iPad Air M2 are all compatible withApple Pencil Proand Apple Pencils with USB-C connectivity. These are the most efficient Apple styluses. Good news.

Battery life of iPad Air M2

In terms of autonomy, however, the iPad Air only allows, according to our test, to holdless than a daycomplete without needing to be recharged. It's quite a shame, especially when we know that often at Apple, a larger screen is synonymous with better endurance. But not here, since the eleven- and thirteen-inch iPad Air M2s are all limited to a maximum of ten hours of battery life, according to the manufacturer.

It's quite rare to be able to last two days, except perhaps if you only use the iPad Air as a home automation control panel or only to follow occasional cooking recipes. In this case, you might actually be surprised by the longevity of the device.

An ideal operating system for a tablet, but…

iPad Airs are equipped with the iPadOS operating system. But as we have already pointed out when testing the M4 iPad Pros previously, despite all of Apple's good will, a tablet is not worth a good MacBook Pro. The developer may do everything, with his keyboards or with Xcode, but we will remain confined to the computer for the most demanding tasks. This is especially the case at work.

Moreover, the iPad Air M2 provides all the apps necessary for each profile. Students, architects, entrepreneurs, graphic designers, tattoo artists, streaming enthusiasts: no audience is left behind.

Apple keyboard support

The newMagic Keyboardunveiled at the same time as the iPad Air M2 is… not compatible with them. A shame. There is the Smart Keyboard Folio, but the price is too high for us to really pay attention to it. You might as well turn to the competition.

Note, however, that Apple's official keyboards seem to pair a little more quickly with the iPad Air M2 than third-party accessories like those from Logitech.

Basic storage revised upwards!

Previously, the most affordable iPad Air came with just sixty-four gigabytes of internal storage. It really wasn't much, but with the cloud these days it's not that big of a deal. What's more, it's a good way to save a few bucks. Indeed, Apple has a habit of increasing the price depending on the storage capacity offered for purchase.

The new iPad Airs are therefore offered with128 Go, 256 Go, 512 Go ou 1 Tofrom memory.

Comparison of prices offered in Apple Store

The prices of the iPad Air M2, their accessories, repairs in the event of breakage and even AppleCare+ insurance are all quite high. But the quality is largely there, and with a base price of 719 euros, the iPad Air M2 is worth its price. Beware of other configurations, however.

Price of eleven-inch iPad Air

• 719 eurosfor 128 GB of internal storage
• 849 euros for 256 GB of internal storage
• 1,099 euros for 512 GB of internal storage
• 1,349 euros for 1 TB of internal storage

Price of thirteen-inch iPad Air

• 969 eurosfor 128 GB of internal storage
• 1,099 euros for 256 GB of internal storage
• 1,349 euros for 512 GB of internal storage
• 1,599 euros for 1 TB of internal storage

Our opinion on the new iPad Air M2

The new eleven- and thirteen-inch iPad Air M2 are perhaps the best value for money from Apple. The technical characteristics of theiPad Promay thus prove superfluous, but the iPad Air formula will suit everyone.

We therefore cannot recommend this tablet enough if you are looking for a large, versatile touch screen. What's more, it is a real improvement in2022 iPad Air.