During Apple’s Let Loose event, the iPad Air for 2024 gets a very interesting upgrade. On the surface, it looks the same but you can now get it in a larger 13″ size and there are several welcomed upgrades for better productivity.
iPad Air 2024 now comes in 11″ and 13″
For the first time, the iPad Air comes in two sizes – 11″ and 13″. The 11″ version retains the same dimensions as the previous M1-powered 5th gen iPad Air and it weighs 462g (WiFi). The larger 13″ version is heavier at 617g (WiFi) but it still shares the same thickness of 6.1mm.
The overall design mostly remains unchanged with symmetrical bezels and it still retains a power button with integrated Touch ID. Similar to other iPad models, it charges via USB-C.
iPad Air with Apple M2 is 50% faster
The biggest upgrade internally is the processor as the iPad Air 2024 now runs on the Apple M2 chip, which boasts 50% faster performance than the previous M1-powered iPad Air, which was launched in 2022.
In terms of connectivity, you can choose to get the WiFi-only version or the Cellular model which supports 5G. For wireless connectivity, the new iPad Air supports faster WiFi 6E as well as Bluetooth 5.3.
iPad Air 13″ offers a brighter screen and double the bass
Both iPad Air 2024 come with an IPS-based Liquid Retina Display that pushes a pixel density of 264ppi. The 11″ still does the same 2360×1640 pixels resolution, while the 13″ version offers a higher 2732×2048 pixels resolution. The 11″ iPad Air still delivers a maximum brightness of 500 nits but the 13″ model is slightly brighter with a maximum of 600 nits.
Whichever size you pick, the iPad Air 2024 still gets an anti-reflective screen coating, True Tone technology and support for a P3 wide colour gamut. It also supports the new Apple Pencil Pro with hover.
Both iPad Air offers landscape stereo speakers and the 13″ version boasts better sound quality with double the bass.
Front-facing camera is now oriented for landscape use
The Landscape Ultra Wide front camera which was first introduced on the 10th gen iPad has finally made its way to the iPad Air 2024. This provides a more natural video conferencing framing as the front camera is now mounted on the landscape edge of the bezel and it also supports Centre Stage. The rear camera remains unchanged with a single 12MP wide camera that can shoot 4K videos and slow-mo at 1080p up to 240fps.
iPad Air is available in four colours and four storage options
The new iPad Air for 2024 now comes in 4 instead of 5 colour options. The current options are Space Grey, Starlight, Purple and Blue.
Since it is 2024, Apple has finally discontinued the base 64GB storage option for the iPad Air. The iPad Air for 2024 is now offered in 4 storage options – 128GB, 256GB, 512GB and a whopping 1TB option.
iPad Air 2024 starts from RM2,999 in Malaysia
The M2-powered iPad Air is coming to Malaysia soon and it is officially priced from RM2,999 for the 11″. That’s RM300 more than before but it is worth noting that the new iPad Air now starts with a higher 128GB of storage. Meanwhile, the iPad Air 13″ starts from RM3,999.
To complete your iPad Air experience, you can add a Magic Keyboard for RM1,479 for the 11″ version or RM1,699 for the 13″ model. The 1st gen Apple Pencil USB is priced at RM399 while the latest Apple Pencil Pro with haptic feedback is priced at RM599.
