iPad Air 5th Generation

The new fifth generation iPad Air is now equipped with Apple’s M1 chip (the same chip found in iPad Pro, MacBook Air and 13-inch MacBook Pro) for breakthrough performance. In this new release, iPad Air also gets an ultra-wide FaceTimeHD camera with Center Stage support so you are always front and centre in video calls. Mobile users have the option of choosing iPad Air with next-gen 5G cellular support.

Anyone looking for a premium tablet experience—including content creators, gamers, and those focused on productivity—will find iPad Air’s combination of performance, versatility, and portability to be irresistible.

Key specifications for the 5th generation iPad Air

• 10.9-inch Liquid Retina display with True Tone, P3 wide colour display, 264 ppi
• Apple M1 chip with 8-core CPU, 8-core graphics, 8GB unified memory, and next-gen Neural Engine
• 12MP ultra wide FaceTime HD camera with Center Stage support
• Optional 5G cellular (Nano-SIM and eSIM support)
• Available in Space Gray, Starlight, Pink, Purple, and Blue
• 247.6 x 178.5 x 6.1 mm, weighs 461 grams

What are the differences between iPad Air 5th gen and older versions?

Like all Apple products, iPad Air is designed to have an extended useful lifetime. That means when shopping for iPad Air, there are multiple generations you might consider, depending on your budget and needs. Here’s how iPad Air 5th generation differs from previous models.

In 2020, a new version of iPad Air launched that introduced a major design change compared to previous models. This was the fourth generation iPad Air.

This new all-screen design on iPad Air 4th gen eliminated the Home button in favour of Touch ID on the power button, giving the space for a 10.9-inch Liquid Retina display. In comparison, iPad Air 3rd generation has a 10.5-inch Retina display. The 4th generation model was upgraded to the Apple A14 Bionic chip. The Lightning port used by previous models was eliminated in favour of USB-C, which opened up access to more accessories. The primary camera was upgraded from an 8MP wide angle with Auto HDR to a 12MP wide angle camera with Smart HDR 3. Wi-Fi 6 support was added for the fastest possible internet access. Fourth generation iPad Air gained support for the Apple Pencil gen 2, Apple Magic Keyboard, and Apple Smart Keyboard Folio.

The new, iPad Air 5th gen keeps everything that was great about the fourth generation model, but delivers a massive leap in performance. You get the same great all-screen design, the same stunning Liquid Retina display, USB-C, Touch ID, Wi-Fi 6, and all-day battery life. But the 8-core M1 chip makes iPad Air 5th gen up to 60% faster than the previous generation, with graphics that are up to twice as fast. The chip’s 16-core Neural Engine offers the additional advantage of accelerated machine learning for increased performance in many apps.

The move to a 12MP ultra wide FaceTime camera means greatly improved video chat capabilities using FaceTime and third party apps like Zoom. The camera also adds support for Apple’s Center Stage, so the camera will automatically pan to keep users in view as they move around.

Optional 5G in iPad Air 5th gen means mobile users can now take full advantage of the speed offered by next-gen cellular networks.