When Apple announced the iPad Air, the company said that words alone wouldn't do it justice —users had to feel its latest tablet to truly appreciate the difference. As it turns out, they were right.

Two years ago, the iPad Air wowed us, and the 2022 model repeats the feat: it’s an impressively versatile and capable tablet. The powerful new M1 chip is welcome, and the extra punch will be appreciated by digital artists and gamers especially, even if it doesn’t offer a clear everyday benefit in...

Great design, Speedy performance, Incredibly versatile

Too close in cost to iPad Pro, Battery life only average, 64GB is too little storage for base model

If you don't need the scale of the iPad Pro, but want something more exciting than the 9th Gen iPad, the 2022 iPad Air's addition of an M1 processor helps future-proof it when it comes to running those ever-increasing power-hungry apps.

Excellent performance thanks to Apple M1 processor, Improved front-facing camera, 2nd Gen Apple Pencil stylus support

Still no Face ID, Storage limited to 256GB (and still no 128GB option), Rear camera isn't great, Accessories are expensive

ProMotion and more storage would have been nice, but this new Air is a top-quality package – not least because of that M1 chip.

Powerful M1 chip, Excellent build quality, Vastly improved front camera, Rich app and hardware ecosystem

Only 64GB entry-level storage, Poor external display support

Much of the new iPad Air from Apple is a known quantity. The design, screen, speakers, rear camera, and fingerprint scanner are all carried over from the 2020 model. The updated front-facing camera with Apple’s Center Stage feature can be found across the entire iPad line.

Fast performance, Excellent display and speakers, Comfortable to use in both portrait and landscape, All-day battery life

Base model has only 64GB of storage, getting more is a steep upcharge, Front-facing camera is awkward in landscape orientation, Touch ID is not as convenient as Face ID

When I take a few steps back, I think that there are actually two new iPad Air options available here...

Lowest cost M1 chip, Still a great design, The Magic Keyboard is great

64GB base storage is limiting, Single rear camera is outdated, Louder speakers would have been nice at this price

We already liked the iPad Air, and it's the best tablet for most people who can afford it. Yes, you can get cheaper Android tablets or the entry-level iPad , but you sacrifice a lot of performance and features to save a few hundred dollars.

Way more performance than this kind of device even needs, Very good screen for the price, 5G is a welcome addition if you live in an area with good coverage, Faster USB-C, Center Stage partly alleviates the iPad's Zoom call woes

Touch ID can be a little awkward on the top button, No stereo sound in portrait mode, It gets pricy fast once you add a Pencil or Magic Keyboard to access its full capabilities

Adding the Apple M1 processor is a big change and at a stroke makes the iPad Air faster and more powerful, allowing demanding apps to run at full...

The 2022 iPad Air takes an already excellent tablet and makes it even better. Most people in the market for a tablet should consider this one, especially those willing to spend more than the $329 for the entry-level iPad.

Combining desktop-class performance with an elegant design, 5G, and comprehensive accessory support, the new iPad Air is the best iPad for most people all over again.

Beautiful design, Superb processing and graphics power, Cheaper than the iPad Pro

No ProMotion, Lack of battery improvements