After thinking about it for a week or so I finally decided on getting the iPad Air 3rd gen. Well an hour or two ago I go to buy it and realize apple pretty much just dropped a new line of iPads this morning lol. I'm glad they did because the new air looks way better, but now I am also strongly considering the new basic iPad.
The new 4th gen air seems amazing, but it is a little expensive for me and I don't know that I need all the features. I am about to begin a masters program in Biology/Conservation and am primarily getting an iPad to take notes and to use almost as a laptop when I am not home. The things I care most about are a decent experience with handwritten notes and the ability to do a few things at once e.g. have notes open in one app and easily be able to switch back and forth with another app or two.
I will also buy a keyboard I can attach and the compatible apple pencil, so with the Apple Education store pricing I could get the iPad and both accessories for $660 and the air for $830 or $950 if I got the magic keyboard instead of the smart folio. So, is the air worth it for what I need it for or not so much? I love the overall look and especially that green color but some extra positives of the basic iPad are that I would be able to get it much sooner (my classes start this week) and free airpods.
EDIT: forgot to mention with the air I would only get 64 gb, but for the iPad 8th gen I would go for 128 gb.
My daughter uses the iPad Air 3 with the Apple Pencil to take notes almost full time in college. To me the comparison if price is a concern should be the iPad Air 3 vs iPad 8th gen.
If you can get it at lower price, the iPad Air 3 has the advantage of a better screen (laminated, True Tone) while the other specs and accessories are identical to the iPad 8th gen
Edit: forgot about the anti reflective coating on the iPad Air 3 screen as well which is missing on the iPad 8th gen
I tend agree to this comment. Indeed Air3 proposes better vs ipad 8th Gen. Now that Air4 is out, there must be some deals around ipad Air3. The Display itself is good enough to consider ipad Air3 vs 8th Gen.
I am in the same boat. I was planning to get an iPad Air 3 but the rumors were saying new iPad were coming so I just waited. The iPad Air 4 looks great especially the sky blue. I just plan to use an iPad to take notes and that is all. I want the air 4 because it looks great, but costing $100 more at $600 plus the 2nd gen pencil $130 at least $730 with no tax and anything else.
Look up videos about students using the iPad 7th gen and most of them said it works good and they have no issues. Beside the screen size but I’m not sure how much of a difference it makes to have it a bit bigger. iPad 8th gen with the A12 is going to run with no problems and will last for a long time. Yes with education price right now which won’t last long is good for free AirPods.
It depends on what you plan to do? And how much willing to spend? For me I just plan to take notes and well don’t want to spend a lot since money is tight and want to get other things for myself.
The AirPods offers is not offered on the iPad 8th gen? Only on the pro as far was i can see.
So have you decided on the iPad 8th gen? Sounds like you’re reasoning is pretty much the same as what’s going through my head rn, I just can’t decide.
I also wish I knew exactly how much I’d use it. I don’t need it for much besides notes, using the web, and maybe sometimes working on a paper or sketching for fun. At the same time, I think it could be great for a variety of other things, but I don’t know how much I’d use it as I’ve never had an iPad. My dad got an iPad from work and says he doesn’t use it nearly as much as he expected and suggests I just get a new MacBook instead. On the other hand I’ve heard from some people that their iPad has essentially replaced their computer. The air would be great if I do end up using it a ton, but if not the basic iPad would probably be just as well.
Helluva lot better.
What are the biggest benefits? I know the chip is better but the A12 is still pretty good no? Are the newer keyboards and Apple Pencil a big step up? I don’t care about the camera/video recording and the battery life seems to be the same.
Nothing you stated would come close to taxing an A12.
The Air is really better for a better screen, way better design, better camera, better speakers...it’s just better all around.
Yes, the A12 is pretty decent. Where the A14 shines is in its ML capabilities & the types of apps it will enable. But that’s dependent on software developers. The Air has an improved speaker system which will come in handy for consuming content. The screen is definitely higher quality with respect to brightness & colour accuracy. It supports Pencil 2 which support lower latency. And as you mentioned it supports Magic Keyboard.
But end of the day it all comes down to what you’ll use it for. If it’s just the basics then chances are the iPad 8 will suit you fine.
You are doing notes, so I would say get something with liquid retina, so it doesn't feel like the ink comes out not wher your pen touches the ipad, if you know what i mean? I'd say ipad air 4, but if price is that much of a concern for you, you could get a good deal off ebay a couple weeks down the line.
Ooh thank you, I do see what you’re saying. I didn’t realize the Liquid Retina would effect writing as it’s just the display, but that does sound nice.
The Air also comes with a laminated display, unlike the Ipad 8th gen. What this means is, when you'll be using the pencil on the screen, there will be no "air gap" between the glass surface of the screen and the pixels. On the Ipad 8gen however, there's a visible "gap" between the screen pixels and the screen glass.
Was planning on upgrading from my 6th gen base iPad to the iPad Air 3 when I heard apple was releasing new iPads. The price of the Air 4 puts me off a bit and the 8th gen has some decent specs. Will probably wait for some time to see if I can get a lower price on the Air before I eventually get it.
Edit: As someone who’s used an Air (Air 1 to be precise), using the base iPad feels a bit clunky, with bigger bezels and lower processing power. If budget is a concern (which was for me when I bought the 6th) the base iPad is all you need, specially if you’ve never used an Air before. But if you’ve got cash to splash and you don’t want to spend the next 3 years yearning for that beautiful Air, then trust me, go for it.
Would you recommend the iPad to someone whp is new to apple? Or would that be too underwhelming and make me think that iPads aren't that good?
I have the same problem. Since I'm new to apple I'm not sure about spending that much on an ipad but I also worry that I will only ever understand how good the product is if I get the one with the right specs. Kinda like how it's not worth buying a windows laptop with 4th gen cpus.
I'll be using it for online classes (google meets, word and online learning platform).
Thanks, I actually hadn’t even thought about the feeling of the physical iPad in my hands, but I guess that’s the whole idea behind the air. I’ll see how much I can scrape together by the time they announce a release date lol. I was leaning toward the basic iPad largely because I would get it sooner but then I realized the delivery date got pushed back to October within a few hours of the launch anyway.
I was equally confused as you are until last week. After reading loads of articles, youtube videos, I was genuinely confused about which one select,
iPad - 8th gen with pencil 1
iPad Air 4 - With pencil 2
iPad pro-2020 - With Pencil 2
I will share the process which helped me to finalize. I visited the apple store last week and spent quite some time there using all the above-mentioned models.
iPad 8th gen Pencil 1 - Go for this only if you don't have any other option. I mean it. If you are in a position that you won't get money even after 2 months, then go for it. But this should be your last option.
Reasons - This is a very normal iPad. You have to use Pencil 1 with this which is a bit messy. Huge bezels, poor design, a very delicate screen which reflects a lot.
Trust me, when you take notes, you don't want to reach the eraser whenever you do a mistake. But when you actually take notes, going to the top of the device to change the tool from pen to eraser and again eraser to the pen is extremely frustrating.
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iPad pro - Reject it straight away. Don't even think about it. This is not for people who are going to consume the product. This is for the people who are going to produce something by owning this product. Like photographers, designers, artists, etc. This is not required for others who will be consuming the product with the features it has.
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iPad Air - 4 - Although I don't have hands-on experience on this device, I feel this is the best go even if it costs an extra $100, Reasons below,
Longevity - We are not those Instagram models or YouTubers who update our apple products every year after the event. We need something which will last long. At least for the next 4 years or even 5 years. I still have my iPhone 8Plus and it is in perfect condition. iPad 8 cannot with-stand more than 2 years on daily usage.
Apple pencil 2 - Integration is so awesome. You can attach the pencil to the iPad and whenever you want to take notes, it will be fully charged. Just a double tap will bring in an eraser and vice versa. This is very good when you take notes. Might look like a small improvement, but very effective.
Looks - OMG. It's amazing. iPad 8 or 7 is ugly when you hold them, although this is least of my concern.
If you cannot purchase the eco-system completely such as iPad, pencil, keyboard at the same time, that is fine. You can plan and buy one by one each month. Wait for it, save money, and go for something in which you will be satisfied with, which will make you happy whenever you take the device out.
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Conclusion - Are you going to buy a mediocre iPad which gives you a below-average user experience and replace it after 2 years or you are going to buy a very good iPad and consume it for 4 years with great user experience. If you are lucky, you can even have this beast for 5 years.
I will only feel pity for you if you think you can continue to use the iPad 8 even after 2 years. Mind you it's a non-laminated screen.
Good luck..
Wow thanks for putting all the time and thought into this! Fortunately, I went with the Air, ordered it the day they released it :) Glad I didn’t choose the 8 lol
Well put!
I'm dealing with the same questions. I use it for notes and study, and for that purpose I can't justify the extra 280€. With that value I can get an Apple Watch SE, much more useful I think
Yea it’s a tough decision, and doesn’t help that all the replies have been pretty evenly mixed haha. I think if I end up using it as a replacement for my laptop in many cases, then it would be worth it for the air. But if I find it doesn’t work for many of the things I need to do, then I’d rather have the basic one. I think I am leaning towards the air right now but I change my mind every few hours so we’ll see..
there are only minor updates to the ipad 8th gen so I suggest going for either the air 3 or the 4.
If your use case isnt that demanding and is pretty basic, you’d hardly notice the upgrade as the A10 on the 7th gen is perfectly fine. You will probably only notice it 2-3 years down the road when applications and OS updates become more demanding and the A10 shows its age.
yeah, a10->a12 is nothing
air 3 has a12 too
I'm going to get the 8th generation Ipad as an upgrade from my 5th generation iPad. The only reason I am upgrading is because of the chip and that I only have 32 Gig model. I make a lot of music and store a lot of samples and soft synths, so I'll go for the 128gb model. I'm pretty sure you can do anything you put your mind to using the a12.
That’s good to know. Do you find writing with the Apple Pencil 1 is a good experience? I hear from some people that the difference between the 1 and 2 is barely noticeable but then from others that it’s a complete game changer. At the same time I’m sure I wouldn’t miss anything having never tried the 2nd but I’m curious what you think in general of the 1st.
I don’t have any pen yet! Sorry! The 5th gen, isn’t pen compatible. I
Ohh gotcha, no worries!
Picked mine up a few hours ago. The difference in quality and performance is pretty significant. The screen is sharper and more vivid, speakers are better(there’s two vs one on the 8) and I’ve got chrome and messenger running side by side with Spotify playing in the background and it’s still pretty snappy. I briefly owned 2018 11inch Pro and I definitely prefer this so far. If I could make a recommendation get the Smart Keyboard. It’s so worth it.
Thank you! I ended up going with the air and I love it as well. Are you saying to go for the magic keyboard or the smart one? The magic keyboard seems so nice but it’s crazy expensive imo. But if I get it I want to do it now so it’s covered by my apple care..
Nice. My bad. I meant the Magic Keyboard. The inclusion of the touch pad is a game changer.
Yea I can imagine, I’m just not sure I can justify that purchase lol. Do you keep it on the iPad all the time like a case or take it off most of the time?
So far I keep it on all the time and use it as a protective case when I’m not using. I’ve also got a folio case for when I just want to use it as a tablet or draw with it.
i bought the ipad 8 rather than air 4, im regreting it.
go for the AIR 4
I think the iPad Air is definitely worth the $599 over the cheaper iPad. I think the biggest difference comes down to the handwriting which you said is important to you. The iPad Air has support for the 2nd gen Apple Pencil which is soooooo much better. It chargers wirelessly by magnetically sticking to the side of the iPad and it’s more accurate and responsive. So that alone makes the Air worth the upgrade. Not to mention the smaller bezels and better processor. I have last year’s base iPad and while I have no problems with it at all (I absolutely love it) I think this is a worthy upgrade for the price.
Thanks for the advice! Do you have the iPad Pro as well? I’ve heard from a lot of people that the difference between the Apple Pencil 1 and 2 is big, but I also wonder if it’s because the only model that supports it currently is the pro, which also has the 120 hz refresh? I can’t justify getting the pro just for that reason, but it seems much of what that feature is so great for is writing and drawing so I’m curious how much the better writing experience has to do with that vs the actual pencil.
If for no other reasons do it (new Air) for the laminated display and USB-C support which will give you real external drive and peripheral support versus the half baked implementation that is lightning.
Also if you’re using the iPad mainly for university work and taking notes, it’s worth noting that the magic keyboard is apparently vastly superior to other keyboard folios according to all of the reviews I’ve read and the regular iPad isn’t compatible with it or the vastly better 2nd gen pencil.
It would be a no brainier for me — 100% would go for the new Air.
I got to use an iPad Air 3 about a year ago (right around the time iPadOS 13 came out), assuming I wouldn’t like or need it (haven’t really owned an iPad since 2012). The second I updated to iPadOS 13, I was kind of sold and bought one, assuming I’d only use it to take notes... It literally started becoming the main device I bring me when traveling. At some point, they added ‘official’ mouse support, as well as trackpad support, which was even better. I chose the Air because I felt like it was enough for just taking notes. I briefly had a 12,9” a long time ago for school with a Pencil (gen. 1), I still had the Pencil. My brother has a newer style 12,9” Pro and I just didn’t like the way Face ID seems less reliable and how there’s this huge white bar on the bottom taking up some space. I didn’t get a regular iPad at the time, because I already used Apple products and would hate having a non-True Tone display, and because the screen sits ‘lower’ (although both no issue for people who haven’t used Apple products before, and the second one is also barely an issue on black iPad models). Not sure if this is still the case on the iPad 8?
I still love my Air, and can upgrade for relatively cheap. But honestly, I don’t get what I’d be gaining. I’d have to pay for a new pencil out of pocket, my OCD hates how my brother can’t really use a case with his Pro, so same goes for the new Air’s I believe, Touch ID is in a slightly less convenient spot, and I’d be getting some of the things I didn’t like about the Pro...
This is a dumb reason, but I also like that I need to bring just one charger (lightning cable). The Pro’s (and probably new Air) on the other hand have the benefit of way better connectivity, but that’s something I personally don’t need.
It’d be really tough for me if I’d have to choose right now... My Air 3 can do everything I need it to, though. Great to travel with, not too big on the couch, ... only regret it didn’t come in 512 GB. I have the 256 GB LTE. I’m horrible at making decisions myself, haha sorry I’m not much help! I’m excited to see which model you’ll end up getting, but I’m sure you’ll love both and even the 8th gen iPad will be very powerful. I only think the 7th gen was a little bit of a scam since it was a slightly bigger 6th gen.
Fun fact: I wrote this on my Air 3 with the Logitech Combo Touch trackpad case! (another thing I wouldn’t be able to use anymore if I were to upgrade)
have you made a decision yet? thinking of getting one (either ipad air or ipad, most recent models) myself and would love some insight.
Yep, I ended up getting the newest air and I love it so far. My biggest reason for going with the air was probably the USB-C and apple pencil 2. In general I think these are superior to lightning connection and the apple pencil 1, but also I figured they might get more support going forward (newer technology) and just be better for using this iPad in the long-term as I want to make it last for as long as I can and will probably use it until its done (rather than re-selling or something). I also liked the fact that the screen was slightly bigger and honestly I just love the green color. Plus, I am a student so I bought from the apple education store, so the price difference between the new ipad air and new ipad was slightly lower ($310 vs. $550). Originally I also decided on the air because of the magic keyboard/newer smart keyboard folio support, so that is another aspect to keep in mind. But I ended up trying the smart folio and don't like it, and the magic keyboard I don't think is worth it, so I am just using a bluetooth keyboard and mouse when I want to use the iPad like a computer, and that has been working great.
I did see some posts/comments on reddit and youtube videos after I purchased saying that the new air is not worth it and to instead get the previous generation of iPad Pro or a used/refurbished iPad Pro, so that might be something to consider. But I have been using the air for about 2 months now and I'm very happy with it and don't regret my purchase!
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