Apple's 2020 iPad vs. iPad Air: What's the Difference?

Apple just updated two of its top tablets for 2020. The $599 iPad Air received a major makeover, but is it worth nearly twice the price of the $329 iPad? We haven't seen either slate in person yet, but let's take a look at the specs and see how they stack up on paper.

Design and Display 

The basic iPad received a few tweaks, but it’s the iPad Air that really stands out. Its new design makes it look, well, an iPad Pro.

The iPad Air features a square aluminum unibody design available in blue, gray, green, rose gold, or silver, with a full-screen display. While there’s no Face ID, the Touch ID sensor has been integrated into the power button, so you can say goodbye to the wider top and bottom edges on earlier models.

USB-C has finally made its way to the Air, replacing the Lightning port and offering a more universal charging option. It also supports both the second-generation Apple Pencil and the 11-inch Magic Keyboard, just like the iPad Pro. It has a magnetic port for the Apple Pencil 2 and a rear connector for the Magic Keyboard. It's also Apple’s first non-Pro tablet to sport stereo speakers.

In addition to an updated design, the iPad Air sports a larger 10.9-inch laminated IPS LCD without a noticeable increase in footprint via slimmer bezels. The True Tone display has a P3 wide color gamut with a resolution of 2,360-by-1,640, for 264 pixels per inch. It doesn’t have the smooth ProMotion feature you get on the more expensive iPad Pro, though.

The $329 iPad looks like the previous model, with a few minor improvements and new color options. That’s not a bad thing, but if you’re looking for something new, you’re not going to find it on this tablet. It has the same 10.2-inch screen as its predecessor, with 2,160-by-1,620 resolution, for the same pixel density as the iPad Air, though it lacks the wide color and True Tone aspects. It still has a Lightning connector instead of USB-C, and supports the original Apple Pencil and Apple’s Smart Keyboard.

Processor, RAM, Storage, and More

This is where things really start to get exciting. The iPad Air is Apple’s first product to sport its A14 Bionic chip, one that's manufactured with a 5-nanometer process. Apple says the six-core CPU offers a 40 percent bump in performance over the A12 Bionic processor, with a four-core GPU, for 30 percent faster graphics performance.

Storage comes in at 64GB and 256GB. Apple doesn’t share exact battery or RAM specifications, though it promises the iPad Air can last a day between charges. It's available in Wi-Fi and cellular variants, and has an eSIM for international travel.

The iPad gets a healthy power bump for 2020, as well. It now sports an A12 Bionic processor with Apple’s Neural Engine, the same chip that's in the iPad mini and the iPhone XR. Storage comes in at 32GB and 128GB. Again, Apple doesn’t disclose RAM or battery capacity specifications, but says the iPad should make it through a day between charges. Like the Air, it comes in Wi-Fi and cellular models, and has a built-in eSIM. 

Cameras

The iPad Air sports an updated 12MP rear camera along with a 7MP selfie shooter. It features tap to focus, autofocus, Smart HDR, auto image stabilization, wide color capture, and can record video in 4K.

The iPad appears to have the same 8MP rear lens and 1.2MP FaceTime camera as its predecessor; we’ve reached out to Apple for confirmation.

Software and User Experience 

Both the iPad and iPad Air ship with iPadOS 14 and have the same software features. The difference comes down to user experience.

Recommended by Our Editors

Apple iPad vs. iPad Air vs. iPad mini vs. iPad Pro: Which Tablet Should You Buy?

The larger display on the iPad Air should make multitasking feel less cramped than on the iPad. When it comes time to charge it, you likely have a lot more USB-C cables and adapters on hand than you do Lightning cables, and the second-generation Apple Pencil feels more natural in the hand. 

Price

The iPad Air now starts at $599 for the 64GB Wi-Fi model, $100 more than the previous model. If you want to tack on cellular service, it's an additional $130.

The entry-level iPad retains its sweet $329 price for the 32GB Wi-Fi model. Once again, cellular connectivity adds $130 to the price.

With its updated design, larger display, and compatibility with Apple’s Magic Keyboard and second-generation Pencil, the iPad Air appears to be a no-brainer if you’re looking for a laptop replacement without spending iPad Pro money. If you just want a basic tablet, however, the entry-level iPad is still the best value on the market.

We're looking forward to getting the tablets in for testing, so check back soon for full reviews.

Apple Watch Series 6 and New iPad Event Supercut