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At the Apple presentation on March 8, 2022, they presented the continuation of the tablet line – this time they showed the 5th generation iPad Air. We will tell you how a new device can attract potential buyers.
Release date Air 5 (2022) in Our Country
Due to Apple’s sanctions policy, it is now impossible to predict the official release date of the iPad Air 5 in Our Country. On March 18, the international start of sales began, but new tablets are not imported to Our Country, at least officially. It is noteworthy that Apple does not allow users from Our Country to look at the new tablets on its official website.
The price of Air 5 (2022) in Our Country
If you follow the logic of Apple, then the official price of the iPad Air 5 (2022) in Our Country should be $599 (64 GB) or about 50 rubles. A more advanced device with 000 GB will cost $256 or 749 rubles. The gsm-module in the tablet will cost another $62.500.
But due to the lack of official deliveries to the Federation, the “gray” market itself dictates prices. For example, on popular free classifieds sites, the price of an iPad Air 5 in Our Country varies from 70 to 140 rubles.
Specifications Air 5 (2022)
There were no cardinal technical changes in the fifth version of the tablet. The device was simply brought into line with all modern standards of mobile devices. Nevertheless, let’s dwell on each of the technical characteristics of the iPad Air 5 separately.
Screen
In the new iPad Air 5, the IPS display remains the same size – 10.9 inches. The number of dots per inch and resolution of the tablet also inherited from its predecessor (264 and 2360 by 1640 pixels, respectively). The display specs fit the standards of a mid-range device, but everything else (ProMotion or 120Hz refresh rate) should be looked for in the more expensive iPad Pro.
Housing and appearance
The first thing that catches your eye when looking at the iPad Air 5 is the updated body colors. Yes, Space Gray, which is already branded for all Apple devices, has remained here, but the line has been refreshed with the addition of new shades that have already been used in the iPad Mini 6. For example, Starlight is a creamy gray that replaced the standard white color. iPad Air 5 is also available in pink , blue and purple colors. They all have a slightly metallic tint. Later, Apple published photos of the iPad Air 5.
The body of the device itself also remained metal. Some new buttons or improved protection against moisture did not appear in it. Externally, the fifth version of the tablet can only be distinguished because of the small connector for an external keyboard on the bottom rear of the device. Dimensions and weight correspond to iPad Air 4 – 247.6 mm, 178.5 mm, 6.1 mm and 462 g.
Processor, memory, communications
Perhaps the most interesting changes were hidden in the technical stuffing of the iPad Air 5. The entire system was built on an energy-efficient mobile eight-core M1 processor – it is used in Macbook Air and Pro laptops. Another important feature of this processor lies in the support of 5G networks. This is exactly what we mean when we talk about “bringing the iPad Air up to modern standards”.
If we compare the M1 processor and A14 Bionic from iPad Air 4, then the first one will be more productive due to two additional cores and an increased frequency of the processor. Also, an additional 4 GB of RAM was added to the device, increasing its total amount to 8 gigabytes. This will please those who lacked tablet performance when working with “heavy” applications or a large number of browser tabs. Another thing is that there are not so many such users.
If we talk about the amount of internal memory, then the iPad Air 5 also has only two options – “modest” 64 and 256 GB of memory. Of course, for those who use the tablet as a working tool, the second option will be a priority.
Camera and keyboard
The iPad Air 5 front camera has been redesigned. The number of megapixels has increased from 7 to 12, the lens has been made ultra wide-angle, and the useful Center Stage function has also been added. During video calls, the tablet will be able to monitor the position of the characters in the frame and gently zoom in or out of the image. This makes the right characters stand out even if they move around in the frame.
The main camera of the tablet has not received updates. Apparently, the developers from Apple suggest that the owners of the iPad Air 5 will use the front camera more often – this is logical in the era of remote meetings.
iPad Air 5 is compatible with external keyboards from Apple. You can connect a Magic Keyboard or Smart Keyboard Folio to your tablet, which almost turns it into a Macbook Air. The complete transformation of the iPad Air 5 into a laptop is completed with the smart Smart Folio case. iPad Air 5 is also compatible with the second-generation Apple Pencil.
Conclusion
The iPad Air 5, like the iPhone SE 3 shown by Apple on the same day, leaves mixed feelings. On the one hand, it has new features and technical capabilities, and on the other hand, there is nothing truly revolutionary in them.
In fact, buyers from Our Country to the iPad Air 5 from the previous generation model should upgrade only in case of a lack of device power (put aside support for 5G networks, which will not be known when they will become publicly available). For the same money, you can find the 2021 iPad Pro with the M1 processor on sale, which will be much more convenient and productive.