Test bench: Apple iPad Air (2022): No Air, but Pro Light

introduction

The Apple iPad is and remains the most successful tablet. The company’s program now includes a large family. The standard iPad is the “entry-level model” and there are also the deluxe iPad Mini, Air and Pro models. The iPad Air has just been replaced by a new model and we have started working on it.

The Air is not very thin and light, if you compare it to other tablets of this brand.

The iPad Air has already been touted as a lightweight alternative to the regular iPad. The weight difference has become minimal in recent years. The regular iPad weighs 487 grams, the new Air is only 26 grams lighter. The 11-inch version of the Pro weighs 5 grams more than the Air. It therefore seems that the name no longer really corresponds to the product. It’s also striking that the 11-inch variant of the Pro is thinner than the Air. This tablet is 5.9mm thick, the Air 0.2mm thicker, and the regular iPad is 7.5mm. The smaller iPad Mini is much lighter. It weighs 293 grams and has a thickness of 6.3 mm.

The new Air has the same “straight” design that you also see with the current iPad Mini and iPhone 13. In this regard, the model fits perfectly into the brand’s current design language. We notice that Apple has almost completely said goodbye to the Lightning connection for iPads with the arrival of the new Air. Except on iPhones, you’ll only find it on the standard iPad. The rest of the iPad family offers USB-C. The Pros have Thunderbolt, the iPad Air and Mini have USB-C based on USB 3. That’s pretty handy, as it means you can also connect other peripherals – like a keyboard, thumb drives or external SSDs – without too much hassle with an iPad.