Apple iPad (10th gen) vs iPad Air

The iPad is our go-to recommendation if you need a quality tablet for streaming, gaming and working. They deliver some of the smoothest performance you'll find on a slate, with gorgeous displays for catching up on Netflix shows and loads of accessory options for typing and drawing, plus sleek designs, heaps of battery and 5G.

Two of our favourite models are the iPad (10th gen) and the iPad Air (5th gen). They look the same at a glance and share the same screen size, resolution and cameras, but there are differences to justify the £170 jump in price from the £499 iPad to the £669 Air. So, let's compare the two Apple tablets and find out which one is best for you.

iPad vs iPad Air: key specs

Screen: Both tablets have a 10.9-inch display with 2360 x 1640 pixels of resolution and 500 nits of brightness, plus a 60Hz refresh rate. Only the Air has an anti-reflective coating.

Design: The tablets share the same sleek look, but the 10th gen iPad has two more colourful yellow and pink options, while the iPad Air comes in muted tones.

Operating system: Both tablets run iPadOS 17. The layout will be familiar to anyone who has used an iPhone, and you can download apps from the official Apple App Store.

Processor: One of the major differences between the two tablets – the Air houses a speedy M1 chip, while the iPad uses an A14 Bionic chip (the same as the iPhone 12).

iPad vs iPad Air: Design

Unlike the entry-level iPad 9th gen, which has the older look with big bezels and a physical home button, the 10th-gen model was given a design refresh when it was released last year. And yes, it looks remarkably similar to the Air and Pro models, with a sleek aluminium alloy casing and thinner black borders around the screen edges.

The biggest difference is the positioning of the front camera. On the iPad Air, it's intended to be used in portrait position, but on the 10th gen, it is made to be held in landscape as the lens is in the middle of the longer side of the tablet.

The brighter hues of the 10th gen iPad – silver, pink, blue and yellow – is best for a more colourful, playful design. The iPad Air comes in grey, white, pink, purple and blue, and the tones are slightly more subtle than the most affordable model.

the 10th gen ipad shown in a range of colours

Digital Spy

The iPad (10th gen) comes in a range of vibrant colours

iPad vs iPad Air: Display

Set the tablets beside each other and you'll struggle to tell the difference based on the displays alone. Both have a 10.9-inch panel, a 60Hz refresh rate, a resolution of 2360x1640 pixels and up to 500 nits of brightness.

Unlike the iPad 10th gen, the Air's display is fully laminated and coated in an anti-reflective material, so it's slightly easier to use in bright conditions. That gives the Air an edge if you're bringing it on a sunny holiday – but in reality, they are very similar.

iPad vs iPad Air: Camera

Let's be honest, you shouldn't rely on your tablet for photography, particularly if you have one of the best Pixel phones or an iPhone 15 in your pocket. If you do find yourself needing to take a few casual snaps, either iPad will work fine.

Neither is going to compete with the Pixel 7 Pro or the iPhone 14 for clarity or sharpness, but the rear 12MP wide camera can take decent photos in brighter lighting conditions, and the 12MP ultra-wide front camera on the front is more than crisp enough for video calls. Neither of the tablets supports face unlocking, though.

Apple

Both iPads have Apple Pencil support

iPad vs iPad Air: Performance

The iPad and iPad Air both run Apple's iPadOS 17 software, and you download extra apps from the official App Store.

You'll generally get around five to eight years of software support, so you won't have to worry about OS updates and security patches. The main difference in performance is the processor in each tablet. The iPad 10th gen has an A14 Bionic (the same as the iPhone 12) while the Air has a faster and more efficient M1 processor.

What does this mean for you? If you're only using it to watch YouTube videos and send a few emails, the chip won't matter too much, but if you'll be using it by typing lots of documents with a keyboard, handling some light photo editing or opening dozens of tabs – you'll appreciate the performance bump that the M1 provides. It's a small difference, but the 10th-gen iPad uses Bluetooth 5.2 instead of the Air's Bluetooth 5.0, so the iPad should provide a more stable connection if you're using a pair of wireless earbuds.

iPad vs iPad Air: Accessories

The Apple Pencil and keyboard compatibility is one of the biggest differences you'll find. The more affordable 10th-generation model only works with the 1st gen Apple Pencil and the Folio case, while the iPad Air works with the 2nd generation Apple Pencil and the Magic Keyboard – a laptop-like accessory that has proper backlit keys and a trackpad.

That means if you're buying the tablet for productivity or art, the Air is the better choice as you can easily pair it with a Bluetooth keyboard and mouse.

Digital Spy

The iPad Air has a much better keyboard option

iPad vs iPad Air: Verdict

Whether you need to pay the extra money for the iPad Air depends on how much you want to use it for productivity – you're getting a faster processor and it's compatible with the laptop-like Magic Keyboard, while the 2nd generation Apple Pencil snaps magnetically to the back of the slate for charging wireless and has a slimmer design.

If all you want to do is catch up on some Virgin River while periodically checking your socials, the more affordable iPad 10th-gen will serve you well. Both have excellent screens, solid battery life and smooth performance – with some of the best build quality around.

Buy the iPad 10th gen if: You want a more colourful tablet that has enough power for streaming shows, checking your social media feeds and internet browsing.

Buy the iPad Air if: You need to use the tablet for typing up documents or emails with a Magic Keyboard, or need extra power for multitasking and playing games.