iPad 10 vs iPad 9 vs iPad Air: Which is better

The 10th generation iPad just came out with a lot of changes. But at the same time, both the 9th generation iPad and the 2022 iPad Air are officially available from Apple. In the article, we will analyze all the similarities and differences between the iPad 10 and iPad 9 with iPad Air.

The 2022 iPad Air blurred the line between the more affordable iPad and Pro models, diverting attention away from the 11-inch iPad Pro when choosing a tablet. But the iPad 9 has an old design with big bezels and a home button.

Now that the  iPad 10 is out with a modern thin-bezel design and a lower price than the iPad Air, and with many similar features, it could probably take the place of both the iPad Pro and Air.

In this article, we’ll take a closer look at what you get by choosing the iPad 10 over the iPad 9 or iPad Air.

iPad 10 vs. iPad 9 and iPad Air

Performance

At the presentation of the new tablet, Apple compared it with the previous version of the iPad. The new iPad 10 features the A14 Bionic chip, which Apple claims has 20% faster speeds and an 80% faster neural engine.

Meanwhile, the 2022 iPad Air is powered by the M1 chip. It consists of a more powerful octa-core processor and an octa-core GPU. But, unless you’re using your iPad for professional purposes like video editing, graphic design, and so on, you might not even notice the difference between the A-series chips and the M1.

Display

The iPad 10 has almost the same display as the more expensive iPad Air. It’s a 10.9-inch Liquid Retina panel with 2360 x 1640 resolution. Other specs include 500 nits brightness, True Tone, and thin bezels.

The three main features that you don’t get with the iPad 10 but that the iPad Air does have are P3 color profiles, anti-glare, and a laminated display.

But for most people, the updated iPad 10 display will look great.

Interfaces and accessories

The iPad 10 has received an all-new Magic Keyboard Folio that includes some of the features found only in the more expensive Magic Keyboard for iPad Pro/Air.

However, the downside is that the iPad 10 still only supports the first generation Apple Pencil. And that means you’ll find a USB-C to Lightning adapter in the box to charge the stylus.

iPad Air works with all of the same Apple accessories as iPad Pro, including the second-generation Apple Pencil, Magic Keyboard, and Smart Keyboard Folio.

The iPad 10 and iPad Air continue to use Touch ID, but the sensor is not in the Home button, but in the top lock screen button.

Another big change for the iPad 10 is the switch to USB-C. Apple did not describe in detail in the technical specifications which specific version of USB, perhaps the same as the iPad Air – 3.1 Gen 2.

Like the iPhone SE 3, the iPad 10 and iPad Air do not support mmWave 5G with cellular models. But since mmWave is the rarest version of 5G coverage, this is probably not an issue for most people.

Colors

If the color of your next iPad is important to you, the iPad 10 and iPad Air have a wide variety of colors to choose from.

The iPad 10 comes in silver, pink, blue, and yellow. The iPad Air comes in space grey, starry, pink, purple and blue.

iPad 9 only comes in gray and silver.

iPad 10, iPad 9, and iPad Air battery life comparison

iPad 10 has the same battery life as iPad 9 with iPad Air:

• 10 hours of web surfing or watching videos over Wi-Fi
• 9 hours of cellular internet usage

Capacity and price

Here are the prices of all three iPads. However, since the iPad Air has been on sale for a while now, it can already be found on sale .

Cameras

With the iPad 10, you get the same rear camera as on the Air, a 12MP camera with a wide-angle lens. With the iPad 9, you get an 8-megapixel wide-angle rear camera, which is slightly inferior to the iPad 10.

Another small change coming to the 10th generation iPad for the first time is support for landscape orientation of the front camera, making it more convenient for video calls.

In terms of audio, you get the same landscape dual-speaker system on the iPad 10 and Air, while the iPad 9 has a more basic dual-speaker system.

Conclusion: what to choose iPad Air 10 or iPad 9, iPad Air

Should I buy the iPad 10?

Considering all the similarities and differences, the iPad 10 is likely to be a great choice for most users. At its regular price, that’s $150 less than the iPad Air, including almost all of the best features.

The pre-order for the  iPad 10  has already started, the first customers will start receiving the tablet on October 26, on the same day official sales in retail stores will begin.

Should you buy an iPad 9 or iPad Air?

If you want the most affordable 10-inch iPad for basic use and don’t mind the old design, the iPad 9 is perfect for you.

If you know you’ll be making the most of your tablet regularly, the iPad Air with the M1 chip is a great choice. But really, if a tablet is your pro tool, check out the iPad Pro with 16GB of RAM, up to 2TB of storage, a 120Hz ProMotion display, and Thunderbolt support.