Apple IPad Air 4: Design

The iPad Air 4 bears a striking resemblance to the iPad Pro, to the point where one might mistake it for a new color variant of the 11-inch iPad Pro. Available in green, blue, rose gold, silver, and Space Gray, it shares the same dimensions and ports as the iPad Air (2022).

Compared to its predecessor, the iPad Air 4 boasts a larger 10.9-inch screen, achieved by eliminating the home button.

Significant differences lie in the buttons and security features. The iPad Air 4 incorporates a Touch ID fingerprint scanner concealed within its lock button, offering better visibility compared to the Galaxy Tab S7's scanner.

Furthermore, the iPad Air 4 transitions from a Lightning port to USB-C, reducing cable clutter. However, it omits a headphone jack, aligning with Apple's recent trend, which may inconvenience users of wired headphones.

In terms of size, the iPad Air 4 closely resembles the 11-inch iPad Pro but is thinner and lighter. It weighs less than the 10.2-inch iPad and slightly more than the Samsung Galaxy Tab S7.

Apple IPad Air 4: Display

The iPad Air 4 display offers sharp visuals but lacks brightness. It covers 102.9% of the sRGB color spectrum, trailing competitors like the Galaxy Tab S7 and iPad Pro. With a brightness of 440 nits, it falls short compared to rivals. However, it outperforms the regular iPad and falls between the iPad Pro and regular iPad in terms of brightness. Its pixel density is 264ppi, similar to other iPad models. Additional features include full lamination and an anti-reflective coating, enhancing screen durability. Despite strong colors and minimized reflections, it lacks the smoother 120Hz refresh rate of the iPad Pro and Tab S7, which may not be crucial for most users.

Apple IPad Air 4: Touch ID security

The iPad Air 4 combines features from both the regular iPad and the iPad Pro, notably with its Touch ID fingerprint scanning power button. Its absence of the iPad Pro's Face ID camera, despite the iPad Air's slim bezels, is perplexing. The Touch ID sensor allows quick authentication, though some may miss Face ID's convenience. Fueled by the A14 Bionic chip, the iPad Air 4 excels in speed, surpassing many tablets. The Touch ID button performs better than the Galaxy Tab S7's counterpart. While Samsung offers both facial and fingerprint recognition, Apple focuses on the latter. The inclusion of Touch ID hints at its potential integration into the iPhone 13. Similarly, the iPad Air 5 features Touch ID but lacks Face ID.

Apple IPad Air 4: Audio

The stereo speakers of the iPad Air 4 pump out enough sound to fill not just a small-to-medium-sized home office, but also spill over into adjacent rooms. While listening to Fleetwood Mac's "Dreams" on the tablet, the serene vocals of Stevie Nicks filled the room, easing some of the stress as the crisp drum cymbals hit.

The main difference between the Air 4's sound and the iPad Pro's sound lies in their intelligence. The Air 4 provides a true stereo sound experience when in landscape mode. On the other hand, the iPad Pro has a quad-speaker setup that ensures consistent stereo sound regardless of the tablet's position. It automatically adjusts to stereo when the tablet is in a vertical/portrait orientation.

Apple Pencil and Magic Keyboard

The iPad Air 4 offers access to Apple's top iPad accessories without the hefty price tag. The Apple Pencil 2nd Gen attaches effortlessly to the tablet's top edge, enabling features like Scribble in iPadOS 14. Despite the high cost of the Magic Keyboard, it provides a comfortable typing experience similar to the iPad Pro, complete with a touchpad for laptop-like functionality. The Apple Pencil 2nd Gen, though expensive, offers superior quality and functionality compared to its predecessor or competitors like Samsung's S-Pen included with the Galaxy Tab S7. It's advisable to opt for the 2nd Gen Pencil over the cheaper 1st Gen, as it offers better features and compatibility without requiring additional adapters.

Cameras

The iPad Air 4 boasts a 12-megapixel wide-angle camera, encouraging tablet photography. Its rear camera captures vibrant colors accurately, as observed with objects like an apple and a Persona 5 gift box. The 7MP front-facing camera takes clear selfies, though it may capture more detail than desired. During a Google Meet call, the iPad Air 4 impressed with its video quality compared to a traditional webcam. Despite a slight camera bump, similar to the Galaxy Tab S7, the iPad Air 4's camera performs admirably.

Battery life

The iPad Air 4 provides long-lasting battery life of 10 hours and 29 minutes. This surpasses the iPad Air 5's time of 10:09 and narrowly beats the iPad Pro's time of 10:16. However, both the 10.2-inch iPad and the Samsung Galaxy Tab S7 lasted even longer, with times of 12:57 and 13:16, respectively. While this means the iPad Air 4 might need to be charged a bit more frequently compared to these devices, the difference isn't significant.

Final Thoughts

The iPad Air 4 is faster and more stylish compared to the regular iPad, and its support for the Magic Keyboard means it can now compete with laptops. If the battery life was longer or the display brighter, it could have been the best tablet ever made.