The Apple iPad Air has long occupied a unique position in Apple’s tablet lineup, serving as the ideal middle ground between the entry-level iPad and the high-end iPad Pro. It offers premium design, solid performance, and support for pro-level accessories without the steep price tag of its more advanced sibling. With the release of the 2024 iPad Air (11-inch), Apple has further elevated this balance by integrating the powerful M2 chip, the same silicon found in MacBooks and iPad Pro models. This shift not only boosts performance dramatically but also brings the Air closer than ever to the iPad Pro in terms of capability, while still maintaining a more accessible price point.
The inclusion of the M2 chip makes the new iPad Air a versatile tool for students, remote workers, creatives, and casual users alike. From multitasking and creative workflows to entertainment and productivity, the tablet is built to handle a wide range of everyday demands with ease. And yet, despite this boost in power, it remains lightweight, ultra-portable, and visually appealing traits that have defined the Air series since its inception. So, the question remains: Is this the ultimate lightweight tablet for 2025? Let’s dive into the full review and see if the 11-inch iPad Air truly delivers the perfect mix of performance, portability, and value in today’s competitive tablet market.
iPad Air design & build quality
Apple’s design philosophy has always emphasized elegance, simplicity, and functionality and the 2024 iPad Air 11-inch is a perfect example of that. Crafted from a single slab of recycled aluminum, the tablet feels as premium as it looks. It features flat edges, thin bezels, and symmetrical lines that mirror the aesthetic of the iPad Pro. At just 6.1mm thin and weighing only 462 grams, it’s light enough to hold comfortably for long periods, whether you’re reading, sketching, or working on the go.
The build quality is top-tier, offering a solid, durable feel without adding bulk. Whether slipped into a backpack or used with a Magic Keyboard, the iPad Air fits naturally into a mobile lifestyle. Despite its thin profile, the tablet never feels fragile, and the tactile response of the physical buttons including the volume and power (with integrated Touch ID) is satisfying and precise.
A splash of color gives the new Air some personality. It’s available in four stylish finishes: Space Gray, Starlight, Blue, and Purple. Each brings a subtle flair to an otherwise professional design, letting users choose a device that matches their taste. Notably, the iPad Air still relies on Touch ID embedded in the top power button instead of the Face ID used on the iPad Pro. While this may seem like a step back, Touch ID remains fast, reliable, and especially convenient when using the tablet in multiple orientations. Overall, the design strikes an excellent balance between beauty, portability, and practicality.
Liquid Retina Brilliance
The 11-inch Liquid Retina display on the 2024 iPad Air strikes a strong balance between quality and efficiency. With a resolution of 2360 x 1640 pixels and a pixel density of around 264 PPI, it offers crisp visuals, smooth text rendering, and sharp images. Whether you’re streaming high-definition videos, flipping through digital comics, or editing photos, the display maintains excellent clarity and vibrancy. It supports P3 wide color for rich tones, True Tone for adaptive white balance, and reaches up to 500 nits of brightness, making it usable even in well-lit environments.
Apple has fine-tuned this panel to deliver reliable color accuracy and contrast, which is ideal for creators and media consumers alike. The screen’s laminated structure reduces glare and creates the illusion that content is sitting right on the surface, enhancing the overall user experience. For note-takers and illustrators using the Apple Pencil, the display feels natural and precise especially with features like palm rejection and minimal input lag. The true-to-life color reproduction is a bonus for tasks that demand visual fidelity.
However, one of the most talked-about trade-offs is the 60Hz refresh rate. While sufficient for standard activities like reading, social media, and video streaming, it lacks the fluidity of the 120Hz ProMotion display found in the iPad Pro. This could be noticeable to users who game frequently or scroll rapidly through content. That said, for the vast majority of users, especially those prioritizing battery life and cost-effectiveness, the iPad Air’s display remains one of the best in its segment, offering a highly immersive viewing experience without jumping into premium territory.
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M2 Muscle Under the Hood
The 2024 iPad Air’s performance is its biggest leap forward, thanks to the integration of Apple’s M2 chip, a powerful piece of silicon that previously powered the iPad Pro and even some MacBooks. This chip features an 8-core CPU and 10-core GPU, offering a massive boost in both speed and graphical capabilities over the previous M1-based iPad Air. The result is a tablet that doesn’t just compete with other tablets it competes with laptops in terms of raw power.
In day-to-day use, the difference is immediately noticeable. Apps launch almost instantly, multitasking is fluid, and even heavy-duty tasks like 4K video editing in LumaFusion, drawing in Procreate, or using 3D rendering apps are handled with surprising ease. The M2 chip ensures that the iPad Air never feels sluggish, even when managing multiple active apps in split-screen mode. It also allows for machine learning tasks and on-device AI processing, which benefit apps ranging from photo editing to smart note-taking.
Another standout addition is support for Stage Manager, which enables external display connectivity and resizable overlapping windows—bringing the iPad closer than ever to a full desktop experience. This feature, once exclusive to the iPad Pro, transforms the way power users can interact with the device. For many, this feature alone justifies the upgrade from older iPads. Combined with the M2’s improved power efficiency and enhanced neural engine, users can expect not only top-tier performance but also longer-term software support, making the 2024 iPad Air a smart and future-proof investment.
iPadOS Elevates the Experience
Running iPadOS 17 out of the box (and expected to support iPadOS 18 shortly), the software experience on the iPad Air is more capable than ever. Features like split view, slide-over, universal clipboard, and drag and drop between apps make multitasking fluid.
For Apple Pencil users, the OS now supports Apple Pencil hover, which allows for more precision when sketching or selecting tools. Coupled with the M2’s power, this OS makes the iPad Air feel like a laptop alternative especially when paired with accessories.
iCloud, Handoff, and Universal Control also deepen the integration between the iPad and other Apple devices, allowing seamless transitions across the Apple ecosystem.
Apple Pencil & Magic Keyboard Support
The iPad Air (2024) supports both the 2nd-gen Apple Pencil and the new Apple Pencil Pro, giving users more flexibility depending on their needs and budget.
The Pencil Pro introduces squeeze gestures and haptic feedback, perfect for artists and digital note-takers. Whether you’re a creative professional or a student, the Apple Pencil experience is near flawless thanks to palm rejection, hover support, and the low-latency responsiveness of the screen.
Additionally, the Air works with Apple’s Magic Keyboard, turning it into a mini-laptop. The keyboard is backlit, provides excellent key travel, and includes a precision trackpad transforming the iPad Air into a serious productivity tool.
Battery Life & Charging
Apple claims up to 10 hours of battery life for web browsing or video playback on Wi-Fi, and in our testing, the iPad Air gets close to that. Under moderate use (emails, YouTube, note-taking), it can easily last a full day.
The inclusion of USB-C (not Thunderbolt, like on the iPad Pro) allows for faster and more universal charging. It supports fast charging with a 20W adapter, and the device typically charges from 0 to 50% in around 45 minutes.
For most users, battery life will be more than sufficient for work, entertainment, or travel.
Camera & Audio: More Than Just Basic
The rear 12MP wide camera is decent not designed to replace your smartphone’s shooter, but still good for scanning documents, taking occasional photos, and AR applications. The real upgrade, however, is with the landscape 12MP Ultra Wide front camera, which supports Center Stage.
This front camera placement is a welcome change, as it better suits video calls in landscape mode whether using Zoom, FaceTime, or Google Meet. Center Stage automatically pans and zooms to keep you in the frame, enhancing video conferencing on the go.
In terms of audio, the iPad Air features a dual-speaker system that offers stereo sound in landscape orientation. While not as rich as the quad speakers on the iPad Pro, they’re more than capable for watching movies or listening to music.
Storage Options, Pricing & Availability
The 2024 iPad Air 11-inch is available in a variety of configurations:
- 128GB – Base model
- 256GB, 512GB, and 1TB options for power users
You can also choose between Wi-Fi only or Wi-Fi + Cellular models.
Pricing (as of mid-2025):
- 128GB Wi-Fi: ~$599
- 256GB Wi-Fi: ~$699
- 512GB Wi-Fi: ~$899
- 1TB Wi-Fi: ~$1,099
- Add $150 for cellular connectivity
Compared to the iPad Pro 11-inch, which starts at $999, the Air offers nearly the same performance for hundreds less making it the better deal for most users.
Available globally via Apple’s website, Amazon, and major retailers, it remains competitively priced in both Western and Asian markets.
Pros and Cons
| Pros | Cons |
| M2 chip delivers top-tier performance | Still limited to 60Hz refresh rate |
| Lightweight and premium design | No Face ID (Touch ID only) |
| Pencil Pro and Stage Manager support | Price creeps close to iPad Pro with high storage models |
| Landscape front camera with Center Stage | USB-C port lacks Thunderbolt speeds |
Who Should Buy the iPad Air 11-inch (2024)?
The iPad Air 11-inch (M2) is a phenomenal choice for:
- Students needing a versatile note-taking and research device
- Content creators who want a portable editing or sketching tablet
- Professionals seeking a productivity tool with great performance
- Casual users who stream, browse, and game
- Mac users who want seamless integration and second-screen functionality
If you’re using an older iPad or even the M1 iPad Air, the jump to M2 is significant if you value features like Stage Manager, Pencil hover support, and external display output.
On the other hand, if you don’t need the M2 chip or Apple Pencil functionality, the iPad 10th Gen or a refurbished M1 model might save you money.
Final Verdict: Is It the Best Lightweight Tablet Yet?
The 2024 iPad Air 11-inch is Apple’s best value tablet to date. It offers Pro-level performance, a premium build, and fantastic accessory support in a package that’s more affordable and lighter than its iPad Pro sibling.
While the lack of a high refresh rate display or Face ID might be dealbreakers for some, the overall package delivers an exceptional balance of power, portability, and price. For most users—whether students, professionals, or creatives—this is the iPad to beat in 2025.
If you’re in the market for a high-performance tablet that doesn’t break the bank, the iPad Air 11-inch (2024) absolutely deserves your attention.