Tablets · 2020 · Apple

Apple iPad Air (4th generation) Wi-Fi

The iPad Air (4th generation) is Apple’s 2020 tablet that brought the iPad Pro design to the mid-range. It introduced a slim-bezel 10.9-inch Liquid Retina display, the A14 Bionic chip, Touch ID built into the top button, USB-C and Apple Pencil (2nd generation) support. Testing liked the display and performance; the 60 Hz screen and 64 GB base storage were seen as limitations.

iPad Air (4th generation, 2020), Wi-Fi model; 64 GB or 256 GB. The Wi-Fi + Cellular model (A2324) adds LTE, eSIM and GPS and is 2 g heavier. The iPad Air 5 (M1) and iPad Air 3 are separate models.

Apple iPad Air (4th generation) Wi-Fi — Apple Support image of the iPad Air (4th generation); Silver, Space Gray, Rose Gold, Green and Sky Blue.
Apple Support image of the iPad Air (4th generation); Silver, Space Gray, Rose Gold, Green and Sky Blue.

Specifications

SpecificationValue
Display10.9-inch Liquid Retina, LED-backlit IPS; 2360 × 1640 pixels, 264 ppi; wide colour (P3), True Tone; fully laminated, antireflective coating (1.8% reflectivity); 500 nits

Full lamination removes the gap between glass and panel, so the Apple Pencil tip looks closer to the line and reflections drop. True Tone adjusts white balance to ambient light. The refresh rate is 60 Hz; ProMotion is reserved for the iPad Pro.

ChipA14 Bionic, 64-bit architecture, Neural Engine
Storage64 GB or 256 GB

Capacity is chosen at purchase; there is no memory card slot.

Rear camera and video12 MP Wide, ƒ/1.8, five-element lens, autofocus with Focus Pixels, Smart HDR 3; 4K 24/30/60 fps, 1080p 120/240 fps slow motion
Front camera7 MP FaceTime HD, ƒ/2.2; 1080p 60 fps video; Retina Flash
AuthenticationTouch ID in the top button
Pencil and keyboardApple Pencil (2nd generation) and Apple Pencil (USB-C) support; magnetic connector and Smart Connector

The Apple Pencil (2nd generation) pairs and charges when attached to the magnetic connector on the side. The Smart Connector links keyboards that need no separate charging or Bluetooth.

AudioStereo speakers (landscape), dual microphones
WirelessWi-Fi 6 (802.11ax), simultaneous dual band 2.4/5 GHz, HT80 MIMO; Bluetooth 5.0

The Wi-Fi model has no built-in GPS; location comes from Wi-Fi networks.

PortUSB-C

USB-C is used for charging, connecting to a computer and, with suitable accessories, for external displays or storage.

Battery and charging28.6 Wh lithium-polymer; up to 10 hours of web or video on Wi-Fi; 20 W USB-C power adapter and 1 m USB-C cable in the box
SensorsTouch ID, three-axis gyro, accelerometer, barometer, ambient light sensor
Size and weight247.6 × 178.5 × 6.1 mm; 458 g (Wi-Fi)

From the manufacturer

Apple presents the iPad Air with the A14 Bionic, an all-screen design and a range of colours. Apple Support

Strengths and limitations

  • TechRadar liked the display for video with vibrant colours and strong peak brightness; the 60 Hz refresh rate and thick black bezels trailed the Pro models and some Android tablets. A charge lasted roughly nine to ten hours of standard apps, web and video over Wi-Fi; the bundled 20 W adapter took it from zero to 27% in half an hour. Despite four speaker grilles, two strong speakers delivered good sound. The 64 GB base storage was considered too little for most people, with no memory card slot.

    TechRadar review (2020, iPadOS 14); single test unit.

    TechRadar: iPad Air 4 (2020) review

Tags

2020APPLEIPADIPADOSUSB-CAPPLE-PENCIL

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Sources

  1. Apple Support: iPad Air (4th generation) technical specifications
  2. TechRadar: iPad Air 4 (2020) review