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Believe it or not, the iPad has been around for over a decade. Apple kicked off 2020 with an update to the 11-inch and 12.9-inch iPad Pro family in the spring. Now Apple is paying attention to the rest of the lineup — or, well, all the other iPads but the iPad Mini — and introducing the eighth-generation iPad and redesigned iPad Air. The latter also features the brand-new A14 Bionic chip, and let’s just say we’re hyped for the performance here.
The entry-level eighth-gen iPad gets the A12 Bionic chip. This upgrade gives our favorite iPad a 40% faster GPU and a 2x jump in graphics. And for the first time, Neural Engine is arriving in tow with the A12 Bionic chip.
This eighth-gen iPad keeps the 10.2-inch Retina Display with True Tone, and there are still bezels around the display. It keeps support for Apple’s Smart Keyboard, the Logitech Combo Touch Folio and the first-generation Apple Pencil. And yes, this is the same design as the previous seventh-gen iPad. It’s classic Apple with a Home button included.
It will also be running iPadOS 14, and that gives you access to a ton. Pairing it with the Apple Pencil and a keyboard makes it a true triple threat. We found that the previous seventh generation could handle a lot, and we expect the eighth gen to be even zippier.
The best news? Apple’s eighth-gen iPad keeps the same $329 price and comes in Space Gray, gold or silver. That $329 price keeps the 32GB storage, and it’s up for order September 15, with deliveries starting on September 18.
The one we’ve been waiting for: After two years of no updates, the iPad Air is getting a full redesign. And oh boy, it’s coming in some fun colors along with a nearly edge-to-edge display.
The really big news? There’s a whole new processing unit inside the iPad Air: A14 Bionic. And yes, this is the chip that’s normally saved for new iPhones, but those aren’t here just yet. The in-house developer chip has a 5-nanometer process technology that makes up this impressive silicon processor. Pretty mind-blowing stuff. There are 11.8 billion transistors inside the A14 Bionic.
Apple iPadOS 14 should run with absolutely no compromises or issues on the iPad Air, allowing you to take full advantage of multitasking and any application you throw at it.
The 10.9-inch Retina Display with True Tone is being stretched to the edges with super-slim bezels. It’s pretty similar to the iPad Pro design, but there’s no True Depth front-facing camera for Face ID here. Rather, Apple has moved the Touch ID sensor into the power button on the side of the iPad Air.
And like the iPad Pro, the iPad Air is getting a USB-C port. Lightning is officially only found on the eighth-gen iPad and iPad Mini. On the front, you’ll get a 7-megapixel lens, and the back features the same 12-megapixel lens as on the iPad Pro. Those cameras should deliver clear and vibrant photos and videos. You’ll get stereo audio on the iPad Air.
Surprise, surprise: The Magic Keyboard works with the iPad Air, and it also supports the second-generation Apple Pencil. You can get a bit more creative with color options. The iPad Air comes in blue, green, gold, Space Gray and silver.
The iPad Air starts at $599 and will land October 2020. We’ll circle back once preorders start.
