If you’re fond of Apple, you might be getting a bit “bow chicka wow wow” over the 2024 iPad range.
But there’s a problem. Are they really worth the extra expense? And if so, how do you decide which one to go for?
The new iPads dropped in May and true to form – they’re dripping with new tech and innovations.
Even though Apple rattled a few cages in the creative community with their “soul crushing” ad recently, nobody can deny that the new devices are super-sleek. No less than expected from the grand-daddies of good design.
But what about performance? How do the new iPads stack up against each other? Are they really that much better than previous versions?
There’s only one way to find out.
It’s time to compare Apples with Apples.
iPad Pro 2024
Okay, so we need to talk about the new M4 chip.
The performance leap is, well how to put it… insane!
It’s so fast that most people won’t use it anywhere near its full potential. But if you’re a designer, digital artist, or photographer, you might come close.
Apps open in the blink of an eye and you can switch between them easily, even resource-heavy ones like Adobe Photoshop and Procreate. There’s no noticeable lag or stutter — just super-quick action.
And the really impressive thing about the new iPad Pro?
The display. If you can describe an electronic device as beautiful, then the iPad Pro is it.
The Ultra Retina XDR screen with Tandem OLED, as well as having a fancy-sounding name, really does stand out from the crowd. The colors are vibrant. The contrast is sharp. Working on color-sensitive projects is a joy because what you see on screen is what you get in print. The brightness is fantastic too, making it easy to work in various lighting conditions without eye strain.
The new Apple Pencil Pro is impressive too, with much-improved touch sensitivity. It feels more like a real pen on paper, which is great for designers and artists.
That’s not to say everything is perfect. The camera setup is a tad disappointing. What happened to the ultra-wide camera? The new camera is okay for scanning documents and the like, but don’t expect to take stunning pics of landscapes or portraits. Then again, that’s probably not what the Pro is designed for.
Finally, let’s talk money. It’s no surprise that a premium Apple iPad Pro device has a premium price tag of more than $1000. But you get high performance for your money, so if it’ll help you do your job better then it might be worth the extra expense.
iPad Air 2024
The iPad Pro 2024 is a big leap forward. So, the latest iPad Air must be too, right?
Not exactly.
The differences between the last-gen Air and this one are pretty thin to be honest. The screen is the same. The chip has been upgraded to an M2, but that’s the same as the previous Pro.
Nothing to write home about so far.
The only two differences, so far as we can tell, between the old and new Airs are:
- The front-facing camera is now in the middle of the edge, making it more suitable for video calls.
- You can now get a 13-inch version, as well as 11-inch.
The 13-inch version might not seem like a big deal then, but if you run a business and are using it for customer-facing use cases, the 13-inch iPad Air might be just the ticket to enhance customer interaction in your space.
Customers love big screens, but until now the bigger iPad Pro’s that come with an eye watering price tag were the only iOS option. The iPad Air 13” is far less expensive than the iPad Pro, making it the ideal choice to get that big bright screen in front of your customers!
Self-service or self-ordering kiosks are growing in popularity, especially with smaller independent fast-food restaurants and the larger screen offers better visibility for menus and promotional content.
When paired up with a Bouncepad iPad stand such as the Static 60 with card reader mount or Flip with card reader mount, the 13-inch iPad is a practical device, as people can get a really good view of the menu and items they’re ordering.
iPad Mini 2024Oh – hold on… did Apple forget to update it? Seems like they did. Actually, wait… no – it’s rumored that Apple will release a new iPad mini 7 in late 2024 or early 2025, so look out for that if you prefer your devices on the dinkier side.
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