Honestly, the iPad Air 11-inch is in a weird spot. For years, it was just the "Pro-lite," a tablet for people who wanted the fancy design but didn't want to drop a grand on features they’d never use. Now? It’s basically the default. If you walk into an Apple Store today, this is probably the one the specialist is going to nudge you toward, and for once, they aren't just upselling you.
It’s fast. Like, unnecessarily fast.
We’re talking about the M2 chip here. When Apple dropped the M2 into the Air, it kind of broke the curve. Most people using an 11-inch tablet are checking emails, scrolling through Lightroom, or maybe losing a few hours to Genshin Impact. You don't need a desktop-class processor for that, yet here we are. It’s like putting a Ferrari engine in a Honda Civic; it’s overkill, but man, does it merge onto the highway smoothly.
What’s Actually Different This Time?
People keep asking if they should just buy the old one. Look, the biggest change in the latest iPad Air 11-inch isn’t actually the screen or the chip—it’s the camera placement. Finally. Apple finally moved the front-facing camera to the landscape edge.
If you’ve ever done a FaceTime call on an older iPad while it was docked in a keyboard, you know the struggle. You look like you’re staring off into space because the camera was on the "top" (the short side). Now, it’s right where it should be. It’s a small tweak that makes a massive difference if you actually use this thing for work.
👉 See also: How Many Sec in a Day: The Math, the Physics, and Why We Keep Adding Time
Then there’s the storage.
Apple finally killed off the 64GB base model. Good riddance. 128GB is the new floor. It’s about time, especially since iPadOS is getting heavier every year and apps are ballooning in size. If you're planning on downloading Netflix shows for a flight or keeping a massive photo library offline, you won't hit a wall in the first week.
The Screen Dilemma: Liquid Retina vs. ProMotion
Here is the part where I have to be real with you. The 11-inch Air uses a Liquid Retina display. It’s bright, the colors are accurate (P3 wide color gamut), and it’s laminated, so there’s no air gap between the glass and the pixels. It looks great.
But it’s 60Hz.
If you’ve spent any time with an iPhone Pro or an iPad Pro, you’re going to notice the "ghosting." The 11-inch iPad Pro has ProMotion, which is 120Hz. It makes scrolling feel like butter. On the Air, it’s just... normal. Is that a dealbreaker? For 90% of people, no. If you’re an artist using the Apple Pencil Pro, you might notice a tiny bit of lag compared to the Pro models, but for writing notes or sketching, it’s still better than almost any other tablet on the market.
The Apple Pencil Pro Factor
Speaking of the Pencil, the iPad Air 11-inch supports the new Apple Pencil Pro. This is a big deal for creators. You get the "squeeze" gesture, which brings up a tool palette right at the tip of your pen. It also has haptic feedback, so you get a little buzz when you snap a shape into place.
It feels tactile.
The coolest part is the barrel roll. There’s a gyroscope inside now, so if you’re using a shaped brush—like a calligraphy pen—you can actually roll the pencil in your hand to change the orientation of the stroke. It mimics a real pen better than anything they’ve done before. But remember: your old Apple Pencil 2 won't work here. Apple changed the charging magnets to make room for that landscape camera. It’s annoying, I know. You’ll have to buy the new pen if you want the full experience.
Performance and Reality Checks
Let’s talk about the M2.
In benchmarks, this thing screams. In reality? You’re probably not going to floor it. Unless you are editing 4K ProRes video in LumaFusion or rendering 3D models in Shapr3D, the M2 is mostly there for longevity. This tablet will likely receive iPadOS updates for the next six or seven years. That’s the real value proposition. You aren't buying it for the power today; you're buying it so it isn't slow in 2030.
Thermal throttling is a thing, though. Because the Air is so thin and has no fans, it can get warm if you’re doing heavy gaming for over an hour. It’s not going to burn your lap, but the software will dim the screen brightness to keep the heat down.
Accessories: The Hidden Tax
You can't talk about the iPad Air 11-inch without talking about the Magic Keyboard. It turns the tablet into a "laptop," but it also doubles the price (well, not literally, but it’s expensive). The typing experience is excellent. The keys have real travel. But it adds weight.
👉 See also: How Do I Get My iPhone Unlocked? The Truth About Carriers and Those Sketchy Websites
With the keyboard attached, the 11-inch Air weighs about as much as a MacBook Air.
If you’re a student, the Smart Folio is probably a better bet. It’s lighter, cheaper, and protects the screen. Plus, the 11-inch size is the "goldilocks" zone for portability. It fits on a tray table even when the person in front of you reclines their seat all the way. You can’t say that about the 13-inch models.
Why You Might Want to Skip It
Is it perfect? No.
The lack of FaceID is still a bummer. You have to use TouchID, which is built into the top power button. It’s fast, but it’s not as seamless as just looking at your device to unlock it. If your hands are sweaty or you're wearing gloves, it's a chore.
Also, the speakers.
You get "landscape stereo speakers." They sound fine for YouTube or a quick podcast. But they lack the "oomph" and the four-speaker array of the Pro. If you’re a movie buff who doesn’t like using headphones, you’ll notice the sound feels a bit thin.
Making the Choice
If you are coming from an iPad Air 4 or older, the jump to the M2 11-inch is massive. You’ll feel the speed immediately. If you have an iPad Air 5 (the M1 model), honestly, stay put. The M2 is better, sure, but it’s not "spend $600 again" better unless you desperately need that landscape camera or the Apple Pencil Pro features.
The iPad Air 11-inch is the "safe" choice. It’s the tablet that handles 95% of what anyone wants to do without the $1,000+ price tag of the OLED Pro models.
Actionable Next Steps
- Check your current storage usage: Open Settings > General > iPad Storage on your current device. If you're over 50GB, don't even look at older 64GB models; the 128GB Air is your baseline.
- Test the Pencil: If you’re an artist, go to a store and try the "Barrel Roll" on the Pencil Pro. It’s a hardware feature that software can’t replicate.
- Budget for the "Extras": Factor in $129 for the Pencil Pro or $299 for the Magic Keyboard. The base price is never the final price.
- Color Choice: Remember that the Space Gray (now Space Black) and Starlight are the most resilient to scratches. The blue and purple versions are beautiful but show fingerprints and nicks more easily.