Today, Apple pulled the wraps off its new 2022 iPad Air 5 at the Peek performance event. The affordable iPad is packed with high-end features such as the company’s M1 chip, 8GB of RAM, and more storage in the base variant.

Design and Display

On the outside, Apple’s refreshed iPad Air remains essentially unchanged and borrows design cues from its predecessor, the 2020 iPad Air. The new tablet has retained the 10.9-inch Super Retina screen from its predecessor as well. The iPad Air is available in Space Gray, Starlight, Pink, Purple, and Blue.

Updated Internals and 5G

Apple’s refreshed iPad Air seems to be inspired by the 2021 M1 iPad Pro lineup in the specs department. The new tablet is powered by Apple’s M1 chip that helped Apple kickoff its transition from Intel CPUs. It is one of the most substantial upgrades of this generation’s iPad Air refresh. It has a 16-core Neural Engine as well.

On the Wi-Fi + Cellular variant, the iPad Air 5 gets support for 5G on the sub-6GHz band. Note that the former will only be available on devices in the US. The compatibility of the USB-C port has also been updated to improve the compatibility across multiple devices. Additionally, the iPad Air 5 gets 64GB and 256GB storage options to choose from.

Camera Specifications

The 2022 iPad Air 5 retains a single 12MP camera at the rear — there’s no LiDAR or ultra-wide sensor here. In the front, the new iPad Air 5 packs a new 12MP ultrawide camera for FaceTime calls and group selfies. It also packs Center Stage support, so you’re always in the frame during video calls.

Pricing and Availability

Apple’s asking price for the 2022 iPad Air 5 remains unchanged at $599 for the base Wi-Fi-only variant. The Wi-Fi + Cellular variant starts at $749. You can pre-order the iPad Air 5 starting Friday, and retail availability starts on March 18.

At that price, the iPad Air offers great value for money. Are you looking forward to purchasing one? Tell us in the comments section.