Apple finally released new iPads this year after more than a year without any updates. The iPad Air has received a big refresh, now with an M2 chip inside and a new size – 13-inch – to go along with the usual 11-inch size from before.
The new iPad Air starts at $599 for the base 11-inch Wi-Fi model and goes up depending on the size and configuration you choose. If you want the new 13-inch model, be prepared to spend at least $799.
As great as the new iPad Air is, it’s not the only tablet on the market. Here are five other options you can consider instead.
iPad Pro (2024)
The iPad Air wasn’t the only new iPad Apple gave us this year: we also got the new iPad Pro (2024). If you can afford it, the Pro models have very good over-the-air upgrades.
For one thing, the iPad Pro also comes in the same 11- and 13-inch sizes as the Air. However, the iPad Pro goes even further with a new OLED display, a first on the iPad, meaning you get deeper blacks, more vibrant colors, and an overall sharper display.
If you opt for the 1TB or 2TB model, you have the option of opting for a new nano-textured finish. With the nano-texture, it is an anti-reflective coating that helps reduce glare. While this may mean blacks aren’t as deep as those on a standard glossy display, it can definitely be useful when working on the iPad Pro.
The iPad Pro is also the first device with the powerful M4 chip, which hasn’t even made it into a Mac yet. With the M4 chip, you get the same powerful performance as the M2 but with better thermal performance, while using half the power. According to Apple, it has the same level of performance as a thin and light PC but with a quarter of the power.
The M4 chip also provides a solid foundation for powerful AI tasks thanks to the new Neural Engine it uses. Hopefully this means we’ll get some solid AI upgrades and features in iPadOS 18 that take advantage of the power of this chip.
The iPad Pro (2024) is an expensive tablet, and much more expensive than the new iPad Air. But if you want the best, highest-performing iPad available in 2024, this is the one for you.
iPad Air (2022)
Still want an iPad Air but don’t need the new model’s features? The iPad Air 2022 model remains a perfectly performing device that should not be overlooked. Plus, you can save money by opting for this one now that the new model is out.
The iPad Air (2022) has the M1 chip, which is a few years old but still a very fast and powerful chip for a tablet. Although the M2 offers a 50% increase in performance over the M1, for most people the M1 is probably more than enough. After all, most people probably use the iPad to check email, messages, social media, consume media, and play games. The M1 can handle all of this with no problem.
Although the iPad Air (2022) is only one size, it still has a beautiful, crisp screen. You also get a 12 MP rear camera and a 12 MP front camera located at the top of the device in portrait orientation. There’s still USB-C charging and support for the Apple Pencil 2 and Magic Keyboard, so you can get some serious work done there. The base 64GB storage can be a hassle, so it’s recommended to go for a larger storage option if you can.
Although it’s two years old, the iPad Air is still a capable machine that’s suitable for most people. If you don’t need the M2 chip or a 13-inch iPad Air, you can definitely save money by buying an older iPad Air instead.
iPad (2022)
When the 10th generation iPad was released in 2022, it was in a bit of a sticky situation. Indeed, Apple continued to sell the ninth-generation iPad at a lower price, and the $450 asking price for the 10th generation was a bit high.
But it’s different now that the ninth generation iPad is completely irrelevant, because Apple no longer sells it. Because of this, the 2022 10th generation iPad has seen its price drop to just $350, making it much easier to recommend.
The 10th generation iPad got rid of the relic home button, so it now uses Touch ID in the power button at the top of the bezel. You also get a front-facing camera in landscape orientation, which makes sense for video calls, especially with Center Stage. The iPad also has USB-C charging, which is in line with the rest of Apple’s product lines which have now all moved to USB-C for the iPhone, iPad, and Mac.
Since the iPad no longer has a home button, it has a larger screen with thinner bezels, making it perfect for media consumption. While it’s not the best display since it’s still an LED panel, it’s not bad by any means and sufficient for most people.
The iPad still uses Apple’s older A14 Bionic chip, first introduced in the iPhone 12 lineup and the 2020 iPad Air. It may not be the newest or fastest chip in the market, but it is perfectly suited to multimedia consumption, consulting social networks and playing certain games.
iPad (2022) supports the first generation Apple Pencil and Apple Pencil USB-C. It doesn’t support the Magic Keyboard, but there is the Magic Keyboard Folio, which is more versatile overall and lets you be productive with the keyboard and trackpad.
When the iPad (2022) launched, this was a strange recommendation. But now that its price has come down and it’s still a great tablet for the average person, it’s a solid alternative to the iPad Air (2024).
OnePlus tablet
Don’t mind switching to Android? Then, the OnePlus Pad remains one of the best tablets you can find on the market.
The design of the OnePlus Pad definitely stands out among the crowd of boring tablet colors and basic glass slabs. It has a unique Halo Green color with a brushed metal look and a circular pattern on the back, similar to a vinyl record. It’s also a slim design, lightweight and honestly quite comfortable to hold.
OnePlus shipped the OnePlus Pad with OxygenOS 13 and promised three years of Android OS upgrades and four years of security patches. It should be upgradeable to Android 16, which will likely arrive later next year. OxygenOS 13 runs flawlessly on the OnePlus Pad and has excellent multitasking capabilities that allow you to maximize productivity, especially when paired with the OnePlus Magnetic Keyboard and OnePlus Stylo.
In terms of specifications, the OnePlus Pad is impressive with 8GB of RAM and MediaTek Dimensity 9000, one of MediaTek’s high-end chipsets. One of the great features of the OnePlus Pad is the ability to run up to 24 live apps simultaneously. The average person may never have 24 apps on screen at once, but it’s a nice feature.
Finally, the OnePlus Pad has one of the best battery lives on a tablet. The 9,510 mAh battery can deliver over 12 hours of consecutive video sessions and a very impressive month of standby time. No accessories or background apps? The battery can then last around 50 days. And when you need to recharge, it has 67W wired charging, so you can go from zero to 100% in about 80 minutes.
Samsung Galaxy Tab S9 FE Plus
Those who were considering getting a 13-inch iPad Air (2024) might also consider the Samsung Galaxy Tab S9 FE Plus, provided you don’t mind Android. You get a similarly sized 12.4-inch tablet without breaking the bank.
With the Samsung Galaxy Tab S9 FE Plus, you get a 12.4-inch WQXGA display that delivers a pleasant viewing experience with rich, lush colors and sharp resolution. It also has a 90Hz refresh rate. It’s not 120Hz, but it’s a step up from the iPad Air’s 60Hz screen. This means scrolling should be a little smoother than on the iPad Air.
Although it doesn’t use a Snapdragon chip and instead has an Exynos 1380 chipset, it still offers good mid-range performance with up to 12GB of RAM. It came with Android 13 and Samsung One UI 5.1.1 but has since been updated to Android 14. The Samsung Galaxy Tab S9 FE Plus also uses Samsung DeX, which replaces the Android interface with one that looks more like to a desktop computer like Windows. or macOS. With DeX it’s a little easier to be more productive on your tablet, but it also depends on the good compatibility of the apps you use.
Battery life on the Samsung Galaxy Tab S9 FE Plus is also good. With continuous use such as watching videos, you can get between 18 and 20 hours from a single charge of the 10,090 mAh battery. It also charges quickly, getting a full charge in less than 90 minutes.
There’s a lot to like about the Samsung Galaxy Tab S9 FE Plus, especially the price, if you’re looking for a larger tablet without spending too much.
Editors’ Recommendations