iPad 2020 vs iPad Air 2020: Similarities and Differences Between Tablets

iPad 2020 vs iPad Air 2020

At first we see that the design is one of the main differences between an iPad 8 and an iPad Air 4. It is the most prominent difference, but not the only one. What other changes do we find between one tablet and another? Do they share specifications in any section? We will solve this and other doubts in this comparison between two of Apple‘s most popular tablets.

iPad 8 and iPad Air 4 Specifications Table

Although we always like to emphasize that the real differences between one device and another can be explained in more detail, something that we will also do in the following sections, the truth is that it is still interesting to be able to see first a table in which we know which ones. the similarities and differences between these two iPads are on paper.

ipad 8 y ipad air 4

Characteristics iPad (8th gen-2020) iPad Air (4th gen-2020)
Colors -Silver
-Space gray
-Pink gold
-Silver
-Space gray
-Pink gold
-Green
-Sky Blue
Dimensions -Height: 25.06 cm
-Width: 17.41 cm
-Thickness: 0.75 cm
-Height: 24.76 cm
-Width: 17.85 cm
-Thickness: 0.61 cm
Weight -WiFi version: 490 grams
-WiFi + Cellular version: 495 grams
-WiFi version: 458 grams
-WiFi + Cellular version: 460 grams
Screen -10.2-inch Retina display (IPS)
-Oleophobic anti-fingerprint cover
10.9-inch Liquid Retina (IPS) display
-Oleophobic anti-fingerprint cover
-Integral lamination with anti-reflective film
-True Tone technology
Resolution 2,160 x 1,620 at 264 pixels per inch 2,360 x 1,640 at 264 pixels per inch
Brightness Up to 600 nits (typical) Up to 500 nits (typical)
Refresh rate 60 Hz 60 Hz
Speakers 2 speakers 2 speakers with optimized sound horizontally
Processor A12 Bionic A14 Bionic
Storage capacity -32 GB
-128 GB
-64 GB
-256 GB
RAM 3 GB * 4GB*
Frontal camera 1.2 Mpx lens with f / 2.4 aperture 7 Mpx lens with f / 2.2 aperture
Rear cameras 8 Mpx lens with f / 2.4 aperture 12 Mpx lens with f / 1.8 aperture
Connectors -Lightning
-Smart Connector
-USB-C
-Smart Connector
Biometric systems Touch ID (on Home button) Touch ID (on power button)
SIM card In WiFi + Cellular version: Nano SIM and eSIM In WiFi + Cellular version: Nano SIM and eSIM
Connectivity in all versions -Wifi (802.11a / b / g / n / ac / ax); 2.4 and 5 GHz; simultaneous dual band; speeds up to 886 Mb / s
-MIME
-Bluetooth 5.0
-Wifi (802.11a / b / g / n / ac / ax); 2.4 and 5 GHz; simultaneous dual band; speeds up to 1.2 Gb / s
-MIME
-Bluetooth 5.0
Connectivity in WiFi + Cellular versions -GSM / EDGE
-UMTS / HSPA / HSPA + / DC ‑ HSDPA
-LTE Gigabit (up to 27 bands)
-GPS / GNSS integrated
-Calls via WiFi
-GSM / EDGE
-UMTS / HSPA / HSPA + / DC ‑ HSDPA
-LTE Gigabit (up to 32 bands)
-GPS / GNSS integrated
-Calls via WiFi
Official accessory compatibility -Smart Keyboard
-Apple Pencil (1st gen.)
-Smart Keyboard Folio
-Magic Keyboard
-Apple Pencil (2nd gen.)
Pricing at Apple From 379 euros From 649 euros

* About RAM: Apple does not offer official RAM data for these iPads since they consider that its importance is not as high as in other tablets due to the good integration of software and hardware designed by themselves. The data could have been obtained from different tests and analyzes carried out by experts.

Two very different design styles

As we said at the beginning and surely you have already verified yourself just by looking at the photographs in this article, the design of these iPad is very different. In the normal iPad, the eighth generation, we find the most classic Apple style for its tablets: pronounced bezels on the front, Home button, curved side edges … On the iPad Air, for its part, we find a more current design with those Reduced bezels with the removal of the Home button and flat sides with curved corners that make it look aesthetically similar to the iPad Pro.

diseño ipad y ipad air

At the level of materials in the back we find certain similarities, although the range of colors is shared in the case of silver, space gray and rose gold, in the ‘Air’ we find two more tremendously elegant colors: green and blue. The latter stands out especially for the way in which its perception changes depending on the intensity of light that falls on it and where that focus is placed.

Judging one as better or worse in an area like this is tremendously subjective. It is understood that the ‘Air’ adopts a more modern design because it is the one that will be the most widespread in the iPad range for the future and the one that takes the most advantage of the size of the body to fill it with the screen. The regular iPad looks somewhat old-fashioned, although that does not mean that it is less elegant or practical. In the end, each one can have their own perception, all of which are very legal.

Is the screen of the iPad Air so different?

Beyond the design discussed above and that the ‘Air’ has a more modern air to better extend its screen on the front, at a technical level there are certain differences that you may have seen in the comparison table in the first section. In addition to the fact that the iPad Air has a larger screen by 0.7 inches, it incorporates an anti-reflective sheet that is not only visually noticeable, but also to the touch another sensation is experienced that, to a greater or lesser degree, may be more pleasant. In addition, True Tone technology is added that allows the screen color to vary depending on the ambient light conditions, although this can be disabled from the settings.

ipados en ipad 2020 y ipad air 2020

For everything else, despite the better resolution of the ‘Air’, the basic iPad screen is not bad at all. Obviously it is not comparable either with those of the more advanced models, but it is a panel that looks good in practically any light situation and that unless you need the best in this section, you will not miss anything. And if you are in that case, we regret to tell you that the ‘Air’ is not the iPad with the best screen at all levels.

In performance there are notable differences

The processors of both devices have been designed to work perfectly on both computers (also on the iPhone) and the fact that they have been designed by Apple, something that we anticipated when talking about RAM, allows everything to be tremendously fluid and can be guarantee many years of software updates. Now, one is an A12 (iPad) and another is an A14 (iPad Air). And no, these chips are not the same.

The difference that there is from one generation to the next in terms of microprocessors may seem non-existent at first and in a use that is not intensive. But when two generations separate both chips, as in this case, the difference is already noticeable on a practical level and, of course, in the highest demands. The A14 chip of the iPad Air gives an amazing fluidity to the system, allowing to execute heavy tasks efficiently and in a fairly correct time (processing of videos in editing, photography, etc.). Of course, it is not designed so that these types of tasks are carried out on a regular and continuous basis, since the A12Z Bionic and M1 surpass them being more suitable for those heavy tasks.

a12 bionic y a14 bionic

The A12 of the iPad 2020 is a chip that will also allow us to carry out those heavy tasks that we mentioned, although with longer times and in a much less efficient way. For this reason, it would not be recommended to carry out this type of process if it is not very sporadic or extremely necessary. For everything else it is a very balanced processor that perfectly manages the battery and terminal software.

Storage capacities, low?

Let’s go by parts and from best to worst. The iPad Air comes in 64GB or 256GB versions. The most basic can be an ideal capacity for those who combine it with cloud storage services, although it will also depend on the use made of the iPad because today a scarce capacity can still be considered. With the 256 GB there seems to be not much problem, although there will still be those who could ask for something more, the truth is that in relation to quality-price it is more than acceptable.

The problem could come in the 32 and 128 GB of the iPad 2020 . The low capacity of the most basic version forces this device to be focused on users who do not store much content on their iPad, taking advantage of other online functions and streaming multimedia playback. The 128GB could be more successful, although it still falls short. In any case, this is a point that in the end determines a lot the user profile and the choice of one or the other iPad.

Both iPads have Touch ID, but with differences

The fingerprint sensor of these iPad is in the end the same. Same security and efficiency, whether it’s unlocking your device, accessing iCloud keychain passwords, or making payments using Apple Pay. Its difference from this Touch ID lies in the position in which it is integrated, since in the iPad 2020 it is kept in the Home button as it has done in a traditional way and in the iPad Air it is in the top button (or side depending on how you look at it). ). In the end, both can be more comfortable or uncomfortable depending on the situation, but knowing that they are reliable should not be a negative point in any case.

Touch ID iPhone

At battery level they perform practically the same

Something fundamental in any device of this type is that it has a good autonomy. It is really very complex to give a single data of duration, since in the end it will depend on the use made by each of the device and the hours it is being used. Apple gives an approximation of between 9 and 10 hours of video playback or Internet browsing. In practice, both behave very similarly in this section, offering plenty of battery for a day of professional use or a few multimedia playback. Of course, in the case of the iPad if you notice a shorter duration if more demanding processes are carried out, but in any case it should give plenty for at least 6 uninterrupted hours without requiring the charger.

How important are cameras?

Go ahead, we understand that an iPad is not usually a device widely used for photos or videos, mainly for reasons of comfort given its size. However, there may be those who, to a greater or lesser extent, can take advantage of the technology offered. The capabilities of the cameras on these iPads are as follows:

camaras ipad y ipad air

specs iPad (8th gen-2020) iPad Air (4th gen-2020)
Photos front camera -12MP camera with f / 2.4 aperture
-Retina Flash
-HDR
-7 Mpx camera with f / 2.2 aperture
-Retina Flash
-HDR Smart 3
Front camera videos -Recording in 720p HD
– Cinema quality video stabilization
-Recording in 1080p HD
– Cinema quality video stabilization
Photos rear cameras -8MP wide-angle camera with f / 2.4 aperture
– Zoom in: x5 (digital)
-HDR
-12MP wide-angle camera with f / 1.8 aperture
– Zoom in: x5 (digital)
-HDR Smart 3
Rear camera videos 1080p recording at 30 frames per second
-Zoom zoom: x3 (digital)
-Slow motion in 720p at 120 frames per second
-Video in time-lapse with stabilization
-Recording in 4K at 24, 25, 30 or 60 frames per second
1080p recording at 60 frames per second
-Zoom zoom: x3 (digital)
-Slow motion at 1080p at 120 or 240 frames per second
-Video in time-lapse with stabilization

The difference between them is great, especially in the front camera. Even the iPad Air improvements on the back may not convince you if it is not a decisive point for you, but you should keep in mind that the only 1.2 Mpx lens of the iPad 2020 falls short for actions that are already as everyday as video calls.

Compatible accessories and switching with USB-C

To any of them you can add keyboards, covers, mice, trackpads, headphones and any other type of accessory that works via Bluetooth connection. Now, if we refer to the official Apple accessories, both have a smart connector that makes them compatible with keyboards such as the Smart Keyboard , each adapted to its size. What we did not find is the possibility of using the Magic Keyboard with trackpad on the normal iPad, since it is exclusive to the ‘Air’ and ‘Pro’ models. Regarding the Apple Pencil , the iPad is compatible only with the first generation and the Air with the second generation. And before you wonder, no, you can’t use the first generation in the ‘Air’.

accesorios ipad y ipad air

Where if we find an important difference is in the port they have , which not only serves to charge the battery but also for the connection of accessories such as external storage disks. The iPad Air has greater compatibility because it incorporates the USB-C standard, while Apple’s proprietary Lightning has serious limitations due to the speed it offers, in addition to needing adapters in most cases.

Very different prices on these Apple tablets

The price factor, as always, is a factor that can be decisive. Between the two there is a difference of 270 euros that increases more as the capacity increases, so it is something to take into account if the economic aspect is decisive for you in your decision-making between one iPad and another.

IPad Price (8th Generation – 2020)

  • WiFi versions
    • 32 GB: 379 euros
    • 128 GB: 479 euros
  • WiFi + Cellular versions
    • 32 GB: 519 euros
    • 128 GB: 619 euros

Of course, you can find some always interesting offers in other stores. In Amazon it usually has a temporary discount sporadically.

Price of iPad Air (4th generation – 2020)

  • WiFi versions
    • 64 GB: 649 euros
    • 256 GB: 819 euros
  • WiFi + Cellular versions
    • 64 GB: 789 euros
    • 256 GB: 959 euros

Like the previous one, this can also be purchased on Amazon and sometimes with more than interesting offers than in an Apple Store.

Which one is better to buy based on your profile?

The million dollar question. Obviously with an iPad Air you will have a more complete experience, since at the level of specifications it is a better machine. Now, is it therefore recommended for everyone? Well not really. Based on the difference in price, the normal iPad could be more focused on students and the general public who do not look for a professional team in the iPad and that, if they use it for it, are reduced to the use of apps office automation or take notes, as well as manage calendar or email. It is also ideal as a “family iPad” so that even the smallest of the house can use it.

For everything else, the iPad Air is more intended for those who perform actions such as those described above, but with greater fluidity and improvements in design, processor and screen. It also opens a niche of the public that demands to carry out heavier tasks on a regular basis, although it will still not be the most suitable if these tasks are extremely demanding and are carried out on a daily basis. In that case, he would already be entering the field of the ‘Pro’.