Apple provided us with a review unit for one of our writers to test, which he returned after his thorough evaluation. Read on for his full thoughts.
iPad Air 2020: the real iPad Pro killer!
The iPad Air 4 gets a major facelift compared to the previous generation, but the new aesthetics aren’t the biggest change here. Equipped with the powerful A14 Bionic processor, a gorgeous, fully-laminated Liquid Retina display, and a magnetic Magic Connector that works with accessories like the second-generation Apple Pencil and the fantastic Magic Keyboard, Apple has quietly built a solid iPad Pro competitor at a lower price.
The prospect of a more affordable alternative to the iPad Pro’s impressive capabilities is an intriguing one, but hardware specs only tell part of the story. To that end, I spent a few weeks with an iPad Air, Magic Keyboard, and second-generation Apple Pencil as part of my daily essentials, and with results that surprised me.
Paired with the Magic Keyboard, the iPad Air 4 is a remarkably competent laptop replacement. I'm not quite ready to mothball my laptop in favor of a tablet, but between the iPad Air 4's capabilities and its price point, Apple has struck a winning formula that could end up surpassing the iPad Pro for many users.
