MacDirectory Magazine

Stephen Hanson

MacDirectory magazine is the premiere creative lifestyle magazine for Apple enthusiasts featuring interviews, in-depth tech reviews, Apple news, insights, latest Apple patents, apps, market analysis, entertainment and more.

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6 Reasons to Buy the New iPad Air Instead of the Classic iPad By Tyler Lacoma With Apple's latest iPad releases, buyers who prefer non-Pro models, with screens around 10 inches, now have two major choices: Either the new iPad (technically the iPad 8) or the new iPad Air 4. These two tablets don't look much alike and there's a whole lot going on beneath the surface, but it all favors the iPad Air 4. Yes, the iPad Air 4 is significantly more expensive (+$270), but continue reading to learn the top six reasons you really should choose this model over the classic iPad. 6. A Far Better Display The iPad Air's edge-to-edge display is larger than the new iPad with 0.7 more inches, but that's a minor difference and even difficult to see at a glance. The real changes come in big upgrades to screen quality. While the iPad is stuck with a traditional Retina display, the Air 4 has upgraded to Liquid Retina with True Tone, full lamination with anti-reflective coating, and much better visuals. It also has a higher resolution at 2360 x 1640, while the iPad clocks in at 2160 x 1620. That makes the Air 4 superior for color accuracy and entertainment purposes. 5. A USB-C Connection The iPad 8th-gen continues to use the aging Lightning connector for charging. The Air 4, at long last, joins the iPad Pro models in upgrading to USB-C. This is a big hardware improvement; not only is the USB-C connection cable of a better charging experience, but it's also compatible with lot more potential chargers, and can transfer data much, much faster with a variety of devices. It makes the Air 4 much more versatile and ready for the future. 4. Far Better Accessories It's not apparent unless you look into the details, but the two new iPads actually have drastically different accessory compatibilities. The iPad supports the Apple Pencil Generation 1, but won't work with the Generation 2 Pencil. It can work with the traditional Smart Keyboard that Apple offers, but isn't compatible with any of the newer Folios. The iPad Air 4, however, is designed to work with the more advanced Generation 2 Pencil, and won't work with the Generation 1. It can also work with the Smart Folio Keyboard, which includes a touchpad that's specifically designed to work with the iPad's interface as a cursor. This is a great addition if you want your iPad

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