Tablets · Model guide · Maker specs
iPad Air (5th generation)
Get iPad Air (5th generation) used for its M1 chip, 8GB of memory and laminated screen; new, the M4 Air launched at the same $599 with 12GB and two sizes.
Product images
iPad Air (5th generation), from its Amazon listing.
Credit: Amazon.com (Associates Program). Amazon listing
Product image from the Amazon listing.
In short
Get iPad Air (5th generation) used for its M1 chip, 8GB of memory and laminated screen; new, the M4 Air launched at the same $599 with 12GB and two sizes. It has a 10.86-inch P3 display with an antireflective coating, a USB 3 port, Touch ID and support for Apple Pencil (2nd generation). Skip it if you want a 13-inch screen, Pencil Pro or more than 256GB; the later two-size Airs have all three.
Who it is for
- Used and refurbished buyers who want Air features for less: the M1 chip with 8GB of RAM, a fully laminated, antireflective P3 screen and a USB 3 port.
- Artists who already own a second-generation Apple Pencil, which pairs with the magnetic Pencil connector. Apple Pencil (USB-C) works too.
- iPad Air (4th generation) owners after an affordable step up. M1 replaces the A14, cellular moves from LTE to 5G, and the front camera goes from 7MP to a 12MP Ultra Wide with Center Stage.
Who should skip it
- Anyone paying close to new-Air money. iPad Air (M4) launched at the same $599 in March 2026, with 12GB of RAM and a 13-inch option.
- Artists who want Pencil Pro or hover. This Air supports neither; Pencil Pro came with the later two-size Airs.
- Anyone who wants iPad Pro features: tandem OLED, four speakers, Face ID, LiDAR or Thunderbolt.
- Commuters who want a tablet for one hand. That's the 8.3-inch iPad mini.
What sets it apart
- The first iPad Air with an M-series chip: M1, with an 8-core CPU, an 8-core GPU, a 16-core Neural Engine and 8GB of RAM.
- A fully laminated Liquid Retina display with P3 wide color and an antireflective coating Apple rates at 1.8% reflectivity.
- USB-C at USB 3 speed, up to 10Gb/s, with DisplayPort.
- Thin and light: 6.1 mm thick and 461 grams (462 with cellular).
Caveats
- Storage is 64GB or 256GB, with no microSD slot to add more.
- Accessories cost extra: Apple's US education prices at launch were $279 for the Magic Keyboard and $159 for the Smart Keyboard Folio.
Key specs
In the same order on every tablet page, so you can compare models.
| Spec | Value | Source and notes |
|---|---|---|
| Display size | Sold as 10.9-inch; 10.86 inches measured as a rectangle (the corners are rounded) | Apple iPad Air (5th generation) tech specs |
| Display type | Liquid Retina; LED-backlit IPS Multi-Touch | Apple iPad Air (5th generation) tech specs |
| Display resolution | 2360 × 1640 at 264 ppi | Apple iPad Air (5th generation) tech specs |
| Peak brightness | 500 nits | Apple iPad Air (5th generation) tech specs |
| Refresh rate | Not stated; no ProMotion (120Hz) | Apple iPad Air (5th generation) tech specs |
| Display features | Fully laminated; antireflective coating (1.8% reflectivity); wide color (P3); True Tone; oleophobic coating | Apple iPad Air (5th generation) tech specs |
| Sizes | One size, 10.86-inch; the two-size Air started with M2 | Apple Newsroom, 2022-03-08 |
| Dimensions | 247.6 × 178.5 × 6.1 mm | Apple iPad Air (5th generation) tech specs |
| Weight | Wi-Fi 461 g; Wi-Fi + Cellular 462 g | Apple iPad Air (5th generation) tech specs |
| Finishes | Space Gray, Starlight, Pink, Purple, Blue | Apple iPad Air (5th generation) tech specs |
| Enclosure | Aluminum; no recycled-content figure given | Apple iPad Air (5th generation) tech specs |
| Chip | M1: 8-core CPU (4 performance, 4 efficiency), 8-core GPU, 16-core Neural Engine | Apple iPad Air (5th generation) tech specs |
| Memory (RAM) | 8GB | Apple iPad Air (5th generation) tech specs |
| Storage | 64GB or 256GB; no microSD slot | Apple iPad Air (5th generation) tech specs |
| Operating system | iPadOS (launched in 2022) | Apple iPad Air (5th generation) tech specs |
| Apple Pencil | Apple Pencil (2nd generation) and Apple Pencil (USB-C); neither is in the box. Hover not listed. | Apple iPad Air (5th generation) tech specs |
| Keyboard | Smart Connector; Magic Keyboard and Smart Keyboard Folio, sold separately (US education prices at launch: $279 and $159) | Apple Newsroom, 2022-03-08; Apple iPad Air (5th generation) tech specs |
| Biometrics | Touch ID in the top button | Apple iPad Air (5th generation) tech specs |
| Speakers | Stereo speakers (the M2 and M3 Airs list landscape stereo speakers) | Apple iPad Air (5th generation) tech specs |
| Microphones | Two microphones for calls, video and audio recording | Apple iPad Air (5th generation) tech specs |
| Cellular | Wi-Fi + Cellular model only (A2589): 5G; nano-SIM and eSIM; data only | Apple iPad Air (5th generation) tech specs |
| Wi-Fi and Bluetooth | Wi-Fi 6 (802.11ax), 2x2 MIMO, up to 1.2 Gbps, simultaneous dual band; Bluetooth 5.0 | Apple iPad Air (5th generation) tech specs |
| Ports | USB-C (USB 3, up to 10Gb/s) for charging and DisplayPort; Smart Connector; magnetic Pencil connector; SIM tray on cellular models | Apple iPad Air (5th generation) tech specs |
| Rear camera | 12MP Wide, ƒ/1.8; 4K video up to 60 fps | Apple iPad Air (5th generation) tech specs |
| Front camera | 12MP Ultra Wide, 122° field of view, ƒ/2.4; Center Stage; 1080p video | Apple iPad Air (5th generation) tech specs |
| Battery | 28.6Wh; up to 10 hours of web or video on Wi-Fi, up to 9 hours of web on cellular | Apple iPad Air (5th generation) tech specs |
| Charging | USB-C Charge Cable (1m) and 20W USB-C Power Adapter in the box; also charges from a computer over USB-C | Apple iPad Air (5th generation) tech specs |
| Location | Digital compass, Wi-Fi and iBeacon on every model; GPS and GNSS on cellular models | Apple iPad Air (5th generation) tech specs |
| US launch price | Wi-Fi $599, Wi-Fi + Cellular $749, both with 64GB (8 March 2022) | Apple Newsroom, 2022-03-08 |
| Price band | Midrange iPad ($599 at US launch, before a Pencil or keyboard) | Based on Apple's launch prices |
| Announced | 8 March 2022 | Apple Newsroom |
| Availability | Announced 8 March 2022; replaced by the two-size iPad Air (M2) on 7 May 2024, followed by the M3 and M4 Airs | Apple Newsroom, 2022-03-08, and later iPad Air announcements |
iPad Air (5th generation) extras
Specs only this model has.
| Spec | Value | Source and notes |
|---|---|---|
| First Air with M1 | One 10.86-inch size and 8GB of RAM; the two-size Air and Pencil Pro came later | Apple iPad Air (5th generation) tech specs; Apple Newsroom, 2022-03-08 |
| 64GB or 256GB only | The two-size Airs that followed offer 128GB to 1TB | Apple iPad Air (5th generation) tech specs |
| In the box | iPad Air (5th generation); USB-C Charge Cable (1m); 20W USB-C Power Adapter | Apple iPad Air (5th generation) tech specs |
| Apple Intelligence | Built in, with region and language limits; it arrived in a later iPadOS update, not at the 2022 launch | Apple iPad Air (5th generation) tech specs |
| Previous model | iPad Air (4th generation): A14, LTE rather than 5G, 7MP front camera, RAM not published | Apple iPad Air (4th generation) tech specs |
Where it sits among the M-series Airs
Apple announced iPad Air (5th generation) on 8 March 2022 as the first Air with an M-series chip, and it’s the only M-series Air that came in one size. The two-size iPad Air (M2) replaced it on 7 May 2024, followed by the M3 model in March 2025 and the M4 model in March 2026. The M2 and M4 both started at $599, the price this one launched at.
| Spec | Air (5th generation) | Air (M2) | Air (M4) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Released | March 2022 | May 2024 | March 2026 |
| Sizes | 10.86-inch | 11-inch and 13-inch | 11-inch and 13-inch |
| Chip and memory | M1, 8GB | M2, 8GB | M4, 12GB |
| Wireless | Wi-Fi 6, Bluetooth 5.0 | Wi-Fi 6E, Bluetooth 5.3 | N1: Wi-Fi 7, Bluetooth 6, Thread |
| Storage | 64GB or 256GB | 128GB to 1TB | 128GB to 1TB |
| Apple Pencil | 2nd generation, USB-C | Pencil Pro, USB-C | Pencil Pro, USB-C |
| US Wi-Fi launch price | $599 | $599 or $799 | $599 or $799 |
The M2 kept 8GB of memory, so what it adds over this model is the 13-inch option, more storage, Pencil Pro and faster wireless. The M4 is the bigger jump, with 12GB and Apple’s N1 wireless chip (Wi-Fi 7, Bluetooth 6 and Thread). iPad Air (5th generation) vs iPad Air (M2) goes through the first step in detail.
Screen
Full lamination puts the image right under the glass, so the Pencil tip looks like it’s touching what you draw, and the antireflective coating helps near a bright window. The panel is 2360 × 1640 at 264 pixels per inch, rated for 500 nits, with True Tone. There’s no ProMotion (120Hz).
Apple Pencil and keyboards
Apple Pencil (2nd generation) attaches to the magnetic connector, and Apple Pencil (USB-C) works too; neither comes in the box. For typing, the Smart Connector takes Apple’s Magic Keyboard or the Smart Keyboard Folio.
Ports, wireless and battery
The USB-C port runs at USB 3 speed, up to 10Gb/s, and carries DisplayPort, which is what you want if you move photos and video to an external drive. Wi-Fi 6 reaches up to 1.2 Gbps, alongside Bluetooth 5.0, and the cellular model adds GPS.
On a charge of the 28.6Wh battery, Apple promises up to 10 hours of web or video on Wi-Fi, or 9 hours of web browsing on cellular. Apple includes a 20W USB-C adapter and a 1m cable.
Price
It launched on 8 March 2022 at $599 for Wi-Fi and $749 for Wi-Fi + Cellular, both with 64GB. A new M4 Air started at $599 or $799 in March 2026, so a 5th generation is a deal only well below that. Used and refurbished prices depend on storage and condition, so compare with a new M4 Air before you buy.
Sources
- Amazon product listing — accessed 2026-09-20
- Apple Newsroom — Apple introduces the most powerful and versatile iPad Air ever — accessed 2026-09-19
- Apple Support — iPad Air (5th generation) tech specs — accessed 2026-09-19
Frequently asked questions
Is iPad Air (M4) worth the upgrade from the 5th generation?
Only if you want a 13-inch screen, Pencil Pro, more storage or newer wireless. The M4 Air launched at the same $599 with 12GB of RAM; if one 10.86-inch size and 8GB still suit you, keep yours.
Can iPad Air (5th generation) use Apple Pencil Pro?
No. It works with Apple Pencil (2nd generation) and Apple Pencil (USB-C), without hover. Pencil Pro support started with the two-size Airs.
Does iPad Air (5th generation) support Apple Intelligence?
Yes. Apple now lists it as built in, with region and language limits. It came in a later iPadOS update, not at launch.
Does iPad Air (5th generation) have 5G?
Yes, on the Wi-Fi + Cellular model (A2589). It takes a nano-SIM or eSIM and is for data only.
Official product page: iPad Air (5th generation). Tech specs: iPad Air (5th generation) specs.