New iPad Air 4 VS iPad Gen 8! Why Pay TWICE as Much?! By The Everyday Dad

iPads are some of the best devices around if you want a small, portable, powerful and in-sync computer that ties in with the rest of your Apple ecosystem, but even by themselves they make a remarkable product that gives you more functionality than your phone without needing to carry around a much bigger and much more potentially cumbersome and expensive laptop. Today, though, let's compare the mid and lower end line with the iPad Air generation 4 against the iPad standard generation, 8 two phenomenal tablets that are pretty reasonably priced and have a lot of the same functionality of that top of the line iPad Pro model so which of these comes out. On top, I didn't close that one right, let's find out, what's up everyone, I'm the everyday dad and if I can figure it out, you can figure it out. I wanted to follow up that kind of downer iPad Pro video from earlier in the week with a much more upbeat and positive one, because, while the iPad Pro does kind of feel like it's in jeopardy right now- and you know if you saw that video- you know that I don't necessarily recommend one for creative, slash productivity work anymore. The rest of the line. These two tablets are in a much healthier and much easier for me to recommend place and when we start talking about recommendations and comparisons, the two most intriguing and highest up on my list of options in the apple tablet line are easily the iPad Air and the standard iPad, the iPad Mini and the iPad Pro they kind of sit in weird spots.

Where it's I it's hard for me to recommend either of them. If you're trying to get work done both of these released at roughly the same time last fall, and I've had both of these in here in the studio, doing various things for me. Basically that whole time, like these tablets put in work first up today, let's go over the spec and ordering information. So you can know exactly what you are potentially buying if you are considering one of these tablets, one two, three, four, five, six, seven. I don't know why I was just counting right there.

The newest version of the iPad Air comes equipped with a 10.9 inch, fully laminated liquid retina display and honestly, if you were to confuse this with the smaller version of the iPad Pro, if you just made a glance at it, and you confuse the two that wouldn't surprise me under the hood, it's rocking the brand new a14 processor, which is much like what you would find on the latest iPhone generation, and it has a couple of different ordering options for storage and when I say a couple of different ordering options for storage, that literally means two. You can either get the base model, which is what I have, which comes with 64 gigabytes of internal memory, and you can get that for 599 dollars, or you can get the option with 256 gigabytes for 749. One of the benefits of the iPad Air is. There is a couple of extra color options available with green and blue as things that you can also buy in addition to the standard space, gray, silver gold. You know those normal apple standby, colors, the iPad standard generation, 8 comes equipped with a 10.2 inch retina display and if you were to confuse this with every iPad released in the last couple of years, that also wouldn't surprise me. The update between the 7th generation and the 8th generation was solely due to its internal processor, which, for that kudos to apple this slightly older design, does still have a pretty darn good, a13 processor, at its heart, and when I say a13 I mean a12 bionic.

Sometimes we say things wrong when we're in the heat of the moment. Much like the iPad Air, you can choose from a couple of storage options of either 32 gigabytes for 329 or 120 gigabytes for 429 dollars, and I cannot believe it's 2021, and I said a current, not old, not previous model, but a current generation model of anything in the tech space has 32 gigabytes of storage. That's like 2010s, knocking, oh hey, 2010! Oh, you want your storage options back and when it comes to colors, you only have the space, gray, silver and gold options. You don't get the excitement of the airline over here I did take a jab at the lower end iPad for its storage options, but let's remember that it also costs almost half as much as what the iPad Air costs and much like the conversation when we mentioned the iPad Pro versus the iPad Air, the ipad has a lot of the same functionality and runs on the same operating system. You'll probably hear that again in a little, and this is a great way to segue to line these two up against each other.

So let's compare the most striking difference. First, and if you look at these two tablets, you can definitely tell that they have different display technologies. Can you see that maybe there's a little different in the maybe there's a little difference in the display? The iPad Air has the newer design with minimal bezels, and it looks phenomenal. I cannot get over how good this display looks and how much I've really enjoyed these newer model of tablets. Since we first saw this update on the 2018 iPad Pro.

We also mentioned that this has a fully laminated display, but what does that even mean? What did Gary you're telling me? This is a fully laminated display. What am I getting for my money? Well, good news. Basically, a non-laminated display it has a small gap between the front glass and the actual display fully laminated displays do not have that gap, so it seems like the front glass and the display are the same actual screen technically they're not, but it looks identical. However, though, if you had these two separated, could you really tell that much of a difference between the two I mean I can kind of tell if I really stare and look for it unless you're in terrible lighting conditions, and I'm just glaring at the screen. You can't really tell much like the higher refresh rate on the iPad Pro.

You will not be able to see this difference unless you have both of these right next to each other in front of you, and you are actively looking it out, though, that doesn't mean there aren't some more striking differences too. The iPad Air does have the p3 wide color gamut and uses true tone technology, so this display will change depending on the color of lighting that you're using. So if you have very nice daylight, accurate color, like we have right now, this will change to properly reflect that. But if you're in very warm like standard lighting, it will also change to make it look better. The iPad does have a retina panel, but it's an older technology, and it doesn't have a lot of the same advancements that we're going to be talking about with the iPad Air and when we just looked at it.

The biggest difference between the two is the huge bezels here on the iPad generation. Eight now I've been giving I've been given a pass for the past couple of years to the iPad for the bezels, but each year it gets harder and harder to justify, as all tablet makers, not just apple. All tablet makers have been consistently reducing the size of their bezels over the last couple of years. I get that bezels. Aren't that really important if the display works fine, but these are kind of a bit much, and they are starting to sacrifice big chunks of the body's usefulness to keep these bezels the way they are.

What else do these bezels buy us? Well, thankfully, they also buy us what's quickly becoming an extinct feature on. This is an actual face home button with touch I'd built into it, and that's kind of tough to talk about right, because this used to be right here. This used to be the identifying feature of an iPad. You knew you were using an iPad because it looked like this and thankfully this one still works pretty darn good. It is a very convenient way to either unlock the tablet or authenticate purchases or log in stuff, like that, the iPad Air does have its own version of a touch ID sensor, and it's built into the top lock button.

I really like the ingenuity that went into this design because without the bezels, obviously you can't put a traditional home button and without the extra production budget. You also can't afford to put face ID in here, but you need some kind of biometric authentication right. I think this is a very elegant workaround. I would say, though, despite that elegance, I do prefer the more traditional touch ID sensor if I'm going to have to use touch ID here, it's just more convenient to use like if you have this in its traditional, like portrait orientation, you're holding it, it's very easy to just tap it right here on the body or even if it's in a keyboard case, then I would say the two are at a wash. So this one wins right.

The other major physical difference between the two is probably what I would consider to be. The actual real purchase decision level difference. The iPad Air uses USB for charging and accessories, while the iPad just has a standard, lightning connection. Now I have, I have praised both connections before in the past and honestly, even though I'm just making fun of lightning, it really depends on what you're going to use the tablets, for that will make the difference in like a recommendation. Well thanks for that blinding flash of the obvious Gary okay, yes, I walked into that one so badly that I had to make fun of myself in this script to cover for it.

If you make funny yourself, then that means other people can't make fun of you right. That's the YouTuber code! If you only have the iPad and an iPhone and that's your whole Apple ecosystem, I would say lightning is better because then you only need to have one type of charging cable and as somebody whose whole life is now defined and constrained by the amount of stupid charging cables, he has on hand at any given moment being able to simplify. All of that is pretty important to me. If the least amount of cables. I can have that's what I would consider to be a win, but if you are planning to use lots of accessories or fast chargers, or you have a MacBook or other things, USB, that is the objectively better port, it allows for faster charging better dongles, better hard drives better everything.

Furthermore, I really. Furthermore, I really wish- and I know YouTubers have been complaining about this forever, but I really wish we could get all iPads and all iPhones onto USB and, let's just ditch lightning for good. Furthermore, I know it's never going to happen. Believe me, I understand that I'm wishing into the void on that one, but I can still we all still have hope. This leads me to another physical difference between the two and this one is a little less drastic.

Both of these iPads do have smart connectors somewhere on the body, and these smart connections allow for the integration of a few different kinds of accessories, but for purposes of this video and the way that I use them. This is really how you can connect keyboard cases to the iPad. The iPad generation 8 has its smart connection on the side. Right here- and this will work with apple's, smart folio keyboard and a few others now, I'm not the biggest fan of how this works, because it's always coming undone like do you see just like. I really like this all this much, and you got to do this weird, like flexing thing, to get it back together or to fold it up for transport sure you can learn to do anything.

This just is not my favorite. The iPad Air, on the other hand, has its smart connection on the back, much like that iPad Pro, and this will work with both the smart folio keyboard, but also the magic keyboard. Now, yes, the magic keyboard is kind of expensive, but it's hands down. This right here is the best tablet keyboard I've ever seen and if you are looking for more of an all-in-one computing package out of this, even if you don't plan on buying the magic keyboard today, it's nice to just have the option available for you when slashed. If you do that smart connector, this is where the magic happens on the iPad Air.

You also get a few other options like the Logitech line and, frankly much like the USB, the rear, smart connector, it's just the better way to work, even when using the same line of keyboards with that smart folio, all you have to do on the iPad. Air is drop it onto the folio, and you're done. There's none of that weird wiggling around closing thing that needs to happen like this is just. I do not like that. Okay, we've talked about what goes on outside the tablets, but how do these work internally? How does the performance compare honestly? You won't see much of a performance difference.

Yes, we could run benchmarks showing that the a14 inside the iPad Air runs a few numbers higher than the numbers we could show on the iPad generation 8. But what would that really show you? Yes, the a14 is technically a more powerful processor. It's like brand new, but from a day-to-day perspective and actually working with these computers, you won't see much of a difference in either app functionality, battery life or raw power. Even if you are one of the few folks that does the big tasks like video, editing or raw photo editing here on the iPad sure you'll see some gains with the a14, but I don't know that you'd see twice the gains, justifying that twice the cost of the money you would have to spend to get them. What this will get.

You, however, is if you are in this tablet for the long haul. You'll get longevity of updates really when we get excited about processors inside new iPhones or other mobile devices, it's fine, but the processors are already so far ahead of what is needed today. It's almost funny. The real thing is: who knows what resources, apps and programs five to six years from now will need so when you buy a phone or tablet, you need to consider how long you plan on owning it if you're going to own it as absolutely long as possible, the a14 will definitely be getting updates for longer. Which brings me to my last thing that I want to mention, and is one of my favorite things about apple as a consumer electronics company.

Both of these tablets are running the exact same operating system. These both are under iPadOS 14, even though it's all of that, even though one of these costs about half the other, if you try to do something on one you'll absolutely be able to do that on the other, there is no gating, there's no crippling to protect higher end options. Nothing sure there are the physical difference that will give different options and capabilities like that smart connector we talked about earlier, but from a pure operating system, functionality standpoint these operate basically the exact same way dang. I love saying that every time we compare iPads against each other. I love like that's my sticking point that I always like to make, because I really it's so awesome, but at the end of the day, so what right should you spend twice as much to get the iPad Air 4 or is the iPad generation 8 the better buy, because it is way less money? Now one of the problems I had when writing this script is when it comes down to these two, it's really going to come down to strictly budget.

Do you have the money for the iPad Air for then I would absolutely recommend that USB, the better display and the better longevity with that a14? I think this makes it worth around that 200 you're going to have to spend. Sometimes, when I make my recommendations for tech, the budget plays a smaller role, because objectively, one device is better than the other, but here, like I said not two minutes ago functionally these work pretty darn. Similarly, so budget is really the only deciding factor, and these two though different physically, are not different enough internally. For that to be a major deciding factor or recommendation. For me, the iPad generation 8 is phenomenal and might be the best buy in all the Apple ecosystem.

Do I wish it had more storage sure? Absolutely. I wish that all the time do. I wish it had USB-C again very much so, but for the price you get access to everything. Everything that us apple fans tout is the reason for us to go for an apple product, it's so good and that they charge this little. For this thing is still remarkable to me, and you can find these on sale for crazy low prices, but the bezels are pretty rough.

I couldn't, I couldn't sneak that one past you and if you like this video, and you want to see how the iPad lines up compared to the new m1 MacBook line, here's my video pitting the best iPad against its equivalently priced m1, MacBook Air, the iPad Pro versus the m1 MacBook Air, a battle for dominance inside the Apple ecosystem, and you can find that by clicking right here. Click, click, click, click, click, click, thanks for watching.

Source : The Everyday Dad