iPad Air iPad Air 5 - Six Months Old. Impressions?

[Mark Stone]

I’ve had the 5th gen iPad Air for about 5 months (4?) and I was curious how everyone else who made the purchase likes theirs, now that it is 6 months from launch?

Mine is very, very nice. In concert with its MK, it has completely replaced my HP Pavilion notebook - online research, word processing, spreadsheets, etc. are very intuitive and easy. My old PC has literally become redundant Backup storage.

It has also reduced my “dependence” on the iPhone 13 - a lot of tasks that I did on the phone have moved to the Air.

So I’m curious - has it been good or bad for other users 6 months in? I’m pretty happy.

 

[Shirasaki]

iPad has come a long way at cannibalising what iPhone can do, but much better. iPad Air is no exception, especially M1 iPad Air. While I am using M1 iPad Pro (some games REALLY need that performance and M1 iPad Air didn’t exist back then), I am confident people would find them using iPad more and iPhone less if they have similar experience as OP.

As for “replacing laptop”, it’s a very definitive NO. Not even close. Many of the special desktop software I need to use will never be made available on iOS, let alone iPad. Laptop, for the most part, is still far more versatile than iPad, and this will unlikely change. YMMV.

 

[0128672]

I'm happy with everything about it, whether it's games, reading, artwork with the Pencil, and with Sidecar with Blender and Logic Pro. I haven't run into any issues. I use with a Logitech Combo Touch, but lately more often with the keyboard detached.

 

[Mark Stone]

iPad has come a long way at cannibalising what iPhone can do, but much better. iPad Air is no exception, especially M1 iPad Air. While I am using M1 iPad Pro (some games REALLY need that performance and M1 iPad Air didn’t exist back then), I am confident people would find them using iPad more and iPhone less if they have similar experience as OP.

As for “replacing laptop”, it’s a very definitive NO. Not even close. Many of the special desktop software I need to use will never be made available on iOS, let alone iPad. Laptop, for the most part, is still far more versatile than iPad, and this will unlikely change. YMMV.

Yes, replacing the laptop is something some ppl can do and others can’t. I’m fortunate that I’m retired, and my computer use is fairly straightforward and relatively simple. Thanks for your response. 😊

 

[Homme]

iPad has come a long way at cannibalising what iPhone can do, but much better. iPad Air is no exception, especially M1 iPad Air. While I am using M1 iPad Pro (some games REALLY need that performance and M1 iPad Air didn’t exist back then), I am confident people would find them using iPad more and iPhone less if they have similar experience as OP.

As for “replacing laptop”, it’s a very definitive NO. Not even close. Many of the special desktop software I need to use will never be made available on iOS, let alone iPad. Laptop, for the most part, is still far more versatile than iPad, and this will unlikely change. YMMV.

It’s come a long way since iPad Air 2 which is the first iPad which gave a lot better performance than the iPhone it came out then ( iPhone 6).

The A8X changed things around when it came to iPad having better performance and longevity.

 

[loungefly2022]

Had the Air 4 but decided to buy myself the M1 Pro 12.9 and give the Air to my grandparents who are slowly adopting (and adapting) to technology beyond flip phones. I miss it. It's the perfect size and weight and I kind of regret upgrading.

It is definitely a great laptop replacement for me based on my typical laptop usage. I can even screen mirror my work PC on the days I WFH. I considered an Macbook Air when they came out a couple of months ago because...... shiny.... but realized I have no need for it so it would be a dumb, redundant purchase.

 

[BF1M]

Just picked up a 5th gen Air to join my pro and mini and I’m split on keeping it. The jelly scroll is way more noticeable to me on the Air than the mini.

 

[Propine]

I’ve had the 5th gen iPad Air for about 5 months (4?) and I was curious how everyone else who made the purchase likes theirs, now that it is 6 months from launch?

Mine is very, very nice. In concert with its MK, it has completely replaced my HP Pavilion notebook - online research, word processing, spreadsheets, etc. are very intuitive and easy. My old PC has literally become redundant Backup storage.

It has also reduced my “dependence” on the iPhone 13 - a lot of tasks that I did on the phone have moved to the Air.

So I’m curious - has it been good or bad for other users 6 months in? I’m pretty happy.

I have similar experience: I stopped using my private MBA 2013 completely in favour of iPad Air 5 (maybe turn it on once a month for something niche) and reduced my iPhone 13 usage. I also use iPad a lot at work: as a second screen for business MBP, for note taking and often for video conferences (it’s just easier to carry it around at home while listening to colleagues)

 

[Madame Defarge]

Just picked up a 5th gen Air to join my pro and mini and I’m split on keeping it. The jelly scroll is way more noticeable to me on the Air than the mini.

I'm thinking about getting a 5th Gen iPad Air, but I'm bummed to hear about the jelly scroll. Did you end up returning it?

 

[skardvin]

Just picked up a 5th gen Air to join my pro and mini and I’m split on keeping it. The jelly scroll is way more noticeable to me on the Air than the mini.

I have an iPad Mini 6, and I notice the jelly scroll whenever I use my iPad in portrait, but I can't see it at all in horizontal. I believe the iPad Air is the exact opposite—the jelly scroll is noticeable to some in horizontal, but not noticeable in portrait. I now use my iPad Mini exclusively in horizontal mode as I mainly watch movies and play games on it. I would choose the Mini if I were going to be using it primarily in horizontal, or the Air if I was using it in portrait mostly.

 

[redcarlsen]

Is the mini expected to be updated next month?
Or only the pro and base ipads?

I'm torn between getting an Air 5 or mini 6... but also whether I should wait a month and see.

 

[BF1M]

I have an iPad Mini 6, and I notice the jelly scroll whenever I use my iPad in portrait, but I can't see it at all in horizontal. I believe the iPad Air is the exact opposite—the jelly scroll is noticeable to some in horizontal, but not noticeable in portrait. I now use my iPad Mini exclusively in horizontal mode as I mainly watch movies and play games on it. I would choose the Mini if I were going to be using it primarily in horizontal, or the Air if I was using it in portrait mostly.

What he said. I gave it to my brother. The size made the jelly way worse to ignore.

 

[FeliApple]

I upgraded recently from the 9.7-inch iPad Pro, and I love it. I’ve wanted a full-screen iPad ever since the 11-inch iPad Pro 1st gen was released back in 2018, and especially since I got my iPhone Xʀ in 2019. It’s the device I wanted the most, and I wanted it even more after Apple forcibly updated my 9.7-inch iPad Pro from iOS 9 to iOS 12.

I’m a light user, so just content consumption, but performance is flawless, and the main thing that had degraded on my 9.7-inch iPad Pro - which is the battery - is superb on the Air 5, the best battery life ever on an iOS device for me (about 25 hours of screen-on time. Mind, on my 9.7-inch iPad Pro it scraped 10 hours after the iOS 12 update).

It’s my favourite iOS device ever alongside my iPhone 6s on iOS 10.

 

[Corefile]

I'm wondering where the the iPad Air 5 refurbs are. Nary a mention in the refurb store.

 

[Corefile]

It’s my favourite iOS device ever alongside my iPhone 6s on iOS 10.

We still use iPhone 6S here too as they're awesome phones. Think I'm on iOS 12.

 

[Username-already-in-use]

I have an iPad Mini 6, and I notice the jelly scroll whenever I use my iPad in portrait, but I can't see it at all in horizontal. I believe the iPad Air is the exact opposite—the jelly scroll is noticeable to some in horizontal, but not noticeable in portrait. I now use my iPad Mini exclusively in horizontal mode as I mainly watch movies and play games on it. I would choose the Mini if I were going to be using it primarily in horizontal, or the Air if I was using it in portrait mostly.

Yes this is true - all 60Hz iPads will jellyscroll in one orientation but not the other (it is a standard side-effect of LCD technology). Likewise my iPad Air 4 jellyscrolls in landscape.

 

[Mark Stone]

What he said. I gave it to my brother. The size made the jelly way worse to ignore.

Hmmm . . . . No JellyScroll either direction for me & my Air 5

 

[BF1M]

Hmmm . . . . No JellyScroll either direction for me & my Air 5

That's very lucky. Every single one I've seen at both the Apple store, Best Buy and even the one I had showed it pretty clearly in landscape.

 

[skardvin]

Yes this is true - all 60Hz iPads will jellyscroll in one orientation but not the other (it is a standard side-effect of LCD technology). Likewise my iPad Air 4 jellyscrolls in landscape.

I really hope that Apple will give the iPad mini and Air Promotion at some point. It would help with the jelly scroll and would be great for gaming + battery life. I have a 2021 14" and Promotion just makes everything feel so much smoother for me at least.

 

[Total Respray]

Yes this is true - all 60Hz iPads will jellyscroll in one orientation but not the other (it is a standard side-effect of LCD technology). Likewise my iPad Air 4 jellyscrolls in landscape.

No jelly scroll on my iPad Air 3, whether in portrait or landscape. Just have the dreaded white patches, however…

 

[1BadManVan]

Ive been tempted to upgrade my kids air 3's to the 5th gen air with the M1 but so far they haven't had a single complaint with its performance. Plus I am a bit more worried about the durability of this design vs the Air 3. Have you had any of the creaking issues I read about when it had first come out?

 

[skardvin]

That's very lucky. Every single one I've seen at both the Apple store, Best Buy and even the one I had showed it pretty clearly in landscape.

Some people can't notice it. But once you "see" it, you can't unsee it.

 

[BF1M]

Some people can't notice it. But once you "see" it, you can't unsee it.

I know that's what people say but I don't believe they don't notice it. I believe they don't know what it is they are supposed to be noticing as a problem, if that makes sense. It's so glaringly bad on the mini that you'd have to be blind to not notice something is off.

 

[skardvin]

I know that's what people say but I don't believe they don't notice it. I believe they don't know what it is they are supposed to be noticing as a problem, if that makes sense. It's so glaringly bad on the mini that you'd have to be blind to not notice something is off.

Maybe some people think it is not a problem but a "feature." I noticed it right out of the box before I knew anything about "jelly scroll" being an issue with the Mini 6, and it made me feel dizzy!

 

[BF1M]

Maybe some people think it is not a problem but a "feature." I noticed it right out of the box before I knew anything about "jelly scroll" being an issue with the Mini 6, and it made me feel dizzy!

Apple apologists maybe lol. Not noticing and not carrying are entirely two different things. I noticed it both on Air and Mini. Based on my intended uses I didn't care on mini(exclusive e-reader) but for the Air(minor productivity)it was too much to put up with.