Where to buy the new Apple iPad Air (5th gen) in the UK today
Apple announced its latest iPad Air during an 8th March event. It's powerful and packed with features. Here's where you can buy one today.
Apple’s latest tablet, the 5th generation iPad Air, is available to buy now in the UK. Priced from £569, it's one of the best ways to enjoy a portable iOS experience.
Unveiled during the "Peek Performance" showcase on 8th March alongside the new iPhone SE (3rd gen), the iPad Air 5 slots nicely into the middle of the existing iPad line-up, with plenty of features and some eye-catching new additions.
One of the notable additions is the new Apple M1 chip, which makes the device a powerful slate that’s ideal for creative tasks, from sketching to video editing.
We named the tablet's predecessor, the 4th gen Air, the best mid-range model in our best iPad 2022 guide. But if you are now looking to upgrade, read on for the latest information on how to buy the new tablet and when it will be shipped.
iPad Air (5th gen): where to buy
The new iPad Air 5 is available to buy now. Here's where you can pick one up today:
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iPad Air 5: Pricing and availability
The iPad Air 5 was released on 18th March, 2022.
The Wi-Fi models (64GB and 256GB) start from £569 in the UK, while the Wi-Fi + Cellular tablet models (64GB and 256GB) start at £719. The new iPad Air comes in five different colour options: space grey, starlight, pink, purple and blue.
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iPad Air (5th gen): specs and features
The 4th gen iPad Air was powered by an A14 Bionic chip. It delivered some great performance and we thoroughly enjoyed testing it in our Apple iPad Air (2020) review. It was fast and responsive, with a top display. Plus, the compatibility with Apple pencil really widened the potential uses, turning it into a platform for artists and creative work, or for simpler applications like annotating documents.
Now, the iPad Air 5 comes with Apple's M1 chip, also found in the iPad Pro, which takes performance to the next level. For example, the new iPad Air’s 12 megapixel (MP) ultra-wide camera is likely to deliver much better photography than many other 12MP cameras, thanks to the AI backup enabled by that M1 chip.
Similarly, the iPad's AI capabilities allow it to make use of 'Centre Stage' — Apple's auto-framing video mode. Overall, Apple claims the CPU is 60% faster than the last model and it supports the Apple Pencil (2nd generation) as a stylus.
iPad Air (5th gen): design
When it comes to its iPads, Apple rarely overhauls the design — and guess what? This new iPad Air looks pretty much like an iPad. No shocks there then.
Joking aside, it's a sleek device, as we've come to expect from the company. It's got a 10.9-inch Liquid Retina display, landscape stereo speakers, Touch ID built into the top power button and those signature flat panels on the back.
The rear camera is fairly small and unobtrusive, especially considering its ability to shoot 4K video and — seemingly — take remarkably clear photographs.
For more on the latest Apple products, check out our iPhone 13 review and our breakdown of the best Apple Watch of 2022. The latest issue of Radio Times is on sale now – subscribe now to get each issue delivered to your door. For more from the biggest stars in TV, listen to the Radio Times podcast with Jane Garvey.
