What are the main differences between the cameras on each iPad Air? How many megapixels is each?

All iPad Air models have a front camera intended mostly for video conferencing and a rear camera intended for shooting still photos and video.

The cameras in each iPad Air have become better with every update to the line, but the iPad Air 3 models provided a significant jump in quality for the for the front-facing camera, the iPad Air 4 models provided a significant jump in quality for the rear-facing one, and the iPad Air 5 models again provided a significant improvement for the front-facing camera.

For the iPad Air M2 (introduced in 2024 after the iPad Air 5), the main improvement was moving the front-facing camera from its portrait (vertical) orientation to landscape (horizontal). This finally treats the iPad Air more like a notebook computer:

iPad Air	Front Camera	Rear Camera
iPad Air	1.2 MP (720p)	5 MP (1080p)
iPad Air 2	1.2 MP (720p)	8 MP (1080p)
iPad Air 3	7 MP (1080p)	8 MP (1080p)
iPad Air 4	7 MP (1080p)	12 MP (4K)
iPad Air 5	12 MP (1080p)	12 MP (4K)
iPad Air M2	12 MP (1080p)	12 MP (4K)

If you are not certain which iPad Air you have, the easiest way to identify each is by its Model Number located toward the bottom on the back of each device.

What are the differences between the displays on each iPad Air? Which is best?

There are significant differences between the displays in iPad Air models, particularly between the earlier iPad Air and iPad Air 2 and later iPad Air models.

The iPad Air display differences can be summarized accordingly:

iPad	Size	Resolution	PPI
iPad Air	9.7"	2048x1536	264 ppi
iPad Air 2*	9.7"	2048x1536	264 ppi
iPad Air 3†	10.5"	2224x1668	264 ppi
iPad Air 4†	10.9"	2360x1640	264 ppi
iPad Air 5†	10.9"	2360x1640	264 ppi
iPad Air M2 11"♦	10.86"	2360x1640	264 ppi
iPad Air M2 13"♦	12.9"	2732x2048	264 ppi

* The iPad Air 2 display is very similar to its predecessor but has an antireflective coating that significantly reduces glare.

† In addition to being physically larger, the iPad Air 3 and later iPad Air displays are "wide color" (DCI-P3) and also support Apple's "True Tone" feature that evaluates the color temperature and ambient brightness of the surroundings and dynamically adjusts the display's white balance to match.

♦ Despite being marketed as 11" and 13" displays, the iPad Air M2 series actually uses 10.86" and 12.9" displays, respectively.

If you do not know which iPad Air model you have, the easiest way to identify each is by its Model Number located toward the bottom on the back of each device.

How do you connect an iPad Air to a television or projector to display photos or video? What formats and resolutions does it support? What are the video out differences between iPad Air models?

You can connect the original iPad Air, iPad Air 2, and iPad Air 3 models to a television or projector to display photos or videos using the Lightning to VGA Adapter or the Lightning to Digital AV Adapter.

Photo Credit: Apple, Inc. (Lightning to VGA & Lightning to Digital AV Adapters)

The iPad Air 4, iPad Air 5, and iPad Air M2 models are equipped with a USB-C port instead of a Lightning port and can be connected to a display, television, or projector with the Apple USB-C VGA Multiport Adapter (MJ1L2AM/A) or the Apple USB-C Digital AV Multiport Adapter (MJ1K2AM/A).

Photo Credit: Apple, Inc. (Apple USB-C Adapters)

For a projector or television with a vintage VGA port, you will need to use the Lightning to VGA Adapter or USB-C VGA Multiport Adapter. For one with a more modern HDMI port, you will need to use the Lightning to Digital AV Adapter or USB-C Digital AV Multiport Adapter.

The iPad Air 3 and later models also can be connected to a television indirectly by using AirPlay Mirroring and an Apple TV 2nd Gen or later.

All iPad Air models support a maximum video out resolution of at least 1080p. Specifically, the iPad Air models support these video standards:

• H.264 video up to 1080p, 60 frames per second [up to 4K, 30 frames per second for the iPad Air 3 and later], High Profile level 4.2 with AAC-LC audio up to 160 Kbps, 48kHz, stereo audio [or Dolby Audio up to 1008 Kbps for the iPad Air 3 and later] in .m4v, .mp4, and .mov file formats.
• MPEG-4 video up to 2.5 Mbps, 640 by 480 pixels, 30 frames per second, Simple Profile with AAC-LC audio up to 160 Kbps per channel, 48kHz, stereo audio [or Dolby Audio up to 1008 Kbps for the iPad Air 3 and later] in .m4v, .mp4, and .mov file formats.
• Motion JPEG (M-JPEG) up to 35 Mbps, 1280 by 720 pixels, 30 frames per second, audio in ulaw, PCM stereo audio in .avi file format.

The iPad Air models also support photos and image files in JPEG, BMP, GIF, TIFF, PSD (Mac only), and PNG formats.

Which iPad Air models support Sidecar?

The iPad Air 3 and later iPad Air models all support Apple's Sidecar software feature. First introduced with iOS 13 (iPadOS) in conjunction with macOS Catalina (10.15), Sidecar allows a compatible iPad to be used as a second display for the Mac. Sidecar remains in subsequent and current versions of the iPadOS, too.

Of course, if you have an older iPad Air model (and/or an older Mac), you instead can use one of the third-party apps that provide this external display capability before Apple knocked off this functionality and integrated it with the iOS and macOS.

Who designed the iPad Air?

Apple's industrial design for many years has been performed entirely in-house by Apple's Industrial Design Group, led by Jonathan Ive.

Where is the iPad Air available for purchase? Can it be purchased from Apple Authorized Resellers?

Originally, the iPad only was available for purchase direct from Apple and "select resellers." However, these days, the iPad Air is available new from Apple, all Apple Authorized Resellers, and various mobile service providers.

In the United States, you always can buy an iPad directly from Apple, but you often can get a better deal by purchasing your new iPad Air from an Apple Authorized Reseller like site sponsor Adorama. Adorama commonly has deep discounts on recently discontinued models, too.

In the US, Other World Computing sells used and refurb iPad Air models at bargain prices with free shipping, as well.

In the UK, site sponsor Hoxton Macs has a large number of used and refurbished iPad models with a one-year warranty and free next day delivery throughout the UK. Delivery across Europe also is available starting at just £9.99 for two-day delivery to France and Germany.