What are the "pros and cons" of the iPad Air and iPad Air 2 models? Is one the iPad for me?

Please note that the original iPad Air and iPad Air 2 both have been discontinued. This Q&A has been updated with the latest details on iOS support and more and can be quite helpful to anyone buying or selling either model on the used market.

Only you can determine whether or not an original iPad Air model -- an iPad Air (Wi-Fi Only), iPad Air (Wi-Fi/Cellular), or iPad Air (Wi-Fi/TD-LTE/Cellular - China) -- or an iPad Air 2 model -- the iPad Air 2 (Wi-Fi Only) and iPad Air 2 (Wi-Fi/Cellular) -- is best for you.

However, you certainly can review the pros and cons to see whether or not your needs are met.

Photo Credit: Apple, Inc. (iPad Air 2 Color Options - Silver, Gold & Space Gray)

If you're interested in a more in-depth take, EveryiPad.com also provides a detailed comparison of the iPad Air and iPad Air 2 models that you may like.

For those who prefer just quick-and-easy highlights, though; this summary should be ideal:

Pros:

• Delightfully beautiful, extremely thin, and impressively light weight designs.
• Bright, high resolution and crisp 2048x1536 (264 ppi) display for both lines. The iPad Air 2 models have a helpful antiglare coating, even.
• Very fast and excellent battery life, also. The iPad Air 2 is even faster than the original iPad Air.
• System-wide mirroring support.
• Built-in support for extensive 4G/LTE (14 bands) on the iPad Air (Wi-Fi/Cellular) and effectively global 4G/LTE (20 bands) on the iPad Air 2 (Wi-Fi/Cellular), in addition to MIMO 802.11n Wi-Fi on the original iPad Air and MIMO HT80 802.11ac Wi-Fi on the iPad Air 2. Bluetooth 4.0 is provided on all models, as well.
• Dual cameras (front and rear) make video conferencing and 1080p video capture fairly easy. The iPad Air 2 models have a better 8 megapixel rear camera.
• Usable onscreen keyboard, support for an external keyboard, and bundled iWork apps -- Pages, Numbers, and Keynote -- make productive use quite possible.
• Inexpensive compared to notebook computers.
• Sold unlocked and without a contract in the US, and most other countries, with multiple wireless carrier options.
• iPad Air 2 models have Touch ID capability.
• iPad Air 2 models support later versions of the iPadOS (up to iPadOS 15; not the current version).
• Inexpensive after Apple's March 21, 2016 price cut (and even more so now on the used market).

Cons:

• Glossy display on the original iPad Air casts a glare in direct light. The iPad Air 2 display "reduces glare by 56 percent" compared to the display in the original iPad Air models.
• Lightning connector is not compatible with older accessories and adapters are awkward and costly.
• The battery is not intended to be replaced and self-replacement is quite difficult.
• Storage capacity cannot be upgraded and may be inadequate given increasingly large file sizes to display images and other content optimized for the high-resolution display.
• No SD card slot for easy photo transfer.
• Shooting photos and video with such a physically large device is awkward.
• No bundled headphones (a particularly miserly omission given the price of the device).
• Fairly expensive compared to the iPad mini models as well as some other third-party tablet computers.
• Original iPad Air models lack Touch ID and the gold color option.
• Original iPad Air models do not support "Split View" multitasking in iOS 9 (they do support Slide Over, though); they do not support versions of the iOS after iOS 12, at all.
• None of these models support the current version of the iPadOS.

Just compared to one another, and ignoring subsequent iPad models, the iPad Air 2 is the better choice. It offers (1) an antiglare screen (which is particularly handy outside), (2) faster performance, (3) faster Wi-Fi, (4) support for more 4G/LTE bands, (5) better cameras, and (6) support for later versions of the iPadOS (but not the current version). The Touch ID sensor is a nice bonus also and you may like the gold color option, too.

Because neither of these tablets support the current version of the iPadOS, app support will continue to wane, but the iPad Air 2 in particular should have a bit of life left for someone with modest needs and reasonable expectations. The original iPad Air was introduced in 2014 and likely could only be useful for someone with very modest online needs these days.

iPad Purchase & Sale Options

There are an abundance of places to buy a new or used iPad. However, buying your iPad from a quality company with extensive knowledge -- and after sales support -- will provide the best experience and save you money and time, too.

In the US, site sponsor Adorama sells new iPad Air models with free shipping. Other World Computing sells used and refurb iPad Air models at bargain prices with free shipping, as well. Finally, if you need to sell an iPad, A+ BBB-rated Cash for Your Mac and GoRoostr will buy your older iPad with an instant quote and prompt payment.

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.

Please also see EveryiPad.com's Ultimate iComparison feature to dynamically compare any iPad model to any other iPod, iPhone, or iPad.

Also see:

• What are all the differences between the iPad Air and the iPad Air 2? Which should I buy?
• What are all the differences between the original iPad Air (5th Gen) and the iPad 4th Gen?
• What are the main differences between the current iPad Air and iPad mini models? Which is best for me?