Apple iPad Air Apple 2019 iPad Air 3rd Gen, 10.5-inch, Wi-Fi + Review
The 2019 iPad Air is a capable tablet for under $200, but its age shows in performance. It's a great budget pick for light users, not for power users.
Overview
The 2019 iPad Air is a classic that's still kicking around. It's got that great 10.5-inch screen and runs the latest iPadOS, which is pretty impressive for a five-year-old tablet. For under $200, you're getting a solid piece of Apple hardware that can handle basic tasks without much fuss. It's not going to blow your mind with speed, but it gets the job done for a lot of people.
Performance
Performance is where its age shows. The A12 chip lands in the 39th percentile for CPU, and the 4GB of RAM is in the 31st. That means you'll see some lag when switching between a few apps or trying to do anything intensive. The GPU is also down in the 41st percentile, so don't expect to play the latest games on high settings. It's fine for streaming, browsing, and light work, but it's not a powerhouse.
Pros & Cons
Pros
- Strong feature (94th percentile) 93th
- Strong storage (74th percentile) 76th
- Strong screen (67th percentile) 71th
Cons
- Below average ram (31th percentile)
Specifications
Full Specifications
Processor
| CPU | Apple |
Memory & Storage
| RAM | 4 GB |
| Storage | 256 GB |
Display
| Size | 10.5" |
| Resolution | 2224 |
Connectivity
| Wi-Fi | WiFi 5 |
Features
| Stylus Support | Yes |
Physical
| Weight | 0.5 kg / 1.0 lbs |
| OS | iPadOS 14 |
Value & Pricing
At $189, the value is hard to argue with. You're getting a fully functional iPad that can run modern apps and connect to Apple's ecosystem. For a student on a tight budget or someone who just needs a secondary screen for recipes and videos, it's a steal. Just know you're trading modern speed and features for that low price tag.
vs Competition
Stack it up against the competition and the trade-offs are clear. The newer iPad Pro with the M5 chip is in a different league for performance, but it costs over ten times as much. The Microsoft Surface Pro 11 is a full Windows laptop replacement, while this is strictly a tablet. Compared to modern Android tablets like the Samsung Galaxy Tab S10+, you're getting a smoother software experience with iPadOS here, but worse specs across the board. For the price, it beats any cheap 'N-one' Android tablet hands down.
| Spec | Apple iPad Air Apple 2019 iPad Air 3rd Gen, 10.5-inch, Wi-Fi + | Apple iPad Pro Apple - 11-inch iPad Pro M5 chip Wi-Fi 256GB with | Samsung Galaxy Tab S10 Samsung - Galaxy Tab S10+ - 12.4" 256GB - Wi-Fi - | Microsoft Surface Pro Microsoft - Surface Pro - Copilot+ PC - 13” OLED | Lenovo Lenovo - Idea Tab Pro - 12.7" 3K Tablet - 8GB RAM | GPD GPD Pocket 4: Mini Laptop with AMD Ryzen AI 9 HX |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| CPU | Apple | Apple M5 | Mediatek MT6989 | Qualcomm Snapdragon X Elite X1E-84-100 | MediaTek Dimensity | AMD Ryzen AI 9 HX 370 |
| RAM (GB) | 4 | 12 | 12 | 32 | 8 | 32 |
| Storage (GB) | 256 | 256 | 256 | 1000 | 256 | 2048 |
| Screen | 10.5" 2224x1668 | 11" 2420x1668 | 12.4" 2800x1752 | 13" 2880x1920 | 12.7" 2944x1840 | 8.8" 2560x1600 |
| OS | iPadOS 14 | iPadOS | Android 14 | Windows 11 Home | Android 14 | Windows 11 Home |
| Stylus | true | true | true | false | true | false |
| Cellular | false | false | false | false | false | false |
Verdict
Buy this if you're on an extreme budget but want to stay in the Apple ecosystem. It's perfect for a kid's first tablet, a senior family member who just needs something simple, or as a dedicated kitchen or bedside screen. Don't buy it if you need to do real work, want to play demanding games, or plan to keep it as your main device for more than a year or two.