Expert review Apple iPad Air (2019)

After the new bezelless designs of the iPhone and iPad Pro, the iPad Air 3 is not exactly revolutionary. On the other hand, the design does feel familiar. I use Touch ID to unlock it with the home button, because this iPad doesn't have Face ID. The Apple iPad Air 3 comes in 3 colors: Space Gray, Gold, and Silver. The iPad Air 3's bezels are thinner than that of the iPad (2018), making the iPad Air look a lot like the iPad Pro from 2017. On top of that, the iPad Air is worthy of its name, because it's the lightest iPad around after the iPad Mini.

The 10.5-inch size of the iPad Air 3 is bigger than that of its predecessor, which was 9.7 inches. Everything I do looks a little bit bigger. The Apple iPad Air 3 has the best screen of all the iPads, save for the iPad Pro 2018. The screen has a high resolution with anti-reflective coating. True Tone automatically adjusts the screen's white balance to your surroundings, making colors always look natural. The iPad Air also has a laminated screen. Because the screen is closer to the glass, there's no unused space between the screen and the glass.

The Apple iPad Air 3 has the same powerful chip as the iPhone Xs and iPhone Xr. I test several demanding apps, like a photo editing app. All the apps run effortlessly and quickly. This chip makes multitasking a piece of cake. I can use multiple apps at the same time without the iPad stuttering. Besides the smart chip, the iPad Air has 3GB of RAM. For storage space, I have 2 options: 64GB and 256GB. That's quite a big difference, as there's usually the option of 128GB as well. So make sure to consider how much you want to store locally.

The iPad Air 3's camera doesn't have the latest technologies. There's an 8MP camera on the back, which takes good pictures. The fact that the iPad Air 3 doesn't have a 12MP camera is a shame, because in terms of power, this iPad is ideal for photo editing. Of course, I could also just transfer photos from my camera or iPhone to the iPad to edit them. The camera doesn't protrude, so I can put the iPad Air flat on the table. It has a 7MP selfie camera, so my face will look razor-sharp in a FaceTime call.

With the right accessories, I can get more out of my iPad. The first accessory the iPad Air 3 is compatible with is the Smart Keyboard, which is a full-fledged keyboard. It's ideal for typing long texts. The iPad Air 3 is also compatible with the Apple Pencil 1. Thanks to the laminated screen, the Pencil is closer on the screen, making it easier to draw. Of course, it's a shame that the iPad Air 3 isn't compatible with the Apple Pencil 2, which has a few more options.