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The iPad Air vs MacBook Air debate is a fascinating one for students, with either device offering unique benefits tailored to specific academic needs. Owing to its lightweight design and touchscreen interface, the former excels when it comes to note-taking, making digital art, and using interactive learning applications. Meanwhile, the laptop offers the power and versatility needed for intensive research, writing papers, and running dedicated applications.
As a student, it could be challenging to compare a tablet's convenience to a laptop's functionality. To help you choose, this article analyzes both devices' performances, features, and more.
iPad Air vs MacBook Air: Specifications
Apple recently rebooted the MacBook Air lineup with an M3 chip. Nevertheless, the iPad Air still runs on an M2 processor. The laptop comes with up to 2TB of storage, while its counterpart can offer half as much space. Both products use the same Liquid Retina display. Here’s a complete overview of what they offer:
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The differences are clearly visible. Based on the on-paper specs, the MacBook Air should be more powerful than the iPad Air in almost every aspect. However, the former loses when it comes to portability and price.
iPad Air vs MacBook Air: Design and portability
The new M3 MacBook Air looks quite identical to its predecessor but has a large screen (13-inch and 15-inch) with thin bezels and a classy modern look. Moreover, this device only has the basic ports like Thunderbolt 3/USB 4, a MagSafe 3, and a 3.5mm headphone jack to maintain its compactness.
A major upgrade for the latest iPad Air is its bigger display compared to its predecessor. The display sizes available for this tablet are a standard 11-inch screen and a massive 13-inch one. Shockingly, the “Air” tablet is now a full millimeter thicker and a few grams heavier than the “Pro” variant. However, it still weighs less and is highly portable compared to MacBooks.
I am talking about the tablet only, without the magic keyboard. Though, it doesn’t feel that heavy with the keyboard either. However, the tablet + keyboard combo might feel unbalanced and shaky.
iPad Air vs MacBook Air: Performance and battery life
Interestingly, the iPad Air and MacBook Air both run on Apple’s desktop-level M-series chips. That means you can expect a top-notch performance from both machines.
However, the iPad comes only with an M2 chip (8-core CPU + 9-core GPU), while its competitor is also available with an M3 chip alongside the M2 processor (with two variants — 8-core CPU + 8-core GPU or 8-core CPU + 10-core GPU). This reflects a huge performance gap between both devices.
To get more insight into the iPad Air vs MacBook Air comparison, I have obtained the benchmark scores for both chipsets from Nano Review.
The M3 processor delivers better performance in every test. Moreover, it is fabricated on 3-nanometer process technology, which makes it highly efficient.
The processor aside, the MacBook Air is available with higher memory and more storage options.
As for the battery life, the iPad Air allows video playback for 10 hours straight on a single charge. In my opinion, this is quite decent. However, it doesn't offer MacBook Air’s battery life, which can run up to 18 hours on the same task.
iPad Air vs MacBook Air: Productivity
The software is what makes both machines stand out. All Apple's tabs run on iPadOS, while all Macs are powered by macOS. iPadOS is more like a mobile operating system boasting some amazing features. However, it is still very limited compared to the macOS.
You can use a wider range of software, including professional applications like video editing tools and complete versions of Microsoft Office on the MacBook Air. Furthermore, multitasking and file management are much easier on the laptop.
On the flip side, the iPad Air is a perfect choice for note-taking and creative tasks like drawing and doodling.
iPad Air vs MacBook Air: Value for money
iPad Air's starting price is almost half that of the MacBook Air. This is without any accessories. Though you can use the iPad without any other accessories, I believe you need an Apple Pencil and a keyboard to efficiently use the tablet, especially when you need it for educational purposes.
In my research, I have found that it will cost you around $828 in total for an 11-inch, 256GB, only WiFi variant (including Apple Pencil Pro and Magic Keyboard) of this device. The MacBook's base variant with M2 chip and 256GB storage will cost you $999. If you want the M3 chipset, you need to pay an extra $100.
Considering all the points above, I think the MacBook is more valuable. However, this is just a personal opinion.
iPad Air vs MacBook Air: Final verdict
After this detailed comparison, I would suggest going for the iPad Air if you prioritize portability and note-taking. It'll also suit you if you're comfortable with mobile apps and don't need hardware-demanding software.
If you are into efficient multitasking and serious writing, research, or professional applications that might require more raw power, go with the MacBook Air.
So, ultimately, the winner of the iPad Air vs MacBook Air battle depends on your personal needs and preferences.
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