iPad Air vs iPad Air 3rd Gen

The iPad Air (1st gen) measures 9.4” (H) x 6.6” (W) x 0.29” (D) and the iPad Air (3rd gen) measures 9.8” (H) x 6.8” (W) x 0.24” (D). The iPad Air (1st gen) features a 9.7” display size, and the iPad Air (3rd gen) features a 10.5” display size. The WiFi-only iPad Air (1st gen) weighs 1 pound and the WiFi + Cellular model weighs 1.05 pounds. To compare, the WiFi-only iPad Air (3rd gen) weighs 1 pound and the WiFi + Cellular model weighs 1.02 pounds.

The 1st gen iPad Air features a 1.2MP FaceTime HD camera on the front and a 5MP wide-angle camera on the back. In comparison, the 3rd gen iPad Air features a 7MP FaceTime HD camera on the front and an 8MP wide-angle camera on the back.

The iPad Air (1st gen) features a 9.7-inch LED-backlit multi-touch Retina display with IPS technology. The display supports a native resolution of 2048 x 1536 at 264 pixels per inch, the full sRGB standard, an SDR max brightness of 400 nits, and a fingerprint-resistant oleophobic coating. The iPad Air (3rd gen) features a 10.5-inch LED-backlit multi-touch Retina display with IPS technology. The display supports a native resolution of 2224 x 1668 at 264 pixels per inch, wide color (P3), and an SDR max brightness of 500 nits. Additional features for the iPad Air (3rd gen) include True Tone, an anti-reflective coating, and a fingerprint-resistant oleophobic coating.

The iPad Air (1st gen) is equipped with an 8,820 mAh battery and the iPad Air (3rd gen) is equipped with an 8,134 mAh battery. The 1st gen and 3rd gen iPad Air both use the Lightning connector paired with a Lightning to USB cable for charging, and the battery capacities of both models are capable of providing up to 10 hours of battery life when on WiFi or up to 9 hours of battery life when on cellular.