A WORKHORSE CAN BE FUN

The undisputed king of tablets, Apple’s iPad Air sits comfortably between the high-end iPad Pro and the entry-level iPad. The 10.9-inch screen is perfect for all activities— streaming videos, gaming, sketching, drawing or reading. Powered by Apple’s M1 chip, it can handle all sorts of heavy graphics with no lag or stutter. Over the years, Apple has refined the iPadOS to bring the feel of the macOS to the tablet, including the dock at the bottom. Multitasking and splitscreen usage are a cinch. Then there’s the extended ecosystem of apps and games, designed and optimised for iPads.

Stroke Play: The latest iPad Air works with the second-gen Apple Pencil (`10,900, sold separately), which snaps on the side for charging. Designed to work as a regular pencil, it supports pressure and tilt sensitivity, emulating a pen-paper experience while drawing, sketching, colouring, taking notes and marking PDFs. While it works well with the regular pre-installed apps, creative professionals will be spoilt for choice with the plethora of paid- and free third-party apps available.

Productivity push: Pair the iPad Air with Apple’s Magic Keyboard (`27,900, sold separately) and you won’t miss carrying a laptop. The strong magnets on the keyboard hold the iPad Air at an angle, which is adjustable, just like a laptop. The comfortable keyboard and a responsive trackpad with gesture support add to the ease of use.

Available on: apple.com/in

SPECS 10.9-inch LED display at 2,360x1,640p, Apple M1 chip, iPadOS 15, Wi-Fi and Bluetooth, up to 10 hours battery backup, 64 GB/256GB storage options, 461 gm