iPad Air Teardown: A12 Bionic Processor With 3GB of RAM, Bluetooth 5 and Larger Battery, But Lacks ProMotion Display Tech
iFixit today shared a teardown of the resurrected iPad Air, confirming specs and providing some additional details about the component parts of Apple's new middle-tier tablet, which is compatible with the first-gen Apple Pencil.
The iPad Air is identical in size and thickness to the 2017 10.5-inch iPad Pro, and just a bit lighter weight. iFixit notes that outwardly, the only design differences include a new, darker Space Gray color, the absence of a camera bump, and two speakers compared to the iPad Pro's four. The new model number is A2152.
Opening the iPad Air up reveals an internal layout and central logic board similar to Apple's 2017 iPad Pro range. The dual-celled 30.8 Wh battery is a little bigger than the 30.2 Wh Apple advertises on its site, and a provides a step up from the 27.6 Wh battery in the 2014 iPad Air 2. Battery life is advertised as up to 10 hours.
Meanwhile, Apple's A12 Bionic processor is layered over 3GB of RAM, and iFixit confirms the rear camera remains at 8 megapixels.
Otherwise, as iFixit notes, the size is similar, the Pencil support is similar, and the chips are similar to the old 10.5-inch iPad Pro. However, the Air lacks the latter's ProMotion 120 Hz technology that's now exclusive to the 2018 11-inch and 12.9-inch iPad Pro. ProMotion automatically adjusts the display to the movement of the content, for fluid scrolling, greater responsiveness and smoother motion.
The new iPad Air is harder to take apart than the late 10.5-inch iPad Pro, since it lacks the latter's stretch-release adhesive pull tabs and includes extra adhesive near the top of the screen. As such, iFixit gives the new iPad Air a 2/10 for repairability, the same score the new iPad mini earned in yesterday's teardown.
Popular Stories
Apple has begun selling the Hikawa Phone Grip and Stand, a new limited-edition iPhone accessory designed with accessibility in mind.
Designed by LA-based Bailey Hikawa to celebrate the 40th anniversary of accessibility at Apple, the grip uses magnets to securely snap onto any iPhone with MagSafe.
Apple says it can be removed with ease, and doubles as a stand with two different viewing...
iOS 26.2 is currently in beta testing. The upcoming update includes a handful of new features and changes on the iPhone, including a new Liquid Glass slider for the Lock Screen's clock, offline lyrics for Apple Music, and more.
In a recent press release, Apple confirmed that iOS 26.2 will be released to all users in December, but it did not provide a specific release date.
Keep reading...
Apple's annual four-day Black Friday through Cyber Monday shopping event is returning on Friday, November 28 through Monday, December 1 in many countries, including the United States, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, France, Germany, Italy, Spain, the United Kingdom, Belgium, the Netherlands, Sweden, Thailand, and others.
During the shopping event, customers can get an Apple gift card with...
iOS 27 will reportedly have two major elements: quality improvements and new AI features.
In his Power On newsletter today, Bloomberg's Mark Gurman said that iOS 27 will be similar to Mac OS X Snow Leopard, in the sense that Apple is focused on improving "quality and underlying performance" over adding new features.
Gurman said there is one exception to this rule, though, as he expects...
On this week's episode of The MacRumors Show, we talk through all of the new features and improvements expected to come to next year's iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone 18 Pro Max models.
Subscribe to The MacRumors Show YouTube channel for more videos
Apple's next-generation iPhones are less than ten months away and we already have a good idea about what to expect based on corroborated leaks, rumors,...
Apple's first foldable iPhone is expected to launch alongside the iPhone 18 Pro models in fall 2026, and it's shaping up to include two standout features that could set it apart from the competition.
The book-style foldable will reportedly feature an industry-first 24-megapixel under-display camera built into the inner display, according to a recent JP Morgan equity research report. That...
Black Friday is just over a week away, and iPad deals have finally started to flood in at retailers like Amazon and Best Buy. Below we're tracking discounts on every current generation iPad, including lowest-ever prices on M3 iPad Air and M5 iPad Pro, plus steep markdowns on iPad and iPad mini.
Note: MacRumors is an affiliate partner with some of these vendors. When you click a link and make a ...
We're officially less than one week away from Black Friday, which will take place on Friday, November 28 in 2025. As always, this will be the best time of the year to shop for great deals, including popular Apple products like AirPods, iPad, Apple Watch, and more. In this article, the majority of the discounts will be found on Amazon.
Note: MacRumors is an affiliate partner with some of these...
Apple is planning to release new entry-level models across its iPhone, iPad, and Mac categories early next year, with an all-new affordable MacBook the most notable addition to the lineup.
According to a new research report by Jeff Pu of GF Securities seen by MacRumors, Apple will launch the iPhone 17e – its second iteration of the "e" line – in the spring, likely along with a...
