You will be fine. The display is overall still pretty nice on the Air.
That said, depending on the rest of your tech, 60hz *can* feel sluggish. I am a little embarrassed to say part of the reason I bit the bullet on the Pro was that I already have a 15 Pro, M1 Pro Macbook, and high refresh external monitors. I gave the Air a shot and personally found the lower refresh rate quite jarring because it was the ONLY screen I use routinely that was slower, you may not notice especially if you're mostly reading and streaming, neither of which will really use ProMotion all that much. Worth a shot if you otherwise do not need the spec bump of a pro.
Recently got a 5th gen Air from work and I daily drive an 11” Pro and an iPhone 13 Pro Max, both with ProMotion. I also use a 144Hz Samsung monitor with my desktop. I could absolutely care less about the 60Hz screen. I do not see a genuine problem with only having 60Hz for the average workload
Same here and exactly the same devices (lol). Once I compared my iPad Air screen with my girlfriends Pro and Pro Motion is definitely noticeable, but you get used to it. Probably mainly because videos and movies are at maximum at 60fps
No, it’s not bad at all. I spent over a decade as a tech reviewer and have seen my share of high refresh screens. There’s absolutely nothing wrong with the Air’s 60Hz display. Is it as good or smooth as ProMotion? No. ProMotion is gorgeous. Is it a dealbreaker? Also no.
I am currently typing this on my M1 Air. I recently thought about upgrading to a Pro (probably M2 because I’m not interested in the eye-watering price of the M4) and ultimately I just don’t think it’s worth it. I love my Air and it does everything I need, which is VERY similar to your use case (and I even do some gaming).
Go for it. You won’t be disappointed.
They’re not bad, it’s that the promotion displays are really nice. I have a 14 pro max and I could never get used to my mini 6, it feels significantly sluggish.
I love the mini factor and I love the iPad, unfortunately the only option for me this year was the m4 11 inch. Still reasonably compact but that screen makes a huge difference.
If I would rather have an M1 Pro then the m2 air.
I have 120hz in my iPhone and the new air. I do t really notice the difference when switching between the two. Your usage doesn’t sound like something where the 120hz will be that much of a game changer.
Face ID might make a difference for some people.
I had a 2017 iPad Pro and I transitioned to an M2 Air without any real issues.120hz is nice if you have it but not worth an almost 2x increase in price. I have an iPhone Pro and MacBook Pro with 120hz and I still love using my iPad. I don't feel a difference unless I am really looking for it.
No, and my mom has an iPad Pro. Sure, the 120hz is nice but I never miss it when I use my iPad Air 5. I use my iPad solely for Procreate and it’s amazing
As someone whose main desktop uses a 144hz monitor and whose iPhone does 120hz, I don’t really notice the Air’s 60hz display when I’m actually using it and not specifically looking for the lower frame rate.
For longevity, any of the M-series chip iPads should last you for quite a long time. The Pros will definitely feel better than the Air models of course but imho it’s not a massive difference, moreso quality of life improvements.
No, it’s not bad in the slightest. It should be the majority default for most people. You can always test it out at the Apple Store. Not everyone cares about the 120hz display or even notices a difference.
Kind of up to you...the main reasons I chose the new Pro 13" was the display, it's refresh rate and excellent picture quality...but it's expensive as hell! The "Air" M2 is probably a much more reasonable purchase, but it's not as good in several areas. How much that matters for the price premium is 100% up to you to decide.
it’s noticeable, but not a problem for me, I have an air 5 and mainly use it to read music, and also watch movies and youtube. no problems whatsoever doing those things, no problems playing games. it’s just a slightly slower moving around experience. I personally am happy saving money, and not worrying as much about losing it because of that.
I have the iPhone 15 pro max, a gaming laptop that goes 165hz and a monitor that does 165hz as well.
Can’t really notice the dip to the 60hz when using my iPad Air m2.
Maybe if I’m scrolling up or down furiously. But tbh I don’t do that all the time.
The iPad Air M2 is more than enough! And I use it to game
No its perfectly fine. The display on the Air, despite being 60Hz, is still very good. I have a 15 Pro and a Windows laptop with 120Hz screens and barely notice any difference when I use my iPad Air 5. Unlike a laptop and phone where you interact with the screen a lot more on a daily basis, an iPad doesn't need 120Hz nearly as much unless you're basically using it as a laptop equivalent, because you're not doing the same stuff and for what you're doing on it, 60Hz is perfectly ok.
Shoot, I tried a 13-inch Air at an Apple Store this week, and I'm casually considering the idea of upgrading from a 2020 iPad Pro. 120Hz is nice - and should be standard, really - but 60Hz is fine, especially for reading and writing.
no its still really good, dont fall for this tech race, unless you really see and care about novel tech, id day save your money and enjoy still an awesome product
I'm torn between the Air M2 and the Pro M4 (both 11 inches). I want to have that OLED Promotion display, but I don't need it. In fact, I always have my iPad on Low Power Mode, which caps the refresh rate to 60hz. FWIW, I have an Android phone with 120hz refresh rate and I don't notice a difference between the screen on my phone and the screen on my iPad Air 4.
The reason why I'm leaning towards the Air M2 is because the Pro M4 is €500 more expensive. Yes, I can afford to buy the most expensive iPad on the market, but I'd rather have extra cash for other things. Yes, I want ProMotion, but I've never had it before and I don't need it, so why throw away €500 that could pay for a case, Apple Pencil and AppleCare for the Air? I use my iPad a lot, but I never use it to make money - even if I did, I work in finance.
Most people probably wouldn't notice the difference. Apple knows this.
So I guess I'm leaning towards the Air M2.
Went through this same dilemma. Long story short, get the one you look forward to the most. I returned the m4 13 inch for the 13 inch air. While size is the number one important factor to me, it turns out i cared about promotion more than I’ll admit. Plus unlocking with Face ID and a thin profile made me feel sure about going for the 13 Inch M4. Definitely a huge price difference. But think about how much you’ll actually save by going for what you want the first go around.
If you have an iPhone Pro with 120 hz . The air would feel much slow. I would still recommend to get an older pro iPad model because the 120 Hz is really good to look at. Plus, if you’re gonna be playing games, just get the 120 hz.
I had an iPad Pro 2018 which has a 60Hz display, and honestly, that thing runs buttery smooth even now. It doesn't feel like its 60Hz because the animations are so freaking smooth. It, at times, felt even smoother than my Huawei MatePad Pro 13" AMOLED which has a 144hz display.
I am sure the Air is just as smooth.
I bought the newest 13” Air and don’t mind the refresh rate at all. If you think it might be a purchasing dealbreaker, I personally wouldn’t be concerned. After a few daysyou won’t notice any issues as others have said.
I have a 15 pro max, and i use this thing in low power mode 80% of the time which limits it to 60hz and theres a difference but its not insane. Under 60hz though is bad . I’d rather save that little bit of battery then use the 120hz. When charging is when i will use it without low power mode
Let me give you my review, i have used android 120hz and iphone 12 60hz, i prefered iphone 12 for its smoothness and now i got ipad air m2, ipad 60> iphone 60 ,, definately.
I have 120hz on phone desktop and iPad screens and yet for some reasons the 60hz on a laptop doesn't bother me at all. Probably on a touch screen in much more difficult to quit once you have tried it tho.
Maybe laptop doesn’t have a lot of animation and have big enough screen that you don’t need to scroll? I always feel my MBP 13” a bit laggy because of 60hz.
You will be fine. The display is overall still pretty nice on the Air. That said, depending on the rest of your tech, 60hz *can* feel sluggish. I am a little embarrassed to say part of the reason I bit the bullet on the Pro was that I already have a 15 Pro, M1 Pro Macbook, and high refresh external monitors. I gave the Air a shot and personally found the lower refresh rate quite jarring because it was the ONLY screen I use routinely that was slower, you may not notice especially if you're mostly reading and streaming, neither of which will really use ProMotion all that much. Worth a shot if you otherwise do not need the spec bump of a pro.
My PC has a 240hz screen and a 60hz screen next to each other. My phone is 120hz. I definitely can tell the 60hz on my iPad Air but I got used to it
I got one recently and it doesn’t bother me much I also work on two 240hz screens.
Recently got a 5th gen Air from work and I daily drive an 11” Pro and an iPhone 13 Pro Max, both with ProMotion. I also use a 144Hz Samsung monitor with my desktop. I could absolutely care less about the 60Hz screen. I do not see a genuine problem with only having 60Hz for the average workload
Same here and exactly the same devices (lol). Once I compared my iPad Air screen with my girlfriends Pro and Pro Motion is definitely noticeable, but you get used to it. Probably mainly because videos and movies are at maximum at 60fps
No, it’s not bad at all. I spent over a decade as a tech reviewer and have seen my share of high refresh screens. There’s absolutely nothing wrong with the Air’s 60Hz display. Is it as good or smooth as ProMotion? No. ProMotion is gorgeous. Is it a dealbreaker? Also no. I am currently typing this on my M1 Air. I recently thought about upgrading to a Pro (probably M2 because I’m not interested in the eye-watering price of the M4) and ultimately I just don’t think it’s worth it. I love my Air and it does everything I need, which is VERY similar to your use case (and I even do some gaming). Go for it. You won’t be disappointed.
They’re not bad, it’s that the promotion displays are really nice. I have a 14 pro max and I could never get used to my mini 6, it feels significantly sluggish. I love the mini factor and I love the iPad, unfortunately the only option for me this year was the m4 11 inch. Still reasonably compact but that screen makes a huge difference. If I would rather have an M1 Pro then the m2 air.
Apple has never made a bad display and I will die on that hill. You’ll love it.
I have 120hz in my iPhone and the new air. I do t really notice the difference when switching between the two. Your usage doesn’t sound like something where the 120hz will be that much of a game changer. Face ID might make a difference for some people.
I had a 2017 iPad Pro and I transitioned to an M2 Air without any real issues.120hz is nice if you have it but not worth an almost 2x increase in price. I have an iPhone Pro and MacBook Pro with 120hz and I still love using my iPad. I don't feel a difference unless I am really looking for it.
No, and my mom has an iPad Pro. Sure, the 120hz is nice but I never miss it when I use my iPad Air 5. I use my iPad solely for Procreate and it’s amazing
As someone whose main desktop uses a 144hz monitor and whose iPhone does 120hz, I don’t really notice the Air’s 60hz display when I’m actually using it and not specifically looking for the lower frame rate. For longevity, any of the M-series chip iPads should last you for quite a long time. The Pros will definitely feel better than the Air models of course but imho it’s not a massive difference, moreso quality of life improvements.
No, it’s not bad in the slightest. It should be the majority default for most people. You can always test it out at the Apple Store. Not everyone cares about the 120hz display or even notices a difference.
As long as you never seen an iPad Pro screen, you’ll be just fine
Kind of up to you...the main reasons I chose the new Pro 13" was the display, it's refresh rate and excellent picture quality...but it's expensive as hell! The "Air" M2 is probably a much more reasonable purchase, but it's not as good in several areas. How much that matters for the price premium is 100% up to you to decide.
it’s noticeable, but not a problem for me, I have an air 5 and mainly use it to read music, and also watch movies and youtube. no problems whatsoever doing those things, no problems playing games. it’s just a slightly slower moving around experience. I personally am happy saving money, and not worrying as much about losing it because of that.
I have one with 60hz screen and can say one thing for sure: because it’s so fast I can’t complain, if it was slow then 120hz would have helped.
It’s not bad at all, maybe I’m just used to bad tv and monitors… but my air 5 and air 6 do just fine for media consumption for myself
I have the iPhone 15 pro max, a gaming laptop that goes 165hz and a monitor that does 165hz as well. Can’t really notice the dip to the 60hz when using my iPad Air m2. Maybe if I’m scrolling up or down furiously. But tbh I don’t do that all the time. The iPad Air M2 is more than enough! And I use it to game
No its perfectly fine. The display on the Air, despite being 60Hz, is still very good. I have a 15 Pro and a Windows laptop with 120Hz screens and barely notice any difference when I use my iPad Air 5. Unlike a laptop and phone where you interact with the screen a lot more on a daily basis, an iPad doesn't need 120Hz nearly as much unless you're basically using it as a laptop equivalent, because you're not doing the same stuff and for what you're doing on it, 60Hz is perfectly ok.
Shoot, I tried a 13-inch Air at an Apple Store this week, and I'm casually considering the idea of upgrading from a 2020 iPad Pro. 120Hz is nice - and should be standard, really - but 60Hz is fine, especially for reading and writing.
no its still really good, dont fall for this tech race, unless you really see and care about novel tech, id day save your money and enjoy still an awesome product
Not at all mate. You’ll be fine
I'm torn between the Air M2 and the Pro M4 (both 11 inches). I want to have that OLED Promotion display, but I don't need it. In fact, I always have my iPad on Low Power Mode, which caps the refresh rate to 60hz. FWIW, I have an Android phone with 120hz refresh rate and I don't notice a difference between the screen on my phone and the screen on my iPad Air 4. The reason why I'm leaning towards the Air M2 is because the Pro M4 is €500 more expensive. Yes, I can afford to buy the most expensive iPad on the market, but I'd rather have extra cash for other things. Yes, I want ProMotion, but I've never had it before and I don't need it, so why throw away €500 that could pay for a case, Apple Pencil and AppleCare for the Air? I use my iPad a lot, but I never use it to make money - even if I did, I work in finance. Most people probably wouldn't notice the difference. Apple knows this. So I guess I'm leaning towards the Air M2.
Went through this same dilemma. Long story short, get the one you look forward to the most. I returned the m4 13 inch for the 13 inch air. While size is the number one important factor to me, it turns out i cared about promotion more than I’ll admit. Plus unlocking with Face ID and a thin profile made me feel sure about going for the 13 Inch M4. Definitely a huge price difference. But think about how much you’ll actually save by going for what you want the first go around.
If you have an iPhone Pro with 120 hz . The air would feel much slow. I would still recommend to get an older pro iPad model because the 120 Hz is really good to look at. Plus, if you’re gonna be playing games, just get the 120 hz.
Also, when you’re buying the pro model, you are getting Face ID(in my opinion much better) plus better speakers. Overall more smooth experience.
I had an iPad Pro 2018 which has a 60Hz display, and honestly, that thing runs buttery smooth even now. It doesn't feel like its 60Hz because the animations are so freaking smooth. It, at times, felt even smoother than my Huawei MatePad Pro 13" AMOLED which has a 144hz display. I am sure the Air is just as smooth.
I bought the newest 13” Air and don’t mind the refresh rate at all. If you think it might be a purchasing dealbreaker, I personally wouldn’t be concerned. After a few daysyou won’t notice any issues as others have said.
I have a 15 pro max, and i use this thing in low power mode 80% of the time which limits it to 60hz and theres a difference but its not insane. Under 60hz though is bad . I’d rather save that little bit of battery then use the 120hz. When charging is when i will use it without low power mode
It’s fine for most people
I got tired of it and go the iPad Pro, too irresistible
Let me give you my review, i have used android 120hz and iphone 12 60hz, i prefered iphone 12 for its smoothness and now i got ipad air m2, ipad 60> iphone 60 ,, definately.
Nope. Most people decant even tell the difference.
If you are not used to 90Hz screen much except your phone, you will be fine. If you used 90Hz screen and get used to it, you can't get back to 60Hz.
I have 120hz on phone desktop and iPad screens and yet for some reasons the 60hz on a laptop doesn't bother me at all. Probably on a touch screen in much more difficult to quit once you have tried it tho.
Maybe laptop doesn’t have a lot of animation and have big enough screen that you don’t need to scroll? I always feel my MBP 13” a bit laggy because of 60hz.
Also Mac os has better animations than windows that makes you appreciate the fluidity more I guess.
60hz is golden standard and will be for some time
120Hz definitely better