The 5th generation iPad Air, released in 2022, offers two storage options: 64GB and 256GB. The most popular choice among buyers is the 64GB model, which accounts for about 63% of purchases on platforms like Swappa[1].
In contrast, the 2024 iPad Air models, including the iPad Air 11" (M2), provide a wider range of storage options: 128GB, 256GB, 512GB, and 1TB. The 128GB model is the most popular among buyers for this newer generation, chosen by about 72% of purchasers on Swappa[2]. This indicates a significant increase in storage capacity compared to the 5th generation, with no option for a 64GB model in the 2024 lineup.
The increased storage options in the 2024 models cater to users who require more space for apps, photos, videos, and playback. For example, the 128GB model in the 2024 iPad Air can store approximately 22,600 photos, 565 minutes of 1080p video, or about 11,770 songs using high-quality lossy compression[2]. This is a notable improvement over the 64GB option in the 5th generation, which can store around 9,800 photos, 245 minutes of 1080p video, or about 5,104 songs[1].
Overall, the 2024 iPad Air models offer more storage flexibility and capacity compared to the 5th generation, making them more suitable for users with extensive media collections or those who install many apps.
Citations:[1] https://swappa.com/guide/apple-ipad-air-5th-gen/storage
[2] https://swappa.com/guide/apple-ipad-air-11-2024/storage
[3] https://www.techradar.com/tablets/ipad/ipad-air/ipad-air-2024-vs-ipad-air-2022
[4] https://swappa.com/guide/apple-ipad-5th-gen/storage
[5] https://www.reddit.com/r/ipad/comments/1co0e4k/are_you_buying_the_new_ipad_air_what_storage_size/
[6] https://forums.macrumors.com/threads/ipad-air-2022-vs-ipad-air-2024-buyers-guide-19-differences-compared.2425676/
[7] https://www.reddit.com/r/ipad/comments/vsbubz/64gb_ipad_air_5th_gen_storage_after_a_month_of/
[8] https://www.apple.com/ipad-air/specs/