iPad Air A12 Bionic 2019

Marketed as delivering "high-end features and performance at a breakthrough price," the iPad Air 3rd Gen models offer newer and faster internals than the iPad Pro 10.5" (Wi-Fi Only) they replaced, but feature a lower-quality display and inferior cameras and speakers.

All iPad Air 3rd Gen devices have a fully-laminated, antireflective 10.5-inch LED-backlit 2224x1668 (264 ppi, DCI-P3 color gamut) "Retina" display, but do not support "ProMotion technology" and its 120 Hz refresh rate.

These models are powered by an Apple A12 Bionic processor, have 3 GB of RAM, and are available with either 64 GB or 256 GB of flash storage. They come in Black and Space Gray, White and Silver, or White and Gold cases.

Other notable features include dual cameras: a rear 8-megapixel "iSight" camera for stills and 1080p HD video, and a front 7-megapixel "FaceTime HD" camera also for stills and 1080p HD video. They support dual-band 802.11a/b/g/n/ac Wi-Fi with HT80 with MIMO, Bluetooth 5.0, dual microphones, and a single set of stereo speakers. They also have a standard 3.5 mm headphone jack and Touch ID.

Connectivity and power are provided by a Lightning port. A "Smart Connector" supports the same small Apple Smart Keyboard as the earlier 10.5" iPad Pro models. It is also compatible with the original Apple Pencil.

The battery life is rated at 10 hours of "surfing the web on Wi-Fi, watching video, or listening to music."

Note that this Wi-Fi Only model does not support Gigabit-class LTE or A-GPS.

The third-generation iPad Air was a very well-received update, effectively bringing many features of the older 10.5-inch iPad Pro to a more affordable price point. The inclusion of the fast A12 Bionic processor made the device feel incredibly powerful and snappy. Support for the first-generation Apple Pencil and Smart Keyboard transformed it into a versatile tool for both productivity and creativity. The 10.5-inch laminated display with True Tone and P3 wide color was a highlight, offering a beautiful canvas for all tasks. While it lacked the ProMotion display and quad speakers of the Pro models, it was seen as the perfect middle ground, offering more power and better features than the standard iPad without the high cost of the Pro. It was widely considered the best iPad for most people at the time of its release.