The iPad Air is now available in two size options, just like the iPad Pro. Yet after a significant update to the iPad Pro that introduces a thinner design and OLED displays, how different are the two product lines and which should you buy?
The introduction of the fourth-generation iPad Air in September 2020 brought the device much closer to the iPad Pro in terms of design, and with the most recent model, the iPad Air gained the same M2 chip and Apple Pencil hover support as the previous iPad Pro, bringing them even closer together. The latest iPad Pro models introduced a large number of significant new changes, such as the M4 chip, OLED displays, and a higher price point, and it means that the high-end iPad models are now further differentiated from the iPad Air than before.
Should you consider purchasing the iPad Air to save money, or do you need the high-end features of the iPad Pro? Our guide answers the question of how to decide which of these two iPads is best for you.
iPad Air (M2, 2024)
iPad Pro (M4, 2024)
Liquid Retina display LED backlit Multi-Touch display with IPS technology
Ultra Retina XDR display Tandem OLED
ProMotion technology for refresh rates up to 120Hz
SDR brightness: 600 nits max
SDR brightness: 1,000 nits max XDR brightness: 1,000 nits max full screen, 1,600 nits peak (HDR content only)
Nano-texture display glass option on 1TB and 2TB models
Portrait mode with advanced bokeh and Depth Control
Portrait Lighting with six effects (Natural, Studio, Contour, Stage, Stage Mono, High-Key Mono)
Animoji and Memoji
LiDAR scanner
Adaptive True Tone flash
Rear ambient light sensor
ProRes video recording up to 4K at 30 fps (1080p at 30 fps for 256GB capacity)
ProRes video recording up to 4K at 60 fps with external recording
Two microphones
Four studio-quality microphones
Audio zoom
Stereo recording
Landscape stereo speakers
Four speaker audio
Weight: 462 grams or 617 grams
Weight 444 grams or 579 grams
Depth: 6.1 mm
Depth: 5.3 mm or 5.1 mm
USB‑C connector
USB‑C connector with support for Thunderbolt / USB 4
Supports Magic Keyboard
Supports Magic Keyboard for iPad Pro (M4)
128GB, 256GB, 512GB, or 1TB storage
256GB, 512GB, 1TB, or 2TB storage
Available in Space Gray, Starlight, Purple, and Blue
Available in Space Black and Silver
Price starting at $599
Price starting at $999
Overall, the iPad Air is the better option for the majority of users, simply on the basis of value for money. For most people, the additional $400+ needed to buy the iPad Pro is not justified to get the likes of Face ID, four-speaker audio, and a ProMotion OLED display with refresh rates up to 120Hz.
Some iPad Pro features, such as LiDAR, up to 16GB of memory, and Thunderbolt connectivity are only practically useful to a small niche of users and most will never use some of these high-end capabilities. Many features such as Audio zoom and stereo audio recording may not be meaningfully utilized by many users.
Professionals who have a clear use case for needing larger amounts of RAM and storage, a matte display, Thunderbolt connectivity, and OLED for HDR content will clearly benefit from buying the iPad Pro. That being said, “prosumer”-style customers who simply want the best iPad will enjoy features such as 120Hz ProMotion for smoother scrolling and gaming, deeper blacks and more vivid colors with the OLED display, and the Adaptive True Tone flash for document scanning, even if they are not necessary.
Beyond these individual circumstances, the iPad Air is the best value for money and will be more than ample for most users’ needs. With the iPad Air, users can get a modern all-screen design, the M2 chip, practical features like USB-C and 5G connectivity, and compatibility with the core Apple accessories for a price well below that of the iPad Pro.
OnePlus has launched another lower cost smartphone to duke it out with the likes of Samsung, Huawei, and other Android device makers. Called the Nord CE4 Lite 5G, the latest OnePlus smartphone is making its debut in the United Kingdom with some notable specifications, such as a battery that’s rated to last more than two full days, and preorder bonuses. Let’s get into it, shall we?
The Nord CE4 Lite 5G sports a 6.67-inch AMOLED display with 2400×1080 resolution, 120Hz refresh rate, and 2,100 nits of peak brightness (600 nits typical). That works out to 395 pixels per inch (PPI), which is a decent density.
It’s powered by Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 695 5G system-on-chip, a mainstream octa-core offering consisting of a pair of Kryo 660 cores clocked at up to 2.2GHz, and six Kryo 660 Silver cores clocked at up to 1.7GHz. It also features an Adreno 619 GPU. This is flanked by 8GB of RAM and 256GB of built-in storage (expandable via microSD), which is the only RAM and storage combo available.
For taking selfies, there’s a front-facing 16-megapixel camera. Around back users will find a 50-megapixel Sony LYT-600 camera with optical image stabilization and a 2-megapixel depth-assist lens, along with dual LED flash. That arrangement is obviously not going to compete with much pricier flagships, but is respectable for an affordable handset.
As to the battery, OnePlus went big with a 5,110mAh battery pack, with the promise of an even bigger 5,500mAh battery inbound, presumably for outside of Europe. Regarding the latter, OnePlus claims there’s enough juice To last up to 54.4 hours of mixed use, 21.9 hours on Instagram, and 20.1 hours of YouTube playback. It also supports 80-watt wired charging and reverse charging. And speaking of wired, there’s a 3.5mm headphone jack on board, too.
Pricing on the Nord CE4 Lite 5G is set at £299, though interested buyers can preorder it for £249. In addition to the discount, OnePlus is throwing in a free gift with preorders—a choice between the OnePlus Nord Buds 2 in Lightning White or Thunder Gray, a SUPERVOOC 80W Type-A Adapter, or a Sandstone Bumper Case.
Queen Elizabeth valedictorian Celine Jugandi Pasutti. Submitted photoedm
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Born in the small community of Trail, British Columbia, Celine lived there until she chose to move to Edmonton at 15. Today, Celine serves on the Graduation Committee at Queen Elizabeth School and regularly looks for ways to foster a sense of community at her school in any way she can. Celine also works as an administrator at a martial arts studio, and regularly trains in a variety of martial arts classes, such as Kickboxing, Muay Thai, and Jiu-Jitsu. Celine has been accepted into the University of Alberta’s Computing Science program and hopes to specialize in Artificial Intelligence. She aspires to contribute to the development of AI technology, and advocate for ethical AI use as we move to integrate it into our daily lives.
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Commencement address:
I think some of the most important stories aren’t from the likes of heroes such as Tony Stark or Harry Potter, but instead, from those around us. As a matter of fact, it was my Biology teacher who shared a thought with me that changed my perspective on my future.
He said: “You don’t need to get paid much money when you look forward to the start of your day”. When he said this, it was in the middle of a conversation I’ve long since forgotten, and honestly, he might be sitting offstage wondering when he even said it.
Nevertheless, it stuck with me, and it offered a different perspective for me on what I should pursue in my adult life. Graduands, whatever your current prospects seem to be, I hope that in the future you do something that you love so much you don’t need to get paid to love it – because whether we like it or not, we are the future.
Your story is far from over. You will continue on with stories upon stories intertwining with yours – so far-reaching that you probably won’t even remember the first story that came up. You’ll be introduced to new names, you might even forget old ones. But, you will remember yours. So say it. Introduce yourself when others don’t. Pursue what you love. Try new things – in fact, scream your name, your story, out loud to the world, because it deserves to be heard. You might not be a Captain America, a Master Chief, or a Han Solo, but you will have more of an impact on someone than those characters ever will. And that person will have an impact on someone else. You are part of a vast and ever-spreading ripple effect. When I’m 80, and in a nursing home, I want to pick up this thing called a newspaper and see your name.
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I want to have your book on my bookshelf. I want to live in the facility you were part of building. I want to shop at your business. I want your art to be hung on my wall. I want your story to influence mine because you deserve to be heard. Small things have a significant impact.
What is your favourite thing about Edmonton?
My favourite thing about Edmonton has to be the vastness of opportunity and community within it. Whether your aspirations involve the fine arts, trades, academia, or something involved with the outdoors, Edmonton has it all. There’s truly something for everyone in Edmonton, and I think it’s absolutely breathtaking that anyone can find a sense of belonging here.
Who is your hero?
Admittedly, it would be very easy for me to reply to this question with something generic like a family member or fictional character. However, I believe that the qualities of what constitutes a hero are much more abstract than what we as a society attribute them to be. A hero is someone who cares enough to act. A hero is someone who gets out of bed in the morning and gives their day an honest effort. If you just give it your best, you are my hero.
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What is your favourite quote or expression?
“Life moves pretty fast. If you don’t stop and look around once in awhile, you could miss it.” – Ferris Bueller
What one word best describes your graduating class?
Auspicious!
We often hear that, as a society, we are more divided than in the past. How can young leaders work to bridge differences between groups?
The core issue behind this issue of division is not the differences between groups. Part of what makes humanity so incredible is the vast and complex spectrum of ideas, hopes, and identities found within it. Rather, the issue we are facing is the breakdown of common respect. It’s easy to feel like you’ve lost respect for an individual because they have an opinion or ideology in conflict with yours, but to live a happy and fulfilling life, and promote a happy and fulfilling society as a whole, you must do everything in your power to retain a basic level of respect and consideration for all. The place of young leaders in this issue is to advocate for common respect and understanding among everyone, even if we may not agree on everything.
The Motorola Razr Plus and Razr are back for 2024 packed with upgrades and fun features. The Chicago-based company (owned by Lenovo) on Tuesday announced the new foldable phones with new colors, finishes, upgraded cameras, larger cover screens, Moto AI and Google Gemini. I got to see and use the new Motorola Razr Plus and Razr for about 30 minutes at a press event in Brooklyn, and what stood out to me was how much fun is packed into these new flip phones.
I feel that was the biggest part of Motorola’s announcement: These Razrs are meant to strike a balance between being fashionable, fun and innovative. In a world of phones with drab titanium colors, blacks and grays, each Razr comes in a rainbow of color options that are as fun to look at as they are to hold. The big news on that front, is that the Razr Plus now comes in pink which is a direct call back to the original 2004 Razr V3 flip phone that was available in pink — y’know, the one Paris Hilton had!
But are fashionable phones enough to woo customers into buying their first foldable phone? In a time where foldable phone shipments account for a sliver of all phones sold, what seems to have worked for Motorola is offering both a premium Razr Plus at $1,000 and a more affordable Razr at $700 like the company did last year. No other phone-maker has taken this approach.
Motorola shipped 1,473% more Razrs in the first three months of 2024 than it did during the same period in 2023, according to research data firm Counterpoint. Clearly something about Motorola’s strategy is working, even if it’s outperforming a pretty low base. So it makes sense for the company to build on that momentum by launching two new versions of the Razr at the same price points as last year with major upgrades.
Whether Motorola has found the right mix of fun, fashion and technology to get people to take a chance on a foldable phone in 2024 remains to be seen. But I look forward to reviewing and testing both Razrs soon.
Watch this: First Look: The 2024 Motorola Razr and Razr Plus Come With Colorful Upgrades
06:02
Patrick Holland/CNET
The Razr and Razr Plus have a lot of similarities. The phones forgo the glass back slabs we expect on other devices and have similar vegan leather backs that we saw last year, but this time in a variety of faux leather textures and even a faux suede. In the short time I had with each phone, holding them was a joy. Both Razrs feel like they’re fitted with a sleek and plush case that’s built right into the phone. And the faux leather stripe on the back of the two-tone midnight navy Razr Plus really caught my eye.
Motorola is pushing this fashionable look and feel, but the design is also innovative. Both phones have a new hinge that’s 30% smaller than last year’s models. A smaller hinge has fewer moving parts, which should be good for long-term durability. The smaller hinge also means that there are fewer places for dust to get in. What’s curious is that last year’s Razrs had a modest rating for water resistance but were the only foldables to be rated for dust resistance.
The 2024 Razr and Razr Plus are rated IPX8 for water resistance, meaning it can survive being submerged under water for 30 minutes — putting it on par with Samsung’s Galaxy Z Flip. The “X” in the rating means that there isn’t an official dust rating this year.
Another benefit of the smaller hinge is that the screen crease is reduced. Oh, it’s still there, but it’s much less visible. I also noticed that the phone is easier to open and close than previous models.
The internal screen on both phones is brighter (up to 3,000 nits), which should be helpful when outdoors. Both the internal and cover screens on both phones now have Motorola’s new water touch technology that allows the phone to respond to taps, touches and swipes even when using the phone in the rain — like we saw on the OnePlus 12.
Motorola’s New Razr and Razr Plus Look Downright Chic in Vegan Leather
One area where the differences between the two phones start to show up is in the main 6.9-inch display’s refresh rate. The Razr Plus’ internal screen has a refresh rate that tops out at 165Hz, whereas the regular Razr’s display can go up to 120Hz, which is still impressive. In the half an hour I used the phones, it was hard to tell any noticeable change in refresh rates from one phone to the other. But I know gamer friends who will be excited to have that extra 45Hz that the Razr Plus offers.
Perhaps the biggest changes on each phone are the cover screens. The Razr Plus has a new 4-inch cover screen. That’s the same size as the Honor Magic V Flip’s cover display that launched in China earlier this month.
The regular Razr inherits the 2023 Razr Plus’ 3.6-inch screen. At the briefing I attended, it’s hard to tell the difference between the two phones just from the cover screen, but one clue is that the regular Razr has a tiny strip of vegan leather across the top of the cover screen.
The cover screen software and interface have been updated. You can open any Android app on it and there are improved software panels that are easier to navigate including a new “all panels view” that you trigger by pinching and swiping outward.
Motorola Razr and Razr Plus cameras
Four different colors of the Motorola Razr Plus: (left-to-right) Spring green, midnight blue, hot pink and peach fuzz.
Patrick Holland/CNET
It wouldn’t be a 2024 phone launch without a mention of AI. The Razr Plus runs Moto AI which is done both on device and in the cloud and will offer camera features such as improved portraits, autofocus in videos, and long exposure images. I am particularly excited to try out the Razr Plus’ new cameras to see how and if the new hardware, Snapdragon chip and Moto AI improve things.
There will also be features like “Pay Attention” where the Razr Plus will record and transcribe a conversation, when requested, and a feature called “Style Sync” that generates original wallpaper for your phone that matches or compliments the clothes that you’re wearing which just seems fun — again that word.
The Razr Plus will come with Google Gemini built-in and can be accessed entirely by the cover screen if needed. You’ll also get three months free of Gemini Advanced with the purchase of the Razr Plus.
Moto AI won’t be coming to older models and is limited to just the Razr Plus. Motorola says that more Moto AI features will be added in the coming months and years.
This is a good time to mention that both the Motorola Razr and Razr Plus run on Android 14 and that the company promises major OS software support for three years and bi-monthly security updates for four years. This is a decent commitment on Motorola’s behalf but falls short by a year of Samsung’s four years of major Android software updates and five years of security updates on the Galaxy Z Flip 5.
The Moto Tag got gasps
The Motorola Razr 2024 in beach sand (left), spritz orange (right) and a Razr Plus in midnight blue.
Patrick Holland/CNET
The new Motorola Razr Plus will be available for pre-order at T-Mobile, AT&T, Motorola’s website, Amazon and Best Buy on July 10 for $1,000. The regular Motorola Razr is available to pre-order at T-Mobile also on July 10 for $700, and then will be available unlocked on Amazon, Best Buy and Motorola on July 24.
I’ve got to hand it to Motorola, the company certainly made a splash with what it added and improved on the Razr and Razr Plus. I look forward to testing each soon to see how these new additions and features actually perform and whether Motorola was able to top last year’s excellent Motorola Razr Plus. But something tells me I’ll have a lot of fun during the process.
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