iPad Air vs MacBook Air M2: The INR 90,000 Conundrum—Power, Portability Or Both?

Of late, some of the Apple devices have been confusing and tricky to recommend. Exhibit A: the iPhone 16e (story coming soon).

However, the second product—the recently released iPad Air—used to be Apple's most appealing offering at a time, striking the ideal balance between price and functionality, but I'm afraid this does not meet the criteria. And we will explain why.

Of course, the new iPad Air comes with better features, making it a tempting option for those seeking portability and performance. However, it comes with a price tag of INR 59,990 for the base 128GB variant, which when considered with Wi-Fi-only connectivity and the pricey Magic Keyboard accessory for INR 26,990, becomes hard to recommend. More so when you have the MacBook Air M2, which costs around INR 92,990.

Although they serve very distinct requirements, both guarantee first-rate experiences. Additionally, this is a certain way to get confused if you're looking for a laptop or an iPad under INR 90,000 that is both feature-rich and capable of delivering good performance.

And with a budget of around INR 90,000, the stakes are high—do you value the MacBook's proven laptop capabilities or the iPad's portability and touch-first design? Let's compare and contrast the two devices.

Display and design

• iPad Air M3: This tablet boasts a stunning 11-inch or 13-inch Liquid Retina IPS display capable of pushing 500 nits of peak brightness, delivering vivid and punchy colours. Coming in at 462 g, its lightweight and compact design makes it portable and ideal for users always on the move.
• MacBook Air M2: It features a 13.6-inch Liquid Retina IPS display with 500 nits of peak brightness, providing a larger canvas for productivity. It’s still lightweight at 1.24 kg but slightly heavier than the iPad Air.

Performance and processing power

• iPad Air M3: Apple's M3 chip has an 8-core CPU (4 performance cores and 4 efficiency cores), which Apple claims is twice as fast as the M1 chip. However, keep in mind that the M1 chip is about five years old, so drawing such a comparison does not augur well. You get better graphics, efficiency and faster neural engine performance but that is to be expected from the M3. You also get the standard 8GB of RAM and 128GB of storage in the base variant, and as usual, Apple has still maintained the ridiculous pricing if you want to upgrade.
• MacBook Air M2: The M2 chip, which has the same 8-core CPU (4 performance cores and 4 efficiency cores), is still a powerful performer, excelling in daily tasks, web browsing, document editing and even moderate video and photo editing. While not as advanced as the M3, it offers a stable and reliable computing experience. The standard M2 Air now comes with 16GB of RAM and 512GB, which makes the deal much sweeter if you ask me.

Software and productivity

• iPad Air M3: Runs on iPadOS, which is great for touch interaction and creative apps such as LumaFusion, Lightroom and more. However, it lacks full-fledged macOS functionality, making it less ideal for certain professional software. It also comes with Apple Intelligence as well, if you care about that kind of stuff.
• MacBook Air M2: Runs on macOS, allowing for better multitasking, professional applications and traditional file management. This is a full-fledged desktop PC operating system, hence you can draw conclusions.

Battery life

• iPad Air M3: It can offer up to 10 hours of battery life suitable for all-day usage. But if you go with a cellular model, the battery life will surely take a hit. The charging duties are done by a 20W USB-C charger.
• MacBook Air M2: It will last up to 18 hours of video playback or 15 hours of wireless web, making it the superior choice for long work sessions. You also get a MagSafe 30W USB-C charger in the box.

'Value for money' factor

• iPad Air M3: The base variant will cost INR 59,990 for the 128GB Wi-Fi variant but if you add essential accessories like the keyboard (INR 26,900) and pencil (INR 7,990), the total expense could easily cross INR 90,000.
• MacBook Air M2: The base model of M2 MacBook Air costs INR 92,990, which while being a tad more expensive makes it a steal considering the overall package.

Final verdict: Who nabs the win?

For us, this is a simple one. If you strictly have INR 90,000, the MacBook Air M2 is the smarter investment. It provides a complete laptop experience, better battery life and macOS flexibility. You don't get that combination on the iPad. However, if you seek portability over outright capabilities and are fine with spending more on accessories, only then does the iPad Air M3 make sense.