The Apple Pencil is one of the best accessories for the iPad Pro and iPad mini — but does it also work with the iPad Air 5? Apple's iPad lineup is better today than it's ever been. At the lowest end is the baseline iPad. It has an aging design and OK specs, but at just $329, it's an outstanding value. Then there's the iPad mini. It has better specs, a modernized design, and crams all of that into an ultra-compact body. And, of course, there's the iPad Pro. The iPad Pro is big and expensive, but it's also the most powerful iPad money can buy. If you want the nicest-looking display, the fastest performance, and most features, the iPad Pro is the way to go.
Sitting in the middle of all of that is the iPad Air. It's a little pricier than the iPad mini, but it has a much larger screen, similarly great specs, and costs considerably less than the iPad Pro. The latest iPad Air 5 is the best one Apple's ever made. It has the excellent M1 processor, a 10.9-inch display, optional 5G connectivity, and a sleek design with slim bezels. Add all of that together for a $599 price tag, and it's quite the package.
Making all of this even better is the Apple Pencil. Just like all other iPads, the iPad Air 5 does work with the Apple Pencil. More specifically, the iPad Air 5 works with the 2nd gen Apple Pencil. You can use the Apple Pencil with the iPad Air 5 to draw, sketch, take notes, or more easily navigate the user interface. When you're done using it, the Apple Pencil magnetically attaches to the right side of the iPad Air 5 and wirelessly charges when it's there.
The iPad Air 5 Does Not Come With An Apple Pencil
The downside to all of this? The Apple Pencil doesn't come with the iPad Air 5. If you have an iPad Air 5 and want the Apple Pencil, you'll need to buy it for another $129. That's nearly a quarter of the price of the iPad Air 5 itself, making the Apple Pencil a pretty expensive accessory. Apple Card owners can pay $10.75/month over 12 months for the Apple Pencil with 0 percent interest, but either way, it's still a lot of money for a stylus.
To Apple's credit, the 2nd gen Apple Pencil is a very good stylus — even with its high price tag. It has a sleek matte finish, supports a double-tap gesture for quickly changing drawing tools, and has tilt and pressure sensitivity with "imperceptible lag." Does all of that make the Apple Pencil worth $129 if you have an iPad Air 5? That depends on you! If you're an avid drawer/artist and want to be able to create stuff on your iPad, the Apple Pencil is one of the best accessories in its class. But if you aren't an artist and aren't sure what you'd use the Apple Pencil for, you're better off saving that $129 and spending it elsewhere.
Source: Apple