The best iPad Air 4 (2020) deals available this June

The fourth-gen iPad Air represented a breath of fresh air – no pun intended – for the tablet range at release in 2020, ditching the ageing form factor for something more akin to the iPad Pro, complete with angular edges, a near edge-to-edge display, compatibility with the latest Apple Pencil and Magic Keyboard and much more. 

But, as good as the tablet is, it’s even better when it’s bought at a discount – and there are plenty to be had in June following the release of the upgraded iPad Air 5 in March 2022. The newer tablet has benefits including the inclusion of Apple’s M1 chipset and optional 5G connectivity, but it also means the older fourth-gen tablet is cheaper than ever before. 

Here’s all you need to know about where to buy the fourth-gen iPad Air (2020) and, more importantly, a selection of the best hand-picked June 2022 deals. For more, take a look at our iPad Air (2020) review.

We’re separately looking at where to buy the iPad 10.2in (8th generation) and where to buy the iPad Air 5 (2022) for those interested.

How much does the fourth-generation iPad Air cost?

In a move that some certainly won’t appreciate, Apple decided that the redesign of the tablet meant a noticeable bump in price. Despite 2019’s iPad Air starting at £479/$499, the 2020 model started at £579/$599 at release:

• iPad Air 2020 (64GB, Wi-Fi): £579/$599
• iPad Air 2020 (256GB, Wi-Fi): £729/$749
• iPad Air 2020 (64GB, Wi-Fi & Cellular): £709/$729
• iPad Air 2020 (256GB, Wi-Fi & Cellular): £859/$879

As mentioned, the release of the updated iPad Air 5 means prices of the fourth-gen tablet are dropping across the board, with many retailers offering the 64GB Wi-Fi variant for less than £500/$530 – but more on that in a minute. 

Where to buy the iPad Air (2020) – best deals

Following the release of the fifth-gen iPad Air (2022) in March, Apple no longer officially sells the older fourth-gen iPad Air (2020) – but that doesn’t mean it’s not available anywhere.

As with other Apple products, the tablet is still available via a handful of third-party retailers while stock lasts – though the list is beginning to dwindle as retailers transition to the newer model.

Retailers in the UK that currently stock the iPad Air (2020) include:

• Amazon – £131 off 64GB Wi-Fi model in Green
• Argos – £81 off 64GB Wi-Fi model
• Currys PC World – £40 off 256GB Wi-Fi model
• John Lewis – £80 off 64GB Wi-Fi model, complete with an extended two-year warranty

Meanwhile, those in the US should head to:

• Best Buy – $50 off 64GB Wi-Fi model
• Walmart – $200 off 64GB Wi-Fi model

Best iPad Air (2020) prices right now

You can compare iPad Air 4 prices across top retailers below:

Where to buy the iPad Air (2020) on contract – best deals

If you’re tempted to make use of the optional cellular connectivity and get the iPad Air 4 at a discount on contract, we’ve got some bad news.

While the tablet was once widely available in the UK and US on contract, all networks have since dropped the fourth-gen tablet in favour of the recently released iPad Air 5.

Where to find a refurbished iPad Air (2020)

The Apple Refurbished Store should be your first destination if you’re after a refurbished iPad deal. As Apple Certified Refurbished, you can expect the device to look and work just like new, but at prices up to 15% lower than the RRP. 

The only issue is, you may not always find the model you’re after in stock. We can’t see the iPad Air (2020) at the Refurbished Store right now, but here are a few other refurbished resellers worth checking out:

• Amazon
• AWD
• Big Phone Store
• eBay
• Envirofone
• 4Gadgets
• Handtec
• Laptops Direct
• Music Magpie
• Preloved
• Smartfone Store

See our full guide to buying a refurbished iPad.

What’s new with the iPad Air (2020)?  

This is the key question, especially considering the £100/$100 price hike of the base model of iPad Air with the release of the fourth-gen model.

The good news is that there’s some justification for the rise in price – it’s essentially a complete redesign of the iPad Air range, bringing it closer visually to the iPad Pro and iPhone 13 design. It sports a larger 10.9in display, up from 10.5in of the previous model, but the bigger improvement is in the bezel department. Like Apple’s Pro iPad, the iPad Air features significantly reduced bezels, and the Home button has been moved too.

While it used to sit below the display, Apple has moved it to the top-right of the tablet this time around. It’s slimmer than the standard Home button but features the same Touch ID tech. It was the first time Apple had included a side-mounted fingerprint scanner on any of its products, but it has since appeared on the iPad mini 6, and it has been a feature on Android smartphones and tablets for quite a few years now.

That said, it shouldn’t come as a shock that despite featuring the same bezels as the iPad Pro, the iPad Air doesn’t feature Face ID – Apple has to keep some features exclusive to the high-end model, after all. It’s also a standard 60Hz display, not the 120Hz ProMotion display of the Pro line.

Interestingly, the iPad Air was the first Apple product to feature the 5nm A14 Bionic chipset, something that in previous years would’ve debuted on the iPhone range before coming to other products. Of course, with the iPhone delay, Apple had no choice but to reveal the new processor as part of the iPad Air range.

Don’t get confused though; despite the A14 Bionic branding, the M1 chipset of the iPad Pro range is still more capable with more CPU and GPU cores at its disposal.  

Elsewhere, the iPad Air features the same main camera as the iPad Pro, a 12Mp f/1.8 sensor, but no LIDAR or ultra-wide cameras. There’s also a shift from Lightning to USB-C for charging and connectivity, and there’s also a bunch of new colours available, including green and blue options alongside the standard Silver, Space Grey and Rose Gold colour options.

For more on Apple’s latest iPad, take a look at the latest iPad Air (2020) news.