Apple iPad Air 13-inch (M2, Wi-Fi) / Samsung Galaxy Tab S9 (Wi-Fi, 8 GB / 128 GB)

Apple iPad Air 13-inch (M2, Wi-Fi): 13-inch iPad Air (M2), Wi-Fi model; 128 GB, 256 GB, 512 GB and 1 TB. The Wi-Fi + Cellular model (A2899/A2903) is 1 g heavier and uses eSIM only. The 11-inch iPad Air (M2) and the later M3 version are separate models.

Samsung Galaxy Tab S9 (Wi-Fi, 8 GB / 128 GB): Galaxy Tab S9 11-inch Wi-Fi, SM-X710 (8 GB / 128 GB); Graphite and Beige. The 5G version, Tab S9+ and Tab S9 Ultra are separate models.

SpecificationApple iPad Air 13-inch (M2, Wi-Fi)Samsung Galaxy Tab S9 (Wi-Fi, 8 GB / 128 GB)
Release year20242023
Display13-inch Liquid Retina, LED-backlit IPS; 2732 × 2048 pixels, 264 ppi; 600 nits; P3 wide colour; True Tone; fully laminated; antireflective coating

Full lamination removes the gap between the glass and the panel, so the pencil tip appears closer to the image. Apple ProMotion (120 Hz) is not on this model.

Apple		11-inch Dynamic AMOLED 2X; 60–120 Hz

120 Hz makes scrolling and S Pen drawing smoother; it drops to 60 Hz when content is static.

Samsung
Chip and memoryApple M2; 8-core CPU (4 performance + 4 efficiency), 9-core GPU, 16-core Neural Engine; 8 GB RAM

Memory is 8 GB on every configuration and cannot be upgraded later.

Apple		—
Storage128 GB, 256 GB, 512 GB, 1 TB Apple—
Pencil and keyboardApple Pencil Pro and Apple Pencil (USB-C); Apple Pencil hover; Smart Connector

Apple Pencil Pro pairs and charges on the magnetic connector on the side. The Smart Connector powers a keyboard without a separate battery or pairing.

Apple		—
CamerasRear: 12 MP wide, ƒ/1.8, 4K at 60 fps; Front: landscape 12 MP Ultra Wide, Center Stage

Placing the front camera on the long edge keeps the face centred in video calls when used landscape with a keyboard.

Apple		Rear 13 MP AF; front 12 MP ultra-wide Samsung
AudioLandscape stereo speakers; dual microphones AppleQuad stereo speakers tuned by AKG; Dolby Atmos Samsung
USB-C and external displayUSB-C: charging, DisplayPort, USB 3 (up to 10 Gb/s); one external display up to 6K at 60 Hz Apple—
WirelessWi-Fi 6E (2x2 MIMO); Bluetooth 5.3

Wi-Fi 6E uses the 6 GHz band with a compatible router, which means less interference on busy networks.

Apple		—
AuthenticationTouch ID in the top button Apple—
Battery36.59 Wh lithium-polymer; up to 10 hours of web or video on Wi-Fi Apple8400 mAh (typical)

No charging adapter is included in the box.

Samsung
Size and weight280.6 × 214.9 × 6.1 mm; Wi-Fi model 617 g Apple254.3 × 165.8 × 5.9 mm; 498 g (Wi-Fi) Samsung
ColoursBlue, Purple, Starlight, Space Gray AppleBeige, Graphite Samsung
Processor—Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 for Galaxy Samsung
Memory and storage—8 GB RAM, 128 GB storage; microSD up to 1 TB (sold separately) Samsung
S Pen—Bluetooth LE S Pen in the box; IP68

The S Pen attaches magnetically to the back of the tablet and charges there; Bluetooth LE enables remote-control gestures.

Samsung
Durability—Tablet and S Pen IP68

IP68 describes dust-tightness and water immersion resistance under set conditions; it is not recommended for beach or pool use.

Samsung
Connectivity—Wi-Fi 6E; Wi-Fi Direct; Bluetooth 5.3

The 6 GHz band requires a Wi-Fi 6E router.

Samsung
Operating system—Shipped with Android 13 Samsung