Although the iPad 4 was launched in 2012, Apple discontinued it last Fall following the release of the iPad Air. However, all this has since changed when Apple brought back its fourth-generation tablet as its latest lower-end offering.

The iPad 4 starts at $400, while the iPad Air, which boasts similar specs, comes for $500. This raises a vital question - is it worth paying $100 extra for the new version? A comparative review of the spec differences between the two Apple devices will help to the answer the question.

Display

Both Apple iPad Air and iPad 4 have 9.7-inch screens, matching display resolutions of 2048 × 1536, and offer a pixel density of 264 PPI. Both these devices have Retina display, which is perfect for viewing videos, photos, or anything else.

Additionally, both devices have IPS-type screens, meaning the display can be viewed at various angles.

Dimensions and Weight

Compared to the iPad 4, the iPad Air is thinner as well as lighter. iPad Air weighs just 1 lb, which is roughly 0.5 lbs lighter when compared to the iPad 4.

In addition, Apple worked to make the iPad Air slimmer by taking 0.7 inch off the width and reducing the thickness from 0.37 to 0.29 inch, which makes this device one of the thinnest tablets in the market.

When considering extensive use, the iPad Air is the clear winner, as it would not strain the wrists as much, due to its thin light weight design.

Performance

The iPad Air and iPhone 5s have the same 64-bit Apple A7 processor - a massive jump from the 32-bit Apple A6X processor powering the iPad 4.

In fact, the Geekbench 3 test gave the Air a 2696 score versus the iPad 4's 1429. The latest tablet from Apple scored 14,361 on 3DMark Ice Storm compared to 10,613 scored by the iPad 4.

As far as speed is concerned, the iPad Air is definitely faster than the iPad 4. Just navigating through the iOS 7.1 is a lot quicker, while the apps take a shorter time to load. In addition, games like 'Infinity Blade 3' do not lag whatsoever on the iPad Air, as they look fantastic on the Retina display. Videos also look amazing throughout a range of media apps.

Apple is known to have a history of releasing operating system upgrades even for older tablets, but the iPad Air, which is a more recent model, is more likely to be able to make use of all the new features that will be included in iOS 8, iOS 9, as opposed to the iPad 4.

The iPad 4 and iPad Air both have 16GB of storage, which is expandable, and both devices come with 1GB of RAM.