Detailed review and testing of Apple iPad Air. Apple iPad Air - Specifications iPad Air 1 and 2 difference
Now that Apple is at the peak of its fame, almost every one of its devices, long before its official announcement, becomes a kind of construction kit from rumors and leaks, according to which you can independently put all the pieces into a single whole and get an almost complete image of the final product. Moreover, both in appearance and in the hardware components used, although without specific details. Therefore, each presentation of devices, in fact, is primarily a confirmation or refutation of all previously appeared rumors. This, for example, happened with the new iPhone, and the same thing happened with the new iPad, which, however, still managed to present several pleasant surprises. One of them is the new name of the device - .
Specifications
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Manufacturer |
Apple |
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iPad Air (A1475) |
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Type, form factor |
tablet, monoblock |
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Communication standards |
GSM/EDGE (850, 900, 1800, 1900 MHz) |
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UMTS/HSDPA/HSUPA/DC-HSDPA (850, 900, 1900, 2100 MHz) CDMA EV-DO Rev. A and Rev. B (800, 1900 MHz) |
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LTE (bands 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 7, 8, 13, 17, 18, 19, 20, 25, 26) |
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High speed data transfer |
GPRS (32-48 Kbps), EDGE (236 Kbps), HSDPA (up to 42.2 Mbps), HSUPA (up to 5.76 Mbps), CDMA EV-DO (up to 14.7 Mbps /s) LTE cat.4 (up to 150 Mbit/s) |
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SIM card type |
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CPU |
Apple A7: dual 64-bit ARM cores (ARMv8), up to 1.4 GHz, 1 MB L2 cache, 28 nm HKMG process |
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Graphics adapter |
IT PowerVR G6430: 4 cores (clusters), up to 650 MHz, support for OpenGL ES 3.0, OpenGL 3.2 and DirectX 10.0 |
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Coprocessor |
Apple M7: single core Cortex-M3 (ARMv7-M), up to 150 MHz, 90 nm process technology |
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Retina: 9.7", 2048 x 1536 pixels (264 ppi), IPS+IGZO, touch (capacitive), multi-touch up to 5 touches, protective glass Corning Gorilla Glass 3 |
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RAM |
1 GB LPDDR3-1600 |
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Card reader |
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1 x 3.5mm mini-jack audio jack |
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Multimedia |
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Microphone |
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Main |
iSight: 5 MP, BSI sensor, 5-element optics, f/2.4 aperture, autofocus, 1080p video recording |
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Frontal |
FaceTime HD: 1.2 MP, fixed focus, 720p video recording |
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Communication capabilities |
802.11a/b/g/n, dual band (2.4 / 5 GHz) and MIMO |
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Navigation |
GPS, A-GPS, GLONASS |
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3-axis gyroscope, accelerometer, ambient light sensor, digital compass |
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Battery |
Lithium polymer, non-removable: 8827 mAh, 32.9 Wh, 3.73 V |
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Charger |
Output parameters: 5.2 V DC e.g. 2.4 A, 12 W Input parameters: 100~240 V AC eg at 50/60 Hz |
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240 x 169.5 x 7.5 mm |
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"Space Gray" |
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operating system |
(update to iOS 7.0.6 available) |
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Official guarantee |
12 months |
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Products webpage |
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Delivery and configuration
The tablet comes in a relatively small box made of thick cardboard and is characterized by a traditionally attractive design with a minimal amount of visual information. The front side allows you to get acquainted with the “portrait” of the device, and the back side - with very brief technical characteristics. The sidewalls bear the model name and several silver manufacturer logos.
The delivery set is beautifully arranged in compartments, but it cannot boast of anything special. During the unpacking process you will find: a compact power supply with a removable plug, a Lightning ↔ USB adapter cable for connecting to a power supply and synchronizing with a Mac/PC, a special clip for removing the SIM card slide, several small information brochures and two logo stickers manufacturer.
Appearance, design
The visual design of the California manufacturer's tablet line, unlike smartphones and media players, has remained virtually unchanged since 2011, when Apple officially introduced the highly successful second generation iPad. Since then, the tablet has been updated twice, but its appearance has hardly changed. The situation changed only with the advent of its “younger brother” in the form of the Apple iPad mini, which not only brought fresh design ideas, but also determined the further development of the full-size version of the tablet.
As expected, the appearance of the Apple iPad Air almost completely follows the outlines of the mini version, only with reference to slightly larger dimensions, which, by the way, fully justify the new “Air” prefix, borrowed from the line of laptops. It has changed significantly compared to the previous generation, becoming thinner, more compact and lighter, and its shape has become more elongated and generally more neat and modern due to a significant reduction in the side frames (especially on the long side). The Apple iPad Air no longer evokes strong associations with a simple square photo frame.
The body of the device has acquired a more strict design: the corners are less rounded, the edges have lost their “sharpness” and become almost even, and the transition from the back to the sides has taken on quite sharp outlines. The now familiar chrome chamfer along the contour of the front panel has also appeared. The color scheme of the tablet began to correspond to the latest solutions from Apple. It includes two options: Silver and Space Gray, which now differ not only in the color of the front side.
On the design side, the Apple iPad Air has not undergone any changes. The tablet is made of durable anodized aluminum, providing a high level of rigidity, and is complemented by tempered Corning Gorilla Glass 3, which covers the entire front side. In the 4G version of the device, in the upper part of the case you can also find a small plastic insert, under which the antennas of the communication modules are hidden.
The materials used leave a very pleasant tactile sensation, but their condition must be constantly monitored. Every now and then the tablet becomes covered with multiple fingerprints, and the aluminum “back” tends to leave a couple of scratches as a souvenir if handled carelessly. However, all these shortcomings pale in comparison with the main advantage of the 5th generation of Apple tablets, namely weight. The Apple iPad Air has dropped a lot in this regard - only 478 grams versus 662 grams for the 4th generation Apple iPad. Even the main competing model, the Samsung Galaxy Note 10.1 (2014 Edition), has more weight - 544 grams, and this despite the fact that the “galaxy” case is made of plastic.
The build quality is traditionally at the highest level: there are no backlashes, no gaps, no creaks when twisting and pressure is within reasonable limits - everything fits together very well. However, the glass, which has become thinner to reduce the weight of the device, still presses a little, and when tapped it creates a kind of dull sound, as if the tablet inside is completely empty.
The location of all elements on the body remains in the same places, only the sizes of the control buttons have changed - now they are metal and have a slightly smaller thickness. In the upper part of the front side, almost entirely dedicated to the 9.7-inch screen, there is a front camera with a resolution of 1.2 megapixels and an ambient light sensor. At the bottom is the traditional Home button, which, unlike the Apple iPhone 5s, did not receive a Touch ID fingerprint scanner.
Most of the top edge is occupied by a black plastic insert, in the center of which there are holes for a paired microphone (the second microphone goes out to the back of the tablet, as does, to a small extent, the insert itself). In addition, at the top there is a power/lock button and a 3.5 mm audio jack. On the bottom edge there is a proprietary Lightning port and two perforated grilles that hide the stereo speakers.
The left side of the tablet remains empty, while on the right there are volume buttons, a small lever that, by default, blocks changing the screen orientation, as well as a slot for a Nano-SIM format SIM card.
Exactly in the center of the back of the Apple iPad Air you can see a relatively large mirrored manufacturer’s logo, and in the upper part of it you can see the main camera with a resolution of 5 megapixels and a fragment of a plastic insert. At the bottom there is a laser engraving of the device name (without the “Air” prefix) and very brief technical information, including the exact model name, country of manufacture, certification marks and several identification and serial numbers.
The Apple iPad Air, like the two previous generations of tablets, is equipped with a proprietary 9.7-inch Retina screen, which is based on an IPS matrix with a resolution of 2048 x 1536 pixels. The pixel density is 264 ppi. This is quite enough for this type of device. To protect the display, tempered glass Corning Gorilla Glass 3 is used, which has an effective anti-glare filter and high-quality oleophobic (grease-repellent) coating. In this case, there is an air gap between the glass and the surface of the matrix.
At first glance, all the characteristics remained unchanged, but the technology of its production, namely parts of the active liquid crystal layer, has changed significantly. Now the relatively new IGZO technology (derived from the main components - indium, gallium and zinc oxide), developed by the Japanese JST (Japan Science and Technology Agency) is used. Unlike traditional a-Si technology based on amorphous silicon, it allows not only to create transparent thin-film transistors that are much smaller in size, but also to significantly increase the pixel density. It also helps reduce power consumption by eliminating the need to constantly update transistor states when displaying a static image.
Overall, the display is very good and leaves an extremely pleasant impression. Viewing angles are maximum both vertically and horizontally, and the color distortion characteristic of IPS matrices in extreme diagonal positions is practically absent. The color rendering quality of the screen can please you with bright colors with a natural level of saturation, despite the extremely slight shift in color temperature to “cool” shades. The contrast level, although not record-breaking, is quite high and provides an acceptable display of the black field.
The display backlight has a very wide range and is adjustable both manually and automatically. True, there are also some peculiarities: the automation only works to increase and does not adjust the degree of illumination when manually setting the maximum brightness level. Therefore, the most optimal solution is to set the brightness control at 30-50%. When choosing the maximum brightness value, reaching about 360 cd/m2, you can work outdoors without any problems, even under very bright sun. At the minimum value, which is about 10 cd/m2, you can safely read your favorite books without fear of excessive eye strain. The backlight uniformity is good: in some places there are very slight highlights only at the very edge of the display.
The capacitive touch substrate has very good sensitivity and can easily process a number of gestures familiar to the operating system. It is worth noting the very smooth sliding of the finger along the protective glass. But there is no way to work with gloves, even thin ones.
Among the display settings, there are only a couple of functions: adjusting the brightness and changing the background image for the desktop and lock mode.
With the advent of the Apple iPad Air, the full-length version of the tablet finally acquired two stereo speakers capable of providing quite noticeable surround sound. True, you can only hear it in portrait orientation of the device, since both speakers are located on the bottom edge of the case. The sound itself is loud and clear even at the maximum level. There are practically no low frequencies, but a hint of them is present. The mids and highs are well balanced and have decent detail, thanks to which you can watch a movie or listen to music without the need to connect headphones or external speakers.
The tablet's sound settings are not rich. They are limited to selecting sounds for various types of notifications and adjusting the volume level, and only for calls and reminders (the overall level is adjusted using the volume control buttons or through the quick settings panel). In addition, you can enable playback of the device locking sound and keyboard clicks. Additional settings (such as an equalizer, sound check, or volume limiter) can be found in the music player settings.
The Apple iPad Air is equipped with two quite familiar cameras, which have already been found in previous generations of the tablet. The rear iSight camera is based on a 5-megapixel module with a back-illuminated sensor and is complemented by a five-lens optical system with an f/2.4 aperture. There is also support for fairly fast autofocus and electronic image stabilization (only during video recording). The maximum photo resolution is 3264 x 2448 (5 MP) with an aspect ratio of 4:3. Video recording is carried out in MPEG-4 format with a resolution of up to 1080p.
The front FaceTime HD camera is also based on a module with a back-illuminated sensor, but with a more modest resolution (only 1.2 megapixels) and a fixed focal length. The camera's viewing angle is not very wide, but quite sufficient for comfortable video communication. The maximum photo resolution is 1280 x 960, and the video is 720p.
The camera application has a very simple and intuitive interface, although it does not provide a rich set of different functions and settings (for this you need to use third-party applications). It is only possible to activate the HDR mode and change the shooting mode using a vertical swipe - one for shooting video and two for photos (in a ratio of 4x3 and 1x1). From the camera application, you can go to view the footage, and through the system settings of the operating system, enable the display of a grid when shooting.
Examples of photography
Video examples
Daytime shooting in motion, 1080p 30 fps.
Daytime shooting, 1080p 30 fps.
Evening shooting, 1080p 30 fps.
The quality of the resulting material is pleasantly pleasing, despite the low resolution of the module used. Photos under favorable shooting conditions turn out to be quite detailed and have a pleasant color rendition. As the ambient light level decreases, noise becomes more pronounced and detail drops significantly. A similar situation is observed with video, although the high-quality work of the electronic stabilization system is still worth noting - minor shaking is almost completely neutralized.
User interface
The Apple iPad Air tablet runs the iOS 7 operating system, which has radically changed compared to the “six”, both from the visual side and from the technical side. The skeuomorphism with a relatively dark color scheme, beloved by many, has given way to bright, one might say, “rainbow” fills and gradients. The main system font has also changed - instead of the usual Helvetica, the more modern and subtle Helvetica Neue Ultralight is used, which makes a significant contribution to the concept of the new design.
By the way, at the time of writing this review, Apple began distributing an operating system update to version 7.0.6, which fixed a security problem that arose when checking an SSL connection.
The lock screen in iOS 7, having lost the dark stripes at the top and bottom, began to look neater and more consistent. However, its functionality has not changed. The following are displayed here: the current time and date, battery charge status, cellular network signal quality, as well as various notifications. To unlock the device, you need to swipe from left to right in any part of the screen, and to launch the camera application, pull the corresponding icon from bottom to top.
In addition, from the lock screen, as well as from the main screen, by swiping from the top edge you can open the traditional notification panel, and by swiping from the bottom you can finally open a full-fledged quick settings panel. With its help, you can control the audio player, turn on/off wireless data modules, put the device into “do not disturb” mode, block changes in display orientation, launch stopwatch and camera applications, and also control the overall volume level, the level of display backlighting and the AirPlay function.
The main screen, which the user lands on after unlocking the device, has undergone virtually no functional changes in the new version of the OS, but has greatly changed visually. Thus, a new, smoother and, unfortunately, longer animation has appeared, system application shortcuts have completely redrawn icons, the display of folders has become full-screen (no more “breaks”), and for the background wallpaper you can apply the so-called parallax effect, in which the main screen becomes pseudo-voluminous. In addition, the Spotlight global search has changed its location and to access it you just need to swipe down on the main screen or any additional screen.
The appearance and functionality of the multitasking mode have significantly changed. It has acquired a full-screen interface in which running applications are displayed in the form of unique cards with intuitive controls. The mode is called up using the usual action (a four-finger gesture or double-clicking the Home button), but to close the application, you can now simply swipe the corresponding card up.
The operating system settings menu has completely retained its structure and has acquired several additional items.
Finally, we suggest that you familiarize yourself with additional “screenshots” of the OS.
Hardware platform and performance
The hardware platform of the Apple iPad Air tablet is represented by the proprietary Apple A7 processor, the main feature of which is the use of 64-bit ARMv8 desktop architecture and the presence of a special energy-efficient Apple M7 motion coprocessor for directly processing data from the gyroscope, accelerometer and digital compass. The main processor is manufactured in accordance with the standards of the 28-nm HKMG (High-k/metal gate) technological process and is equipped with two cores with a clock speed of up to 1.4 GHz. The L2 cache size is 1 MB. The coprocessor is manufactured using a 90 nm process technology and includes only one Cortex-M3 core (ARMv7-M) with a frequency of up to 150 MHz.
One of the latest solutions from Imagination Technologies - IT PowerVR G6430, codenamed “Rogue”, is used as a graphics accelerator integrated into the main processor. The accelerator has 4 cores (clusters) operating at a clock frequency of up to 650 MHz, and supports a number of important APIs: OpenGL ES 3.0, OpenGL 3.2 and DirectX 10.0.
Despite the use of improved processor microarchitecture, the amount of RAM standard LPDDR3-1600 remains the same and is only 1 GB, while some Android devices already have 3 GB installed. The capacity of the built-in storage starts at 16 GB (with only 12.5 GB available to the user). There is traditionally no support for memory cards, so if funds allow, you should immediately pay attention to versions with more capacious storage: 32 GB, 64 GB or even 128 GB.
The performance of the latest Apple A7 hardware platform is really very high. Using only two cores with a frequency of up to 1.4 GHz, it is capable of real competition with flagship Android solutions that are based on 4-core or even 8-core processors with clock frequencies of 1.5 GHz or more. Of course, this advantage can be attributed to the more productive 64-bit architecture, but we should not forget about the highest degree of optimization of iOS - after all, it is created for the capabilities of only a few devices with a strictly defined hardware component.
In general, the Apple iPad Air works very quickly and, importantly, very smoothly. Drawing the interface and launching applications does not cause any complaints. As for demanding games, in some cases the tablet’s capabilities are insufficient. For example, this happens in Dead Trigger 2, when a large number of dangerous zombies gather on certain maps.
Under active and prolonged load, the tested model begins to heat up slightly (mainly along the long edge), but its temperature remains within very comfortable limits. There is no need to worry about the device becoming damaged during active use.
Communications
The version of Apple iPad Air (A1475) can please you with support for a full range of mobile networks, including 2G and 3G networks that are fully operational in Ukraine. Unfortunately, fourth generation (4G) networks are not yet available to residents of our country due to the lack of appropriate coverage. Third generation networks continue to develop and gradually provide increasing data transfer speeds.
Thus, the fastest mobile access to the Internet in Ukraine is provided by Intertelecom, which has currently implemented the widest 3G coverage area with support for EV-DO Rev.B access technology, providing a maximum data transfer speed of up to 14.7 Mbit/s (or up to 1.75 MB/s).
However, achieving such high speed results is quite difficult even in the open air in the city center. The maximum data reception speed indoors was 4.5 Mbit/s, and sending speed up to 2.6 Mbit/s. Outdoors - up to 8 Mbit/s for reception and about 2.5 Mbit/s for sending.
To better demonstrate the speed of the 3G connection, we downloaded a 142 MB archive from the Dropbox service, as well as uploaded 10 photos taken on the Apple iPad Air to the social network Facebook. In the first case it took 3 minutes 12 seconds, in the second - less than 5 seconds. Be that as it may, even this speed is pleasantly pleasing, especially in cases where there is not a single Wi-Fi point nearby.
As for the local communication capabilities of the tablet, they are quite standard: Bluetooth V4.0 with support for the A2DP profile and dual-band (2.4/5 GHz) Wi-Fi with support for 802.11 a/b/g/n protocols, Wi-Fi Hotspot functions and MIMO signal spatial coding method. Naturally, there is a proprietary AirPlay protocol for wireless media streaming between devices. There is also support for DLNA and Miracast standards, but they require the appropriate applications to work. But there is neither an NFC module nor a built-in IR transmitter for controlling various household appliances in the Apple iPad Air.
Data transfer speeds over Wi-Fi (wired connection 100 Mbit/s, router supporting the 802.11n standard) show very impressive results: up to 80 Mbit/s for receiving and up to 24 Mbit/s for sending. Searching for points and connecting to them occurs very quickly, and the established connection has good stability and does not try to “fall off” when strong interference appears.
The presence of a hardware GPS module with support for A-GPS and GLONASS is only available in the tablet version with a built-in cellular modem, i.e. the so-called Wi-Fi + Cellular, and this should not be forgotten when choosing a device. The performance of the module is excellent, and the user’s location is determined almost instantly and quite accurately. The electronic compass also works great, determining the cardinal directions as accurately as possible.
Autonomous operation
The fifth generation of full-size Apple tablets, despite the noticeably reduced capacity of the battery used (8827 mAh (32.9 Wh) versus 11560 mAh (43 Wh) for the Apple iPad 4) easily maintains the same battery life level. This is a direct result of the more energy-efficient Apple A7 hardware platform and IGZO display technology. According to the manufacturer, the Apple iPad Air can provide up to 10 hours of browsing the Internet in Wi-Fi mode or when playing movies and music. But when accessing the Internet via a cellular network, this figure drops to 9 hours.
In real conditions, the battery life almost completely corresponds to the declared one - 9.5 hours of HD video viewing with Wi-Fi on and 50% display backlight brightness. In gaming mode, for example, with Dead Trigger 2 running, the tablet can work for almost 4.5 hours at 100 percent screen brightness. This is a very good result, although the estimated operating time according to the GFXBench benchmark is 377 minutes, i.e. just over 6 hours. The time to fully charge the battery is traditionally slow and is about 4 hours.
If we talk about real everyday operating conditions when performing various tasks, the Apple iPad Air can survive for two to three days without any problems. If you use it only for sofa Internet surfing for several hours a day, then you can quite count on its operation for a week on a single battery charge.
Results
AppleiPadAir can rightfully be called one of the best tablets on the market, both in terms of the visual component, which has finally received the expected updated design, almost completely copied from the Apple iPad mini, and in terms of the hardware platform, almost entirely inherited from the Apple iPhone 5S.
The tablet has become much more ergonomic, more compact, thinner and lighter. True, for this, the manufacturer had to sacrifice a small amount of battery capacity and use thinner protective glass, which begins to bend noticeably under pressure, and when lightly tapped, creates a slightly unpleasant dull sound. This is somewhat discouraging, because otherwise the device is almost perfect. It contains: a wonderful 9.7-inch Retina display with a resolution of 2048 x 1536 pixels, which is based on energy-efficient IGZO technology and provides very high display quality; one of the most productive mobile platforms, which is represented by a 64-bit dual-core Apple A7 processor with an Apple M7 motion coprocessor, as well as a capacious battery that provides about 9-10 hours of battery life. In addition, the tested model with the A1475 index can please you with full support for 3G and 4G mobile communications (only the third generation is available in Ukraine) with a fairly good data transfer speed, as we were convinced of by testing the service from the Intertelecom operator.
There are no significant shortcomings in the Apple iPad Air, and those that exist are largely subjective. For example, the traditional lack of support for memory cards or the lack of a Touch ID fingerprint scanner. A much more important issue in the process of choosing a tablet can be either its cost, which in our country is very significant (on average from 7000 UAH / $730 for the 4G version (Wi-Fi + Cellular) with 16 GB of internal memory), or personal dislike to Apple products and the closed nature of the iOS 7 operating system, which encourages the purchase of legal content (music, films, magazines and applications).
Advantages:
- updated appearance: lighter, thinner, more compact;
- excellent build quality, high body rigidity;
- excellent display with reduced side bezels;
- productive hardware platform - Apple A7 with Apple M7 coprocessor;
- full support for 3G and 4G mobile communications;
- high-quality stereo speakers;
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After direct acquaintance with Apple iPad Air We can say with full confidence that this model has become the most successful update to the Californian company’s line of 10-inch tablets in the entire history of its existence. The tablet fully deserves the eloquent “airy” prefix to its name; we have never seen such a radical reduction in the weight and volume of the body while maintaining all the functional features. Interesting? Then let's start getting acquainted.
Exploitation
For obvious reasons, the period of test operation Apple iPad Air was not too long, during which time it was possible to notice only the main nuances of real use. Therefore, after a certain time, we will definitely return to the story about this tablet in the format of operating experience.
During use, the tablet literally amazes with its weight; the Air prefix is more appropriate here than ever, because compared to its predecessor, the new product has lost as much as 180 grams or 28% of its weight. The full-size 10-inch tablet in a metal casing now weighs only 470 grams, making it easy to hold with one hand. The ergonomics are also improved by a more compact body, which has become 1.5 cm narrower and almost 2 mm thinner, which in turn has saved 24% of the internal volume. We repeat, with a more “elongated” body Apple iPad Air looks more like a typical widescreen tablet with 16:10 aspect ratio, rather than Apple's 4:3 variation. As a result, the new Air can be chosen only because of its thin, light, metal body, regardless of all other characteristics - you just need to pick it up and you simply won’t want to let go of the tablet.
The new Apple A7/M7 hardware platform has benefited the tablet; there is no need to talk about a mind-blowing increase in performance in real life, but everything (interface, applications, games) now works a little faster and smoother. We especially note the minimal heating of the tablet even after heated battles in modern 3D games - the metal back gets slightly warmer, but there is no trace of the heat that the iPad 3 produced.
Since the battery capacity is Apple iPad Air became smaller, but the charger remained the same, the time required to charge the battery from 0 to 100% decreased noticeably and is about 4 hours. The autonomy is quite consistent with what is stated; a full charge is usually more than enough for a full day of active use (browsing, video, games, reading, etc.). Well, if you use the tablet for a couple of hours before/after work, then its battery may well last almost the entire work week.
Owners of modern dual-band routers will certainly appreciate the increased data exchange speed using a dual-antenna 802.11n Wi-Fi module, capable of operating in two operating bands and providing a maximum speed of up to 300 Mbps. But for obvious reasons, it is not yet possible to obtain the maximum available speed in LTE networks in our country; at best, you will have to be content with a 3G connection. Finally, we note that the main camera Apple iPad Air produces good shots in good natural light, but in a darkened room the module without a flash noticeably loses its position.
Video review of the Apple iPad Air tablet
Results
Eventually, iPad Air- This is the best tablet Apple has ever released, the only real competition that can come from the new iPad mini with Retina display. The younger brother has the same hardware platform, a screen with a higher pixel density, a more compact and lighter body, convenient for daily use on the go, and at the same time costs $100 less.
The only reason to refuse to buy this device may be a rejection of the iOS operating system, while from the point of view of design, construction and hardware platform we have almost an ideal. However, the ideal Apple iPad Air There is only a year left until the announcement of the Air 2, which (possibly) will receive a Touch ID fingerprint scanner, 2 GB of RAM and an even faster processor. But you shouldn’t hope for a redesign of the second generation Air; the current version is already too good to start improving it so quickly.
Liked
+ new thin and light metal body with minimal screen bezel
+ design in the style of Apple iPad mini
+ powerful hardware platform Apple A7 (64 bit) with M7 coprocessor
+ Same battery life from a smaller battery
+ appearance of the branded Smart Case cover
+ functional improvements regarding data exchange
Did not like
- still only 1 GB of RAM
- lack of a Touch ID fingerprint scanner
— there is no possibility of downgrading to iOS 6
The editors would like to thank the Notus online store (www.notus.ua) for providing the Apple iPad Air for testing.
 | Apple iPad Air Wi-Fi 16GB Silver (MD788, MD784) Notify when on sale |
| Type | Tablet |
| Screen diagonal, inches | 9,7 |
| Matrix | IPS |
| Screen covering type | glossy |
| Screen resolution | 2048×1536 |
| Touchpad type | capacitive |
| Multi touch | + |
| CPU | Apple A7 |
| Kernel type | Cyclone |
| Frequency, GHz | 1,3 |
| Number of Cores | 2 |
| Graphic arts | PowerVR G6430 |
| Pre-installed OS | iOS 7 |
| Built-in memory capacity, GB | 16 |
| External ports | USB (Lightning), 3.5 mm audio |
| Card reader | — |
| Front-camera | 1.2 MP |
| Rear camera | 5 MP, autofocus |
| Light sensor | + |
| Orientation sensor | + |
| Built-in speakers | + |
| Dock station | — |
| Stylus included | — |
| WiFi | 802.11a/b/g/n; dual channel (2.4GHz and 5GHz) |
| Bluetooth | 4.0 |
| 3G/4G(LTE) module | — |
| GPS | — |
| NFC | — |
| Battery capacity, mAh | 32.4 Wh |
| Battery life | |
| Weight, g | 469 |
| Dimensions, mm | 240×169.5×7.5 |
| Case color | grey |
| Front panel color | white |
Today Apple introduced a couple of new iPad tablets. Of course, the culmination of the company's efforts in this direction was the iPad Air 2, which, according to its representatives, became the world's thinnest tablet - 6.1 mm. But these are not all the characteristics that set the iPad Air 2 apart from its predecessor. The record thickness influenced some design features. Thus, the iPad Air 2 has lost the legendary mute button, and the speaker on the bottom now has one row of holes. In addition, the device has become lighter - 437 (Wi-Fi) and 444 g (LTE) versus 469 and 478 g for the iPad Air, respectively. Finally, a new color was added to the iPad Air palette - gold, long familiar to iPhone owners. By the way, this version was the demo version at today’s presentation.
Having dealt with the aesthetic side of the new product, let’s move on to its “inner world”. The iPad Air 2 display remains the same (although Apple had to combine two layers in order to achieve the desired thickness). A new tablet needs a new processor. The A8X is used here, which is significantly superior to both its predecessor A7 and the standard A8 processor installed in the iPhone 6. In fact, the Cupertino company has returned to its good tradition of distinguishing between the hardware of the iPhone and iPad. We will find out the amount of RAM from future tests, since Apple traditionally does not pay attention to this at its events. But he pays attention to the camera - the iPad now uses an 8-megapixel iSight camera module with the ability to record slow-mo video (the iPad Air did not have this feature). iPad Air 2 also received a faster Wi-Fi connection – 802.11ac, which works 2.8 times faster than iPad Air – up to 866 Mbps.
Finally, the iPad Air 2 is distinguished by its price tag. After its release, the iPad Air will receive a price list and its price will drop to 19,490 rubles (basic configuration). The new iPad Air 2 is priced at 24,490 rubles (16 GB ROM, Wi-Fi). There will be other differences, but they can be noticed while directly using the tablet.
- © Arthur Luchkin.
Having studied all the iPad models and their characteristics, you can understand how the technologies for creating Tablet PCs have developed and progressed from 2010 to the present day.
After all, these famous gadgets, both a few years ago and now, are equipped with the most modern parts. And you can see development from them.
Moreover, some analysts suggest that iPads will eventually be the first to displace a significant part of desktop computers from the market, surpassing them, if not in power, then at least in mobility and ease of use.
iPad 1
The first iPad went on sale in 2010 and became a truly revolutionary gadget that received many technologies that other tablet PCs did not have at that time - an IPS display and a powerful gigahertz Apple A4 processor.
High operating speed, a screen with a diagonal of almost 10 inches and a capacious 6667 mAh battery made the iPad 1 popular.
However, it was still just an experimental model, with a number of shortcomings and shortcomings.
Among the disadvantages of the device were the relatively short operation time on a single charge - even such a battery was not enough for the large display and the resource-intensive iOS operating system.
In addition, the iPad was quite thick by the standards of other tablets and did not come with a camera, which is why it could not be used for video chatting.
But its body has rounded edges and stylish volume control buttons on the right side.
The developers’ original solution was the button for switching lock modes and screen orientation, which lights up green when turned on.
Another impressive characteristic is the tablet’s built-in memory, the maximum capacity of which was 64 GB.
Although the rather modest RAM parameters did not allow installing more modern versions on the tablet.
Technical specifications:
- Screen size: 9.7 inches;
- resolution: 768 x 1024;
- processor: single-core, 1000 MHz;
- cameras: none;
- memory capacity: 256 MB RAM and from 16 to 64 GB built-in;
- Battery capacity: 6667 mAh.
iPad 2
The next generation of iPad, which appeared in 2011, was more advanced and had many fewer shortcomings.
First of all, this concerned the amount of RAM that had increased to 512 MB - quite enough to run modern applications and install new operating systems.
In addition, the model received two cameras at once - the main one with 0.69 megapixels. and frontal with resolution (640 x 480), gyroscope and dual-core processor.
Most other characteristics, except for a more powerful processor, remained at the same level. Visually, the gadget was distinguished by the edging of the Home button, which matched the color of the body.
Tablet parameters:
- screen: 1536x2048 pixels, 7.9 inches;
- chipset: 2 cores, 1300 MHz;
- cameras: 5 and 1.2 megapixels;
- memory: RAM – 1 GB, ROM – 16, 64 and 128 GB;
- Battery capacity: 6471 mAh.
Another plus is the most affordable price in the entire history of the series. The basic version of the model can be purchased for only $329.
At the same time, decent capabilities and quite affordable prices allow the gadgets to compete well with the top versions of other manufacturers.
And not only among fans of Apple products, but also among users who prefer high performance and modern technologies.
On October 16, 2014, Apple in Cupertino presented the updated iPad Air 2 and iPad mini 3 tablets. Apple tablets have not changed in terms of design, but have acquired new technical characteristics. So the iPad Air 2 model received a new 64-bit processor, an improved camera and support for the Wi-Fi 802.11ac interface. In addition, the tablet has a new generation Touch ID fingerprint scanner and a new version in gold color. But what's the difference between the iPad Air and the iPad Air 2?
"Iron" filling
The Air 2 tablet received a completely new 64-bit Apple processor labeled A8X, operating at a frequency of 1.4 GHz. Let us remind you that the iPhone 6 and 6 Plus are equipped with the regular Apple A8. The A8X pair uses an M8 coprocessor to process motion, and the PowerVR G6430 chip is responsible for video graphics. The graphics of the second “air” iPad are two and a half times more powerful than the chip installed in the first generation iPad Air. As for the processor, the A8X is 40% more powerful than the A7.
At the presentation, Apple compared graphics and processors with the first generation iPad. It turned out that the current A8X processor processes information 12 times faster than the processor of the first iPad, and its graphics are 120 times more productive.
Alas, the “second” Air will not be sold with a version with 32 gigabytes of memory, as was the case with the first generation iPad Air. Only versions with 16, 64 and 128 GB of internal memory are available.
Slim body
Apple iPad Air 2 has once again become the thinnest tablet in the world with a thickness of only 6.1 millimeters. The difference between the iPad Air and iPad Air 2 in thickness is 1.4 mm. As for the width and height of the case, they remained the same: 240x169.5 mm, but the weight decreased by 31 grams. In terms of design, the “sixth” generation iPad has remained virtually unchanged, but a new fashionable body color has appeared – golden. The buttons on the ends of the tablet have changed slightly, and the lever for switching automatic screen rotation has disappeared.
New 8 megapixel camera
In addition to the thin body and improved hardware, the new iPad has an 8-megapixel iSight camera module with f/2.4. In terms of image quality, this module is comparable to the iPhone 5 camera. Let us recall that the first generation Air had a five-megapixel photo module installed.
The Air 2 camera has learned to shoot video at a frequency of 120 fps (slow motion video), as well as video in Full HD quality. In addition, continuous shooting and the creation of a 43-megapixel panorama are available. The front FaceTime HD module remains the same - 1.2 megapixels with the ability to shoot HD video.
New display coating
The tablet's touch screen remains unchanged: the same 9.7-inch Retina display with a resolution of 2048x1536 pixels. But the main difference between the iPad Air and the iPad Air 2 is that Apple used a new laminated coating, which eliminates the air gap between the sensor and the glass, and makes the tablet half a millimeter thinner.
A special anti-reflective coating, first introduced on the iPhone 6, allows the user to better perceive the picture from the screen in sunny weather.
Touch ID and new interfaces
The iPhone 6/6 Plus smartphones, introduced in September 2014, are equipped with a new generation fingerprint scanner. The iPad Air 2 did not go unnoticed: instead of the mechanical “Home” button, a second-generation Touch ID fingerprint scanner appeared. The previous Air did not have such a scanner.
In addition, the 6th generation iPad has a built-in 802.11a/c Wi-Fi chip with MIMO, which makes data transfer much faster.
starting price
Apple's new product will cost significantly more at launch than the first generation Air. Last year, the 16-gigabyte version of the iPad Air cost 20 thousand rubles. The cost of a new tablet with the same amount of memory will be 25 thousand rubles.
As a result, domestic users will have to fork out another 5 thousand rubles for updated hardware, a thin body, Touch ID and new interfaces. A comparison table of the two “air” iPads is presented below.