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home  /  Multimedia/ Specifications Apple iPad Air reviews, descriptions, applications. Detailed review and testing of Apple iPad Air Communication between devices in mobile networks is carried out using technologies that provide different data transfer rates

Specifications Apple iPad Air reviews, descriptions, applications. Detailed review and testing of Apple iPad Air Communication between devices in mobile networks is carried out using technologies that provide different data transfer rates

Information about the brand, model and alternative names of a specific device, if any.

Design

Information about the dimensions and weight of the device, presented in different units of measurement. Used materials, offered colors, certificates.

Width

Width information - refers to the horizontal side of the device in its standard orientation during use.

240 mm (millimeters)
24 cm (centimeters)
0.79 ft (feet)
9.45 in (inches)
Height

Height information - refers to the vertical side of the device in its standard orientation during use.

169.5 mm (millimeters)
16.95 cm (centimeters)
0.56 ft (feet)
6.67 in (inches)
Thickness

Information about the thickness of the device in different units measurements.

7.5 mm (millimeters)
0.75 cm (centimeters)
0.02 ft (feet)
0.3 in (inches)
The weight

Information about the weight of the device in different units of measurement.

478 g (grams)
1.05 lbs (pounds)
16.86 oz (ounces)
Volume

The approximate volume of the device, calculated based on the dimensions provided by the manufacturer. Refers to devices with a rectangular parallelepiped shape.

305.1 cm³ (cubic centimeters)
18.53 in³ (cubic inches)
Colors

Information about the colors in which this device is offered for sale.

Gray
Silver
Materials for the manufacture of the case

Materials used for the manufacture of the device body.

Aluminium alloy

SIM card

A SIM card is used in mobile devices to store data that certifies the authenticity of mobile service subscribers.

Mobile networks

A mobile network is a radio system that allows multiple mobile devices to communicate with each other.

Gsm

GSM (Global System for Mobile Communications) is designed to replace the analog mobile network (1G). For this reason, GSM is often referred to as a 2G mobile network. It is enhanced by the addition of GPRS (General Packet Radio Services) and later EDGE (Enhanced Data rates for GSM Evolution) technologies.

GSM 850 MHz
GSM 900 MHz
GSM 1800 MHz
GSM 1900 MHz
CDMA

CDMA (Code-Division Multiple Access) is a channel access method used in communications in mobile networks... Compared to other 2G and 2.5G standards like GSM and TDMA, it offers faster data transfer rates and higher connectivity more consumers at the same time.

CDMA 800 MHz
CDMA 1900 MHz
CDMA2000

CDMA2000 is a group of 3G mobile network standards based on CDMA. Benefits include stronger signal strength, fewer interruptions and outages, support for analog signal, wide spectral coverage, etc.

1xEV-DO Rev. A
1xEV-DO Rev. B
UMTS

UMTS stands for Universal Mobile Telecommunications System. It is based on the GSM standard and refers to 3G mobile networks. Developed by 3GPP and its biggest advantage is to provide more speed and spectral efficiency thanks to W-CDMA technology.

UMTS 850 MHz
UMTS 900 MHz
UMTS 1900 MHz
UMTS 2100 MHz
LTE

LTE (Long Term Evolution) is defined as a fourth generation (4G) technology. It is developed by 3GPP based on GSM / EDGE and UMTS / HSPA with the aim of increasing the capacity and speed of wireless mobile networks. The subsequent development of technologies is called LTE Advanced.

LTE 700 MHz Class 13
LTE 700 MHz Class 17
LTE 800 MHz
LTE 850 MHz
LTE 900 MHz
LTE 1700/2100 MHz
LTE 1800 MHz
LTE 1900 MHz
LTE 2100 MHz
LTE 2600 MHz

Mobile technology and data rates

Communication between devices in mobile networks is carried out using technologies that provide different data transfer rates.

Operating system

An operating system is the system software that controls and coordinates the operation of hardware components in a device.

SoC (System on Chip)

A system on a chip (SoC) integrates all the major hardware components of a mobile device into a single chip.

SoC (System on Chip)

A system on a chip (SoC) integrates various hardware components such as a processor, graphics processor, memory, peripherals, interfaces, etc., as well as the software required for their operation.

Apple A7 APL5698
Technological process

Information on technological process on which the chip is made. The value in nanometers is half the distance between the elements in the processor.

28 nm (nanometers)
Processor (CPU)

The main function of the processor (CPU) of a mobile device is to interpret and execute instructions contained in software applications.

Apple Cyclone ARMv8
Processor size

The capacity (bits) of the processor is determined by the size (in bits) of registers, address buses and buses for data. 64-bit processors offer better performance than 32-bit processors, which in turn are more efficient than 16-bit processors.

64 bit
Instruction set architecture

Instructions are commands with which the software sets / controls the processor. Information about the instruction set (ISA) that the processor can execute.

ARMv8-A
Level 1 cache (L1)

The cache memory is used by the processor to reduce the time it takes to access more frequently used data and instructions. L1 (level 1) cache is small and much faster than both system memory and other levels of cache. If the processor does not find the requested data in L1, it continues to look for it in the L2 cache. On some processors, this search is performed simultaneously in L1 and L2.

64 KB + 64 KB (kilobytes)
L2 cache

L2 (level 2) cache is slower than L1, but instead has a larger capacity to cache more data. It, like L1, is much faster than system memory (RAM). If the processor does not find the requested data in L2, it continues to look for them in L3 cache memory (if available) or in RAM memory.

1024 KB (kilobytes)
1 MB (megabytes)
L3 cache

L3 (level 3) cache is slower than L2, but instead has a larger capacity to cache more data. It, like L2, is much faster than system memory (RAM).

4096 KB (kilobytes)
4 MB (megabytes)
Number of processor cores

The processor core executes program instructions. There are processors with one, two or more cores. Having more cores increases performance by allowing multiple instructions to execute in parallel.

2
CPU clock speed

The clock speed of a processor describes its speed in cycles per second. It is measured in megahertz (MHz) or gigahertz (GHz).

1300 MHz (megahertz)
GPU(GPU)

A graphics processing unit (GPU) handles computation for a variety of 2D / 3D graphics applications... In mobile devices, it is most commonly used by games, consumer interfaces, video applications, and more.

PowerVR G6430
Number of GPU cores

Like a processor, a GPU is made up of several working parts called cores. They handle the graphical computation of various applications.

4
Volume random access memory(RAM)

Random access memory (RAM) is used by the operating system and all installed applications. The data that is saved in the RAM is lost after the device is turned off or restarted.

1 GB (gigabytes)
Memory type (RAM)

Information about the type of random access memory (RAM) used by the device.

LPDDR3

Built-in memory

Each mobile device has built-in (non-removable) fixed memory.

Screen

The screen of a mobile device is characterized by its technology, resolution, pixel density, diagonal length, color depth, etc.

Type / technology

One of the main characteristics of the screen is the technology by which it is made and on which the image quality of information directly depends.

IPS
Diagonal

On mobile devices, screen size is expressed in terms of the length of its diagonal, measured in inches.

9.7 in (inches)
246.38 mm (millimeters)
24.64 cm (centimeters)
Width

Approximate screen width

7.76 in (inches)
197.1 mm (millimeters)
19.71 cm (centimeters)
Height

Approximate screen height

5.82 in (inches)
147.83 mm (millimeters)
14.78 cm (centimeters)
Aspect ratio

The aspect ratio of the long side of the screen to its short side

1.333:1
4:3
Permission

Screen resolution shows the number of pixels horizontally and vertically on the screen. More a high resolution means sharper image detail.

2048 x 1536 pixels
Pixel density

Information about the number of pixels per centimeter or inch of the screen. Higher density allows information to be shown on the screen in clearer detail.

264 ppi (pixels per inch)
103 ppcm (pixels per centimeter)
Color depth

Screen color depth reflects the total number of bits used for color components in one pixel. Information about the maximum number of colors that the screen can display.

24 bit
16777216 flowers
Screen footprint

The approximate percentage of the display area on the front of the device.

71.86% (percent)
Other characteristics

Information about other functions and features of the screen.

Capacitive
Multitouch
Oleophobic (lipophobic) coating
LED-backlit
Retina display

Sensors

Different sensors perform different quantitative measurements and convert physical metrics into signals that can be recognized by the mobile device.

Rear camera

The main camera of a mobile device is usually located on its rear panel and can be combined with one or more additional cameras.

Sensor typeCMOS BSI (backside illumination)
Light-strengthf / 2.4
Focal length4.3 mm (millimeters)
Image Resolution

Resolution is one of the main characteristics of cameras. It represents the number of horizontal and vertical pixels in the image. For convenience, smartphone manufacturers often quote resolutions in megapixels, indicating the approximate number of pixels in millions.

2592 x 1936 pixels
5.02 MP (megapixels)
Video resolution1920 x 1080 pixels
2.07 MP (megapixels)
30 frames / sec (frames per second)
Specifications

Information about additional software and hardware features of the rear (rear) camera.

Autofocus
Digital zoom
Digital image stabilization
Geographic tags
Panoramic shooting
HDR shooting
Touch focus
Face recognition

Front-camera

Smartphones have one or more front cameras of different designs - pop-up camera, PTZ camera, notch or hole in the display, camera under the display.

Sensor model

Information about the make and model of the sensor used by the camera.

OmniVision OV2E0BNN
Sensor type

Information about the type of camera sensor. Some of the most widely used sensor types in mobile cameras are CMOS, BSI, ISOCELL, and others.

CMOS (complementary metal-oxide semiconductor)
Light-strength

Aperture (also known as aperture, aperture, or f-number) is a measure of the size of the lens aperture, which determines the amount of light entering the sensor. The lower the f-number, the larger the aperture and the more light reaches the sensor. Usually, the f-number is indicated, which corresponds to the largest possible aperture of the aperture.

f / 2.4
Focal length

The focal length indicates the distance in millimeters from the sensor to the optical center of the lens. Equivalent focal length (35mm) is the focal length of a mobile device camera, equated to the focal length of a 35mm full-frame sensor, at which the same angle of view will be achieved. It is calculated by multiplying the real focal length of the mobile device camera by the crop factor of its sensor. The crop factor can be defined as the ratio between the diagonals of a 35mm full-size sensor and a mobile device sensor.

2.18 mm (millimeters)
Video resolution

Information about the maximum video resolution that the camera can record.

1280 x 720 pixels
0.92 MP (megapixels)
Video recording rate (frame rate)

Information about the maximum recording rate (frames per second, fps) supported by the camera at maximum resolution. Some of the most basic video recording speeds are 24 fps, 25 fps, 30 fps, 60 fps.

30 frames / sec (frames per second)
1.2 MP

Audio

Information about the type of speakers and audio technology supported by the device.

Radio

The radio of the mobile device is a built-in FM receiver.

Locating

Information about the navigation and positioning technologies supported by the device.

Wi-Fi

Wi-Fi is a technology that enables wireless communication for transferring data over short distances between various devices.

Bluetooth

Bluetooth is a standard for secure wireless transfer of data between different types of devices over short distances.

USB

USB (Universal Serial Bus) is an industry standard that allows different electronic devices to exchange data.

Headphone jack

This is an audio connector, which is also called an audio connector. The most widely used standard in mobile devices is the 3.5mm headphone jack.

Connecting devices

Information about other important connection technologies supported by the device.

Browser

A web browser is a software application for accessing and viewing information on the Internet.

Video file formats / codecs

Mobile devices support different video file formats and codecs, which respectively store and encode / decode digital video data.

Battery

Mobile device batteries differ in their capacity and technology. They provide the electrical charge required for their function.

Capacity

Battery capacity indicates the maximum charge it can store, measured in milliampere-hours.

8827 mAh (milliampere-hours)
Type of

The type of battery is determined by its structure and, more precisely, by the chemicals used. Exists different types lithium-ion and lithium-ion-polymer batteries are most commonly used in mobile devices.

Li-polymer
Talk time 2G

Talk time in 2G is the period of time during which the battery charge is completely discharged during continuous talk on a 2G network.

10 h (hours)
600 min (minutes)
0.4 days
Talk time 3G

Talk time in 3G is the period of time during which the battery charge is completely discharged during a continuous conversation on a 3G network.

10 h (hours)
600 min (minutes)
0.4 days
4G talk time

4G talk time is the period of time during which the battery charge is completely discharged during continuous 4G talk.

10 h (hours)
600 min (minutes)
0.4 days
Specifications

Information about some additional characteristics of the device's battery.

Non-removable

Specific Absorption Rate (SAR)

SAR levels refer to the amount of electromagnetic radiation absorbed by the human body when using a mobile device.

Body SAR (EU)

The SAR level indicates the maximum amount electromagnetic radiation to which the human body is exposed if you hold a mobile device at hip level. The highest SAR value for mobile devices in Europe is 2 W / kg per 10 grams of human tissue. This standard established by the CENELEC committee in compliance with the 1998 ICNIRP guidelines and IEC standards.

1 W / kg (Watts per kilogram)
Body SAR (US)

The SAR level indicates the maximum amount of electromagnetic radiation that a person's body is exposed to when holding a mobile device at hip level. The highest SAR value in the United States is 1.6 W / kg per gram of human tissue. This value is set by the FCC and CTIA monitors mobile devices for compliance with this standard.

1.19 W / kg (Watts per kilogram)

On October 16, 2014, Apple in Cupertino presented the updated iPad Air 2 and iPad mini 3. Apple tablets have not changed in terms of design, but have acquired new technical characteristics. This gives the iPad Air 2 a new 64-bit processor, improved camera and support. Wi-Fi interface 802.11ac. In addition, the tablet has got a new generation Touch ID fingerprint scanner and a new version of gold color. But how does the iPad Air differ from the iPad Air 2?

"Iron" filling

The Air 2 has a brand new 64-bit Apple processor labeled A8X, clocked at 1.4GHz. Recall that the iPhone 6 and 6 Plus are equipped with the usual Apple A8. In a pair of A8X, the M8 coprocessor is working for processing the movements, and the PowerVR G6430 chip is responsible for the video graphics. The graphics of the second "air" iPad are two and a half times more productive than the chip installed in the first generation iPad Air. As for the processor, the A8X is 40% more powerful than the A7.

On Apple presentations compared the graphics and processors to the first generation iPad. It turned out that the current A8X processor is 12 times faster at processing information than the processor of the first iPad, and its graphics are 120 times faster.

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 is once again the thinnest tablet in the world at just 6.1 millimeters thin. The difference between iPad Air and iPad Air 2 is 1.4mm in thickness. As for the width and height of the case, they remain the same: 240x169.5 mm, but the weight has decreased by 31 grams. In terms of design, the iPad of the "sixth" generation has practically not changed, but a new fashionable color of the case has appeared - golden. The buttons on the ends of the tablet have slightly changed, and the automatic screen rotation switch has disappeared.

New 8 megapixel camera

In addition to thin case 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 iPhone camera 5. Recall that in the first generation of Air, a five-megapixel photo module was installed.

The Air 2 camera has learned to shoot video with a frequency of 120 fps (slow motion video), as well as video in Full HD quality. In addition, continuous shooting and 43-megapixel panorama creation are available. The front-facing FaceTime HD module remains the same - 1.2 megapixels with the ability to shoot HD video.

New display cover

The touch screen of the tablet remains unchanged: the same 9.7 inches Retina display at a resolution of 2048x1536 pixels. But the main difference between iPad Air and iPad Air 2 is that Apple has used a new laminate coating that eliminates the air gap between the sensor and the glass, and makes the tablet thinner by half a millimeter.

The 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

Introduced in September 2014 iPhone smartphones 6/6 Plus are equipped with a new generation fingerprint scanner. iPad Air 2 did not go unnoticed: instead of a mechanical Home button, a second generation Touch ID fingerprint scanner appeared. There was no such scanner in the previous Air.

In addition, the 6th generation iPad has built-in Wifi chip 802.11a / c standard with MIMO, with which data transfer is much faster.

starting price

The new product from Apple at the start will cost significantly more than the "Air" of the first generation. Last year 16GB iPad version 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 the updated hardware, thin case, Touch ID and new interfaces. A comparative table of the two "air" iPads is presented below.

In the tablet market, everything is pretty clear lately. Due to the fact that great amount smartphones have already surpassed these gadgets, manufacturers began to produce only special models. Someone focused on special functionality, someone tried to bring the tablet closer to a PC, someone created an unprecedented design. One way or another, it is now possible to purchase this device without any problems, since everyone can find their own device in a certain price category and with the necessary technical characteristics.

It so happens that an excellent model appears on the market, but a year later the manufacturer releases an older modification. And the owners of the first device do not know whether they should change their gadget to an updated one. It was the same with Apple. Therefore, a comparison is made for the iPad Air 2 and iPad Air. To adequately assess the changes that have occurred with this tablet, we will consider each separately.

New generation

The introduction of the iPad Air in 2013 marked the beginning of a new generation. It would seem that all the usual functions have remained in place, but the body has become "airier", and the "filling" is noticeably faster. The new model definitely looks better, works better and has attracted a lot of attention.

Improved new generation

A year later, an updated one came out. Comparing it with the previous model seems like a thankless job, because at first glance, no updates are noticeable. But if externally the tablets are really similar, inside with the release of the second modification, everything has become much better.

External differences

With the release of the iPad Air, there have been changes from the previous line. It has become more austere but retains the style with a silver bezel and black / white bezel around the screen. In general, the similarities with the iPad mini immediately became noticeable, but the main advantage of the new tablet was its size.

Of course, not everyone needs such a large screen. But even if we compare the dimensions of the "air" tablet with the iPad, then the difference is colossal. First, it has become thinner, and this is noticeable. Secondly, it has become less broad. Thirdly, the weight has decreased by almost 150 grams. And even if these numbers do not seem to everyone to be radically different, in life they are very noticeable.

But if you spend iPad comparison Air and iPad Air 2, then, as mentioned earlier, the changes are not particularly noticeable. The fact is that the main transformation concerns only weight and thickness. At the time of release, the brand new iPad Air 2 has become 1.4 mm thinner, now the size of the side end is only 6.1 mm, which looks very attractive. Well, the weight has also become less - 437 grams. There is even an opinion that the change in the mass of the tablet affected the comfort of use, now the back and arms get tired much less.

Color differences and details

Continuing the comparison between iPad Air and iPad Air 2, there are a few more external details to pay attention to. The first model of the new generation was supplied in two color variations: silver and dark gray. The new version also received a new-fashioned golden one in two familiar colors. Of course, increasing the choice of body shades is just a positive marketing ploy. By the way, many owners of gold iPhones gladly bought themselves a matching tablet from the "apple" manufacturer.

In appearance, the display orientation lock button has also changed. Now it does not exist at all, most likely, it disappeared for the sake of the thickness of the case. Now in its place is a small microphone hole. The "Home" key has not changed externally, but it received an additional Touch ID, which, by the way, in Apple devices is needed not only to unlock, but also to pay for purchases in the game store.

Screen

In the iPad Air 2 and iPad Air, it would seem that it is not necessary to compare the screen, since external signs are invisible. The diagonal is 9.7 inches, the resolution is 2048x1536 pixels. But the second gadget got a special one touchscreen, which was developed in conjunction with lamination technology. The manufacturer has ensured that the interlayer between the glass and the matrix has disappeared. This is what helped make the device thin.

Also, this technology has led to a certain illusion that the image seems to float above the tablet. The second version received an anti-reflective coating that improves the visual effect even in the brightest lighting conditions.

Technical equipment

Mini 2 - iPad Air, in principle, will give nothing in performance. In both models, the processor is A7 on two cores with a frequency of 1300 MHz. Responsible for the graphics PowerVR version G6430. RAM is 1 GB, internal memory can be from 16 GB to 128 GB. We can safely say that in terms of technical equipment, these are the same gadgets.

The iPad Air 2, on the other hand, is doing slightly better. There is already an OS of the eighth version by default. Improved processor - A8X, which runs on two cores with a frequency of 1.5 GHz. PowerVR is also head and shoulders above the GXA6850 and runs on eight cores. There is also more RAM - 2GB. The built-in option can be from 16 GB to 128 GB.

If we take a comparison of iPad 4 and iPad Air 2, then here new model significantly superior to the fourth generation. The iPad 4 has a slightly weaker processor - the 1.4GHz A6X. The lower GPU is PowerVR SGX 554MP4. The RAM, like the iPad Air, is only 1 GB. By the way, the tablet does not support 128GB memory cards.

Giant

You can also remember another model with which you can make another pair - this is the iPad Air 2 and iPad Pro. Comparison of these tablets, though not entirely justified, but still they are "brothers" in the shop, and therefore can be opposed to each other.

The first and most obvious difference is appearance. iPad Pro has a 12.9-inch screen diagonal, which is almost comparable to some "Apple" laptops. This giant also works on iOS 9.x. The processor here has become a generation higher. The A9x is paired with the M9 at a frequency of 2.2 GHz. The RAM in the pro version is already 4 GB, which is very valuable now. But all of these improved qualities add up to a huge price tag.

Camera

Returning to the iPad Air 2 and iPad Air, the comparison is worth continuing with a focus on the camera. It has changed significantly compared to the older model. In the second version of the tablet, the main one received 8 megapixels, while the first modification had only 5 megapixels. Also, the new camera was equipped with a special technology with a sensor and improved optics, which significantly influenced the quality of the images.

There are also new functions like Slow Motion. Slow motion is no surprise now, but back then it was a great addition to the new lens. As a result, all the innovations made the photos of high quality, with improved color rendition, detail, etc.

The front camera also added a little - instead of 0.3 megapixels, it got 1.2 megapixels. Of course, this option is not entirely good, especially for 2017.

Sound

There were not very dramatic changes with this characteristic. iPad of any generation has excellent sound speaker... But the iPad Air 2 is still noticeably louder, now it's easy to watch movies and listen to music together. Externally, the dynamics have changed in two models. The iPad Air had two speakers in two rows of holes, but now, for the sake of a thin case, they made two stereo speaker grills on either side of the charger connector.

Autonomy

The battery volume has also changed. Again, due to the desire to make the case thinner, the battery of the second model received 7184 mAh. While the first model has 8827 mAh. As a result, continuous searches on the Internet, watching videos and listening to audio discharges the iPad Air in 12-13 hours, and the iPad Air 2 in 10 hours.

Even if such changes were not positive, Apple is almost the only one who managed to fit such a powerful battery into a thin case. In addition, the manufacturer made a good compromise between autonomy and weight of the gadget.

conclusions

Of course, now for iPad Air 2 and iPad Air comparison is irrelevant, since both models have been on the market for more than two or three years. Nevertheless, there are still those who doubt the choice between these two tablets.

Then you should consider two situations: if you are the owner of an iPad Air, or if you just decided to purchase a gadget from Apple. Let's consider the second option right away. If you just decided to buy an "apple" tablet and choose between these models, then in the battle of iPad Air vs iPad Air 2 comparison is unnecessary, the winner in any case is a newer device.

The explanation is simple: whatever one may say, but the iPad Air 2 is much better than its predecessor. It is thinner, prettier, inside it has an updated processor and a new version graphics adapter... He got more RAM, as well as an improved camera. In general, he surpasses his older model in everything.

But if you own an iPad Air, then buying the second version may be pointless. Of course, the changes, albeit noticeable, are still practically the same models. It makes sense to look at newer devices. Indeed, after the release of the iPad Air 2, the iPad Pro, which we already talked about, has already appeared on the market, as well as the compact iPad mini 4. And in 2016, they introduced a variation of the iPad Pro, but with a slightly smaller screen of 9.7 inches.

By the way, exactly latest model is now considered the most popular. It turned out to be a little different than the previous ones, not only in terms of technical characteristics, but also externally. In addition, this tablet received excellent technical characteristics, support for a proprietary stylus and Split View mode.

  • Tablet
  • USB cable
  • Power Supply
  • Documentation
  • SIM card tray ejector (for 4G versions)

Does the new broom sweep in a new way? Or not? Rather, yes, all the usual functions are now in a lightweight body, it pleases. And Air is also very fast, looks better than the previous generation, inside is an A7 processor, you can immediately buy a model with 128 GB - however, let's talk about everything in order.

Design, construction

Well, dear friends, lovers of large iPads, the tablet was a success. I want to say about this right away, I happened to use the first iPad, the second, the third, the fourth - although there was a serious difference only between the first and the second. Apple can afford to use the same chassis the public is used to. In Sony or Samsung, a new device is always a new design, otherwise the audience will not understand what the differences are. So, iPad Air is something completely new, since the moment of the announcement I decided that I would buy myself just such a device. There are several reasons for this. The iPad mini's small display isn't great for watching movies, and we (my girlfriend and I) often watch movies on our tablets when we travel, at home, or even outdoors when the weather permits. The difference seems to be small, but it is also more convenient to work, and play, and use mail, a browser - continue the list yourself. Yes, it's trite to show the presentation better on a large iPad. As I have written more than once, a tablet for me is not at all an essential thing, it so happens that the device lies in the bag for weeks and is not used, and then it suddenly finds itself in the center of attention and almost always with me. Surely many of you have a similar use case.




So, what made me happy with the iPad Air from the first minutes? The design has changed, became more strict if before iPad stood out from the line of Apple mobile devices - silver metal, black or white bezels around the display - but now everything is in line with the rest of the gadgets. It looks like an iPad mini, everyone notices it. It has become much smaller, you can even take it with one hand - if you have a large hand. And most importantly, now it is really convenient to hold it with one hand! For example, while reading on public transport, well, or just reading before bed. The dimensions have changed dramatically, just compare, these are the dimensions of the iPad 2: 241.2 x 185.7 x 8.8 mm, weight - 601 grams, the version with 3G weighs 613 grams. And these are the dimensions of the iPad Air: 240 x 169.5 x 7.5 mm, weight - 469 grams, the version with 4G weighs 478 grams. If you look at the numbers, the difference does not seem particularly noticeable, but in life it is still noticeable. The frames to the left and right of the display have been reduced, the Home button at the bottom has not changed, the location of the controls is familiar: above the display is the camera, to the right is the mute lever, volume buttons, and on the top there is the power button. 3.5 mm jack - top left, Lightning - at the bottom. It's a shame that there are no EarPods included, I suppose many of you use the iPad for listening to music as well.












Aluminum body, two colors, white and dark gray, Cosmic Gray, it is the same as the iPhone 5S. Both colors are very beautiful, but I liked the blued iPad better, although initially there was an idea to buy a light one. I want to especially note that the Air collects fingerprints very quickly, it was not noticeable on the silver metal, but here the apple immediately gets dirty on the back, the oleophobic coating on the display does not cope with fingerprints, I had to clean the Air for a long time and persistently before shooting. The model with 4G has a plastic insert on the upper end, there is an antenna, a SIM card slot is on the right end, nanoSIM is used.



At the bottom there is a perforation, it is unclear whether there are two speakers or one, but the sound of the tablet is simply gorgeous. You can safely watch a movie together and not connect an audio system, the volume margin is excessive. And this is not some kind of squeaker, there are even low voices, the voices are perfectly reproduced, listening to music is also very interesting. In my opinion, the Air sounds even better than the MacBook Air 11, it's spacious and interesting. This is a very welcome change, and the sound quality was positively commented on by everyone I showed the tablet to. And as for the music in the headphones, I also want to respond positively, I listened to it with the Bose QC20, I really, really liked it, in my opinion, and here at Apple something has changed in comparison with the previous generation. The volume has increased, the sound quality has also changed for the better, this is truly a musical machine. It's nice that they did not forget about this hypostasis of the iPad, I often listen to something before going to bed or when I read a book.





Once again, I want to dwell on the design, next to the display - a kind of bevels, like the iPhone 5S, most likely on the edge and there will be scuffs with active use without a cover, with 5S just such a situation. The cover of the smartphone has changed for the better, this is not a top five, where the paint crumbled by itself - I'll tell you more in the review. But we can assume that Air has reliable coverage, which is good.





Display

The diagonal of the IPS display is 9.7 inches, there is LED backlighting, the resolution is 2048 x 1536 pixels, everything is simple here - this is one of best screens for mobile, literally good from any angle, no matter how you look. What else to add, I don’t know, it pleases the eye, everything is clear, smooth, bright - by the way, I don’t set the brightness to the maximum, about eighty percent, this is quite enough.




Here it is necessary to make a reservation, the iPad mini with Retina will be on sale soon, you may have a question about what to buy. I would recommend looking at both tablets in the store and only then making a decision. For myself, I have long understood one thing - the diagonal matters, even if the Air does not fit into any pocket.





Memory

Four versions, for the first time the iPad with 128 GB of memory was immediately announced - let me remind you that old version The iPad 4 (let's call it that) appeared after the start of sales, as if Apple wanted to conduct an experiment, whether consumers would like it or not. Or there was a problem with the components, who knows. In any case, there are four versions: 16, 32, 64 and 128 GB. In general, there are eight versions, if we also take into account models with Wi-Fi and Wi-Fi + 4G. And if you take into account the colors, there are sixteen models. Just in case, I bought a version with 64 GB of memory in reserve. If you are used to carrying a lot of content and documents with you, and you always want to have a supply, then it makes sense to look at the model with 128 GB of memory. Who would have thought three years ago that we would live to the point where such a capacity in a tablet would become commonplace - at least for Apple.

Accessories

I am thinking of writing a buyer's guide for iPad Air owners, tell in more detail about the most necessary and sensible accessories. Of the original add-ons, I immediately recommend EarPods - listen to music, chat in FaceTime (by the way, I often began to use this function on the tablet). I advise you to immediately buy SmartCover - a familiar cover that can activate the device when you open it, can work as a stand. Well, or SmartCase, a full-fledged case with the same functions. In the operational experience, I will show you how these covers look, and offers from other manufacturers will surely appear soon. In general, I personally need an iPad case only as a stand, there is nothing special to protect - glass, metal, the coating seems to be reliable.



Performance

The tablet comes with iOS 7.0.3, more about operating system can be read in a separate review.

It uses an A7 processor like the iPhone5S, 64-bit architecture, and also has an M7 coprocessor: “Thanks to the new M7 coprocessor, the iPhone 5s works even more efficiently. It offloads the A7's processor by processing motion signals from the accelerometer, gyroscope and compass. Applications use this data without loading the A7 processor. And since the M7 coprocessor was designed specifically for these tasks, it requires significantly less power than the A7 would. Thus, the battery power is consumed more economically. " Naturally, in Air, a coprocessor is needed for the same tasks; the solution is interesting.

I measured the performance with a benchmark, but this, you see, is not very indicative. Programs start quickly, but there is still trouble with the optimization of some applications, for example, this is Soundcloud - the brakes when changing the display orientation are clearly visible in the video, see above. There you can also see how the races are launched in a small window and expand to full screen only after pressing the "Pause" button. Naturally, this is not a hardware problem, the software just needs optimization. After installing some utilities from the store, icons did not appear on the desktop, a reboot helped. Safari crashes, this has happened several times already. The tablet sometimes slows down when changing the layout, you press the change button - nothing happens. Previously, in the new iPad, I did not encounter such problems. At the same time, there is no need to complain about the speed, even after the iPad of the last generation, the launch time is pleasing - we are talking about all sorts of heavy applications such as Infinity Blade III. To be honest, I put this game just for testing. Years go by, nothing changes in IB, titans, swords, loud and meaningless speeches - a pity. I like the same evil Plague more. By the way, Eldar and I are constantly trying to search for all sorts of interesting games for the iPad, if you know anything special, tell us in the comments.

Naturally, all the problems mentioned above will be fixed in software updates.

As already written above, there are two versions, Wi-Fi and Wi-Fi + 4G, I have a tablet from the USA. For me personally, regular 3G is enough, but if they turn on LTE, then it's easier to use the iPhone 5S as an access point for the iPad. Naturally, there is Bluetooth (profile 4.0), using AirDrop you can send a picture or something else to another device with iOS. A mystery why AirDrop on MacBook does not see iPhone, iPad.

Working hours

The claimed operating time is 10 hours in video viewing mode (Wi-Fi on) or 9 hours if surfing using 3G / 4G. A Lightning connector is used, no matter what anyone says, but it is in every way better than microUSB, no need to think about which side to insert the plug. This is a significant advantage over microUSB.

I've only been using Air for a couple of days, and the numbers seem to be on par. Most importantly, it didn't get any worse, despite the fact that the processor is different.

Cameras

The module has not been changed here, the same as in the iPad 3/4 (although is it worth calling the last tablet in the last "back" the fourth?). Above the display is a FaceTime camera, 1.2 MP resolution, 720p video, behind is a 5 MP main camera with autofocus, you can shoot HDR, record HD video. Probably, the Air update will include an iPhone 5 module. Examples of images from the iPad 3 review, the quality is the same. That's enough for Instagram.

By the way, I have always wondered why photographing on a tablet at all, from the outside it looks strange.

conclusions

In the United States, the story with prices is the following, here are the versions with Wi-Fi: 16 GB - $ 499, 32 GB - $ 599, 64 GB - $ 699, 128 GB - $ 799. But the prices for the Wi-Fi + 4G versions: 16 GB - $ 629, 32 GB - $ 729, 64 GB - $ 829, 128 GB - $ 929. Naturally, until official sales in Russia have begun, there is a revival in the gray market, for the considered model they ask for about 35,000 rubles, but I would like to note that there is no excitement, as is the case with the iPhone 5S. And I quite understand why. A tablet is not a smartphone; people do not change it without reason, impulsively. Say, if you have the latest generation iPad with 128GB of storage, bought a few months ago - what's the point of changing it to Air? I personally don’t see any sense, well, except that I really want a novelty. A tablet is like a camera, this thing is often changed only if it is out of order. Well, or there have been serious changes in technology, two or even three generations of such devices have changed.

So who is the iPad Air for? I think it is just for those who use iPad 2 and were waiting for the release of a completely new device. For those who have not bought tablets at all before, newcomers, schoolchildren who have turned into students, students who have received their first job. For those who have had experience with Android tablets and now want to try a normal tablet (this applies to both software and hardware).

I really liked the Air - familiar functions in a lightweight body (and this very lightness is very important for many), excellent operating time, chic display, a large selection of modifications, cool design and materials, there are complaints about third-party programs, but there are no complaints about performance. I think the updated Air will have a fingerprint sensor, like in the iPhone 5S, you get used to this thing, it is especially convenient to use it for shopping. They will probably change the cameras, add one more color, and who knows what else will happen. It is clear that in three years the iPad will be like a sheet of paper, everything is heading towards this - and this is wonderful.

Finally, I will say that I am extremely impressed with the device and I can safely recommend the iPad Air to you. This will be one of the most demanded New Year's gifts, stock up in advance.

Sergey Kuzmin ()

Apple today unveiled a couple of new iPad tablets. Of course, the crown of the company's efforts in this direction was the iPad Air 2, which, according to its representatives, became the thinnest tablet in the world - 6.1 mm. But these are not all the characteristics that set the iPad Air 2 apart from its predecessor. The record thickness has influenced several design features. So, the iPad Air 2 has lost the legendary mute button, and the speaker at the bottom is now with one row of holes. In addition, the device has become lighter - 437 g (Wi-Fi) and 444 g (LTE) versus 469 and 478 g for the iPad Air, respectively. Finally, a new color has been added to the iPad Air palette - gold, long familiar iPhone owners... By the way, it was this version that became the demo version at today's presentation.

Having dealt with the aesthetic side of the novelty, let's move on to its “inner world”. IPad display The Air 2 remains the same (although Apple had to merge two layers to achieve the desired thickness). The new tablet has a new processor. Here, the A8X is used, which significantly surpasses both the predecessor A7 and the standard A8 processor installed in the iPhone 6. In fact, the Cupertino-based company has returned to its good tradition of differentiating 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 draws attention to the camera - now the iPad uses an 8-megapixel iSight camera module with the ability to record slow-mo video (the iPad Air did not have such an opportunity). Also, the iPad Air 2 received a faster Wi-Fi connection - 802.11ac, which is 2.8 times faster than the iPad Air - up to 866 Mbps.

Finally, the iPad Air 2 has a price tag. After its release, the iPad Air will receive a price-cut and its price will drop to 19,490 rubles (basic configuration). New iPad Air 2 is estimated at 24,490 rubles (16 GB ROM, Wi-Fi). There will be other differences, but they will be noticeable during direct use of the tablet.

    © Arthur Luchkin.