Specifications of ipad air. Review of all iPad models: characteristics and comparison. Information about the make, model, and alternative names of the specific device, if available.

• Tablet
• USB cable
• power unit
• Documentation
• Tool for removing the SIM card tray (for versions with 4G)

Does a new broom sweep in a new way? Or not? Rather, yes, all the usual functions are now in a lightweight package, which is nice. The Air is also very fast, looks better than the previous generation, has an A7 processor inside, and 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 this right away, I had the opportunity to use the first iPad, the second, the third, the fourth - although there was a serious difference only between the first and second. Apple can afford to use the same case, the public is used to it. In Sony or Samsung, a new device always means a new design, otherwise the public will not understand what the differences are. So, the iPad Air is something completely new, and from the moment of its announcement I decided that I would buy just such a device for myself. There are several reasons for this. The iPad mini's small display isn't great for watching movies, but we (me and my girlfriend) often watch movies on the tablet while traveling, at home, or even outdoors when the weather permits. The difference seems small, but it’s also more convenient to work, play, use mail, a browser - you continue the list yourself. Yes, it’s trite that it’s better to show a presentation on a large iPad. As I have written more than once, a tablet for me is not at all an essential item; it happens that the device lies in my bag for weeks and is not used, and then suddenly it becomes the center of attention and is almost always with me. Surely many of you have a similar use case.

Well, what made me happy with the iPad Air from the first minutes? The design has changed, it has become more strict, whereas before the iPad stood out from the line of Apple mobile devices - silver metal, a black or white frame around the display - now everything has been brought in line with other 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’s really comfortable to hold with one hand! For example, while reading on public transport, or just reading before bed. The dimensions have changed dramatically, here's a comparison, 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 4G version weighs 478 grams. If you look at the numbers, the difference does not seem particularly noticeable, but in life it is even more noticeable. The frames on the left and right of the display have been reduced, the Home button at the bottom has not changed, the layout of the controls is familiar: above the display is the camera, on the right is the mute lever, volume buttons, and on the top end is the power button. The 3.5 mm jack is on the top left, LIghtning is on the bottom. It’s a shame that the set doesn’t include EarPods; I’m guessing many of you also use the iPad to listen to music.

The case is made of aluminum, 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 I initially thought about buying a light one. I would like to especially note that the Air collects fingerprints very quickly, it was not noticeable on silver metal, but here the apple on the back instantly gets dirty, the oleophobic coating on the display does not cope with fingerprints, I had to clean the Air for a long time and persistently before taking pictures. The model with 4G has a plastic insert on the top end, there is an antenna there, the SIM card slot is on the right side, a nanoSIM is used.

There is a perforation at the bottom, it is not clear whether there are two speakers or one, but the sound of the tablet is simply gorgeous. You can calmly watch a movie together and not connect the audio system; the volume reserve is excessive. And this is not some kind of squeaker, there are even low voices that are perfectly conveyed, and listening to music is also very interesting. In my opinion, the Air has even better sound than the MacBook Air 11, it is spacious and interesting. This is a very pleasant change, and everyone I showed the tablet to responded positively to the sound quality. 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 they changed something compared to the previous generation. The volume has increased, the sound quality has changed for the better, this is truly a musical machine. It’s nice that they haven’t forgotten about this aspect of the iPad; I often listen to something before going to bed or when I’m reading a book.

Once again I want to dwell on the design, next to the display - sort of bevels, like the iPhone 5S, most likely it is on the edge that there will be abrasions during active use without a case, with the 5S this is exactly the situation. The coating of the smartphone's body has been changed for the better; this is not a top five, where the paint crumbled on its own - I'll tell you more in the review. But we can assume that the Air's coverage is reliable, which is good.

Display

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

A disclaimer needs to be made here; the iPad mini with Retina will soon be available for sale, and 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. I realized one thing for myself a long time ago - the diagonal matters, even if the Air doesn’t 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 the previous version of 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 you 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, as a reserve. If you are used to carrying a lot of content and documents with you, and want to always have a reserve, then it makes sense to look at a model with 128 GB of memory. Who would have thought three years ago that we would live to see the moment when such a capacity in a tablet would become commonplace - at least for Apple.

Accessories

I’m thinking of writing a buyer’s guide for iPad Air owners, telling more about the most necessary and useful accessories. Among the original additions, I immediately recommend EarPods - listen to music, chat in FaceTime (by the way, I often started using this function on the tablet). I advise you to immediately buy SmartCover - a familiar cover that can activate the device when you open it, and can work as a stand. Well, or SmartCase, a full-fledged case with the same functions. In the operating experience I will show you what these cases look like; I’m sure there will soon be offers from other manufacturers. In general, I personally only need the iPad case as a stand; there’s nothing special to protect here - glass, metal, the coating seems reliable.

Performance

The tablet comes with iOS 7.0.3; you can read more about the operating system in a separate review.

The A7 processor is used, as in the iPhone5S, 64-bit architecture, and there is also an M7 coprocessor: “Thanks to the new M7 coprocessor, the iPhone 5s works even more efficiently. It relieves the A7 processor by processing motion signals from the accelerometer, gyroscope and compass. Applications use this data without loading the A7 processor. And because the M7 coprocessor was designed specifically for these tasks, it requires significantly less power than the A7 would. Thus, 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 launch quickly, but there is still a problem with the optimization of some applications, for example, Soundcloud - the brakes when changing the display orientation are clearly visible in the video, see above. There you can also see how the races start in a small window and expand to full screen only after clicking on the “Pause” button. Naturally, this is not a hardware problem, it’s just that the software requires 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. I have never encountered such problems with new iPads before. At the same time, there is no need to complain about the speed; even after the latest generation iPad, the startup time is pleasing - we are talking about all sorts of heavy applications like Infinity Blade III. To be honest, I installed this game only for testing. Years go by, nothing changes in IB, titans, swords, loud and meaningless speeches - it's a pity. I like the same evil Plague more. By the way, Eldar and I are constantly trying to look 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 quite enough, but if LTE is turned on, 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 iOS device. It's a mystery why AirDrop on MacBook doesn't see iPhone or iPad.

Working hours

The stated operating time is 10 hours in video viewing mode (Wi-Fi on) or 9 hours if surfing using 3G/4G. The Lightning connector is used, no matter what anyone says, but it is in every way better than microUSB; you don’t have to think about which side to insert the plug into. This is a serious advantage over microUSB.

I've only been using the Air for a couple of days and the numbers seem to be as advertised. Most importantly, it didn’t get 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 previous “body” a 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 and record HD video. The Air update will probably include a module from the iPhone 5. Examples of pictures from the iPad 3 review, the quality is the same. Enough for Instagram.

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

conclusions

In the US, the story with prices is this, here are the versions with Wi-Fi: 16 GB - $499, 32 GB - $599, 64 GB - $699, 128 GB - $799. But the prices for Wi-Fi + 4G versions: 16 GB - $629, 32 GB - $729, 64 GB - $829, 128 GB - $929. Naturally, until official sales have begun in Russia, there is a revival in the gray market; for the model under consideration they are asking about 35,000 rubles, but I would like to note that there is no rush, as in the case of the iPhone 5S. And I completely understand why. A tablet is not a smartphone; people don’t change it without a reason, impulsively. Let's say, if you have a latest generation iPad, with 128 GB of memory, bought a few months ago, what's the point of changing it to Air? I personally don’t see the point, well, unless you really want a new product. A tablet is like a camera; this thing is often replaced only if it breaks down. 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? It seems to me that it is just for those who use the iPad 2 and were waiting for the release of a completely new device. For those who have not previously bought tablets at all, newly arrived users, schoolchildren who turned into students, students who got their first job. For those who have experience with Android-based 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, a gorgeous display, a large selection of modifications, cool design and materials, there are complaints about third-party programs, but there are no complaints about the performance. I think the updated Air will have a fingerprint sensor, like the iPhone 5S, you get used to this thing, it’s especially convenient to use for shopping. They will probably change the cameras, add another color, and who knows what else will happen. It is clear that in three years the iPad will be like a piece of paper, everything is moving towards this - and this is wonderful.

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

Sergey Kuzmin ()

Today we will talk about the most interesting characteristic that can be found in the iPad - the size of its screen, the most impressive thing about these tablets.

Over the years, Apple has released a lot of gadgets and now it’s time to take stock. I'll tell you about the screen diagonal of each iPad.

What is the screen diagonal of the iPad?

Tablets are those devices where display size really matters. Let's look at what happened to Apple gadgets starting from the first iPad.

Screen size iPad, iPad 2,3,4

The very first iPad went on sale back in 2010. As soon as the first tablet appeared, it immediately became clear who would be the favorite in the coming years.

The design of these four models has remained almost unchanged and you will not find in them those features that made the tablets stand out. Almost everyone wanted them.

• iPad:
• iPad 2: 9.7 inches, IPS LCD, resolution 1024×768, 132 ppi;
• iPad 3:
• iPad 4:

Regardless of the model, the picture quality has always been very chic. But technology does not stand still, and the long-awaited Retina appeared in the last two generations of this series.

iPad Air, iPad Air 2 screen size

The continuation was very interesting, because the body was radically changed and new colors appeared. The frames have been dramatically reduced, but the display size remains the same.


The more compact size of the devices made these iPads more attractive and modern. The new IGZO technology has taken screens to a new level.

• iPad Air: 9.7 inches, Retina, resolution 2048×1536, 264 ppi;
• iPad Air 2: 9.7 inches, Retina, resolution 2048×1536, 264 ppi.

Everything else remains the same, and the aforementioned technology has reduced response time and power consumption.

Screen diagonal iPad mini, iPad mini 2,3,4

It's time to talk about tablets that are very close to today's standards of top-end smartphones. Manufacturers have already paused a bit with screen sizes, and this is for the better.


The mini version of the iPad is very popular today and for many it is very convenient to carry such a little thing absolutely everywhere. Its capabilities are almost as good as other models.

• iPad mini: 7.9 inches, IPS, resolution 1024×768, 163 ppi;
• iPad mini 2:
• iPad mini 3: 7.9 inches, Retina, resolution 2048×1536, 326 ppi;
• iPad mini 4: 7.9 inches, Retina, resolution 2048×1536, 326 ppi.

Despite the smaller display size, the quality is in no way inferior to larger models. The resolution is exactly the same, but the number of dots per inch is higher.

iPad Pro screen size

The last two models were simply excellent and one of them especially stood out. The size of one of the iPads is simply impressive.


Externally, the two representatives of the Pro series are very identical. Therefore, people here take it for its intended purpose, because a whole mini TV in their hands may not always be useful.

• iPad Pro: 9.7 inches, Retina, resolution 2732×2048, 264 ppi;
• iPad Pro: 12.9 inches, Retina, resolution 2732×2048, 264 ppi;.

So far, these two models have become the most impressive, both in terms of performance and picture quality. The new anti-reflective coating makes working in the sun even more comfortable.

Results

That’s basically all I wanted to tell you about the screen sizes of all iPads and their diagonals. Apple hasn't released anything new for a long time, it's interesting to see the next generations.

Although judging by the performance, probably in another year or two the pros will be able to cope with all the assigned tasks and more.

So we have been waiting for this moment; on October 22, Apple announced a new tablet computer, which is already the fifth in a row. It's called the iPad Air, and according to the Cupertino team, it's the smallest and most powerful tablet to date.

Also on this day, they presented a new one, which is equipped with a display with Retina technology and has a resolution of 2048 × 1536 pixels.

Let's take a closer look at what the apple company offered us.

iPad Air Dimensions

The tablet has become 28% lighter than its younger brother and now weighs just under half a kilogram, or more precisely 450 grams. Thickness decreased by 20%.

The iPad Air is 24.6 centimeters long and only 7.5 millimeters thick. The display size remains the same - 9.7 inches.

iPad Air Specifications

The internal filling of the tablet runs on a single-chip A7 system, exactly the same as on the iPhone 5s. The processor is 64-bit and its speed is 72 times faster than the first iPad of 2010. But here it is clear that progress does not stand still and it would be surprising if system indicators did not increase several times.

There is also standard Wi-Fi support with an LTE modem connection. The camera, called iSight, has 5 megapixels and makes it possible to record high-quality video in Full HD format.

The operating time of the iPad Air remains the same as that of the younger model - until 10 o'clock.

Now there are two microphones and the quality of photo modules has been significantly improved, which will allow you to take better pictures.

Prices for the new model remained unchanged:

• $499 for the 16 GB + Wi-Fi model and $629 for the LTE model;
• $599 for 32GB model;
• $699 with 64GB.

For more details about prices and when sales of the iPad Air will begin in the world and Russia, wait in the following publications, we are just starting to prepare the material.

About what was said

In principle, a very interesting model was announced by Apple; at the moment, there are no competitors yet in terms of system and technical characteristics. The potential of the hardware is very good and we will only be able to see it in full action in the future, when more demanding applications appear.

In short, the most interesting thing about this new iPad model is its size and weight characteristics, which are very interesting compared to its closest competitors.

Apple produces electronic devices of the highest quality - few would argue with this statement. Perhaps the most popular products of this American corporation are gadgets such as iPhone, iPad and MacBook.

iPads are ideal multimedia devices: surfing the Internet, watching movies, listening to music and much more can be done on various iPads. However, which iPad model is best for your needs? Which one has the largest diagonal? Or which one is the most productive?

In today's article, we will review all the iPad models that have been released over the past eight years, and also conduct a small comparison of them, so that you can decide if you are faced with the question of purchasing such a premium device. So, let's start our review with the very first iPad...

iPad 1

The original iPad was released on April 3, 2010. It's safe to say that the first iPad was something of a sensation in the world of electronic technology. The thing is that Apple equipped its gadget with features that tablets from other manufacturers simply did not have.

An example of such features: a real IPS display with a resolution of 768x1024 and a powerful (for that time) Apple A4 processor operating at a frequency of 1000 MHz. Other pleasant aspects include a capacious 6667 mAh battery, which is quite impressive considering that at that time only popular netbook models could boast such a capacity.

Ok, let's now talk about the less pleasant features of the first iPad model in the line of these devices. The most obvious thing is the dimensions and weight of the device, which were as follows:

• height - 243 millimeters;
• width - 190 millimeters;
• thickness - 13 millimeters;
• weight - 670 grams (Wi-Fi) and 730 grams (Wi-Fi + 3G).

Yes, the iPad 1 is a rather thick and heavy device, which was quite difficult to hold up for a long time. It is also worth mentioning the problem with the battery life of the iPad 1: many owners of the device complained that, despite the high battery capacity, the gadget ran out extremely quickly. Among other things, the first iPad model lacked front and rear cameras.

Well, let's take a look at the remaining characteristics of the first model:

• processor - Apple A4 at 1 GHz;
• GPU – PowerVR SGX 535;
• RAM – 256 MB DDR SDRAM;
• operating system - iOS 5.1.1;

It’s true, today such characteristics seem ridiculous, but in 2010 they are simply amazing. Plus, don’t forget about the excellent optimization of the iOS operating system. The iPad became a real hit and less than a year later Apple decided to release the next product in the line - iPad 2.

iPad 2

The iPad 2 was released on March 2, 2011. Like its older brother, the new product made a strong impression on the public. In fact, Apple worked out the bugs and significantly improved the original concept. So, what changes has the tablet undergone? The most obvious change is the presence of two cameras of 0.3 Mpx (front) and 0.7 Mpx (rear).

Another positive change is the dimensions of the device. The iPad has become an order of magnitude thinner and lighter:

• height - 241.2 millimeters;
• width - 185.7 mm;
• thickness - 8.8 millimeters;
• weight - 601 grams (Wi-Fi), 607 grams (CDMA), 613 grams (GSM).

Among other things, on the second version of the iPad, the developers decided to install more RAM (512 MB LPDDR2), as well as faster central (dual-core Apple A5 at 1 GHz) and graphics (PowerVR SGX 543MP2) processors. Apple also decided to increase the battery for the gadget, the volume of which was now 6930 mAh. But the iPad’s display has not undergone any changes: it’s still the same IPS with a resolution of 768x1024.

iPad 3

If the second iPad had minor differences from the first, then the iPad 3, which was released on March 7, 2012, differs from the original version in a significant way. First, let's look at the weight and dimensions:

• height - 241.2 millimeters;
• width - 185.7 mm;
• thickness - 9.4 millimeters;

As you may have noticed, the iPad is practically no different in size from the previous version, but it has become a little thicker and gained weight, which is probably due to its changed filling. Instead of the usual resolution of 768x1024, the third iteration received an IPS display (Retina) with a resolution of 1536x2048, which even by today's standards is a fairly decent resolution. However, only the resolution has changed: the diagonal is still 9.7 inches.

Apple also added new central (dual-core Apple A5X at 1 GHz) and graphics (PowerVR SGX543MP4) processors to the third generation iPad, which raised the gadget's performance to a higher level. Given the improved hardware, Apple decided to equip the tablet with a much more capacious battery, which holds as much as 11,560 mAh.

What about the camera: the front camera has the same 0.3 mpx, and the rear one is 5 mpx. With such a camera you can already take quite decent photos if you are interested in photography from a tablet. Among other things, the RAM has been increased and now it is a full gigabyte.

iPad 4

It is worth noting that on October 23, 2012, Apple released two new tablet models: iPad 4 and iPad Mini. First, let's look at the older model and then move on to its smaller brother. So, the iPad 4 is not that much different from the previous iPad tablet, however, there are still some differences.

The most obvious difference is the presence of the now familiar Lightning connector. The previous model's CPU and GPU have been replaced with a dual-core Apple A6X running at 1.4 GHz and a quad-core PowerVR SGX554MP4.

The main camera remained the same, but the front module was improved (FaceTime HD) and now reached 1.2Mpx. The amount of RAM and battery capacity also remained the same: 1 GB and 11560 mAh. Also, the display of the device has not undergone any changes: the same IPS display (Retina) with a resolution of 1536 × 2048.

Let's now look at the dimensions of the iPad 4:

• height - 241.2 millimeters;
• width - 185.7 mm;
• thickness - 9 millimeters;
• weight - 652 grams (Wi-Fi), 662 (Wi-Fi + Cellular).

As you can see, the fourth generation of iPad is almost identical in size and even weight to the previous generation. However, the iPad 4 has become a little thinner than its predecessor, but only a little. It is also worth noting that some time after the release of 16, 32 and 64 gigabyte models, Apple released the 128 gigabyte iPad 4.

iPad Mini

Let's move on to the younger brother of the fourth generation iPad - iPad Mini. From the name of this model it is not difficult to guess that this tablet is much smaller in size than full-size models. Let's take a look at the dimensions and weight of the iPad Mini:

• height - 200 millimeters;
• width - 134.7 millimeters;
• thickness - 7.2 millimeters;
• weight - 308 grams (Wi-Fi), 312 g (Wi-Fi + Cellular).

A really small tablet when you compare it to the iPad 4 or previous models. The reduced weight and dimensions, unfortunately, mean that the tablet body does not contain the most top-end (at that time) hardware. Let's go through it:

• central processor - dual-core Apple A5 processor at 890 MHz;
• GPU – PowerVR SGX 543MP2;
• RAM - 512 megabytes;
• display - 7.9 inch IPS with a resolution of 768x1024;
• battery - 4400 mAh;

Does the above technical specifications remind you of anything? That's right, at its core, the iPad Mini was a smaller version of the iPad 2, which came out back in 2011. Unlike the iPad 2, the battery capacity and display diagonal have been reduced, which is quite expected for such a small size. Unfortunately, this model was deprived of Retina. The iPad Mini also has a Lighting port and a 4G module.

iPad Air

iPad Air is the next version of the famous Internet tablet, which was released on October 22, 2013. The peculiarity of the iPad Air is that it successfully combines powerful hardware, a large display diagonal and low thickness. This is apparently where the name “Air” came from. It's worth noting that the iPad Air looks quite similar to the iPad Mini, Apple's previous tablet model.

Let's take a look at the dimensions and weight of the iPad Air:

• height - 240 millimeters;
• width - 169.5 millimeters;
• thickness - 7.5 millimeters;
• weight - 469 grams (Wi-Fi), 478 (Wi-Fi + Cellular).

Lightweight and thin device with the following hardware:

• central processor - dual-core, 64-bit Apple A7 processor at 1.4 GHz;
• display - 9.7 inch IPS (Retina) with a resolution of 1536x2048;
• battery - 8850 mAh;
• front and rear cameras - 5Mpx and 1.2Mpx;

Among other things, the Apple M7 coprocessor has appeared in the iPad Air, which collects and processes data received from the accelerometer, gyroscope and compass, thereby increasing the performance of the tablet.

iPad Mini 2

Apparently, the original iPad Mini gained popularity among consumers of Apple products, since the company decided to release the iPad Mini 2 or, as it is also called, iPad mini with Retina display in October 2013. Don't think Apple just added Retina to the old model and tried to re-sell it. iPad Mini 2 is a completely new model.

The developers managed to keep almost the same dimensions and weight of the previous iPad Mini model, but added hardware of a completely different level. So, under the hood of the iPad Mini 2 you can find:

• central processor - dual-core Apple A7 at 1.3 GHz;
• coprocessor - Apple M7;
• GPU – PowerVR G6430;
• RAM - 1 gigabyte;
• display - 7.9 inch Retina IPS with a resolution of 1536x2048;
• battery capacity - 6471 mAh;

iPad Mini 2 is a compact and, most importantly, productive - at least for that time - tablet from Apple. The second mini-version received a more powerful processor, more RAM, a Retina display with a much higher resolution, and a larger battery. However, the front and rear cameras remain the same. Also, the diagonal of the display has not changed at all, which, however, is quite logical.

iPad Air 2

In October 2014, the original iPad Air model also received a continuation in the form of the iPad Air 2. The same idea: thin body, large diagonal and high performance. The first thing that catches your eye is the significantly increased amount of RAM, which now reaches as much as 2 gigabytes, which, even by today's standards, is not so bad. Apple also released a version of the iPad Air 2 with three gigabytes of RAM.

Among other things, the iPad Air 2 has an improved iSight rear camera module, which has reached 8Mpx. But the resolution of the front FaceTimeHD camera remained at the same level as in the previous iPad Air model. It should also be noted that the developers successfully managed to reduce the weight of the gadget and its thickness. Let's take a look at the dimensions of the device:

• height - 240 millimeters;
• width - 169.5 millimeters;
• thickness - 6.1 millimeters;
• weight - 437 grams (Wi-Fi), 444 (Wi-Fi + Cellular).

Of course, the iPad Air 2 also received new hardware that takes the tablet to a completely different level of performance:

• central processor - triple-core Apple A8X at 1.5 GHz;
• coprocessor - Apple M8;
• GPU – eight-core PowerVR GXA6850;
• display - 9.7 inch Retina LED+IPS with a resolution of 1536x2048;
• battery capacity - 7340 mAh;

I would also like to note one extremely important innovation in the form of Touch ID - Apple’s proprietary fingerprint scanner.

iPad Mini 3

Apple could not help but continue to produce Mini series tablets, because they are so popular among users. On October 16, 2014, the iPad Mini 3 was born. Unfortunately, the iPad Mini 3 is not much different from its predecessor. The only differences are the added Touch ID fingerprint scanner, LED backlight for the Retina IPS display, and the absence of a model with 32 gigabyte storage, which is very strange.

iPad Pro 12.9

In November 2015, the company released a line of extremely powerful tablets called the iPad Pro. Now we will focus on the most advanced gadget in this line - iPad Pro 12.9. Perhaps the most striking difference between the iPad Pro 12.9 and other iPad models and tablets from other manufacturers is its Retina, LED + IPS 12.9-inch display with a monster resolution of 2048 x 2732.

According to Apple, the iPad Pro 12.9 can easily compete with many laptops in terms of performance. And it’s easy to verify this by reading the full list of characteristics of the iPad Pro 12.9:

• central processor - dual-core Apple A9X at 2.26 GHz;
• coprocessor - Apple M9;
• GPU – PowerVR Series7;
• RAM - 4 gigabytes;
• battery capacity - 10307 mAh;
• camera - rear 12Mpx and front 1.2Mpx.

It is also worth noting that Apple can use the proprietary Pencil stylus with the tablet, it is possible to connect an external keyboard, and there is also the ability to simultaneously run two applications on one screen. Among other things, iPad Pro 12.9 has as many as four speakers, thanks to which users can enjoy true stereo sound.

iPad Mini 4

The fourth generation iPad Mini was released by Apple on September 9, 2015. The tablet has become even more compact and lightweight, while boasting even more advanced hardware. Let's take a look at the updated dimensions and weight:

• height - 203.2 millimeters;
• width - 134.8 millimeters;
• thickness - 6.1 millimeters;
• weight - 295 grams.

As you can see, the iPad Mini 4 is an extremely thin and light tablet, ideal for a variety of multimedia tasks. And for this the following hardware will help him:

• central processor - dual-core Apple A8 at 1.5 GHz;
• coprocessor - Apple M8;
• GPU – PowerVR GX6450;
• battery capacity - 5124 mAh;

You probably immediately noticed that the company decided to reduce the battery capacity, which immediately raises thoughts about reduced battery life. However, thanks to the talents of the developers and low power consumption, Apple managed to maintain the same battery life even with a reduced battery.

iPad Pro 9.7

After the release of the iPad Pro 12.9, which turned out to be an extremely successful model, Apple decided to create a brother for it, but only with a smaller diagonal and almost the same hardware characteristics. Taking into account the reduced diagonal, the display resolution was reduced to 1536x2048, however, this is still the same Retina IPS, which is good news.

The battery capacity has also been reduced, which is now 7306 mAh, but this is not a problem, since due to the reduced resolution and display diagonal, power consumption has also decreased. Apple promises efficient battery life of up to 10 hours.

The tablet's RAM has undergone changes: it has been reduced to two gigabytes, which may be a problem for some users. Among other things, the iPad Pro 9.7 tablet has support for an extremely useful function that will adjust the color gamut of the display to the ambient lighting.

Don’t forget that Apple has improved the front and rear cameras of the smaller Pro version of the tablet. The front camera resolution is 5.0Mpx, and the rear one is 12Mpx. Despite the reduced size, four speakers remained on the case and the ability to connect an external keyboard was retained.

iPad 5

The fifth generation iPad was released by Apple on March 21, 2017. It is worth noting that this model, perhaps, most greatly disappointed many fans of this manufacturer’s products, and all for one simple reason: the iPad 5 did not have any significant innovations. Let's take a look at the dimensions and weight of the model:

• height - 240 millimeters;
• width - 169.5 millimeters;
• thickness - 7.5 millimeters;
• weight - 469 grams (Wi-Fi) and 478 grams (Wi-Fi + Cellular).

The meanings have long been familiar - nothing unusual. I wish I could say the opposite about the hardware, but in this regard it's also pretty standard. Let's take a look at what hardware is installed on board the iPad 5:

• central processor - dual-core Apple A9 at 1.8 GHz;
• coprocessor - Apple M8;
• GPU – PowerVR Series 7XT GT7600;
• RAM - 2 gigabytes;
• camera - rear 8Mpx and frontal 1.2Mpx.

Perhaps the only advantages of the iPad 5 compared to previous models in the line are its more powerful central and graphics processors. However, many of the shortcomings of the iPad 5 can be forgiven, if only because the price for the base model of this version was only $329.

iPad 6

And now we come to the iPad 6, the latest tablet model available today from Apple, which was released on March 27, 2018. The new product has many similarities with the previous generation iPad model. The most important difference is the new 2.3 GHz quad-core Apple A10 processor with PowerVR GT7600 graphics, which provides fairly high performance. Also worth noting is the new M10 motion coprocessor. Let's look at the rest of the iPad 6's specs:

• RAM - 2 gigabytes;
• display - Retina, 9.7 inches, LED + IPS with a resolution of 1536 × 2048;;
• battery capacity - 8827 mAh;
• camera - rear 8Mpx and frontal 1.2Mpx.

Among other things, the iPad 6 has support for the proprietary iPencil stylus, however, this gadget is not included with the tablet itself. If you are interested in Apple technology, you should know that iPencil previously only worked with Pro versions of tablets, but now the sixth generation iPad can do it too.

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In 2013, the world was presented with a new creation from Apple - iPad Air. The tablet has won the recognition of millions of users around the world. And a year later, at the autumn presentation, the company presented the thinnest device in the world - iPad Air 2, which did not revolutionize the world of mobile technology, but became no less popular than its predecessor. Despite the release of the new product, many users were in no hurry to change first-generation devices, because they did not see much point in it. Of course, the iPad Air 2 received several important changes that made it the flagship among tablet computers.

Comparing the iPad Air and iPad Air 2 will allow you to determine exactly what the advantages of the newer gadget are. However, there is a category of users who, in any case, change their smartphones and tablets from Apple after the release of a new model. This is, rather, dictated not by the need to use advanced device functions, but by the desire to be one step ahead of the rest. If you value value for money, functionality, and also use a rational approach when buying gadgets, comparing two popular models will be useful and interesting for you.

Comparison and review of two tablet models: iPad Air and iPad Air 2

The differences between the two devices are in the appearance and size of the case. If the length and width of the gadgets remained the same - 240 mm and 169.5 mm, then iPad Air 2 became the thinnest device in the world at the time of its release. Its thickness was 6.1 mm, which is 1.4 mm less than that of its predecessor. Many experts have come to the conclusion that minor differences in the sizes of the iPad Air and iPad Air 2 are practically not felt when using gadgets, which cannot be said about their weight.

The new device has become much lighter - its weight was only 437 grams, which is 36% less than the first generation device. Thanks to its reduced weight, iPad Air 2 is very comfortable to work with. After prolonged use, your arms and back will not get so tired. This was a significant transformation for users who prefer to hold the tablet in their hands rather than place it on a horizontal surface.

It should be noted that the first generation iPad Air only comes in two colors - space gray and silver. The second-generation gadget is presented in three colors - in addition to the usual silver and space gray, a golden one has been added. This gives users more options to choose from. Some people prefer to buy smartphones and tablets in the same color scheme. Now you can purchase a similar device to go with your gold iPhone.

The first generation tablet is supplied to the market with a version of the operating system iOS 7, and the second - iOS 8. Today, the characteristics of the device allow you to upgrade to iOS 9.2, which improves system performance and fixes some bugs.

Display Specifications

The screen resolution of the compared devices remains the same - 2048 by 1536 pixels. Has not changed - it is 9.7 inches, which ensures comfortable work. We believe that these sizes are optimal for a tablet computer designed for a wide audience of consumers.

At the same time, the second-generation gadget is equipped with a completely different level. During its development, the technology of full screen lamination was used. The developers managed to remove the air gap between the glass and the matrix. This made the device thinner and led to the fact that the image in the iPad Air 2 visually seemed to lie on the surface of the glass. The device released earlier does not have similar visual effects. Another advantage of the second generation iPad Air was its reliable anti-reflective coating, which ensured comfortable work with the gadget in bright light conditions.

Some users considered it a minus that in the new tablet the developers removed the button for blocking automatic image rotations when changing the position of the gadget in space. It was located on the side panel and was often used by gamers who like to read while lying down and often change their position. Auto-lock allowed you to capture the image. On the iPad Air 2, a similar option must be activated using user settings.

Camera

It is immediately worth noting that in the second generation iPad Air, significant changes affected the camera. The first thing that catches your eye is that its resolution has increased to 8 megapixels. In the model released in 2013, it is 5 megapixels. At the same time, the iSight camera is equipped with a high-tech sensor and advanced optics, which improves the quality of pictures and videos. For many, the presence of new functions was a pleasant surprise. One of them is Slow Motion. It is designed to slow down video recording. Thanks to this function, you can shoot interesting videos, which can be conveniently emphasized using slow motion. In addition, the camera has other interesting and useful features.

When comparing photos taken on the two tablets, you will notice that the iPad Air 2 produces better photo quality. Images have improved color reproduction. At the same time, all colors look more natural. The noise level in the pictures has been reduced and the detail of objects has been improved. However, such improvements are only important for discerning users. The camera performance of the first generation device is quite satisfactory for a device of this level.

The changes did not affect - its resolution is still 1.2 megapixels. However, it is not equipped with autofocus.

Technical specifications

The 2013 tablet is equipped with an A7+M7 processor. Gadgets introduced in 2014 run on the A8X+M8 processor. iPad Air 2 has three cores, while its predecessor had two. The clock speed of the gadgets is 1.5 GHz and 1.4 GHz, respectively. According to the developers, such changes made it possible to increase the performance of the central processor by 40%. Power has been improved by 2.5 times.

The difference between iPad Air and iPad Air 2 lies in the amount of memory. If the first generation tablet has 1 GB of RAM, then the second generation device is equipped with 2 GB of RAM. At the same time, the 2013 model has built-in memory capacity of 16 and 32 GB. Various modifications of the later gadget allow you to purchase a tablet with 16, 64 or 128 GB of memory. This improvement is dictated by the development of a huge number of applications that require not only performance from a tablet computer, but also a sufficient amount of memory.

Battery life

The battery capacity of the device, released at the end of 2014, is 7184 mAh. Its predecessor has a larger battery capacity - it is 8827 mAh. The developer stated that in the mode of searching information on the World Wide Web, watching videos and listening to audio, the battery of the newer device will last for 10 hours of continuous operation. At the same time, its predecessor works for about 12-13 hours without recharging. In maximum brightness mode, while watching HD video, the time is reduced by 2 hours - these are the results shown by test tests.

We can conclude that Apple had to sacrifice battery capacity in order to fit it into the thin body of the iPad Air 2. It should be noted that no matter how long the battery life of any device, it will always not suit certain categories of users. You always want your phone or tablet to last longer. In this regard, Apple has found an excellent compromise between the weight of the gadget, its size and operating time.