There was also a fly in the ointment - even despite the release of a major iOS updates 8.1, the system is far from the desired level of stability. Glitches occur on all devices and the iPad Air 2 was no exception. The good news is that during the 24-hour test we didn’t encounter anything critical or unique. The problem with the operating system is clearly temporary, but at the moment this is exactly how things are and you should be prepared for it.
iOS 8.1 in all its glory:
The review turned out to be somewhat too laudatory, but this is not due to the desire to present the iPad Air 2 as better than it actually is. There's just nothing to criticize the tablet for. However, if you try really hard, you can blame him for missed opportunities. This class of devices has existed for four years and during this Apple time didn't actually change the tablet usage pattern. The iPad is single-tasking - the interface does not allow you to operate several programs at the same time. A dual-window mode would solve the problem, but the iPad Air 2 doesn’t have it. There are also no flexible system settings or full multitasking. I also wouldn’t hesitate to trade “18% thinner” for an extra 2-3 hours of battery life. Considering that for many the iPad has become a computer companion that is always with them, this watch will not be superfluous.
Still, the iPad Air 2 is Apple's best tablet and the best tablet out there. It looks great, is compact for a device with a 9.7-inch screen, and has the ultimate hardware - from the processor to the camera. He can solve any problem provided by existing software. And he has no shortcomings as such.
If the question is whether to buy a full-size tablet Apple latest generation - the answer will definitely be in the affirmative. The iPad Air 2 definitely won't disappoint. But I’m not sure whether the owners of the first generations of “air” should upgrade. Of the obvious advantages of the new product, it is worth highlighting the greater number RAM, an improved screen, Touch ID and, possibly, a camera, the rest of the innovations are not so noticeable in daily use. Well, and also thickness, although it’s hard for me to imagine a person who, just for the sake of less thickness, will rush to update his trusty tablet.
| Connection(iPad Air 2 Wi-Fi + LTE) | GSM 850/900/1800/1900; CDMA 800/1900; HSDPA 850/900/1700/1900/2100; CDMA2000 1xEV-DO; LTE 700/800/850/900/1800/1900/2100/2600; TD-LTE 1900/2300/2500/2600 (the set of supported standards depends on iPad models Air 2) |
| Data transfer | DC-HSDPA, 42 Mbps; HSDPA, 21 Mbps; HSUPA, 5.76 Mbps, LTE, 150 Mbps; EV-DO Rev. A, up to 3.1 Mbps |
| Chipset | Apple A8X (Triple Core, 1.5 GHz), M8 Motion Coprocessor |
| RAM | 2 GB |
| Memory | 16/64/128 GB storage |
| Screen | 9.7" IPS 16 million colors, 1536 x 2048 pixels, ~264 ppi, tempered glass |
| Wireless connections | Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac, dual-standard, access point mode; Bluetooth 4.0 LE, NFC (Apple Pay only) |
| Wired connection | USB 2.0 |
| Camera | iSight: 8 MP with backlit sensor, pictures 3264x2448 pixels, video 1080p @ 30fps, 720p @ 120 fps (slow-motion), electronic stabilization, autofocus, touch focus, geo-tagging, face detection, simultaneous video and photo recording, panorama, HDR, continuous shooting FaceTime: 1.2 MP with backlit sensor, 720p with 30 fps, HDR, continuous shooting |
| Navigation | A-GPS and GLONASS |
| Sensors | accelerometer, gyroscope, proximity, digital compass, barometer |
| Battery | Li-Po 27.3 Wh, 10 hours in “multimedia” mode |
| Dimensions, weight | 240 x 169.5 x 6.1 mm, 437 g (Wi-Fi) / 444 g (LTE) |
| Set | lightning cable, network charger, card |
- iPad mini. You can buy a smaller iPad for those who find its full-size counterpart too heavy and cumbersome. The practically weightless gadget is easy to hold in your hands, and thanks to its compact dimensions, it is convenient to take with you. The characteristics of the iPad mini are not much different from the larger models.
- iPad Air. This line of Apple tablets has practically eliminated the difference in weight between a mini device and a full-size one. Air weighs nearly 30% less than previous models and is 20% thinner. However, the functions of the iPad remain the same.
- iPad with Retina display. For users who are demanding on the quality of graphics reproduction, it is better to buy an Apple tablet with it. This is a truly revolutionary development of the company:
- Highest resolution. The ability to enjoy images that are clearer and more detailed than ever - the pixels cannot be distinguished in principle.
- Wide viewing angle and contrast. It makes no difference at what angle you hold the device - the image always remains readable.
- Durable glass. The display is difficult to scratch, and a special coating solves the problem of fingerprints.
iPad: buy on credit
Prices for Apple tablets correspond to their quality and functionality. But this does not mean that you need to put off purchasing a device until better times or save up for it. You can buy an iPad on credit at Svyaznoy! The monthly contribution amounts are calculated in such a way as to optimally fit even a small budget.
You can apply for a purchase loan online. You should have your passport details at hand, and just a little time and patience.
We offer wide choice lending programs from partner banks - Renaissance Capital, Renaissance Credit, Home Credit Bank, OTP Bank, Tinkoff and others.
Where to buy an Apple iPad in Moscow?
Buying an iPad tablet in Moscow is easy. But purchasing from Svyaznoy means:- Profitable. Just look at how much an iPad tablet costs with us during the promotion! We also have sales and special prices for kits, etc.
- Save time. There is no need to go anywhere - all iPad models can be studied in detail directly on the website. You can also find out the cost of an iPad and pay for the device without leaving your home.
- Comfortable. We offer several delivery options to choose from. In most cases - at our expense.
The old Air and the new Air are similar only in appearance - the second model has a lot of noticeable and not so changes inside. Better screen, the camera takes better pictures, the performance is better, almost everything has become better...
Scope of delivery
- Tablet
- USB cable
- power unit
- Documentation
Design, construction
The second generation tablet looks almost the same as the first generation - I don’t think anyone is surprised. Apple traditionally uses developments in the field of design to the last. Well, why throw something good into the dustbin of history if it can still serve? Air 2 now has Touch ID, a microphone hole is on the end next to the camera, and a gold-colored tablet appears, in addition to the traditional white and gray.
The company really likes to compare new and old, I also like this game. The first iPad weighed 680 grams, thickness - 13.4 mm, Air 2 weighs 437 grams, thickness - 6.1 mm. I remember very well the first Apple tablet, it didn’t seem that big, but now, in 2014, it will probably feel bulky, heavy, and awkward in your hands.
I say this especially for those who expect some incomprehensible revolutions from Apple. A real revolution is to make an excellent device even better year after year, not paying attention to critics and what is happening on the market. Let Samsung invent a tablet that folds in four - Apple will make the usual tablet a little lighter, a little thinner, but will leave the usual operating time and improve performance. Thanks for the stability.
Speaking of details, here’s what they write on the official website: “The chamfer on the edge of the aluminum case is removed using single-crystal diamond. The process is so precise that tolerances are measured in microns. (By the way, the thickness of a human hair is about 75 microns.) Some may find our level of accuracy excessive. But we believe that every detail is important for such a device.”
Let me remind you that the case is made of a single piece of aluminum, the Touch ID sensor consists of several parts, and sapphire is used for protection. The dimensions of the device are 240 x 169.5 x 6.1 mm, weight – 437 grams, the version with LTE weighs 444 grams, there is a plastic insert on the back, and an antenna under it.
I’ll borrow a paragraph from the article about the iPad mini 3; in the US and UK, tablets come bundled with an Apple SIM, a very interesting experiment by the company. This SIM card is already installed in the device, in the menu on the tablet you can quickly select your operator, or rather, you can quickly choose your tariff plan to taste. Imagine how convenient it is, here’s a person going to Las Vegas for CES. I took an iPad mini 3 with me, chose some AT&T tariff at the airport, turned the tablet into an access point - please, work. Flew to another state - chose a different plan. I flew to Europe (for now it only works in the UK) and connected there. No need to buy different SIM cards, no need to carry them in a separate hammock, no need to pull out the tray. I really want to believe that Apple SIM will come to Russia – and will come next year.”
Some boring data:
- Operating temperature: 0 to 35 °C
- Storage temperature: –20 to 45 °C
- Relative humidity: 5 to 95% non-condensing
- Operating altitude: tested up to 3000 m
Keep in mind, you shouldn’t use the iPad in the cold; spare the battery.
Display
The display diagonal is 9.7 inches, resolution is 2048 x 1536 pixels, there is an anti-glare coating, I tried for a long time to show in a photo how it works, not a single sensible frame came out. Take my word for it, it works. It seems that the screen of the Air 2 is matte, this greatly affects the perception of the device as a whole. Less glare means less nerves. In addition, the screen was reassembled, there is no air gap, on top there is safety glass, below it is a touch sensor, below is an LCD matrix. The official website says that the image quality has changed for the better. To be honest, I didn’t notice much of a difference. But the anti-reflective coating is a good find.
Modifications and prices
There are several main versions, but a person not too familiar with Apple technology, may well get confused. Therefore, I decided to help and compose a simple guide for choosing an iPad Air 2 tablet. There are several versions, these are 16, 64 and 128 GB models with Wi-Fi or with Wi-Fi + LTE. The prices are like this:
- 16 GB – 24,990/30,990 rubles
- 64 GB – 29,490/35,990 rubles
- 128 GB – 34,490/40,990 rubles
Some may think that 40,990 rubles is expensive, but here again we can remember that the iPad Air 2 has no competitors in the tablet market in terms of all its characteristics. The price is more than justified, especially for thrifty, economic users - those who want to use the tablet for a couple of years and sell it not for pennies, but at a good price. Alas, Sony tablets, Samsung instantly depreciate in value on the secondary market, people are sometimes afraid to buy such goods secondhand, since it is unknown whether, if something happens, they will be able to repair a banal breakdown. Over the years, a huge number of service centers Apple, they are literally at every turn - which cannot be said about the service center where other gadgets are repaired.
Now the elective guide. I'll go point by point:
- A model with 16 GB memory is good to buy only as a gift - given the capabilities of the tablet and the lack of a slot for a memory card, this is not even funny. It's best not to even consider buying a 16GB tablet unless you plan to use the Air 2 solely for web browsing. Unfortunately, the 32GB model has been removed, so look to the 64GB iPad
- Is the version with Wi-Fi enough, or is it better to buy Wi-Fi + LTE? Everything is simple here, if you use the iPad more often at home, as a bedside video recorder or something similar, you can safely abandon LTE. After all, you can always go online by connecting via your smartphone. If you often travel, including around Russia, if you use an iPad for communication in the city to check email (for example), then it is better to buy a model with Wi-Fi + LTE and choose a tariff for the tablet from one of the operators
- Accordingly, this is what I chose last year when the iPad Air came out - a model with 64 GB memory, Wi-Fi + LTE. There is enough memory to take more movies on the road; the SIM card installed in the tablet is very helpful when traveling to other cities or countries. For example, at one time I often visited Kaluga, and there it was possible to use the cellular network to get quite normal Internet on the device, turn the Air into an access point
- Don't be afraid to buy an iPad in Europe or the US, LTE (or 3G) will work quite well.
- Three colors, but the most practical is dark gray. Over the course of a year of use, my Air fell several times, a mark appeared on the case, but overall, the device looks like new. White is very beautiful and elegant, gold looks cool, but (remember) gray is the most practical.
- As for accessories, I would immediately recommend a two-meter original Lightning cable (to easily charge your tablet and lie in bed), a Twelve South SurfacePad cover, suitable model for the first Air, I checked the original Bluetooth keyboard. With its help you can quickly turn your tablet into a laptop.
If you still have any questions about the choice, write to me by email, I will try to help. Let me note especially for girls, the iPad Air 2 has an excellent camera, don’t forget about this feature.
Touch ID
Let me remind you how Touch ID works; nothing has changed since the iPhone 5S. After turning on for the first time and various formalities such as entering your Apple ID, you are asked to set a fingerprint; for a right-hander, this is most likely the thumb of your right hand. You place your finger on the sensor, the picture shows how the system recognizes the pattern: you apply it, release it, apply it again, then you are asked to apply not the pad, but the tip of your finger, with a slight turn. Imagine the movement while pressing a button, just like that. The system then remembers your fingerprint and prompts you to enter a password in case the fingerprint is not recognized. Naturally, you can save the prints of all other fingers for greater convenience. The sensor settings are located in the “Basic/Password and Fingerprint” menu; to work with this menu you need to enter a password (paranoia). Here you can turn off the sensor, change the password, select a simple or complex password, add or remove a fingerprint. And when purchasing from the iTunes/App Store, you can also use fingerprints, although whether you enter your password or place your finger is the same in time, plus or minus.
The most important question I get asked is how fast is scanning? Look, the device is locked, you press the button with your thumb, release it, it unlocks and goes to the home screen. Without any Slide to unlock. I’m not a supporter of protection, I have nothing to hide, but this thing works very well and saves time - you don’t need to press the power button, you don’t need to move your finger across the display again. By the way, in a locked state, you can switch tracks in the player, launch the camera - all this is available without entering a password, but when you want to go to the home screen, you find yourself on the lock screen, you need to enter a password or scan your fingerprint. That is, you can give someone the camera to take pictures, listen to music, use a calculator or flashlight, but the person will not be able to go further.
Many say that all this is not new, it all happened, but history repeats itself, as with many other Apple inventions - using TouchID is just convenient and that’s all. Many people use tablets for work purposes, so Touch ID will certainly appeal to representatives of corporate security services; employees forget regular passwords, lose them, it’s just a hassle. Losing a finger is almost impossible (well, or much more difficult).
Performance
According to AnTuTu, the performance increase compared to the iPad Air is significant, you can look at the screenshot.
In fact, the Air 2 works noticeably faster, this is especially noticeable when different applications are launched simultaneously; the camera, browser, maps, and other programs start faster. It uses an A8X processor with an M8 coprocessor; Apple is talking about a 64-bit architecture, but this is not that important for the end user. More importantly, performance has been improved while operating time remains the same.
In addition to Touch ID, there are other sensors: accelerometer, barometer, ambient light sensor. For geolocation, you can use a digital compass, Wi-Fi and iBeacon pinpointing. Just a few words about this technology; using iBeacon, you can receive push notifications on your device when you are in a store - for example, these could be some kind of promotional offers. The technology has been written in detail. The version with LTE has Assisted GPS and GLONASS. FaceTime audio and video calls are supported to any Apple devices(except for iPod players), I can only sympathize with everyone who regrets the inability to make calls directly from the iPad. Alas, here the SIM card is used only for data transfer, but a call from the iPhone can be forwarded directly to the iPad - connect a headset and communicate as much as you like (or not connect). The front camera is not bad, you can take decent selfies or communicate via FaceTime, the quality has become noticeably better.
Wi-Fi supported (802.11a/b/g/n/ac); two HT80 bands (2.4 GHz and 5 GHz) with MIMO technology, Bluetooth 4.0, here is the data for the version with LTE:
- UMTS/HSPA/HSPA+/DC-HSDPA (850, 900, 1700/2100, 1900, 2100 MHz); GSM/EDGE (850, 900, 1800, 1900 MHz)
- CDMA EV-DO Rev. A and Rev. B (800, 1900 MHz)
- LTE (bands 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 7, 8, 13, 17, 18, 19, 20, 25, 26, 28, 29, 38, 39, 40, 41)
iOS 8 is installed, you can read in detail about the operating system in a separate review.
Opening hours
The Lightning connector is used for charging; charging time is about four hours using the supplied power supply; you can count on 10 hours in video viewing mode. These are good indicators; most likely, we will see an increase in operating time in the next Apple tablets.
We all remember how last year the iPad Air was praised for being “thinner and lighter than its predecessors.” Who would have thought then that the same words could be applied to the next generation? And now, two weeks after the announcement, a new tablet Apple got to our office. Meet! iPad Air 2 is one of the thinnest tablets in the world.
Appearance
Yes, you can say that when creating the iPad Air 2 they forgot to show it to the designer, and in general, it feels like the tablet was “stuffed” into a case from previous version. But as soon as you pick up the device (be careful, there will be a lot of “applesauce”) and you realize that you have to change a lot appearance there wasn’t much point, and the small changes that the developers made to the design of the case made it even better.
For a moment iPad presentations The Air 2 proudly held the title of the thinnest tablet in the world, its thickness, so you understand, is 6.1 mm, which is even less than the iPhone 6 (there must be a joke here about it bending). At the same time, the width and height of the case have not changed, which is quite logical, because the diagonal remains 9.7 inches. Compared to the previous generation, the weight has also decreased; the device is now 32 grams lighter – 437 grams.
As I wrote above, there are not many changes in the tablet, but Apple still decided to take a very important step - they removed the lever from the right side, which was responsible for switching to silent mode. There is nothing critical about this, because many owners of Android tablets did not even know that such tablets existed and lived quietly without it. Apparently this control element turned out to be the “weakest link” that had to be sacrificed for the sake of SUCH thickness. At the same time, we slightly changed the appearance of the volume keys.
Fans of the mechanical Home key will now have a hard time, because in the iPad Air 2 it was replaced with Touch ID. Is this technology needed in a tablet? Undoubtedly. This not only increases the security level of the device, but also speeds up the process of performing certain tasks (for example, it is possible to quickly make purchases). By the way, now you can brag to your poor friends that you have a sapphire Home button on your tablet. This has practically no effect on anything when used, but it increases the owner’s self-esteem and all that.
As for the bottom end, manufacturers of various accessories (especially docking stations) simply have to thank Apple for not changing the usual Lightning connector to something more “innovative.” But due to the reduction in thickness, you can forget about the compatibility of iPad Air cases. By the way, the speaker grilles have changed a little; in my opinion, they have become even more beautiful.
There is no need to even talk about the build quality - everything is done at the highest level. The case, as always, is metal, but now the Cupertino team decided to diversify the color range a little, and added a “gold” option to the gray (Space Gray) and silver (Silver).
Screen
Despite the fact that the screen remained with a 9.7-inch diagonal and a resolution of 1536 x 2048 (Retina, 264 PPI), it did undergo some changes. At the presentation we were told that they had removed the air gap between the IPS matrix and the protected glass. This, of course, is very cool, but the problem is that during the announcement of the previous generation iPad Air we were also told this. It is quite possible that before the presentation of a new product, the layer is returned back in order to be removed later (there should be a Genius meme here).
In addition, we have improved the anti-reflective coating, which now protects the screen 56% better from sun rays(I just don’t quite understand how the developers determined this percentage). But if you go outside and compare the first and second generation iPad Air, the difference will not be very noticeable - the displays fade, but in very difficult situations It can even be stressful to read the text. But the oleophobic coating is in place.
This tablet could be forgiven for everything, but not for one single drawback - streaks remain on the screen. Yes, you understood everything correctly. On the screen. They remain. Divorces. And you don’t need to put any effort into this. You take the tablet in your hands (in the most ordinary way) and marks appear on the screen from the fingers that support the tablet by the back. I once had Chinese tablet Ainol, and even there such problems did not arise.
Specifications
The new tablet has a 64-bit Apple A8X processor, which is 40% cooler and more powerful than the A7 chip used in the previous generation iPad Air. The company decided to surprise the IT world a little and made this processor a tri-core one (the analogy about a car on three wheels comes to mind); it operates at a clock frequency of 1.4 GHz. In principle, Apple never really bothered with “numbers”, but primarily focused on optimization. I can safely say that when paired with 2 GB of RAM, the device allows you to open more tabs in Safari and keep more applications in the background.
For the first time, an additional M8 coprocessor has appeared in Apple tablets, which constantly “monitors” and collects data from all sensors (and there are quite a few of them in the iPad Air 2): gyroscope, accelerometer, compass and barometer. Already according to all the notes of Steve Jobs of the old tradition, there are two versions of the iPad: Wi-Fi and Wi-Fi + LTE (Apple SIM). Regarding technology wireless transmission data, it has been slightly improved, Wi-Fi ac can transmit data at speeds of up to 866 Mbit/s. If you majorly chose the version with LTE, then you will have as many as 20 LTE bands at your disposal. Well, I won’t even remember about such little things as Bluetooth and GPS - they exist.
The situation with the built-in memory is the same as in the iPhone 6 - they decided to abandon the 32 GB version. Now customers have access to 16 GB, 64 GB and 128 GB versions. They will cost $499, $599 and $699 respectively. The battery in the iPad Air 2 has a capacity of 7340 mAh; Apple promises that this should be enough for 10 hours of operation in high load mode, that is, in practice, the tablet can easily “live” for several days without recharging.
Full technical specifications look like this:
- Dimensions: 240 x 169.5 x 6.1 mm.
- Weight: 437 g.
- Operating system: iOS 8.1.
- Processor: triple-core Apple A8X, clock frequency 1.4 GHz.
- Display: 9.7 inches, 1536 x 2048 (Retina), 264 PPI.
- Memory: 16 GB, 64 GB, 128 GB.
- RAM: 2 GB.
- Cameras: main - 8 MP, front - 1.2 MP.
- Wireless technologies: Wi-Fi, Bluetooth 4.0.
- Interface connectors: 3.5 mm headphone, Lightning connector.
- Battery: 7340 mAh.
Camera
The days when people who took photographs with a tablet were viewed as mentally ill are long gone. Apple understands this very well and is actively improving this aspect in its devices. So the second iPad generation The Air received not only a cool front FaceTime camera that can record video in Full HD, but also an improved module on the rear panel - iSight (8 MP and f/2.4). I can’t say that the quality of the pictures is comparable to those taken by the iPhone 6 or at least the iPhone 5s, but the results are really good. The maximum resolution of panoramas is 43 MP! The video is shot in 1080p at 30 fps, it is also possible to record in slow motion (Slo-mo, 120 fps) and in series (Time Lapse).
In the end
There is an unwritten rule that if you buy a smartphone, then it’s on Android, and if you buy a tablet, it’s iOS (and here, you know, there are no options - iPad). Air 2 certainly deserves good words in its direction. But the subtlety that was so praised to us at the presentation came out sideways (almost literally). The streaks that appear on the screen during the most common use case make you wonder whether it’s worth buying a new product at all? And if you are the owner of a first-generation iPad Air, then you don’t even have to raise the question of updating. Indeed, everything is fine, but SUCH problems with the screen discourage the desire to use the tablet. We would like to believe that this is a defective model, but we have already received several reviews that the problem occurs, most often in 128 GB versions, like ours. Seriously, this didn’t happen under Jobs!
iPad Air 2 video review
The new generation of Apple tablet is already available for purchase. A separate presentation was dedicated to the device, where it, along with the iMac with a 5K screen, became the center of attention of technology lovers. The iPad Air 2 has become thinner and lighter, its characteristics have improved, and Apple traditionally pays attention to constantly improving its capabilities. Due to the abundance of information leaks, preliminary data on the tablet became known long before the announcement of the tablet. However, this did not affect all the qualities of the device; a number of characteristics, for example, processor features, were made public later.
Apple was able to make the tablet a symbol of our time; these devices were invented long before the day the first iPad appeared. But these devices clearly owe their fashion and popularity to Apple. A fashionable electronic gadget, a blogger's tool, a secretary's diary, a school student's textbook, a DJ console, a medical record in a hospital, a pilot's assistant - there are a lot of use cases, everyone chooses a convenient option for themselves. In their Apple presentations loves to show beautiful videos of how devices help people. And this is true - a huge software base allows you to turn the iPad into almost anything.
The new iPad Air 2 will be sold alongside the previous generation iPad Air. Perhaps it will now be more difficult to choose a tablet from Apple. They are both good, but the torment of choosing whether to save money or, conversely, give preference to a device that is more advanced in terms of technological progress, will probably visit potential buyer. Let's look at what's good about the new product from Cupertino and how Apple will fight off its competitors, defending market share in different countries.
It should be noted that the share of Apple tablets in Russia continues to decrease. According to our forecasts, next year it will be less than 10% (currently 11-12%), consumer interest is shifting towards tablets priced up to 10,000 rubles, where Apple products are not represented. Meanwhile, this category already accounts for more than 45% of sales in Russia.
According to data from the analytical company IDC, prepared specifically for Hi-Tech.Mail.Ru, the share of tablets running operating system iOS decreased by 36.5% (first half of 2014 compared to first half of 2013), and the entire tablet market fell by 38% in monetary terms.
Specifications
- OS: iOS 8.1
- Screen: IPS, IGZO, 2048x1536, 9.7’’, 264 ppi laminated display
- Processor: Apple A8x, 3 cores, 1.5 GHz, 64-bit, M8 coprocessor
- Memory: 16, 64 or 128 GB
- Camera: iSight 8 MP, slow motion, autofocus, HDR, Full HD video recording, front FaceTime HD
- Connectivity: Wi-Fi 802.11ac MIMO, Bluetooth 4.0, 2G/3G/4G, nanoSIM
- Dimensions: 240x169.5x6.1 mm, weight 437 (444) g, Wi-Fi/Wi-Fi+LTE
- TouchID fingerprint scanner
Set
The supply package has remained unchanged for many years. It is very modest and includes only a power supply, a cable and a paperclip for removing the SIM card, if we are talking about the version with LTE. Of course, you can find a couple of apple stickers and a very short user manual.
Design
Visually, we have the same iPad Air that debuted last year. It would seem that the device is already thin and light, but Apple made it even smaller. The use of new laminated glass made the case even thinner. Now this figure is only 6.1 mm, which is 18% less than the iPad Air. I wonder how the Air 3 will turn out, because the body is already very, very thin. Therefore, I have no doubt that those who like to bend devices will be able to test the strength of the tablet. The large area and minimal thickness will clearly help the iPad Air 2 become the hero of the next viral masterpiece.
As before, no savings were made on materials - the body is entirely made of aluminum. The build is excellent, the device looks and feels expensive. The golden color of the case, which first appeared from Apple last year, is now available for tablets of the American brand. Thanks to it, you can immediately understand that you are holding a new product and not an old generation device.
The side design has changed slightly: the buttons located on the side now have new uniform, and at the same time the screen rotation switch, which was also responsible for switching to silent mode, was removed from here.
The frames around the screen are still small; for a large device, the iPad Air 2 turned out to be quite mobile and convenient to take with you, even if there is no question of carrying the tablet in your jacket pockets. Still, it is too big and a more compact mini would be better suited for this purpose.
Screen
The screen resolution is 2048x1536 pixels. The surface is protected by glass; now a laminated coating is used, which allows us to preserve all the previous advantages, while making the device even thinner. The screen with excellent sensitivity, high-quality oleophobic coating and error-free response deserves high praise. Apple notes that new screen received an improved anti-reflective coating. According to the company, the difference is 56%, but if you take Air and Air 2 and go outside with them, there is not much difference - both fade in the sun, and the data is equally difficult to see under direct sun.
Our expert Mikhail Kuznetsov conducted detailed testing of the screen:
Screen new version Apple iPad The Air has undergone some small but welcome changes. The characteristics have not changed - the resolution is 2048x1536 and the pixel density is 264 ppi - it still looks decent, there’s nothing to complain about here. However, now there is no air gap between the matrix and the outer glass, due to this the anti-glare properties have improved - there are fewer internal reflections in the display. Viewing angles have also become wider thanks to this solution. Actually, the screen without an air gap is the main innovation. The brightness reserve is up to 407 cd/m2 at maximum - this is quite enough in a typical use scenario. The contrast ratio reached 1063:1, this figure remained virtually unchanged. As already mentioned, the main increase in quality was achieved due to a more efficient structure.
Gamma has an optimal value of 2.25, and the indicator is quite linear throughout the entire range. All midtones are displayed with the correct brightness, dark and light areas of the image have good detail.
Average color temperature– about 7000K, the image tint is slightly “cooler” than the reference one.
The blue component is slightly out of balance in the color balance. The average Delta E error is about 5.32 units, the deviations are not too critical. Visually, the gray scale is very smooth, with a slight cold tint.
The situation within the color gamut shows that the deviations were kept within reasonable limits.
Testing on 24 ColorChecker templates gives the following result: the average color rendering error Delta E is about 3.01 units. Distortion is not at all critical, natural colors look adequate. In general, the screen of the Apple iPad Air 2 retained its main advantages - excellent clarity and high-quality color reproduction. At the same time, the design of the display without an air gap has improved the perceived quality. There are fewer reflections on the screen, which means the image looks more confident in different conditions lighting. Balanced characteristics allow us to say that the screen will please the user in a wide variety of usage scenarios - the image will be excellent in any case.
Performance
Apple iPad Air 2 features new, more powerful hardware. As before, a 64-bit architecture is offered, represented by the Apple A8X chip, which has become the most powerful solution on the market, surpassing even very powerful graphics from NVIDIA, the well-known Tegra K1. Like its predecessor, the tablet remains cool in games and is very good as a multimedia and entertainment device. But, at the same time, it is still unclear what games can unlock the potential of such graphics. But the iPad Air 2 is still faster than the first generation tablet. The difference may not be very critical, but nevertheless, it is noticeable. This is the first time a triple-core processor has been found in Apple products, and on the market such a phenomenon can be called very exotic. According to the data, Apple A8X is 40% more productive than the old A7 in iPad Air, graphics performance has increased by 2.5 times.
Finally, Apple showed off an iOS device with 2GB of RAM for the first time.
Apple iPad Air 2 became the company's first gadget running iOS with this amount of RAM. Built-in memory can be 16, 64 or 128 GB. The 32 GB version has been removed, so you either have to be content with the minimum amount, or pay a significant amount for a larger space.
What’s interesting: the body has become smaller and thinner, the battery capacity has decreased, while performance has seriously increased, and the Apple iPad Air 2 works for the same 10 hours as devices of previous generations.
The device operates under iOS control 8.1, now instead of the removed lever, which was located on the side, an additional button has appeared in the control panel, it is responsible for blocking automatic screen rotation.
A tablet with a 4:3 aspect ratio is not the best best solution to watch the video. Given Apple's traditional restrictions on transferring data and downloading content, everything here is much less convenient than on Android or Windows. But, at the same time, there are enough players to watch the most various videos, and large amounts of memory turn the iPad into an excellent mobile movie center. The device plays movies in 1080p without any problems, the data can also be streamed to home system directly from the tablet, for example, when Apple help TV. The speakers are loud, despite its thin size, the tablet is loud, in no way inferior to its predecessors, so it will be very good as a small TV.
The iPad doesn't help as a player either; you can listen to your favorite tracks by connecting headphones. Traditionally, there is no radio, but there is support for Internet radio. The sound is high quality, the volume margin is large.
Data transfer
The tablet received a modified Wi-Fi module. Wi-Fi 802.11ac, HT80 with MIMO is now supported. If you have the appropriate equipment in wireless networks iPad Air 2 should demonstrate faster data loading speeds, and at the same time be more stable. In addition, the device now supports up to 20 LTE bands, as before, 2G/3G/3G networks are supported. By the way, this is the first generation of Apple tablets to offer a new SIM card. Now the buyer does not have to go to the operator to choose a tariff, but independently selects the necessary options. The card will be installed in the device itself. This service is currently only available in the US and UK.
Fingerprint scanner
In the fight for the safety of personal data, Apple offers to use its own development - the Touch ID fingerprint scanner. The new button replaces the old element, so the Home key is now even more useful and important. The scanner works great, sensitivity is at the same high level as the iPhone 6 and 6 Plus. The device remembers up to 10 fingerprints, the data is stored locally in the device itself and is not transferred to external servers. By the way, there is no NFC chip, which would be useful for Apple Pay payments. In such cases, TouchID works as an additional link in the security chain of data transfer during payment. However, a tablet is a gadget healthy enough to wave in front of the terminal at the checkout.
Camera
If in the very first generation of Apple tablets there was no camera at all, then by the sixth generation the device acquired not only front-facing FaceTime, which films in HD resolution, but also a more advanced iSight module located at the rear. Apple iPad Air 2 sports an 8 megapixel sensor with f/2.4. Of course, you shouldn’t expect from it the same quality that the iPhone 5s demonstrates, not to mention the iPhone 6 and 6 Plus, but, nevertheless, thanks to the five-element lens, the tablet takes pictures at the level of the iPhone 5, which takes quite good photos.
Now the gadget has also been taught to operate continuous shooting, shoot slow-motion video at a speed of 120 frames per second, at the same time the tablet will be able to do Time-lapses. There is video recording in Full HD, as well as front camera FaceTime HD, which is useful for video conferencing or self-portraits. Panoramas are created in 43-megapixel resolution, which, if desired, can always be enlarged and some part of the frame can be examined. But there was no flash; it would be difficult to take pictures of anything in the dark.
Versions
iPad Air 2 is presented in three colors at once - in addition to the already well-known versions in dark gray and silver, a model in gold color has also appeared. You can choose between 16, 64 or 128 GB of memory. The 32 GB option has been removed from sale. As before, versions are available with Wi-Fi or together with Wi-Fi and LTE. The ability to access the Internet wherever you want costs quite a lot - you have to pay an additional 6 thousand rubles.
Opinion Hi-Tech.Mail.ru
There are a lot of innovations in Apple's flagship tablet today. New more powerful processor, increased RAM, Touch ID, improved camera and more compact dimensions, along with other practical improvements, will be the key advantages of the device. But users do not replace tablets as often as smartphones, so there is no need to say that a shortage of sales is expected. Although it should be noted that five years have passed since the announcement of the first iPad, tablets have changed the market - people are more likely to buy these devices than laptops. There are enough opportunities for routine tasks, while the difference in size, operating time and mobility is very noticeable.
Owners of last year's iPad Air are unlikely to run for updated version- still, a tablet is not one of the most essential devices like smartphones, as sales statistics show. By the way, the past year was disappointing for Apple in Russia - expensive iPads sold noticeably worse than before, and given that you need to pay even more money for the new generation, other brands will probably take advantage of this, perhaps offering not the same level of technology, but winning in price.
As for specific numbers, according to our research into unofficial retail, no more than 1,000 new generation tablets are expected in Russia at the start of sales. For comparison: last year 4 times more devices were imported. This is explained by the almost simultaneous start of sales of PCT models in Russia, which are more profitable to purchase than unofficial ones due to the greatly increased exchange rate. The iPad Air 2 will primarily compete with the old Air, which costs less, but at the same time has relevant qualities for today.
Alexander Pobyvanets, [email protected]
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