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Sleepnclass

macrumors newbie
Oct 30, 2013
19
0
If you wait for the latest tech, you'll always be waiting. Buy the air now, sell it on eBay before the next one is announced in the fall, buy the new one.
 

Roy G Biv

macrumors 6502
Dec 26, 2010
362
104
Hello. I enjoy computations which benefit from greater memory and/or processors than presently available. Should I delay making purchase of computer until glorious future?
 

TroyBoy30

macrumors 68030
Jun 9, 2009
2,535
1,344
Atlanta GA
ill just buy the air and enjoy it. if something comes out later that I like. Ill buy it and sell the air. seems pretty simple to me
 

Xeyad

macrumors 6502
Nov 19, 2012
342
288
Don't wait for an imaginary product. We have zero proof of the so called iPad Pro. All the reviews are saying the iPad Air is incredibly smooth, and graphically performs better than iPad 4, so specs do not matter.

I am a heavy iOS gamer, I have around 300 games on my 64GB iPad Mini, which has all the games you mentioned from Dues EX, XCom, GTA, and so many more like Bastion, Real Racing 3, Asphlat 8, Modern Combat 4, Mass Effect Infiltrator, Sky Gamblers, and many many others :p. All these games run almost perfectly on the underpowered A5 chip and 512mb of RAM on the iPad Mini. XCom was updated a couple of days ago to run perfectly on the iPad Mini as well. With iOS, games really take great advantage of the hardware available at hand, so specs don't play that huge of a role as it does on Android or PCs.

Trust me, the iPad Air will last for a very long time, and will be capable of running all the games you want. ;)

And FYI, PS3 and Xbox 360 both only had 512MB of RAM. :rolleyes:
 

hexblot

macrumors member
Sep 9, 2011
45
0
Athens,Greece
people need to understand a simple fact :
yes your apps could use more memory. no it's not going to matter much.

iOS releases are very much optimized for the specific hardware they run on. Since RAM is scarce, developers will have to optimize more. This isn't like other platforms where you got tons of devices and hope for the best with what you've done. Devs that release apps for iPad will be using the same hardware you have in your hands to test the app.

My personal opinion? Don't fuss too much about the insides. They're more than good enough. Worst case, I'll be upgrading with the next iPad, after forking over the difference. In the mean time, I'll be enjoying my device every single day, while you will be waiting for the ever elusive "perfect" device.

Just my 2c
 

Sean7512

macrumors 6502a
Jun 8, 2005
854
37
Being a developer, I too am disappointed with only 1GB ram in the new iPads...

I know some of the higher end games are really pushing the limit in terms of what they can store in ram. In my testing under normal usage, iPad applications receive a low memory warning at about 350mb and they are closed at around 450mb. Being 64-bit causes applications to take up about 20-30% more memory, this means 64-bit apps can expect to hit the limit much easier/faster.

That said I am buying one of the new iPads, just haven't decided if it'll be the Mini or Air. If I were you, I'd just get it and see how it works for you. If you don't like the performance, return it!
 

MartinAppleGuy

macrumors 68020
Original poster
Sep 27, 2013
2,247
889
Being a developer, I too am disappointed with only 1GB ram in the new iPads...

I know some of the higher end games are really pushing the limit in terms of what they can store in ram. In my testing under normal usage, iPad applications receive a low memory warning at about 350mb and they are closed at around 450mb. Being 64-bit causes applications to take up about 20-30% more memory, this means 64-bit apps can expect to hit the limit much easier/faster.

That said I am buying one of the new iPads, just haven't decided if it'll be the Mini or Air. If I were you, I'd just get it and see how it works for you. If you don't like the performance, return it!

Just going to but a retina Macbook Pro late 2013 with upgraded RAM and larger SSD.
 

pear21

macrumors 6502
Mar 12, 2012
269
0
Michigan
I dont buy that lighting connector thing, they still sell the ipad2 and 4s today. The ipad3 was gimped by its cpu/gpu, the ipad air will be gimped by ram.

Ipad 2 is still being sold because the margins on it are probably ridiculous since they sell it for $400. Also having the ipad 2 still available is great for things like education who buy a large quantity of ipads, and they could possibly already have 30 pin connectors and accessories so it makes the purchase easier for them
 

rtomyj

macrumors 6502a
Sep 3, 2012
812
753
I plan to get an iPad for gaming (Deus Ex, XCOM, GTA...). With 64bit taking up 20-30% more RAM for each application, I don't feel the iPad Air will last as long for my needs. How long will I have to wait for next years iPad (March for an iPad Pro), or just a 6th gen. iPad with 2Gb of RAM?

Just get this one and if you really need the RAM when the new one rolls around sell it and buy the new one. You'll prolly pay $150 more.
 

rui no onna

Contributor
Oct 25, 2013
14,414
12,422
people need to understand a simple fact :
yes your apps could use more memory. no it's not going to matter much.

My personal opinion? Don't fuss too much about the insides. They're more than good enough. Worst case, I'll be upgrading with the next iPad, after forking over the difference. In the mean time, I'll be enjoying my device every single day, while you will be waiting for the ever elusive "perfect" device.
The thing is for some folks, some of the constraints of RAM can already be felt now. For example, you're filling up an online form and say you need to look for info. You open a new tab to check for the information. When you go back to the form, the screen refreshes and poof, all the entries you painstakingly typed in are gone. Same thing when replying to forum posts (although one forum I go to saves drafts when you reply ala-Gmail, perhaps something similar can be implemented here?).

Granted, there's no use bemoaning the fact that there's only 1GB RAM. It's not like the current stock of iPad Airs will be magically upgraded to 2GB because people are whining. With the move to 64-bit, I definitely think we'll see a RAM upgrade in a year or two. If the iPad Air doesn't have features you want now, then don't buy it. I'd personally like 2GB RAM and 256GB capacity. I'm still getting either Mini Retina or Air this year for its international LTE support. I just won't splurge for the 128GB model this time around so I don't lose a lot of money when I sell/trade-in the Air after a year or so.
 

skillwill

macrumors 6502
Feb 12, 2008
480
660
What is it that everyone is doing with their iPads that they think they need 2GB of Ram for? You have to remember, it's not like PCs or Macs where developers can make programmes for computers which are a million times better than other computers - iOS devs all have the same (or worse) iPads to work with so there can't be anything you can do on your iPad as of right now that requires 2GB of Ram because nothing will be designed to take advantage of that.

And this waiting game people play? I get a new iPad every single year, I've only ever paid more than £100 for one iPad - the first one. Other than that iPads don't lose their value and in a year's time there will still be someone who will pay £300 for the Air, if you keep all the box in good condition etc. - just because you buy this year's doesn't mean next year's is off the table, are you telling me you won't, between now and next year save up £99?
 

rui no onna

Contributor
Oct 25, 2013
14,414
12,422
What is it that everyone is doing with their iPads that they think they need 2GB of Ram for?
Multi-tab web browsing. :p

And this waiting game people play? I get a new iPad every single year, I've only ever paid more than £100 for one iPad - the first one. Other than that iPads don't lose their value and in a year's time there will still be someone who will pay £300 for the Air, if you keep all the box in good condition etc. - just because you buy this year's doesn't mean next year's is off the table, are you telling me you won't, between now and next year save up £99?
If you're only getting the 16 or 32GB models, I'd agree. The 64-128GB, you tend to lose a lot more money. More so if it's an LTE model.
 

Charliebird

macrumors 6502a
Mar 10, 2010
844
102
Decided not to both buying an iPad; I'm getting a retina Macbook Pro 13'' late 2013 with upgraded RAM and storage.

I'm trading in my wife's laptop and getting her the Macbook Pro 13" as well with 8GB of Ram and 256 GB HDD. Still trust me that's no substituent for an iPad.
 

MartinAppleGuy

macrumors 68020
Original poster
Sep 27, 2013
2,247
889
I'm trading in my wife's laptop and getting her the Macbook Pro 13" as well with 8GB of Ram and 256 GB HDD. Still trust me that's no substituent for an iPad.

I was only going to by the iPad for gaming so it is better for me.
 

ctyrider

macrumors 65816
Jul 15, 2012
1,025
591
I plan to get an iPad for gaming (Deus Ex, XCOM, GTA...). With 64bit taking up 20-30% more RAM for each application, I don't feel the iPad Air will last as long for my needs. How long will I have to wait for next years iPad (March for an iPad Pro), or just a 6th gen. iPad with 2Gb of RAM?

I think you should wait at least 6 years until iPad UltraPro 11 is released. I heard it's going to have 8TB of RAM, 192TB of storage, and will include HexaCore A256X CPU/GPU with TurboBoost graphics acceleration.

That should be able to run GTA with the performance you need.
 

sracer

macrumors G4
Apr 9, 2010
10,284
13,017
where hip is spoken
I dont buy that lighting connector thing, they still sell the ipad2 and 4s today. The ipad3 was gimped by its cpu/gpu, the ipad air will be gimped by ram.
I agree. Those who keep repeating "the 4 was released solely for the lightning connector" fail to also remember that both processor and camera received a spec bump over what the 3 had.
 
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