Apple's New iPad Air Equipped With 4GB RAM

[TraceyS/FL]

So my gut keeps telling me there is going to be some big SHOCK with the next Pro. Will it be the arm ”Mac”? I dunno... but I just feel like for the Air to get sooo much of a leap in everything - something else is up.

I need the larger screen so I’m waiting. Depending on what the arm announcement is will dictate where I end up. I do love that green though - I’m also in the camp “bring colors to the Pro please”.

 

[James Godfrey]

So my gut keeps telling me there is going to be some big SHOCK with the next Pro. Will it be the arm ”Mac”? I dunno... but I just feel like for the Air to get sooo much of a leap in everything - something else is up.

I need the larger screen so I’m waiting. Depending on what the arm announcement is will dictate where I end up. I do love that green though - I’m also in the camp “bring colors to the Pro please”.

With the current rumours that miniLED won’t enter mass production until December and the fact the iPad event has already been and gone, and also that it is likely we will have a Mac focused event this November. I think it’s safe to say the iPP won’t get a refresh until March 2021.

I think 2021 iPad Pro line will pan out like this:

March 2021

iPad Pro 11 A14X 5G
iPad Pro 12.9 A14X 5G

October 2021

iPas Pro 12.9 A15X miniLED (+$200 extra but sold alongside March 2021 iPad Pro line up)

 

[throAU]

If only they made these in 12.9"... they'd be plenty fast enough or me, I just want 12.9 for more drawing space and as a bigger second display for my MacBook Air. Stretching to a 12.9" pro is a bit of a big ask for that when I don't care so much about the other pro specs.

 

[Arislan]

More ram also means more battery drain. If you’re not using a device that really takes advantage of the extra ram then it doesn’t make sense for them to further tax the battery. Regardless of ram cost or personal desires that is.

RAM doesn't really have much of an impact to battery life. Especially when you're talking going from 3 -> 4 GB or 4 -> 6 GB. The CPU/GPU, screen, and networking chips have way more impact to battery life.

 

[Cosmosent]

More ram also means more battery drain. If you’re not using a device that really takes advantage of the extra ram then it doesn’t make sense for them to further tax the battery. Regardless of ram cost or personal desires that is.

Disagree 100%

Apple has extremely sophisticated DRAM Mgmt !!!

Common knowledge to those doing low-level App Dev; NOT common knowledge at all to the General Public.

 

[Wanted797]

The component cost a RAM for Apple is probably a couple bucks at most yet they're always are so stingy with it like it's unobtainium or something.

A few bucks when you’re making milllions of devices becomes millions of dollars.

 

[dumastudetto]

The new iPad Air is every inch a Pro at an unbelievably affordable price. I think this one will break all tablet sales records.

 

[dazz87]

The new iPad Air is every inch a Pro at an unbelievably affordable price. I think this one will break all tablet sales records.

Not without the 120hz screen........

 

[bodonnell202]

If 64 GB works for you, the new Air is extremely compelling (and would be my choice in the current lineup).

Yep, I really liked the design of the 11" Pro when it came out but couldn't justify the cost considering my use case. Now that their is a cheaper iPad with basically the same design and a cheaper price point I’ve somehow already justified it to myself. I’m ordering one as soon as Apple releases opens it up for pre-order... which will be soon I hope. My only question is blue, green or space grey.

 

[Victor Mortimer]

Oh boy, a whole 4GB!!!!

Just like real computers over a decade ago!!!!

iPads are toys.

 

[jodi]

I am not really a hardcore user to justify upgrading. My 2017 iPad Pro still works super fast like the day I got it. The days of disposable income on latest and greatest is kinda over for me.

Question, for those planning to upgrade, what type of iPad are coming from or Android tablet?

5th gen basic iPad. I’m excited for this.

 

[slimejester]

Yep, I really liked the design of the 11" Pro when it came out but couldn't justify the cost considering my use case. Now that their is a cheaper iPad with basically the same design and a cheaper price point I’ve somehow already justified it to myself. I’m ordering one as soon as Apple releases opens it up for pre-order... which will be soon I hope. My only question is blue, green or space grey.

Sky Blue, no question.

 

[bodonnell202]

I am not really a hardcore user to justify upgrading. My 2017 iPad Pro still works super fast like the day I got it. The days of disposable income on latest and greatest is kinda over for me.

Question, for those planning to upgrade, what type of iPad are coming from or Android tablet?

iPad 6th gen. It still does everything I need it to fine, but I can also sell it for close to 75% of what I paid for it and somehow that‘s part of my justification...

 

[CarlJ]

Not without the 120hz screen........

Reading this on a 3rd gen iPad Air, I still don’t get the hype of 120Hz. The screen looks lovely and is extremely responsive. Lot of people in here making it sound like they couldn’t survive with the screen I’m using. What gives? Is it unicorns? Does the 120Hz screen come with unicorns?

The 4th gen iPad Air looks fantastic to me, and I wish I had a legit reason to upgrade.

 

[cupcakes2000]

Oh boy, a whole 4GB!!!!

Just like real computers over a decade ago!!!!

iPads are toys.

Woah. Good one! That’s a new one. Haha.

My iPad Pro and pencil is a veritable power house of a photography tool. That’s just one field of many where it excels and where it has definite advantages over a traditional computer.
These things are not toys. If you don’t know how to use one then that’s on you.

 

[UK-MacAddict]

does the onboard storage matter much if you use iCloud?

Not everyone uses iCloud. I don’t trust online storage. I back up everything important on multiple local hard drives.

 

[UK-MacAddict]

Reading this on a 3rd gen iPad Air, I still don’t get the hype of 120Hz. The screen looks lovely and is extremely responsive. Lot of people in here making it sound like they couldn’t survive with the screen I’m using. What gives? Is it unicorns? Does the 120Hz screen come with unicorns?

The 4th gen iPad Air looks fantastic to me, and I wish I had a legit reason to upgrade.

I don’t notice any difference between the 120Hz display and a regular display without it.

Also I don’t notice any difference between the XDR display and the one on the iMac to warrant its price tag either.

My brain and eyes must be wired differently to these guys who rave about these types of things lol. I don’t notice much difference between 1080p and 4K.

I think the difference is minute in a lot of these cases. It’s like when the CPU power is touted in new products. Sounds amazing in the marketing but in reality is translates to doing something maybe 5 seconds quicker.

 

[MacBH928]

Why does Apple builds up RAM in 1GB increments? What do they see that one extra GB will do?

More ram also means more battery drain. If you’re not using a device that really takes advantage of the extra ram then it doesn’t make sense for them to further tax the battery. Regardless of ram cost or personal desires that is.

How come Apple has increase the RAM many times over the last 10 years in the iPad yet they maintain the same 10hr battery life?

 

[SirAnthonyHopkins]

The new iPad Air is every inch a Pro at an unbelievably affordable price. I think this one will break all tablet sales records.

I really don't know that $600 counts as "unbelievably affordable". It's pretty good value for what you get but it's still a premium device, at a time when many are going to be tightening their belts. Breaking sales records seems a little ambitious.

 

[Laptopdog78]

Oh boy, a whole 4GB!!!!

Just like real computers over a decade ago!!!!

iPads are toys.

Yes those real computers that you talk about need silly amounts of Ram because they run like a bag of spanner’s without it. They are not tuned in a way that iOS is. I could go deeper into this, but I highly doubt that you would understand.

 

[slimejester]

I really don't know that $600 counts as "unbelievably affordable". It's pretty good value for what you get but it's still a premium device, at a time when many are going to be tightening their belts. Breaking sales records seems a little ambitious.

Hasn’t the basic iPad always been the best-selling model?

 

[SirAnthonyHopkins]

Oh boy, a whole 4GB!!!!

Just like real computers over a decade ago!!!!

iPads are toys.

Oh boy, judging a device's specs by assuming that higher numbers = better, just like over a decade ago.

 

[0924487]

3.66 GB is not quite 4 GB, isn't it...?

 

[jlozoya]

I am not really a hardcore user to justify upgrading. My 2017 iPad Pro still works super fast like the day I got it. The days of disposable income on latest and greatest is kinda over for me.

Question, for those planning to upgrade, what type of iPad are coming from or Android tablet?

I am upgrading from a 9.7” iPad Pro. The new Air is in the same price range as when I bought this with one without any real sacrifices. (Except quad speaker)

 

[CarlJ]

How come Apple has increase the RAM many times over the last 10 years in the iPad yet they maintain the same 10hr battery life?

Because the 10hr battery life has been their target goal. They put in enough battery to meet the goal. Personally, I wish they’d set a higher goal. The 12mini sounds nice, but its big win on size is the reduced height and depth - they could have those, and make the phone 2mm thicker and put in more battery, and it’d make for a nicer experience.