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Hands-On With Apple's New M3 iPad Air
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I didn't buy the M2 last year because I had the M1 (purchased March 2022). Now I wanted a 13 inch so I bought the M3, so 3 years between purchases. Seems about right.
I wouldnt buy an imax theatre. the Vision Pro is better.
All the power of a computer with all the usability of a phone. Until I can run Mac OS off one of these I'm never buying another iPad again. After owning 4 since they came out and phones getting bigger and touch usability being a bigger chore than laptop of phone use, it just stopped being useful. Now if they can make one device to replace having to carry 2 or more, I'll be first in line. These devices are chain around a neck, they need to free us from constantly giving Apple our money instead of adding more chains around our necks. Tablets these days are just a way to get kids hooked on the internet.
This is the only real world difference from the older M2 model, in theory.
Yet this is not even touched upon in the article.
I have the M2, battery life is so so.
So battery capacity is always decreasing so it’s normal that a new iPad might seams to have a better battery but in fact it’s the same as when you bought the previous model.
Got the new M3 iPad Air 13’’ 128gb with the new keyboard this morning. Been using it all day. It’s my first new iPad in probably 5-6 years and first time going to an Air. So far so good. I really enjoy the new keyboard and the way it very stably props up the iPad and doubles, essentially, as a case. The “system, multitasking, Split View, slide over” options once I figured out those were a thing, and the shortcuts to them, made it all the more better. The Split View shortcut is probably my favorite. Maybe these have been around for a long time but this is my first iPad Air and first iPad I’ve bought the Apple brand keyboard. Yep it was expensive but it’s a great companion for trips and the battery life so far seems fantastic.
I upgraded from iPad Mini 6 (daughter will inherit the mini).
Naturally the biggest difference for me is the screen size (and lack of jelly scroll). iPads are almost purely media consumption devices for me so I was not expecting other differences. But I have to say that this feel noticeably snappier than my old Mini.
People who's iPad Air is turning 3-5 this year, people who have never had an iPad before and decide this is the year to buy one and opt to come in at the middle price point 🤷♂️.
The iPad Air M2 wasn't a big improvement in power over the M1 iPad Air either, with 12% faster single core performance and 19% faster multicore, people seem to have still bought the M2 iPad Air. Were you this bothered by the launch of the M2 Air?
…..,.,or people buy what they like when They like. I replaced My child’s iPad that was over seven years old. I think people just think too much Assumption run Amok
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Very little excitement for the new Air… it is using an almost 2 years old SoC and still have a 60 Hz display, at the price of €800+ (I’m not even considering the 128 GB model). Seriously ?
I was expecting more. At least the same model with M4 chip or M3 but with a ProMotion display (to keep its distance from the Pro). And the base model should be 256 GB.
I was expecting more. At least the same model with M4 chip or M3 but with a ProMotion display (to keep its distance from the Pro). And the base model should be 256 GB.
I got iPad Air from 2020 I think it has A14 bionic . Works as fast as new. almost 0 reason to upgrade. Does everything ipad supposed to do.
The only reason I see an upgrade for M chips is either you are doing 4K video editing (wrong tool imo) or some sort large drawings or multi layered illustrator/photoshop (again wrong tool imo).
The only reason I see an upgrade for M chips is either you are doing 4K video editing (wrong tool imo) or some sort large drawings or multi layered illustrator/photoshop (again wrong tool imo).
I am firmly in the camp that views iPads as "consumer" tools, as opposed to MacBook Airs and other computers being "production" tools. That said, I enjoy and get benefit from reading reviews like this one for the M3 iPad Air, even though it's not a product I would ever consider buying. (Individual comments on these reviews lare also enlightening.) Yes, I have an iPad (the last of 3 that I've owned since they were introduced), but it's a 6th generation, A1893 model, purchased in late 2018. I use it, some days, 6-7 hours, catching up on email, scrolling 'round the internet, doing light research. It has been a while since I've been able to update the OS, since I'm bumping up against its 32GB limit. But it has been a reliable piece of technology, the screen is scratch-free, all functions function and it's still very responsive. Apple designed and produced a tough piece of technology. (If anyone's interested, I paid U.S. $289 for it at the BX [I'm retired from the Air Force], which means no sales tax). So, yes, my point here is that I have an iPad that's been working reliably for 7 years, and likely won't need to be replaced anytime soon. Nothing described in this review of the iPad Air would give me anything of benefit beyond what I currently have.