iPad Air 2 Buying Advice: iPad + iPhone? One or the other?

[ShiggyMiyamoto]

Hello all. I've not posted here in quite a while. So, I've been away from the ecosystem for quite sometime now (with my giving my iPhone 5 to my mom for Christmas, and my MacBook being dead now since almost 2 years) and I think I want to migrate back. I'm getting around $400 via tax refund, and I was thinking of getting an iPad Air 2 16 GB WiFi only model. Later along the line though I'd also like an iPhone 6 Plus since I have an upgrade on my line. This got me thinking: the 6+ and iPad Air 2 are about half the display size of each other (if that makes sense). I'd essentially be getting all the functionality of the iPad on the 6+ , but it's pocketable as well as it having cell radios for portable internet etc., but then again the iPad has a slightly faster CPU with an additional core available, and has a bigger display. What should I do? In the next month or so I want to get the iPad, and soon after I'd also like to upgrade my phone (currently have a Google Nexus 5).

I'd use the 6+ and iPad for pretty much the same purposes, aside from the cellular features of the 6+. I feel that watching videos (movies / TV shows etc) on a 5.5" display isn't as enjoyable as watching the same content on a 9.7" Retina HD display such as that of the iPad Air 2.

Suggestions?

-ShiggyMiyamoto

 

[imaccooper]

If you are asking whether or not you should buy both, then i suppose that depends on if you have enough money set aside to do so (more than the $400 you mentioned from your tax refund).

If you are asking if you will use both devices enough to justify their purchases then I believe so. I expect one will win out over the other for more of your use, but they will both be used given your implied uses.

If you are asking if you will enjoy using both devices then I fully except you will as almost everyone I talk to loves their new iPhone or iPad.

If you are asking if I think you should buy them, then you absolutely should because I think you will love it (but its not my money so I also think you should also go get a maxed out 5K iMac, maxed out macbook pro, and get 4 apple TV's and 4 TV's just because you have 4 apple TV's).

In all four scenarios you end up with an iPad air 2 and a 6+ and apple gets their money so everyone is happy. Plus you followed my advice so that makes me happy too.

 

[ApfelKuchen]

A Wi-Fi iPad and an iPhone are not interchangeable. One is a phone, the other isn't. So, whether you keep your current phone and buy an iPad, or you get a new iPhone to complement the iPad... one way or the other, if you want the iPad, you will have two devices, not one.

Also, check your math... It's true that 9.7" diagonal is around twice 5.5", but the area of the iPad 2 display is around 3.35 times that of the iPhone 6 Plus (approx. 13 sq in vs. approx. 43.85 sq in).

Perhaps your best compromise is an iPhone 6 and an iPad 2. Apply the $100 you save on the iPhone to the cost of the iPad. When you travel "light" (without the iPad), you sacrifice a bit compared to the iPhone 6 Plus, but the need for the iPad will be more obvious. Most likely, you'll end up using the iPad more frequently if you owned the smaller iPhone, so then you'll feel like the purchase of the iPad is more justifiable.

As to processor power... the single core Geekbench scores for the iPad 2 vs. iPhone 6 or 6 Plus are quite similar, while the multi-core scores are substantially different. The question is, will you actually be taking advantage of the extra cores? That depends on the apps you run.

 

[ShiggyMiyamoto]

A Wi-Fi iPad and an iPhone are not interchangeable. One is a phone, the other isn't. So, whether you keep your current phone and buy an iPad, or you get a new iPhone to complement the iPad... one way or the other, if you want the iPad, you will have two devices, not one.

Also, check your math... It's true that 9.7" diagonal is around twice 5.5", but the area of the iPad 2 display is around 3.35 times that of the iPhone 6 Plus (approx. 13 sq in vs. approx. 43.85 sq in).

Perhaps your best compromise is an iPhone 6 and an iPad 2. Apply the $100 you save on the iPhone to the cost of the iPad. When you travel "light" (without the iPad), you sacrifice a bit compared to the iPhone 6 Plus, but the need for the iPad will be more obvious. Most likely, you'll end up using the iPad more frequently if you owned the smaller iPhone, so then you'll feel like the purchase of the iPad is more justifiable.

As to processor power... the single core Geekbench scores for the iPad 2 vs. iPhone 6 or 6 Plus are quite similar, while the multi-core scores are substantially different. The question is, will you actually be taking advantage of the extra cores? That depends on the apps you run.

First off, I never said or meant to imply that I wanted the two devices to be "interchangeable". I'm well aware that one's a phone and the other is a tablet. And yes, I am trying to decide if I indeed want two devices.

Next, when you're mentioning the 9.7" display of the iPad Air 2 and the 5.5" display of the iPhone 6+ do you mean to say "iPad 2" or "iPad Air 2"? They are very different devices, and the iPad 2 (notice the exclusion of the word "air") is based on hardware similar to the iPhone 4, of which cannot run anything higher than iOS 7, and I wouldn't want a device that's not futureproof and upgradeable.

Next point would be to say how can a device released in 2011 or 2012 based on the iPhone 4 match benchmark scores (which aren't everything remember) to today's iPhones? That makes no sense. Here's a spec sheet for the iPad 2 courtesy of EveryMac.com:

http://www.everymac.com/systems/apple/ipad/specs/apple-ipad-2-wi-fi-specs.html

Finally, to answer your "will you take advantage of the extra cores?" question, I want a device that's futureproof and usable for at least 2-3 years. The iPad (non air) 2 will not do that for me, and it's slow as crap. Even the iPad 3, which was supposed to fix that is laggy, and I don't want any lag messing with my experience on my tablet. I'm spending $400+ on it. As for how I'd use the devices? Well the iPhone 6+ would be my phone... for texting, light web browsing, and taking and making phone calls. Stuff like that. The iPad Air 2 would mainly be for media consumption, and maybe some light gaming. Before you say regarding gaming that I should get a gaming console, I have several that I usually take with me when I travel. Also, if you're going to recommend an iPod Touch for media consumption, then I might as well not get an iPad Air 2 and just use the iPhone for such, of which I don't want to do.

EDIT: also check this out: http://www.amazon.com/Apple-MGLW2LL...TF8&qid=1423674255&sr=8-2&keywords=iPad+Air+2 <== look at the 3 item combo around 1/3 of the way down the page. That's a great deal.

EDIT 2: I ended up ordering that Amazon bundle there, and it's due to arrive either Monday or Tuesday of this week. I'm excited. I'll post my first impressions (in the proper forum of course) when I get it in form of an unboxing video.