iPad Air Graphics Performance 40-70% Better Than iPad 4

[MikhailT]

Still haven't seen any reports about apps running slowly on the iPad Air, quite the opposite so far. Imagine we do, however, get a report at some point about such an app running slowly on the iPad Air - can't imagine it'll be anything but "slow as molasses in January" on previous iPads, and that's the point.

I'm not sure what you're talking about, nobody said anything about slow performance. We're taking about having less resources for the apps to take advantage of.

In the case of iOS, when there's not enough memory, it starts to terminate other processes like your backgrounded apps, and it'd eventually stop holding on to some of the purgable memory space that your current focus app is using.

For an example, suppose you were using Mail and Twitter, you click on a link in either app to open in Safari. If you open a new tab in Mobile Safari and there's not enough memory, iOS will start to terminate Mail and Twitter processes. Meaning that if you go back to either one, you have to wait a few seconds for it to reload from the disk instead of an instant app switch. Suppose you then go back to Mobile Safari, you'll see the tab you had will reload itself because it was cached and iOS terminated it in the background due to low memory.

If iOS has the full 1GB of memory available (suppose we don't include iOS's processes here), those apps could all be waiting for you to switch instantly and you could have 5+ tabs opened before iOS started terminating processes.

With 64-bit CPUs and 64-bit apps (Mail already is, I think Twitterrific just optimized for 64-bit in the last app), you now have less than 700MB (since 64-bit apps eat up 30% more by default) and a 100-200MB used by iOS, you have practically around 512mb or less free available memory, that's not much. I am being very simplistic here with the numbers but that's what AnandTech found with the 64-bit processes.

If you're not doing a lot of things, iPad Air will be awesome. If you are, you'll start seeing the RAM starvation quickly than you're used to on the last two previous iPads.

I like that Apple went 64-bit to prepare for the future but they didn't do it right by not doubling the RAM IMO.

 

[hugodrax]

It's all meaningless when the game library on iOS is full of "tap here to win" games.

Yeah but now you can tap twice as fast.

 

[o0smoothies0o]

Because it doesn't matter to that commenter that you don't care for Touch ID? If his current iPad functions fine albeit a touch slow then why spend $500 now when 6 months from now the 'iPad Air 2' will have what he wants, Touch ID, and better processing and graphics due to its A7X processor.

A7X will never exist. Moreover it will likely be a year before they update again. iPad with retina display to the new iPad was a one time deal I'm sure.

 

[Klae17]

The jump in performance will be mind-blowing, no doubt. Some current iPad mini owners must feel bad that their iPad mini was more of a test for Apple to gauge the market.

Like every product?

 

[Michael CM1]

He has an iPad 3. While it might be a big jump in benchmarks to the Air, performance in day to day will be similar to existing units. His 3 already has retina. So unless the weight/size of the 3 is unbearable to him... it would only make sense to wait for a feature he wants before upgrading.

Btw, touch ID is awesome if you have long passwords and not 4 digit codes.

I'm in the same boat, except it's hard to justify a new iPad for just having a faster processor and being smaller. A new iPhone? Well, I was running out of space constantly on my iPhone 4S 16GB, and I was on Verizon 3G. LTE and 32GB of storage were enough to justify that $300, especially since I got $140 for my old phone. I paid $200 for that phone, so I only lost $60 on it.

Compare that to the iPad. I could get $210 for my iPad 3 and would have to spend $400 more to get a new one of the same storage capacity. It would be smaller and have a faster CPU, but that's it. I don't take my iPad with me most of the time because my iPhone 5S is darn good enough and fits in my pocket.

These speed improvements are great, as is the smaller size and lighter body. But I think it would take Touch ID to really get me itching. You know it'll come to the iPad models sooner or later, and I already feel antiquated typing in my passcode on my iPad.

 

[ezdj]

upgrade

...5 X faster than my ipad 3...

 

[tech324]

Why is the Surface 2 so much slower than the nvidia shield? Both have Tegra 4 processors. I would think they would have very similar performances.

 

[BvizioN]

If only they had given it 2GB of RAM. It would be fast for a few years.

Agreed! Perhaps Apple doesn't want it to be fast for too long? I personally don't keep an iDevice for more then 2 years. The resale value for Apple products is good and if you sale it on the right time you are really not loosing much, and still being able to have the latest.

 

[WilliamLondon]

I know you’ve been a big Mini supporter from day one - I was wondering after this announcement, if folks like yourself would upgrade, and if you’d consider an Air (not that it’s not even double the weight!).

I actually think we’re going from the 4th gen to a new Mini - the Air is crazy, but the Mini with retina seems even more perfect now, especially since we share with our 5.5 year old

Very good question, I knew when the full sized got the "mini treatment" it'd be a gorgeous device (even more than before), and it sure looks wonderful. I've thought a lot about whether I should go back to the full sized (used to own a gen 1) but I keep concluding that if I can only have one iPad, the mini is just right for me and with that new screen and internals, will be a great device for a long time. But, I can't say I'd be unhappy with the Air, not at all.

 

[dannys1]

Have you see the benchmarks of the 3rd gen to the 4th gen? Then the 4th gen to the Air? If your 3rd gen is running slow, it's not iOS 7's fault since I'm able to run it perfectly fine on my 2nd gen.

the iPad 2 runs stuff a LOT better than the bodge that was the iPad 3. Its severely under powered to run the retina screen it has.

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BUT IM NOT BUYING IT COS ITS UNDERPOWERED WITHOUT THE (non existent) A7X PROCESSOR. Screamed the moron.

 

[LagunaSol]

Do you own an iPad 3? I've had one since launch. The thing freezes and hangs up just visiting the App Store and iTunes. Even browsing Apple's main iPad website drops it to its knees. I'm not talking a stutter, I mean a complete freeze for a few seconds followed by jerky scrolling.

My iPad 2 turned to mush with iOS 7 until I followed another commenter's advice and did a backup and factory restore. Now all is good as new again.

 

[matrix07]

Exactly the same here. I'm psyched too!

I'm using my iPad 1 right now, and it sort of feels weird. I've had this little guy for 3 1/2 years, using it every day.... and little does he know that he'll be replaced in 2 days. I just can't bear to tell him.

Hug him long, and then tell him goodbye. Oh, and don't cry.

 

[etrinh]

Great post! But you do neglect the fact Apple releases new iPads yearly and expect people to either upgrade or be new customers. IMO giving the customer everything isnt going to help you sell more product. Just food for thought.

I'm not sure what you're talking about, nobody said anything about slow performance. We're taking about having less resources for the apps to take advantage of.

In the case of iOS, when there's not enough memory, it starts to terminate other processes like your backgrounded apps, and it'd eventually stop holding on to some of the purgable memory space that your current focus app is using.

For an example, suppose you were using Mail and Twitter, you click on a link in either app to open in Safari. If you open a new tab in Mobile Safari and there's not enough memory, iOS will start to terminate Mail and Twitter processes. Meaning that if you go back to either one, you have to wait a few seconds for it to reload from the disk instead of an instant app switch. Suppose you then go back to Mobile Safari, you'll see the tab you had will reload itself because it was cached and iOS terminated it in the background due to low memory.

If iOS has the full 1GB of memory available (suppose we don't include iOS's processes here), those apps could all be waiting for you to switch instantly and you could have 5+ tabs opened before iOS started terminating processes.

With 64-bit CPUs and 64-bit apps (Mail already is, I think Twitterrific just optimized for 64-bit in the last app), you now have less than 700MB (since 64-bit apps eat up 30% more by default) and a 100-200MB used by iOS, you have practically around 512mb or less free available memory, that's not much. I am being very simplistic here with the numbers but that's what AnandTech found with the 64-bit processes.

If you're not doing a lot of things, iPad Air will be awesome. If you are, you'll start seeing the RAM starvation quickly than you're used to on the last two previous iPads.

I like that Apple went 64-bit to prepare for the future but they didn't do it right by not doubling the RAM IMO.

 

[StyxMaker]

Do you own an iPad 3? I've had one since launch. The thing freezes and hangs up just visiting the App Store and iTunes. Even browsing Apple's main iPad website drops it to its knees. I'm not talking a stutter, I mean a complete freeze for a few seconds followed by jerky scrolling.

Touch ID is a good feature, but I can't imagine punishing myself for one more year with the 3 considering the new iPad has 5x the performance along with the complete design change and lighter weight.

I'm not having any of those problems with my 3, or even with my 2, on iOS 7. I think you need to look elsewhere for the problems.

 

[31 Flavas]

the iPad 2 runs stuff a LOT better than the bodge that was the iPad 3. Its severely under powered to run the retina screen it has.

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BUT IM NOT BUYING IT COS ITS UNDERPOWERED WITHOUT THE (non existent) A7X PROCESSOR. Screamed the moron.

This is getting too meta. It doesn't matter how powerful the iPad Air is or what the relative difference is between the two. It lacks the Touch ID sensor that the poster Avanpelt said they wanted. Since the iPad Air does not contain the Touch ID sensor they were going to wait for the next iteration of iPad as their existing iPad 3 is completely sufficient for them.

I agreed with them. Why spend the $500 now on a device that doesn't have what is wanted and will be underpowered compared to whatever the next iteration of iPad is that has TouchID. It's not a leap of imagination to presume it would have an A7X or A8 or whatever.

 

[dannys1]

This is getting too meta. It doesn't matter how powerful the iPad Air is or what the relative difference is between the two. It lacks the Touch ID sensor that the poster Avanpelt said they wanted. Since the iPad Air does not contain the Touch ID sensor they were going to wait for the next iteration of iPad as their existing iPad 3 is completely sufficient for them.

I agreed with them. Why spend the $500 now on a device that doesn't have what is wanted and will be underpowered compared to whatever the next iteration of iPad is that has TouchID. It's not a leap of imagination to presume it would have an A7X or A8 or whatever.

It'll have an A8 but by the point the iPhone might have another feature that suddenly means they don't want to buy that iPad and want it on it instead and ad infinitum. Theres always going to be something better in the next years model thats why its an upgrade. I don't worry, I just buy each new one and sell the last model and it barely costs me any money - and whilst those people sit on here moaning about it not having this, that or the other and waiting, always waiting for something better, I'm enjoying using it!

 

[Hephaestus]

If only they had given it 2GB of RAM. It would be fast for a few years.

Ever heard of planned obsolescence? They could easily have increased the RAM and the pathetic 16GB of base memory. But, why should they? You will all go out and buy a new one next year anyway. I don't mean you personally, but generally speaking.

 

[31 Flavas]

It'll have an A8 but by the point the iPhone might have another feature that suddenly means they don't want to buy that iPad and want it on it instead and ad infinitum.

That's up to that poster. But right now, Touch ID is what that poster wanted and the iPad Air doesn't have it. It's only natural that your needs or what you feel is most important are going to differ from theirs. It seems like there is mocking or otherwise berating of Avanpelt for this decision and that is just juvenile.

Oh don't get me wrong -- I'd like to buy every new Mac product (for that matter, a new car every year). But, selling off last years model is just not effort that everyone wants to go though. Nor does everyone care to take the monetary hit.

 

[xofruitcake]

He has an iPad 3. While it might be a big jump in benchmarks to the Air, performance in day to day will be similar to existing units. His 3 already has retina. So unless the weight/size of the 3 is unbearable to him... it would only make sense to wait for a feature he wants before upgrading.

Btw, touch ID is awesome if you have long passwords and not 4 digit codes.

huh??? I have an Ipad 3 and a 5s and I can say for sure that the day to day use is day and night difference. On Ipad 3, I have to wait a second or two on most websites while in the 5s everything open up a lot faster.. I can hardly wait for the Ipad air...

 

[monkeybear0145]

the iPad 2 runs stuff a LOT better than the bodge that was the iPad 3. Its severely under powered to run the retina screen it has.

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BUT IM NOT BUYING IT COS ITS UNDERPOWERED WITHOUT THE (non existent) A7X PROCESSOR. Screamed the moron.

Odd, I also have a 3rd Gen that I've never had issues with

 

[dannys1]

Odd, I also have a 3rd Gen that I've never had issues with

Not issues like "it doesn't work" just issues like, it runs like a dog compared to the iPad 4 which runs the way the 3 should have, hence the 6 month refresh with the processor that could handle the retina screen properly. If you know no different it's probably fine, but trust me the iPad 4 is a huge upgrade in terms of how iOS performs.

 

[monkeybear0145]

Not issues like "it doesn't work" just issues like, it runs like a dog compared to the iPad 4 which runs the way the 3 should have, hence the 6 month refresh with the processor that could handle the retina screen properly. If you know no different it's probably fine, but trust me the iPad 4 is a huge upgrade in terms of how iOS performs.

I'd just like to say that I now have the 4 and I can now tell the difference. I never noticed the slowness of the 3 till I got my 4.