I upgraded from a 4 to the Air, and what I love most I love about it is how much lighter it is and the design. You won't see the difference in performance unless you are doing something that requires more CPU usage, and until developers release apps to take advantage of the A7. There is slight speed increases in basic things such as surfing the web and opening up some apps. The speakers sound better to. I, am not a fan of the new smart covers though.
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iPad iPad Air HANDS ON REVIEW Thread...
- Thread starter Bossyman
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I went from iPad 3 to Tmobile iPad Air. To be honest I've been stealing the kids iPad mini a lot because it's easier to hold & type on. For this reason I was planning to hold out for a retina mini, but after checking an iPad air out in store I was very impressed & took the plunge.
It is so much lighter and definitely easy to one hand while reading. The mimo is also impressive as this is the first wireless device I've had that can pull the full 30mbps I get from my internet service. Typing is still a little more cumbersome than the mini but I can live with that. I really think the extra screen size is beneficial vs the mini.
Tmobile was also great, I did the no money down, 26 bucks a month for 2 years deal, 200mb free for life, they were very friendly & quick. No hassles or nagging up selling. Too bad their cell service is poor in my town or I would switch from Verizon to them.
It is so much lighter and definitely easy to one hand while reading. The mimo is also impressive as this is the first wireless device I've had that can pull the full 30mbps I get from my internet service. Typing is still a little more cumbersome than the mini but I can live with that. I really think the extra screen size is beneficial vs the mini.
Tmobile was also great, I did the no money down, 26 bucks a month for 2 years deal, 200mb free for life, they were very friendly & quick. No hassles or nagging up selling. Too bad their cell service is poor in my town or I would switch from Verizon to them.
iPad 3 (with iOS6)
iPad Air
If I was walking into a room trying to raise money to build a new type device, I'd rather put the iPad 3 into the hands of potential investors than the iPair. The 3 feels more like high quality metal & glass, a product that's built to last. But after turning it on and toting it around, the iPair wins out on functionality.
- better screen feel--feels like thick glass, cool to the touch like glass
- overall heft lends a sense of quality, solidly built front-to-back
- works wonderfully w/iOS6
iPad Air
- weight is WOW lighter... very obvious
- screen looks & feels thinner, not so cool to the touch like glass, slightly lesser feel under my index finger
- sound is much improved, in part due to the less rigid back that acts as a passive radiator
- less rigid back imparts a less hefty/solid feel
- nice wifi speed bump
If I was walking into a room trying to raise money to build a new type device, I'd rather put the iPad 3 into the hands of potential investors than the iPair. The 3 feels more like high quality metal & glass, a product that's built to last. But after turning it on and toting it around, the iPair wins out on functionality.
I'm really impressed so far. In addition to the general weight reduction it also seems that Apple has shifted some of the heavier components to the bottom of the iPad. (At least in portrait)
This means that the device becomes easier to hold and manipulate because the weight is closer to your hands. Maybe It's just a perception on my part, but it really does seem much more ergonomic.
This means that the device becomes easier to hold and manipulate because the weight is closer to your hands. Maybe It's just a perception on my part, but it really does seem much more ergonomic.
I am upgrading from an iPad 2. After the iOS7 upgrade, I was noticing periodic lag when I was typing, which gave me the feeling that the iPad 2 was slow.
I purchased the AT&T 32GB iPad Air as well as the leather smart case. I had hoped for a leather smart cover, but evidently those have been discontinued.
The new iPad is noticeably faster. The AT&T LTE network download is as fast as my Time Warner internet (15Gbs), and the upload is much faster (8-10Gbs). Internet access is crisp. No lag when typing! Apps fly open! I noticed the lightness immediately. However, when touching the screen and typing, there is definitely a different "feel" to the screen than with the iPad 2. The iPad 2 feels a bit more "solid", although I am sure I will get used to the new feel quickly. "Solid" also means "heavy". I love the Retina display--I participate in a lot of forums and discussion groups, and the text is much crisper.
The smart case fits snugly (good), but also feels significantly different than the smart cover. The hinge between the cover and the case is leather, and doesn't feel as substantial as the metal hinge on the old smart cover. Time will tell whether the hinge will wear well. When holding the Air in its smart case, the edge of the case is somewhat sharp, and doesn't have the rounded feel of the iPad 2. I find this to be slightly less comfortable.
I immediately turned on "Reduce Motion" in the Accessibility menu. The motion in iOS7 is excessive.
So far, I like the iPad Air, and have no regrets with the purchase.
I purchased the AT&T 32GB iPad Air as well as the leather smart case. I had hoped for a leather smart cover, but evidently those have been discontinued.
The new iPad is noticeably faster. The AT&T LTE network download is as fast as my Time Warner internet (15Gbs), and the upload is much faster (8-10Gbs). Internet access is crisp. No lag when typing! Apps fly open! I noticed the lightness immediately. However, when touching the screen and typing, there is definitely a different "feel" to the screen than with the iPad 2. The iPad 2 feels a bit more "solid", although I am sure I will get used to the new feel quickly. "Solid" also means "heavy". I love the Retina display--I participate in a lot of forums and discussion groups, and the text is much crisper.
The smart case fits snugly (good), but also feels significantly different than the smart cover. The hinge between the cover and the case is leather, and doesn't feel as substantial as the metal hinge on the old smart cover. Time will tell whether the hinge will wear well. When holding the Air in its smart case, the edge of the case is somewhat sharp, and doesn't have the rounded feel of the iPad 2. I find this to be slightly less comfortable.
I immediately turned on "Reduce Motion" in the Accessibility menu. The motion in iOS7 is excessive.
So far, I like the iPad Air, and have no regrets with the purchase.
Ditto, you're absolutely right.
I run lot of music synthesizer apps on my iPad 3, and some of the heavier ones would only run "OK" if I first killed every other app in the multitasking view, even then they could get choppy...
With the iPad Air, I can 4 (!) of these same apps simultaneously without a hitch, and the App Store, Safari, Mail, etc. don't need to be killed to do it! It's really astounding to me from what I'm used to.
S
syd430
Guest
I'm the opposite. I didn't have the v-sync ("screen wobble") issues on my ipad 4, but do have it on my Air, just like my ipad 3. It a screen manufacturer rather than a model problem., and they're still in circulation.
I picked up my Air yesterday afternoon. Upgraded from an iPad 3.
Huge, huge improvement across the board. Obviously the form factor is many times better. It's so much lighter yet still feels premium. Holding it one handed for a good while is no problem. I love the narrower shape, and the big screen seems to fill the whole front of the device (almost), due to the narrow bezels. Captain Picard would be jealous. This is better than what he had.
Let's talk about the speed. In two words, mind blown. For context, I use the heck out of my iPad for pleasure and work. The work side of things is where the 3 was sometimes disappointing. I do a lot of email, big attachments, etc. I view and mark up large, complex PDFs. I create diagrams and figures, and do some document creation as well (to the extent feasible on the iPad). I browse complex websites and have many tabs open at once, switching between them quickly, searching multiple websites for a cheap flight or whatever. The 3 could do all this but there was a good degree of lag, slow rendering (of PDFs and web pages), stalls between switching apps, etc. So I always felt limited as to what I could comfortably achieve on the iPad. I often went back to my PC after getting frustrated with the slowness.
But I've been trying all these tasks out on my new Air, and the CPU never even breaks a sweat. It just flies through all this. Even the built-in PDF viewer, which was never that fast, renders the most complex PDFs (including scanned bitmap docs) in less than a second. Web browsing is also much more enjoyable. All the little lags and rendering delays are gone.
Light users of the iPad may not notice the difference all that much. Youtube video comparisons may not fully convey the speed difference. But if you are a person who appreciates high responsiveness in your PC, and want the same in your tablet, then you'll definitely see the difference in this iPad.
In terms of performance, I feel like Apple has crammed a MacBook Air into my iPad. It's really nice. I expect I'll be able to get a whole lot more computing done on the couch without going to my PC.
The last comment I'll make is that the display is better. Now it's the same resolution, same brightness, etc. But what's better is more even lighting and lower reflectivity. It's nicer to read a book or web page on the Air. It's a subtle difference but it matters to me.
Huge, huge improvement across the board. Obviously the form factor is many times better. It's so much lighter yet still feels premium. Holding it one handed for a good while is no problem. I love the narrower shape, and the big screen seems to fill the whole front of the device (almost), due to the narrow bezels. Captain Picard would be jealous. This is better than what he had.
Let's talk about the speed. In two words, mind blown. For context, I use the heck out of my iPad for pleasure and work. The work side of things is where the 3 was sometimes disappointing. I do a lot of email, big attachments, etc. I view and mark up large, complex PDFs. I create diagrams and figures, and do some document creation as well (to the extent feasible on the iPad). I browse complex websites and have many tabs open at once, switching between them quickly, searching multiple websites for a cheap flight or whatever. The 3 could do all this but there was a good degree of lag, slow rendering (of PDFs and web pages), stalls between switching apps, etc. So I always felt limited as to what I could comfortably achieve on the iPad. I often went back to my PC after getting frustrated with the slowness.
But I've been trying all these tasks out on my new Air, and the CPU never even breaks a sweat. It just flies through all this. Even the built-in PDF viewer, which was never that fast, renders the most complex PDFs (including scanned bitmap docs) in less than a second. Web browsing is also much more enjoyable. All the little lags and rendering delays are gone.
Light users of the iPad may not notice the difference all that much. Youtube video comparisons may not fully convey the speed difference. But if you are a person who appreciates high responsiveness in your PC, and want the same in your tablet, then you'll definitely see the difference in this iPad.
In terms of performance, I feel like Apple has crammed a MacBook Air into my iPad. It's really nice. I expect I'll be able to get a whole lot more computing done on the couch without going to my PC.
The last comment I'll make is that the display is better. Now it's the same resolution, same brightness, etc. But what's better is more even lighting and lower reflectivity. It's nicer to read a book or web page on the Air. It's a subtle difference but it matters to me.
I agree about the iPad 3 feeling more solid. As much as I can appreciate that the drop in weight was greatly needed, it also makes the device feel less 'premium' I guess. To me at least.
Redman042,
Wow, nice review. You coming from a 3 and being pleased means I should've be ecstatic versus my current Mini. And I even found some garments I can fit the Air into one of their pockets! I know I should be concerned with more important things but portability matters!
Folks should read your post before returning it. You are more a power user so to speak versus countless people who will owe an Air and if you are impressed, .......
Wow, nice review. You coming from a 3 and being pleased means I should've be ecstatic versus my current Mini. And I even found some garments I can fit the Air into one of their pockets! I know I should be concerned with more important things but portability matters!
Folks should read your post before returning it. You are more a power user so to speak versus countless people who will owe an Air and if you are impressed, .......
Air is my favorite full sized iPad to-date mostly because of the weight and form factor. It's not exciting but it makes it so much more useful because it feel good to hold and carpal tunnel doing so. I wish the rear camera had a flash and did slo-mo effects like the 5s. Especially with the later its inconceivable why Apple omitted that feature.
Other than weight the most noticeable difference between the 3 and Air is I can now hear the speakers w/o having to cup them. Huge improvement there. On maybe a less positive note for some, the glass is thinner therefore has less of a solid feel almost hollow. It's something I noticed after mentioned here but it's not something that immediately connects to me when I use it like say a thin sounding car door.
Internet feels better as far a load times but actual speeds for me are identical to my 3 with both WiFi and LTE. WiFi is about 8mbps (I pay for and get 25 on my rMBP). ATT LTE is about 4-7 inside my house. My router is a 2nd gen 802.11n Extreme + 2nd gen 802.11n express. The Extreme is suppose to be MIMO but not sure if using the Express with it disables that feature.
I still like the mini thought and don't think the Air replaces it in any way. There is something to be said for an even smaller form factor but with sharper text. Can't wait to upgrade that one as well.
Other than weight the most noticeable difference between the 3 and Air is I can now hear the speakers w/o having to cup them. Huge improvement there. On maybe a less positive note for some, the glass is thinner therefore has less of a solid feel almost hollow. It's something I noticed after mentioned here but it's not something that immediately connects to me when I use it like say a thin sounding car door.
Internet feels better as far a load times but actual speeds for me are identical to my 3 with both WiFi and LTE. WiFi is about 8mbps (I pay for and get 25 on my rMBP). ATT LTE is about 4-7 inside my house. My router is a 2nd gen 802.11n Extreme + 2nd gen 802.11n express. The Extreme is suppose to be MIMO but not sure if using the Express with it disables that feature.
I still like the mini thought and don't think the Air replaces it in any way. There is something to be said for an even smaller form factor but with sharper text. Can't wait to upgrade that one as well.
in flight from Raleigh to Seattle right now. I'm really getting a feel for the air. reading for hours, no wrist fatigue whatsoever. I was able to use the air on takeoff too... finally!
I was a mini user since it launched, other full sized iPads before that. thought I would try the air while I waited for the rMini. forget that. the air is super light, thumb typing is a breeze, and I don't have to squint at text anymore.
I can actually view spreadsheets again too. the big screen was missed for my usage pattern.
opinions will vary, but I suggest all mini users give the air some time in-store. you might realize you don't need to go as small as the mini. some will, but I bet a measurable number will opt for the Air.
I was a mini user since it launched, other full sized iPads before that. thought I would try the air while I waited for the rMini. forget that. the air is super light, thumb typing is a breeze, and I don't have to squint at text anymore.
I can actually view spreadsheets again too. the big screen was missed for my usage pattern.
opinions will vary, but I suggest all mini users give the air some time in-store. you might realize you don't need to go as small as the mini. some will, but I bet a measurable number will opt for the Air.
Redman042,
Wow, nice review. You coming from a 3 and being pleased means I should've be ecstatic versus my current Mini. And I even found some garments I can fit the Air into one of their pockets! I know I should be concerned with more important things but portability matters!
Folks should read your post before returning it. You are more a power user so to speak versus countless people who will owe an Air and if you are impressed, .......
Thanks. I'm sure not everyone will agree with me. Depends very much on whether a person tries to use their iPad as a laptop replacement (me) or for lightweight consumption only (many others). If you are like me, this tablet will blow you away.
I've been using my iPad as a laptop replacement for about 50% of the productivity things that I do (I manage an engineering office, so productivity is a big deal to me). There were two major reasons the iPad didn't quite get there: the capabilities of the productivity apps, and processor speed. The Air solves the latter issue big-time. As for the former, it gets better every month. I just loaded the new iWork apps, and they are amazingly good. I'm completely tied to MS Office at work, and iWork now looks like a viable way to work in Office formats remotely (with still some limitations). And the Air's speed makes it a completely fluid experience. No slower than a modern desktop PC.
Can you tell how stoked I am?
Same exact feeling here. The perceived speed increase is noticeable for me. Apps like Real Racing and Asphalt 8 are very smooth.
The air is my first ipad I've owned. Don't know how I managed without one before! Can't really compare it to the previous generations but everything is as promised so far!