iPad replacing iPad2 with Air 1 or 2??

[ckuttner]

I use my iPad2 16 Gb a lot...I'm a psychiatrist, retrieve notes from Fileapp, send them to Pages where I type patient notes using a Zagg keyboard, save them to Windoze box via cable, also enter info into an app that helps me justify my billings to insurance.

The problem...memory is just about full, a few Mb left even when I trim out what I don't need, and it's slow at times.
I'm thinking of replacing the old dear with an iPad Air 1 32Gb, or a 2 64Gb (I guess the 2 doesn't come in 32).
I'd just as gladly buy the cheaper alternative, but...suggestions???

thanks in advance

chas

 

[jrswizzle]

I use my iPad2 16 Gb a lot...I'm a psychiatrist, retrieve notes from Fileapp, send them to Pages where I type patient notes using a Zagg keyboard, save them to Windoze box via cable, also enter info into an app that helps me justify my billings to insurance.

The problem...memory is just about full, a few Mb left even when I trim out what I don't need, and it's slow at times.
I'm thinking of replacing the old dear with an iPad Air 1 32Gb, or a 2 64Gb (I guess the 2 doesn't come in 32).
I'd just as gladly buy the cheaper alternative, but...suggestions???

thanks in advance

chas

You should go for the 64 GB Air 2. If you want it to last as long or longer than your iPad 2, the Air 2 is the way to go. Big jump from the Air, it's by far the best tablet out there.

 

[kofman13]

You should go for the 64 GB Air 2. If you want it to last as long or longer than your iPad 2, the Air 2 is the way to go. Big jump from the Air, it's by far the best tablet out there.

Hate to jack this thread guys but my question is similar, didnt want to make a similar thread for no reason.

I have a FIRST gen 2010 ipad 1 (yes its so old), that I use everyday at work (music teacher) i mostly read sheet music on PDF and bring up lots of books and need to edit pdfs and go back and forth between documents fast. and also youtube and web browsing. The ipad 1 is getting so slow for me that It cant even handle pdfs larger than 10 pages, and also that it wont upgrade past iOS5.
My question is also, should i upgrade to ipad air 1 or 2? $100 difference for me

 

[jrswizzle]

Hate to jack this thread guys but my question is similar, didnt want to make a similar thread for no reason.



I have a FIRST gen 2010 ipad 1 (yes its so old), that I use everyday at work (music teacher) i mostly read sheet music on PDF and bring up lots of books and need to edit pdfs and go back and forth between documents fast. and also youtube and web browsing. The ipad 1 is getting so slow for me that It cant even handle pdfs larger than 10 pages, and also that it wont upgrade past iOS5.

My question is also, should i upgrade to ipad air 1 or 2? $100 difference for me

Yes. Same reasons I mentioned above. It's far and away better than the Air. Any upgrade the Air 3 will bring will be marginal from the Air 2.

 

[HarryWarden]

Yes. Same reasons I mentioned above. It's far and away better than the Air. Any upgrade the Air 3 will bring will be marginal from the Air 2.

To add to that: For those that upgrade so rarely, always go with the newest possible hardware because you likely will be using it for years. If you were going to upgrade again when Air 3 hit, either one would be fine in the interim.

 

[madgibbon]

If you want one that will last I would spend the extra cash on an Air 2. The extra memory and processor core should mean its more 'future proof' than the Air 1.

 

[andyw715]

The difference in price is probably only $100-150?

With your long refresh cycle, I think the extra cash is money well spent for the Air 2.

 

[nightlong]

I have both, and while the Air 1 works very well, the Air 2 has several improvements .. 2 GB of RAM, which is going to be increasingly significant, and a better screen (the Air 1 screen has a plastic feel), plus Touch ID,.

I recommend 64 GB.

 

[ckuttner]

Thank you!

Thank you so much for the input, folks.

I found this link
https://www.macrumors.com/roundup/ipad/

which almost makes me lean toward the original Air, but heck, we're talking only $100 difference between the two, at least in the 64/wifi only version I'm looking at...and less if I get a refurb.

On the other hand, our 2007 Macbook is running great since I replaced the HD with a SSD. But it's limited to 10.6.8. I keep wondering if the iPad 2 might help me delay getting a new MacBook...I would love to have iCloud photos, etc. running and don't really need a lot of processor power.

 

[flur]

I found this link
https://www.macrumors.com/roundup/ipad/

which almost makes me lean toward the original Air, but heck, we're talking only $100 difference between the two, at least in the 64/wifi only version I'm looking at...and less if I get a refurb.

What in there makes you lean toward the original Air? It seems like that article expounds on the wonderfulness of the Air 2.

I'm with everyone else here - get an Air 2. You won't regret it. I cannot name a single thing I dislike about mine.

 

[TechZeke]

If you want your iPad to last just as long as the iPad 2, go straight for the Air 2. $100 for the massive increase in performance and thus longevity is worth it.

 

[ckuttner]

What in there makes you lean toward the original Air? It seems like that article expounds on the wonderfulness of the Air 2.

I'm with everyone else here - get an Air 2. You won't regret it. I cannot name a single thing I dislike about mine.

Article says there's not THAT much advantage to the Air 2. "That said, the majority of iPad Air 2 reviews have indicated that there's no real compelling reason for most iPad Air owners to upgrade, as the improvements to the iPad Air 2 will not be noticeable for most tasks."

Since I'm buying one for me and one for my wife (Mother's Day approaches!), it's not going to be cheap, but the old iPads are destined for eBay to help with this.

 

[TechZeke]

Article says there's not THAT much advantage to the Air 2. "That said, the majority of iPad Air 2 reviews have indicated that there's no real compelling reason for most iPad Air owners to upgrade, as the improvements to the iPad Air 2 will not be noticeable for most tasks."

Since I'm buying one for me and one for my wife (Mother's Day approaches!), it's not going to be cheap, but the old iPads are destined for eBay to help with this.

Thats because there is not allot of apps taking advantage of the new hardware.(yet) In terms of pure performance, the iPad Air 2 is a quantum leap with the new tri-core A8 and 2GB of RAM. 3-4 years from now you will appreciate that extra performance.

 

[kevroc]

Article says there's not THAT much advantage to the Air 2. "That said, the majority of iPad Air 2 reviews have indicated that there's no real compelling reason for most iPad Air owners to upgrade, as the improvements to the iPad Air 2 will not be noticeable for most tasks."

Since I'm buying one for me and one for my wife (Mother's Day approaches!), it's not going to be cheap, but the old iPads are destined for eBay to help with this.

I would stay with the iPad Air 1. Money saved is money saved, period. Sure the 2 has a bit better specs but you don't need it so why pay for it?

If I were you I'd pick up a cheap iPad Air 32gb from swappa for <$350 and call it a day.

 

[flur]

Article says there's not THAT much advantage to the Air 2. "That said, the majority of iPad Air 2 reviews have indicated that there's no real compelling reason for most iPad Air owners to upgrade, as the improvements to the iPad Air 2 will not be noticeable for most tasks."

Since I'm buying one for me and one for my wife (Mother's Day approaches!), it's not going to be cheap, but the old iPads are destined for eBay to help with this.

Yeah, if you already had an iPad Air, there's little reason to upgrade, but if you don't already have an iPad Air, there's a lot of reason to choose the Air 2 over the Air. Now that Apple's added that extra memory, they're not likely to step back on future devices, and so future apps and OS upgrades will likely make more use of it, meaning that the Air will likely start feeling slow well before the Air 2 will. The Air 2 is also using a more powerful chip, which will contribute to longevity. And the screen is wonderful - there's no air gap, so the text and images feel like they're right there on the glass rather than below it. The older-style screen in the Air, while not a huge difference now, will make the Air feel out-of-date faster than the Air 2.

I think someone posted in another thread that Best Buy is doing a great deal on the Air 2 right now - I think it was the thread about Air 2 refurbs - that would be worth checking out.

 

[ckuttner]

I think someone posted in another thread that Best Buy is doing a great deal on the Air 2 right now - I think it was the thread about Air 2 refurbs - that would be worth checking out.

Ah, Best Buy. That's where I bought my shrink-wrapped "new" iPad2. It had someone else's data on it, e.g., FaceBook logon. I am not averse to buying refurbs, but not marked as new and not discounted. After I complained to the manager, they refunded me a small amount.

I am willing to pay a bit more to a store I trust. (I could actually save money using my Discover 5% cashback with Apple, and I do like dealing directly with them, but I'll stick with Powermax, I think....well, I am a shopping slut, so maybe I'll look into that refurb deal, anyway. Or not. )

 

[s2mikey]

You should go for the 64 GB Air 2. If you want it to last as long or longer than your iPad 2, the Air 2 is the way to go. Big jump from the Air, it's by far the best tablet out there.

No, it's not a big jump from the Air. Both tablets are a HUGE jump from the iPad 2 though. Other than more RAM, the Air 2s "upgrades" are trivial. Plus, it's so thin that vibration issues and such have to be considered.

Just wanted to make note of all that.

The Air is a great buy right now, that's for sure. It's a crackin tablet.

 

[jrswizzle]

Ah, Best Buy. That's where I bought my shrink-wrapped "new" iPad2. It had someone else's data on it, e.g., FaceBook logon. I am not averse to buying refurbs, but not marked as new and not discounted. After I complained to the manager, they refunded me a small amount.

I am willing to pay a bit more to a store I trust. (I could actually save money using my Discover 5% cashback with Apple, and I do like dealing directly with them, but I'll stick with Powermax, I think....well, I am a shopping slut, so maybe I'll look into that refurb deal, anyway. Or not. )

If it had mattered, you could've simply returned it and purchased one brand new.

My guess, one of the open box returns got mixed in with the brand new ones that needed to be re shrink-wrapped (necessary when the original plastic gets torn in transit or storage).

Best Buy wasn't trying to screw you....

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No, it's not a big jump from the Air. Both tablets are a HUGE jump from the iPad 2 though. Other than more RAM, the Air 2s "upgrades" are trivial. Plus, it's so thin that vibration issues and such have to be considered.

Just wanted to make note of all that.

The Air is a great buy right now, that's for sure. It's a crackin tablet.

If you call double the processor speed, a better display (both in contrast and the fact that it has an anti-glare coating), better cameras (on par with iSight camera in the iPhone), more RAM, more storage options, more color options, better battery life (in my experience), thinner and lighter....all that "trivial"....not sure what would constitute a "good upgrade". Also, what does that make the Mini 2 > Mini 3? (which WAS a trivial upgrade).

Ya, no. Totally go for the year old product....there's no difference :roll eyes:

As someone else above mentioned. If you are moving from an iPad 2, chances are you're looking for something that will last. Paying the extra $100 for the latest possible model is ALWAYS the way to go. It WILL last longer.

Especially given the "twice the speed" thing....there are apps that can stress the Air. Nothing stresses the Air 2.

----------

Article says there's not THAT much advantage to the Air 2. "That said, the majority of iPad Air 2 reviews have indicated that there's no real compelling reason for most iPad Air owners to upgrade, as the improvements to the iPad Air 2 will not be noticeable for most tasks."

Since I'm buying one for me and one for my wife (Mother's Day approaches!), it's not going to be cheap, but the old iPads are destined for eBay to help with this.

Again - nothing phases the Air 2 NOW. Improvements will not be noticeable for most tasks NOW.

If you keep this tablet as long as you kept your iPad 2, you don't think apps and iOS won't become more capable to the point where double the processor speed would be noticeable?

Who knows where we'll be in another 4.5 years?

 

[imaccooper]

I made a similar decision recently coming from the iPad 2 and ended up saving a pretty significant (ended up being close to $200 because of random discounts etc.) amount by getting the air 1. I see that you are a new member so just want to give you a heads up that since this is a tech forum, most people are always going to suggest that you get the absolute latest piece of technology because that's just what we like to do. In my limited experience, the air 2 is unbelievable, but I couldn't justify spending more on it for my needs. If my budget wasn't a concern then I obviously would go all out, but in the end the $100 was more important to me than satisfaction of knowing I will be able to run an app the won't be programmed for 2 more years.

My point is, remember that you are on a mac obsessed tech forum (which is a good choice) and almost everyone is going to automatically suggest the newest model. Take all opinions, including mine, with a small amount of criticism and always make the decision that you feel good about.

It appears we use our iPads in much the same ways and I can tell you that with my fairly extensive daily use I have yet to encounter a problem with the air 1.

 

[theusualsuspect]

Keep in mind that whatever you do it will be a massive upgrade for you. You'll be happy with either one.

That said, the Air 2 will give you an extra 1-2 years compared to the Air 1 in terms of performance, but this is dependent on how you use it. If you are getting by with an iPad 2 you probably don't need the extra horsepower the Air 2 offers, and it may be a long time before either of these feel old and slow. (I can easily see the Air 1 lasting another 3 years with no problem.)

If it were me I'd look for a 32GB Air 1 for less than $300 and save your money.

 

[ckrajcik]

I went from the iPad 2 to the iPad Air 2 as soon as it was released. Best buy offered some trade in program for old iPads . It was probably the best decision I've ever made when talking upgrades..... I was really holding off on this and my iPad 2 had lasted me for so long but it was just time to let it go. Anyways, since tablets do last so long maybe just MAYBE you can wait a little longer for the Air 3 or whatever apple will call it... The air 2 Is a great device but updates are on the way.......

 

[Vesuvio Cat]

I've owned Air 1 and Air 2. There is a MASSIVE difference in the speed and feel. I gave my Air 1 to my son, who loves it. But the Air 2 is a laptop killer. It is so much better than the Air 1.

One thing is for sure, going from Gen 1 to either will blow you away.

 

[ckuttner]

Thank you to all of you for the excellent discussion and ideas.

Here's what I've decided--and have initiated via email discussion with a salesperson:

I'm ordering one iPad Air 2 64 for me, one for my wife.

Staples had another of their specials: $539, but I'd already started discussion by phone with Powermax and got some good advice--not unlike this forum, salesperson said the iPad Air would not be a bad choice--and I am willing to pay more for a company I've trusted and want to have around for the future. Between my paying them a higher price, and the 5% Staples cashback I would have received from Discover, I'm paying about $140 more total. Some of the savvy shoppers here will say I got a bad deal, but I do like to support stores that have treated me well for years. (And I'm a bit biased, as my parents had an office supply store that would have been put out of business when Staples came along. I get a good feeling supporting full-service stores.)

I'm glad I'm a member here, you folks have been helpful (and may continue to be so!)

 

[Ladybug]

JMHO but as everyone knows usually Apple updates reach a point where older devices don't work as well on the latest update. That to me is reason enough to go with an Air 2 plus it has double the ram if you want a device that will last you a long time. Older devices tend to slow down with updates. Of course you always have the option to not update I suppose. Anyway just my thoughts. Best of luck with whatever you decide.

 

[kaielement]

I would stay with the iPad Air 1. Money saved is money saved, period. Sure the 2 has a bit better specs but you don't need it so why pay for it?

If I were you I'd pick up a cheap iPad Air 32gb from swappa for <$350 and call it a day.

No, it's not a big jump from the Air. Both tablets are a HUGE jump from the iPad 2 though. Other than more RAM, the Air 2s "upgrades" are trivial. Plus, it's so thin that vibration issues and such have to be considered.

Just wanted to make note of all that.

The Air is a great buy right now, that's for sure. It's a crackin tablet.

I know a person who bought an iPad 1 when the iPad 2 came out to save money. If he had spent the extra $100 the tablet would run iOS 8 and gotten much better longivety. That being said when I upgrade I always go for the latest so that I can get the best longivety because I don't know if in a year or two I will be able to afford a new device. It's nice to know I am getting the best longivety. So my two cents is don't listen to them.