It's not! A19 Pro is not just about raw power, but, it's also about efficiency. An efficient processor on a device with smaller battery is a good thing to have.
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iPhone Air Returned the Air ... wanted to keep it. UPDATE: Bought it again!
- Thread starter danpass
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It's not! A19 Pro is not just about raw power, but, it's also about efficiency. An efficient processor on a device with smaller battery is a good thing to have.
That would still be the size of the iPad mini when folded in half. I reckon we'd need a tri-fold for that.
I got an iPhone Air about a week ago, coming from a 16PM. My one word summary review would have to be: "relief". It made me realize just how much my 16PM felt like a ball and chain to me. I couldn't tolerate the PM in my pocket (it felt and looked awkward), so I always had it in a cross body fanny pack. But that was annoying for me in two ways--it meant I always had to wear the fanny pack when I went out, and it was cumbersome taking out/putting back the phone so many times per day (vs just slipping it in and out of my pocket). Not to mention holding and using the thick heavy phone always felt like a chore. Contrast that to the Air which is comparatively so slim and light that I can finally keep my phone in my pocket again. Not as unnoticeable in my pocket as my beloved SE1 was, but a million times better than the PM. And every time I pick up/pull out the Air to use many times a day, it's a pleasure.
For me, the only real sacrifice was the extra camera lenses. Every other trade off is either insignificant to me and/or can be worked around.
The battery life is plenty for me day to day. There will be the rare occasions that I need more battery, but in 99% of those situations there will either be chargers available around me, or it will be during a planned outing in which case I'd bring a MagSafe battery (which I did anyway with my PM even though I never came close to running out of battery). Also one kind of convenience of the smaller battery in the Air is that it charges up to full in less time.
I find the single speaker absolutely fine. It's not worlds different from the PM to me. The PM is better, but not dramatically. One isn't bad and the other good. To me all phone speakers are bad. They can be good for being phone speakers, but not good for being speakers in general. If I want a good listening experience, then I'll always output to dedicated speakers or headphones. All I want from a phone speaker is to be able to hear speech clearly and loudly and sound ok. In that regard, I find the Air is pretty similar to the PM.
Actually, one other sacrifice for me was the usbc display port. I imagine this is not common though. For me, it's only because I sometimes use XR glasses during downtimes when I'm reclining in my car or when I'm traveling on a plain/train or in a hotel room, to watch video or read. But it's not a huge necessity, plus I can still use the glasses with my iPad. It will just be available in less situations since I don't always have my iPad with me. And not having an iPad cellular plan, I won't be able to stream video on it unless I'm somewhere with free wifi. Then I'd have to just use my phone screen, which isn't the end of the world.
Again, the camera is the main sacrifice to me. And it's probably because it's the one trade off for which there aren't any feasible workarounds. For the battery and speaker trade offs, one can mitigate them by being strategic about bringing portable batteries/headphones, and placing chargers and speakers where needed. But for the absent camera lenses, basically the only thing you can do is bring another dedicated camera with you everywhere you go, which I'm guessing not many want to do. So if other things about the Air bother you, I'd say you might be able to figure out workarounds. But if the camera is the big issue for you, then the Air is likely not the phone for you.
Despite the sacrifice, the Air is still worth it to me--just because the enjoyment the Air gives me the 99% of the time I'm not taking pictures outweighs what the Pro camera gives me when I am taking pictures. Plus I still carry a fanny pack sometimes, so I would be fine carrying a compact point and shoot camera in it for zoom shots on certain occasions. Looking into camera options. Might alternatively get lens attachments for the Air.
Also I should mention, I'm using the Air without any case or screen protector (although I did buy the bumper case). For 3 reasons:
- it seems to be made pretty durable according to reviews
- I always use a phone grip
- I'm pretty good about not dropping stuff
Also I tend to not care about slight imperfections, as long as it's usable and not a super obvious eye sore. So if it does eventually get some minor scuffs, I'd accept that vs always having a case on it adding to its bulk (especially annoying in my pocket), or having a screen protector on it which as far as I know will be a downgrade in either screen clarity, oleophobic coating, or anti-reflection. I'll probably use the bumper case when I go hiking, camping, etc. Maybe I'll use a reusable screen protector too if that exists.
By the way, the phone grip I use is from Snap. It's my favorite grip due to its MagSafe charging pass through, super thinness, and stand mode. As far as I know, it's the only phone grip with all those features. Especially because of its super thinness, I wouldn't want to use any other grip with the Air.
I hope thin and light iPhones stay around for the long haul. I know they won't ever match thick Pro phones in terms of features (due to physics), but I hope they keep improving. (Although I'd still prefer a small one-handed phone).
For me, the only real sacrifice was the extra camera lenses. Every other trade off is either insignificant to me and/or can be worked around.
The battery life is plenty for me day to day. There will be the rare occasions that I need more battery, but in 99% of those situations there will either be chargers available around me, or it will be during a planned outing in which case I'd bring a MagSafe battery (which I did anyway with my PM even though I never came close to running out of battery). Also one kind of convenience of the smaller battery in the Air is that it charges up to full in less time.
I find the single speaker absolutely fine. It's not worlds different from the PM to me. The PM is better, but not dramatically. One isn't bad and the other good. To me all phone speakers are bad. They can be good for being phone speakers, but not good for being speakers in general. If I want a good listening experience, then I'll always output to dedicated speakers or headphones. All I want from a phone speaker is to be able to hear speech clearly and loudly and sound ok. In that regard, I find the Air is pretty similar to the PM.
Actually, one other sacrifice for me was the usbc display port. I imagine this is not common though. For me, it's only because I sometimes use XR glasses during downtimes when I'm reclining in my car or when I'm traveling on a plain/train or in a hotel room, to watch video or read. But it's not a huge necessity, plus I can still use the glasses with my iPad. It will just be available in less situations since I don't always have my iPad with me. And not having an iPad cellular plan, I won't be able to stream video on it unless I'm somewhere with free wifi. Then I'd have to just use my phone screen, which isn't the end of the world.
Again, the camera is the main sacrifice to me. And it's probably because it's the one trade off for which there aren't any feasible workarounds. For the battery and speaker trade offs, one can mitigate them by being strategic about bringing portable batteries/headphones, and placing chargers and speakers where needed. But for the absent camera lenses, basically the only thing you can do is bring another dedicated camera with you everywhere you go, which I'm guessing not many want to do. So if other things about the Air bother you, I'd say you might be able to figure out workarounds. But if the camera is the big issue for you, then the Air is likely not the phone for you.
Despite the sacrifice, the Air is still worth it to me--just because the enjoyment the Air gives me the 99% of the time I'm not taking pictures outweighs what the Pro camera gives me when I am taking pictures. Plus I still carry a fanny pack sometimes, so I would be fine carrying a compact point and shoot camera in it for zoom shots on certain occasions. Looking into camera options. Might alternatively get lens attachments for the Air.
Also I should mention, I'm using the Air without any case or screen protector (although I did buy the bumper case). For 3 reasons:
- it seems to be made pretty durable according to reviews
- I always use a phone grip
- I'm pretty good about not dropping stuff
Also I tend to not care about slight imperfections, as long as it's usable and not a super obvious eye sore. So if it does eventually get some minor scuffs, I'd accept that vs always having a case on it adding to its bulk (especially annoying in my pocket), or having a screen protector on it which as far as I know will be a downgrade in either screen clarity, oleophobic coating, or anti-reflection. I'll probably use the bumper case when I go hiking, camping, etc. Maybe I'll use a reusable screen protector too if that exists.
By the way, the phone grip I use is from Snap. It's my favorite grip due to its MagSafe charging pass through, super thinness, and stand mode. As far as I know, it's the only phone grip with all those features. Especially because of its super thinness, I wouldn't want to use any other grip with the Air.
I hope thin and light iPhones stay around for the long haul. I know they won't ever match thick Pro phones in terms of features (due to physics), but I hope they keep improving. (Although I'd still prefer a small one-handed phone).