Did you really have to make a thread about this? It seems like you're just trying to justify the return. Get a grip, bro.
I'm glad I'm the not only one who is saying this.
Did you really have to make a thread about this? It seems like you're just trying to justify the return. Get a grip, bro.
Double the CPU - no actual user experience improvement - I don't do any serious number crunching, iMovie, iPhoto or anything like that. Only Safari loading is faster but not dramatically.
Double GPU - I think there's only a 40% improvement in GPU actually. And there is 0 user experience improvement here. Games won't really take advantage of it forever and iOS 7 is still laggy.
Weight and size are not a huge reduction with a case on it. It still weighs enough and it's still too big. The bezels should be more in line with the Mini.
So give me ONE example where the Air is a downgrade from the iPad 4.
Just one.
RAM and cost is the only real one. I'm finding my apps are getting kicked out of memory much more often and tabs are reloading much more often.
Kind of makes me want to get a Surface Pro and have everything loaded in memory and never need to constrained by 1GB of memory.
I could keep my iPad 4 and get a Surface Pro w/ 64gb and 4GB of Ram for $800 (10% off student discount), or a decked out 256gb/8GB RAM one for $1179.
Almost as much as the iPad Air cost (64gb + smart case). The Surface doesn't even need a Smart Case cause it's got a kickstand built in.
If I owned a 4, I would give more serious consideration to whether or not I would be keeping the Air. But I own a Mini which absolutely is blow away be this new toy!
I'm kind of in the same boat. I returned my iPad Air in favor of keeping my 4 or replacing it a Surface 2 or the Galaxy Note 2014. I think it's an absolute crock that apple would limit the amount of RAM to 1GB.
Short answer of it is that the only benefit I'm seeing from the iPad Air is faster browser load times and WiFi speeds. It's lighter, but doesn't change anything. It's still heavy to not change my usage pattern.
Drawbacks are there - memory management really. Yes, if they upped to 2GB of RAM, I wouldn't feel like I was spending $800 on a step back.
So, I'll be getting a Retina Mini instead, at least then I get the real benefits of portability instead of feeling like I got a downgrade in some ways as well.
Its called Buyers Remorse.
If I had a iPad 4 I wouldn't get an iPad Air. I don't see the point in getting a new iPad every year also, but also I don't like seeing iPad 4 owners trying to justify not getting the Air. If you're happy with an iPad 4, awesome! It's still supported and it works great.
I work with a guy who bent his iPad 3, so I really don't see the point on taking bests on someone's misfortune.
I just bought an iPad air on Friday as an upgrade from the iPad 4. At first I thought I'd just give it a try but was very doubtful that it would warrant the purchase. After using it for a couple of days, I hate to say it, but I can't imagine going back to the 4 as my regular tablet. The air is faster, lighter, and smaller which makes it a really good upgrade regardless.
RAM and cost is the only real one. I'm finding my apps are getting kicked out of memory much more often and tabs are reloading much more often.
Kind of makes me want to get a Surface Pro and have everything loaded in memory and never need to constrained by 1GB of memory.
I could keep my iPad 4 and get a Surface Pro w/ 64gb and 4GB of Ram for $800 (10% off student discount), or a decked out 256gb/8GB RAM one for $1179.
Almost as much as the iPad Air cost (64gb + smart case). The Surface doesn't even need a Smart Case cause it's got a kickstand built in.
I got one..
It's too light to hold that pile of paper down.
If you think the iPad Air is a downgrade from the iPad 4 in any way, you are delusional. You are just trying to make yourself feel better about your own decision. My iPad Air blows your iPad 4 out of the water in every spec category that matters. Period. You want to stick to the iPad 4, that is your decision. That doesn't make the iPad Air a 'downgrade' in any frickin' way whatsoever.So, I'll be getting a Retina Mini instead, at least then I get the real benefits of portability instead of feeling like I got a downgrade in some ways as well.
Tell me how in the world this is a downgrade? In the same use cases, how is the iPad 4 better than the iPad Air?Double the CPU - no actual user experience improvement - I don't do any serious number crunching, iMovie, iPhoto or anything like that. Only Safari loading is faster but not dramatically.
Double GPU - I think there's only a 40% improvement in GPU actually. And there is 0 user experience improvement here. Games won't really take advantage of it forever and iOS 7 is still laggy.
Weight and size are not a huge reduction with a case on it. It still weighs enough and it's still too big. The bezels should be more in line with the Mini.
I have a Surface Pro for work, an ipad 4 and ipad Air at home. I really struggle to find a good use for the Surface. It's just not a good laptop replacement (I have perfect vision, and I struggle with the screen in desktop mode). It's an even worse tablet replacement. It's incredibly heavy. 16:9 is just an awkward resolution for a tablet. Battery life is mediocre, and while it resumes from sleep very fast for a Windows device, it's still dog slow by ipad standards.
All that extra horsepower doesn't come into use for the tablet, and despite it, most of the touch apps are buggy and missing features. There is no good browser for touch world. IE can't sync settings from anywhere else, so it's the only device I have where the web browser doesn't keep my settings and bookmarks. Scrolling is nowhere near as smooth as on my ipad, nor is app switching. The only good app I've found so far is One Note, and it's only by the grace of God I haven't lost that stylus yet.
Personally, a great laptop plus an ipad is a far better option. That's why I've ordered a Thinkpad T440s as a replacement.
I have a surface pro for work too and I like carrying it when traveling vs a laptop. I really wish MS Office could work on an iPad. Would make me really be able to use that for work as well.