Ultra-fast, great screen and it tested 56% more powerful than my iPad Air!
By JJCEO
We own 4 generations of the Apple iPad devices. They are the iPad 2, the iPad3, the iPad Air and the iPad Air 2. We each use the tablets about 8 hours per day for photography editing, video taking and editing and working on the internet. I am extremely familiar with the products and we own a total of 16 tablets using Apple, HP and Android technologies.
Physically the iPad Air 2 is about the same, appearance wise, to the iPad Air. If you look closely you will see some differences.
* The iPad Air 2 is 18% thinner and a little lighter in weight.
* The Retina display is better as it is thinner and the colors and clarity is much better to my eyes. The parallax side views are clearer and the colors are deeper and more realistic. It still has 264 pixels per inch and it is an excellent video device.
* The iPad Air 2 has the newer finger print sensor on the home button.
* The rear facing camera is in a different location on the back of the tablet and so your iPad Air cases will not work as they will interfere with your taking photos.
* The microphone ports on the tablet have moved and I show the new locations in my video.
* The portal holes for the stereo speakers are just one row now and larger and the speakers are louder sounding. Not a major difference but it is noticeable.
* The slide switch on the side of the tablet for the mute/screen lock rotate is gone now. You have to make those adjustments in the operating system of the tablet now or use the sound volume switches.
The major differences in the tablet are the ones regarding performance. The CPU and GPU in the iPad Air are just very powerful. In my benchmarking I found the iPad Air 2 to be 56 % faster in performing standard tasks and the GPU graphics speed is 2.5 times faster. The 3D GPU test on the iPad Air 2 was 24157 versus 9051 for the iPad Air which is 2.69 times better. In using a bench marking software the iPad Air was 40129 as a benchmarks and the iPad Air 2 was 62482 which is a major improvement. You can see it in using the tablet, loading apps, browsing the internet and editing videos. My wife's older iPad 2 was only benchmarked at 15010 so the iPad Air 2 is 4.16 times faster and more powerful. That is a dramatic improvement in only a few years.
The camera on the front and the back of the tablet are improved. The rear facing camera is now an 8 Mega Pixel camera with improved signal processing. The photos are 3264 by 2448 pixels in resolution and the video is 1080P HD. You can take time lapse video, have exposure control, take slow motion video at 120 fps, bust mode photographs, timer mode photos and high resolution panorama shots.
Browsing on the internet is faster and pulling up web sites and videos on the internet is just smooth and fast. The signal is stronger for the WIFI and things just pull up faster. Even syncing with iTunes is faster.
This is an excellent product and my wife loves hers which was a surprise gift from me. I had it engraved for her to make sure that I didn't take it and claim it was mine.
I own 16 different tablets and have extensively used them all. When it comes to getting a top quality tablet you cannot go wrong with the Apple iPad Air 2. I rated it at 5 stars.
If you have any questions please contact me and I will try to help answer your question if I can.
Several people have asked me in comments and also via email if I recommend a nice iPad Air 2 case. I really like the ZooGue magnetic tilt case. It is highly protective of your tablet and it is by far the best tilting tablet case I have used on any iPad. Here is a link to that product.
Apple iPad Air 2 is the best and thinnest tablet on the market
By James Thomas
As far as cases go, I was going to initially try out the Apple SmartCase, but for $80, I thought I should at least check out what else was available. I found this case that was similar in design but a bit more stylish and a lot cheaper. Actually I was a little worried about it being so cheap on Amazon, but the reviews were good so I figured I'd give it a shot. Turns out I had nothing to worry about. Case seems to function just as well as Apples and it actually seems a bit sturdier. It's made from synthetic materials instead of leather like the Apple case, but I like it even better. Seems like it would be easier to clean (especially handy for when my kids get their hands on it) and just feels easier to grip for me. At least that's my opinion.
Though it's only been a week since my initial review, I've been taking the iPad Air 2 to test out its capabilities further, much to the dismay of my family. But as I mentioned earlier, I do have a windows tablet (8" version) that I had been using as a supplement to my work computer. I sometimes need to view spreadsheets, powerpoints or word docs away from the office and if it's just to check something or make a minor edit, it can be a major pain to pull out my full, work issued laptop. I thought having full windows in a portable, as-needed, format was convenient. But since I've been reading that the iPad is more productivity oriented in its present form, I had to see how it compared. Especially since, I would have the convenience of the other tablet strengths of the iPad to boot.
So far I'm impressed. I've been using MS Office for iPad and I have to say that in many ways, it's even better than Office is on a small windows tablet. I think the iPad version is more suited to a touch screen whereas the windows version still feels like they expect you to use a mouse. I think the key is having the right Bluetooth keyboard and a good stand case for the iPad Air 2, especially when it comes to editing a complicated formula in an excel file.
For the time being, I've been using a no-name, compact keyboard I had originally bought for the old iPad 2. It came built into a case but of course that case doesn't fit the new iPad. But luckily, the keyboard portion was removable. I never liked having the keyboard attached when I wasn't using it anyway. I will continue to try to find a better one as this one just feels a little too mushy for me.
So far the iPad Air 2 is exceeding my expectations. I just figured the old iPad we had was getting too old and needed replacing. But, I'm quickly discovering that all the incremental improvements made between each generation has added up to a device that is pushing new ground for what a tablet is meant to be. Like I mentioned in my review, I've tried a lot of different tablets, including Asus Transformer Pad with keyboards. Even my older iPad didn't cut it as a productivity device. But this new iPad is just faster and smoother making trying to get a little work done a lot less frustrating without giving up on anything that has made the iPad so convenient.
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Original Post
I've tried many different tablets including iPads, various Android tablets from older 10.1" Honeycomb versions to the most recent Nexus 7 and even a Windows 8.1 tablet. I originally started with the iPad 2 and it was the device that convinced me that tablets were worth the investment and served a useful purpose. From there I tried several Android tablets. It actually took that platform quite a while to catch up to the benchmark the iPad had set. I started with a honeycomb tablet that required a lot of patience as bugs were worked out. I ended up having to root it and try some custom roms to get the tablet to work the way I expected it to and even then it wasn't uncommon for the device to crash on me. But eventually, Google was able to improve the OS and by the time the second generation Nexus 7 came out, they had finally achieved a truly usable device.
As for Windows tablets, I don't really see them as an iPad competitor. They are more like a miniature version of your PC you can take along with you in place of a full size laptop. Sure the Metro interface does make it more tablet-like, but the lack of apps and reliance on the desktop screen keeps it from being that "even a child can figure it out," used by everybody in that family, zero learning curve device.
So while I've gone back and forth with devices, being the gadget geek that I am, my family and I have always had an iPad around when we wanted to quickly play a game, use an app or watch a video. So when the new iPad Air 2 came out, I decided it was time bring home a new iPad.
The thing I love most about the iPad is that it is so simple to use and no matter what you want to do, there is probably an app for it. As fine a job Android has done playing catch up, there has never been an app that I wanted that I couldn't find in the App Store. This used to be especially true for apps that gave you access to accounts you might have with a broker, an institution or a company. It's not too much of an issue anymore since most companies now release both IOS and Android apps simultaneously. I've even seen a few Android apps come out before the IOS version, but this wasn't always the case. I think there are still a few companies that will still put more effort into their IOS release than they do Android.
Holding the new iPad Air 2 in my hand I can see that Apple still sets the standard for the category of device they invented. You might even say that the interface hasn't changed much from the original device they launched in 2010. Sure there have been a lot of incremental improvements like the pull down notifications, additional gestures, and the ability to create folders to clean up the pages. But, there was never a need for Apple to have a Project Butter initiative to improve the smoothness of how the device functioned because Apple had gotten it right from the start. Each incremental improvement Apple has introduced has merely brought a very good system closer to perfection.
I think they even got the screen size right. Though the first iPad was a bit weighty, the 9.7" screen size has always been perfect. While Android and other have set 10.1" with a wide screen ratio as their standard and dabbled with even larger screen sizes, I have always found the 9.7" 4:3 ratio to be the perfect portable size for a tablet. Even when you compare a 10.1" Android tablet next to the iPad, though there isn't much of a difference in screen size, the iPad seems much more portable while still giving the illusion that the screen is just as big if not bigger. Now that they have reduce the size of the bezel further and increased the resolution, the current screen is absolutely stunning. Going in the other direction, while I've never owned the iPad Mini myself, the 7.9" screen with the 4:3 ratio to me just seems to be a lot easier to read from than the smaller 7" screens with a 16:9 ratio that have become the standard for smaller Android tablets.
As for the weight and thinness of the current iPad, it is just unbelievable. Comparing the new iPad to some of the older devices I have lying around is like comparing a Macbook Air or Ultrabook to the old HP laptops I use to have to carry around. Honestly, picking up my backpack, I have to double check that I packed my iPad because there is no way I can tell by the weight whether it's in there or not.
The interface is so much smoother now with the faster chip. There is never even a hint of lag and pages load instantaneously.
As the iPads wider ecosystem has evolved, it has even become capable of some limited productivity. Add a Bluetooth keyboard and attach a nice stand case and you can actually do some work. Microsoft Office Apps and iMovie have given it the ability to create documents, spreadsheets and videos.
Not that the iPad is perfect. The device seems to vibrate when you put it on maximum volume. It's still not as customizable as the Android interface. But it's still the closest I've seen so far to the perfect tablet experience.
By JJCEO
We own 4 generations of the Apple iPad devices. They are the iPad 2, the iPad3, the iPad Air and the iPad Air 2. We each use the tablets about 8 hours per day for photography editing, video taking and editing and working on the internet. I am extremely familiar with the products and we own a total of 16 tablets using Apple, HP and Android technologies.
Physically the iPad Air 2 is about the same, appearance wise, to the iPad Air. If you look closely you will see some differences.
* The iPad Air 2 is 18% thinner and a little lighter in weight.
* The Retina display is better as it is thinner and the colors and clarity is much better to my eyes. The parallax side views are clearer and the colors are deeper and more realistic. It still has 264 pixels per inch and it is an excellent video device.
* The iPad Air 2 has the newer finger print sensor on the home button.
* The rear facing camera is in a different location on the back of the tablet and so your iPad Air cases will not work as they will interfere with your taking photos.
* The microphone ports on the tablet have moved and I show the new locations in my video.
* The portal holes for the stereo speakers are just one row now and larger and the speakers are louder sounding. Not a major difference but it is noticeable.
* The slide switch on the side of the tablet for the mute/screen lock rotate is gone now. You have to make those adjustments in the operating system of the tablet now or use the sound volume switches.
The major differences in the tablet are the ones regarding performance. The CPU and GPU in the iPad Air are just very powerful. In my benchmarking I found the iPad Air 2 to be 56 % faster in performing standard tasks and the GPU graphics speed is 2.5 times faster. The 3D GPU test on the iPad Air 2 was 24157 versus 9051 for the iPad Air which is 2.69 times better. In using a bench marking software the iPad Air was 40129 as a benchmarks and the iPad Air 2 was 62482 which is a major improvement. You can see it in using the tablet, loading apps, browsing the internet and editing videos. My wife's older iPad 2 was only benchmarked at 15010 so the iPad Air 2 is 4.16 times faster and more powerful. That is a dramatic improvement in only a few years.
The camera on the front and the back of the tablet are improved. The rear facing camera is now an 8 Mega Pixel camera with improved signal processing. The photos are 3264 by 2448 pixels in resolution and the video is 1080P HD. You can take time lapse video, have exposure control, take slow motion video at 120 fps, bust mode photographs, timer mode photos and high resolution panorama shots.
Browsing on the internet is faster and pulling up web sites and videos on the internet is just smooth and fast. The signal is stronger for the WIFI and things just pull up faster. Even syncing with iTunes is faster.
This is an excellent product and my wife loves hers which was a surprise gift from me. I had it engraved for her to make sure that I didn't take it and claim it was mine.
I own 16 different tablets and have extensively used them all. When it comes to getting a top quality tablet you cannot go wrong with the Apple iPad Air 2. I rated it at 5 stars.
If you have any questions please contact me and I will try to help answer your question if I can.
Several people have asked me in comments and also via email if I recommend a nice iPad Air 2 case. I really like the ZooGue magnetic tilt case. It is highly protective of your tablet and it is by far the best tilting tablet case I have used on any iPad. Here is a link to that product.
Apple iPad Air 2 is the best and thinnest tablet on the market
By James Thomas
As far as cases go, I was going to initially try out the Apple SmartCase, but for $80, I thought I should at least check out what else was available. I found this case that was similar in design but a bit more stylish and a lot cheaper. Actually I was a little worried about it being so cheap on Amazon, but the reviews were good so I figured I'd give it a shot. Turns out I had nothing to worry about. Case seems to function just as well as Apples and it actually seems a bit sturdier. It's made from synthetic materials instead of leather like the Apple case, but I like it even better. Seems like it would be easier to clean (especially handy for when my kids get their hands on it) and just feels easier to grip for me. At least that's my opinion.
Though it's only been a week since my initial review, I've been taking the iPad Air 2 to test out its capabilities further, much to the dismay of my family. But as I mentioned earlier, I do have a windows tablet (8" version) that I had been using as a supplement to my work computer. I sometimes need to view spreadsheets, powerpoints or word docs away from the office and if it's just to check something or make a minor edit, it can be a major pain to pull out my full, work issued laptop. I thought having full windows in a portable, as-needed, format was convenient. But since I've been reading that the iPad is more productivity oriented in its present form, I had to see how it compared. Especially since, I would have the convenience of the other tablet strengths of the iPad to boot.
So far I'm impressed. I've been using MS Office for iPad and I have to say that in many ways, it's even better than Office is on a small windows tablet. I think the iPad version is more suited to a touch screen whereas the windows version still feels like they expect you to use a mouse. I think the key is having the right Bluetooth keyboard and a good stand case for the iPad Air 2, especially when it comes to editing a complicated formula in an excel file.
For the time being, I've been using a no-name, compact keyboard I had originally bought for the old iPad 2. It came built into a case but of course that case doesn't fit the new iPad. But luckily, the keyboard portion was removable. I never liked having the keyboard attached when I wasn't using it anyway. I will continue to try to find a better one as this one just feels a little too mushy for me.
So far the iPad Air 2 is exceeding my expectations. I just figured the old iPad we had was getting too old and needed replacing. But, I'm quickly discovering that all the incremental improvements made between each generation has added up to a device that is pushing new ground for what a tablet is meant to be. Like I mentioned in my review, I've tried a lot of different tablets, including Asus Transformer Pad with keyboards. Even my older iPad didn't cut it as a productivity device. But this new iPad is just faster and smoother making trying to get a little work done a lot less frustrating without giving up on anything that has made the iPad so convenient.
-------------
Original Post
I've tried many different tablets including iPads, various Android tablets from older 10.1" Honeycomb versions to the most recent Nexus 7 and even a Windows 8.1 tablet. I originally started with the iPad 2 and it was the device that convinced me that tablets were worth the investment and served a useful purpose. From there I tried several Android tablets. It actually took that platform quite a while to catch up to the benchmark the iPad had set. I started with a honeycomb tablet that required a lot of patience as bugs were worked out. I ended up having to root it and try some custom roms to get the tablet to work the way I expected it to and even then it wasn't uncommon for the device to crash on me. But eventually, Google was able to improve the OS and by the time the second generation Nexus 7 came out, they had finally achieved a truly usable device.
As for Windows tablets, I don't really see them as an iPad competitor. They are more like a miniature version of your PC you can take along with you in place of a full size laptop. Sure the Metro interface does make it more tablet-like, but the lack of apps and reliance on the desktop screen keeps it from being that "even a child can figure it out," used by everybody in that family, zero learning curve device.
So while I've gone back and forth with devices, being the gadget geek that I am, my family and I have always had an iPad around when we wanted to quickly play a game, use an app or watch a video. So when the new iPad Air 2 came out, I decided it was time bring home a new iPad.
The thing I love most about the iPad is that it is so simple to use and no matter what you want to do, there is probably an app for it. As fine a job Android has done playing catch up, there has never been an app that I wanted that I couldn't find in the App Store. This used to be especially true for apps that gave you access to accounts you might have with a broker, an institution or a company. It's not too much of an issue anymore since most companies now release both IOS and Android apps simultaneously. I've even seen a few Android apps come out before the IOS version, but this wasn't always the case. I think there are still a few companies that will still put more effort into their IOS release than they do Android.
Holding the new iPad Air 2 in my hand I can see that Apple still sets the standard for the category of device they invented. You might even say that the interface hasn't changed much from the original device they launched in 2010. Sure there have been a lot of incremental improvements like the pull down notifications, additional gestures, and the ability to create folders to clean up the pages. But, there was never a need for Apple to have a Project Butter initiative to improve the smoothness of how the device functioned because Apple had gotten it right from the start. Each incremental improvement Apple has introduced has merely brought a very good system closer to perfection.
I think they even got the screen size right. Though the first iPad was a bit weighty, the 9.7" screen size has always been perfect. While Android and other have set 10.1" with a wide screen ratio as their standard and dabbled with even larger screen sizes, I have always found the 9.7" 4:3 ratio to be the perfect portable size for a tablet. Even when you compare a 10.1" Android tablet next to the iPad, though there isn't much of a difference in screen size, the iPad seems much more portable while still giving the illusion that the screen is just as big if not bigger. Now that they have reduce the size of the bezel further and increased the resolution, the current screen is absolutely stunning. Going in the other direction, while I've never owned the iPad Mini myself, the 7.9" screen with the 4:3 ratio to me just seems to be a lot easier to read from than the smaller 7" screens with a 16:9 ratio that have become the standard for smaller Android tablets.
As for the weight and thinness of the current iPad, it is just unbelievable. Comparing the new iPad to some of the older devices I have lying around is like comparing a Macbook Air or Ultrabook to the old HP laptops I use to have to carry around. Honestly, picking up my backpack, I have to double check that I packed my iPad because there is no way I can tell by the weight whether it's in there or not.
The interface is so much smoother now with the faster chip. There is never even a hint of lag and pages load instantaneously.
As the iPads wider ecosystem has evolved, it has even become capable of some limited productivity. Add a Bluetooth keyboard and attach a nice stand case and you can actually do some work. Microsoft Office Apps and iMovie have given it the ability to create documents, spreadsheets and videos.
Not that the iPad is perfect. The device seems to vibrate when you put it on maximum volume. It's still not as customizable as the Android interface. But it's still the closest I've seen so far to the perfect tablet experience.
