It's hard to believe but it’s been less than four years since Apple released the iPad, opening the door to an entirely new market of portable devices that, along with smartphones, has eroded the traditional PC industry in a way that most people would have never imagined a few short years ago.
Apple iPad Air - $499+
- 9.7" 2048 x 1536 IPS LCD display (264 ppi)
- Apple A7 CPU, M7 coprocessor
- 1.3 GHz dual-core CPU, PowerVR G6430 GPU
- 16 GB - 128 GB storage
- 5 MP rear camera, 1.2 MP front camera
- 32.3 WHr 2-cell battery
- Wi-Fi a/b/g/n dual channel, LTE available, Bluetooth 4.0
- Apple iOS 7
- 469 grams, 7.5mm thick
The iPad is now on its fifth iteration and with it comes a new name, the iPad Air. True to the moniker, Apple’s latest full-size tablet has been put on a significant diet. It retains the same 9.7-inch display but with a bezel that is 43 percent thinner along with a 20 percent reduction in overall thickness.
Measuring just 7.5mm thin, it’s actually a tiny bit thinner than the iPhone 5s and at a weight of 1 pound even, it’s the lightest full-size tablet currently in the market. Full dimensions are 9.4 inches (240mm) x 6.6 inches (1.695mm) x 0.29 inch (7.5mm) for the Wi-Fi only version we have on hand today. Cellular models feature identical measurements but weigh a hair more at 1.05 pounds.
Design and Overall Impressions
The iPad Air is still instantly recognizable as an iPad, with the redesign following many cues first introduced on the smaller iPad mini. Compared to previous generations, the iPad Air feels better in the hands due to the reduction in weight and more rounded corners.
It feels much like going from the bulky iPhone 4s to the iPhone 5, the Air feels substantially lighter as if it was a dummy device (it's obviously not) and yet without the compromise of feeling cheap or that it could break at a moment’s notice. If you’ve ever held a full-sized tablet for any length of time in front of you, you’ll immediately appreciate the lighter Air.
The front of the iPad Air looks no different from previous models save for the narrower bezels. As previous alluded to, the same 9.7-inch IPS display returns with a resolution of 2,048 x 1,536 (264 PPI) and fingerprint-resistant oleophobic coating. Above the display is a 1.2-megapixel FaceTime HD camera capable of 720p HD video while the home button sits centered below the screen.
One of the major disappointments with the iPad Air is the lack of Touch ID, Apple’s new fingerprint reader technology embedded into the home button on the iPhone 5s. Pretty much everyone expected this feature to carry over to the new iPads but clearly Cupertino had other plans. No official reason for Touch ID being MIA has been given, although it's been rumored that Apple had to keep all inventory of the fingerprint scanner to the 5s as to avoid delays, also giving them some extra room to update the iPad Air sometime in 2014.
Examining the perimeter of the iPad Air reveals other subtle changes. Starting at the bottom, we find the Lightning port that debuted on the 4th-gen iPad. Unlike last year’s model, however, it’s flanked by two stereo speakers – a first for the iPad. Unfortunately, the speakers are both on the bottom of the iPad which does little for providing true stereo audio when using the tablet in landscape mode as you would when watching a movie or TV show.
Across the top of the Air is a headphone jack, microphone and power button – in that order from left to right. The left edge of the iPad is bare with the metal volume buttons and the mute /rotation lock located on the right side.
Around back we find a 5-megapixel camera, another microphone and the obligatory Apple logo / mirror for selfies mixed in with the traditional Apple aluminum shell. I was again disappointed in the fact that Apple hasn’t upgraded the rear camera on the iPad to match the one found on the iPhone. The camera is essentially the same that debuted on the third generation iPad over a year and a half ago and there still isn’t a flash to assist in low light conditions.
Not that I’d ever be caught dead using a tablet as my primary camera out in public, but I’ve seen many people guilty of this. I can’t help but chuckle a bit but it’s these very people that would benefit the most from a rear camera upgrade on the iPad Air.
Interestingly enough, I noticed that Apple no longer stamps the back of the iPad with the tablet’s storage capacity. IAnd speaking of capacity, both the Wi-Fi only and cellular-enabled Airs are available in 16GB, 32GB, 64GB and 128GB capacities ranging in price from $499 for the 16GB Wi-Fi model to $929 for the 128GB cellular variant.
Performance and Battery Life
The iPad Air is powered by the same 64-bit A7 chip and M7 motion coprocessor found in the iPhone 5s. This is a bit of a change for the iPad as it has traditionally shipped with a slightly modified processor carrying the “X” suffix. Even without the revised moniker, the A7 in the iPad Air is clocked slightly faster than the 5s' (1.39GHz versus 1.29GHz). It’s not a significant boost but regardless it’s plenty fast to carry the tablet through the next few generations as it feels just as snappy as it does on the 5s despite having to power a higher-resolution display.
Apple’s latest tablet debuts with the all-new iOS 7. If you haven’t yet used iOS 7 or are new to Apple’s ecosystem, you’ll find a robust OS that’s intuitive, packed with features and easy to use. It’s not as enthusiast-friendly as Android as much of the OS is still locked down but compared to previous iterations, it’s a lot more refined and straightforward. If you haven’t done so already, I’d encourage you to check out our recent iOS 7 editorial where I take a look at several features that Apple nailed with the new OS and many that are still missing.
Speaking of the processor, the iPad Air turned in some fantastic benchmark numbers just as the iPhone 5s did last month. With the 64-bit architecture Apple is getting ahead of the game, although in present time it doesn't signify much, I wouldn't be surprised if the company shipped software that took better advantage of this within the next 12 months.
Battery Life
Apple says the 3.73V, 32.3 WHr 2-cell battery inside the Air is good for up to 10 hours of web surfing on Wi-Fi, watching video or listening to music. To put that claim to the test, I conducted our standard battery test on the tablet by setting the screen to 75 percent brightness and looping a 720p movie until the Air died.
This test resulted in 10 hours and 44 minutes of uptime – impressive when you consider Apple significantly reduced the size of the battery in the Air compared to the previous iPad’s 43 WHr, 3-cell battery. Key to the improved battery life is of course the greater efficiency afforded by the A7 processor.
Wrap Up: Is This Apple's New Flagship?
The display on the iPad Air is no longer the highest resolution panel found on a tablet but it continues to look as good as ever. I have zero complaints with the IPS display as colors and text were sharp and vivid while brightness remained a strong point. The 4:3 aspect ratio will still cause some to gripe compared to 16:9 offerings that are more suited to video and the outdoor performance isn’t anything to write home about. Either way, I suspect this screen will continue to be used in future iPads as there’s simply nothing wrong with it.
The dual speaker configuration on the iPad Air is a step up from previous generations. Apple still missed the mark with placement, yet audio quality is very good for such a small device. Music remained crystal clear even at maximum volume although the speakers don’t get terribly loud. If you’re serious about your music or movies, a pair of headphones would certainly be an asset.
The Air is also a much cooler running tablet than say, the third generation iPad I last reviewed. I never noticed the new slate getting hot even under heavy loads which says a lot about the efficiency and power draw of the A7 chip.
There’s plenty of performance under the hood and a tablet app ecosystem that goes unrivaled. Redesigning the tablet after the iPad mini was a solid idea and the reduction in weight and slimming of the bezel are my two favorite features.
Off the top of my head, the only things missing on the Air are Touch ID, true stereo speaker placement and an improved rear camera to match the iPhone 5s. Pricing remains at $499 or above, which means you’ll pay a premium compared to most other Android slates.
With all said and done, the iPad Air is a considerable step up from previous generations and possibly the best iPad that Apple has ever released. Note I say possibly because there's also the new iPad mini that just went on sale last week (our review is coming soon). The latest mini is almost identical to the Air internally but put together on a smaller form factor. This changes the equation whereas before the mini was considered the more basic, less expensive tablet, now it's up to par in all respects, including a new base price point of $400.
If you’re looking to pick up a full-sized tablet this holiday season, the iPad should be near the top of your list if Android isn’t a priority for you. In the event you already own an iPad, an upgrade to the Air should be a justifiable investment should you have the third generation tablet or older. If you’re rocking the fourth generation, I would probably stick with it until next year’s model shows up.
Pros: Thinner and lighter, but still solidly built. Great performance with power to spare. Efficient design, runs cooler than previous iPads. iOS 7 is a worthy update and strong app ecosystem.
Cons: No Touch ID. Camera is just ok. iPad mini might give the Air a run for its money.
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