Ipad air 2 ram

Part 1: design, accessories, screens and software

Exactly one year ago, on November 3, 2013, we told you about the first iPad Air. It's time to return to Apple tablets, since this year Russian sales of new iPads started almost simultaneously with American ones. In addition, this time we have not one, but two new products at once: iPad Air 2 and iPad mini 3. And while both of these products are not revolutionary (the iPad mini 3 looks especially strange), they can still be considered role models and main contenders for the entire army of Android tablets. Therefore, we have studied them with great care.

Recall that both gadgets were presented at the presentation on October 16, which caused very conflicting reviews and opinions. I was confused by the leapfrog of names: just like a few years ago with The New iPad, which later became iPad 3, Apple made confusion by renaming last year's iPad mini Retina to iPad mini 2 and giving the new iPad mini with Retina display number 3. However, the main surprise was the fact that the changes in iPad mini 3 compared to last year's version were limited to the appearance of the Touch ID sensor and the gold version of the case, as well as the disappearance of the version with 32 GB of internal flash memory. There have never been such strange updates in Apple's history!

But the iPad Air 2 has been updated much more significantly. In addition to Touch ID and a gold-colored body, it boasts the new Apple A8X SoC and an even thinner body than the first iPad Air. In addition, the camera has been updated.

Video review

To get started, we suggest watching our video review of the Apple iPad Air 2 and iPad mini 3 tablets:

Now let's take a look at the characteristics of the new products.

Specifications

Specifications Apple iPad Air 2:

• Apple A8X SoC 1.5 GHz 64 bits (3 cores, Cyclone architecture based on ARMv8)
• GPU PowerVR GX6650
• Apple M8 motion coprocessor including GPS, barometer, accelerometer, gyroscope and compass
• RAM 2 GB
• Flash memory 16/64/128 GB
• No memory card support
• Operating system iOS 8.1
• Touch display IPS, 9.7 ″, 2048 × 1536 (264 ppi), capacitive, multitouch
• Cameras: front (1.2 Mp, 720p video over FaceTime) and rear (8 Mp, 1080p video)
• Wi-Fi 802.11b / g / n / ac (2.4 and 5 GHz; MIMO support)
• Cellular (optional): UMTS / HSPA / HSPA + / DC-HSDPA (850, 900, 1700/2100, 1900, 2100 MHz); GSM / EDGE (850, 900, 1800, 1900 MHz), LTE Bands 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 7, 8, 13, 17, 18, 19, 20, 25, 26
• Bluetooth 4.0
• Touch ID fingerprint reader, NFC chip
• 3.5mm stereo headset jack, Lightning dock
• Li-polymer battery 7340 mAh
• A-GPS (in version with cellular module)
• Dimensions 240 × 170 × 6.1 mm
• Weight 437 g (manufacturer declared weight of the version without honeycomb module) / 451 g (our measurement of the version with honeycomb module)

Technical iPad specifications mini 3 will not be included in a separate list, but we will include them in the comparison table with competitors. First, though, let's see how the iPad Air 2's specs compare to its predecessor and main competitors.

** version with cellular module
*** for the version with a minimum of flash memory and communication capabilities

On formal grounds (the number of CPU cores, the amount of RAM), Apple products have been inferior to top competitors from the Android camp for several years. However, we even had the senselessness of any conclusions about this. The only numbers that are this case objective and available for comparison without reservations - weight and size parameters. And according to them, the iPad Air 2 really looks very good: it is distinguished by a record low thickness, coupled with weight (only Sony Xperia Z2 Tablet surpasses the novelty in the last parameter).

On the other hand, it is impossible to say that the iPad Air 2 is radically thinner and lighter than its competitors. The difference is a maximum of a few percent. Keep in mind, though, that unlike the plastic products of competitors, the iPad Air and iPad Air 2 are made from a single piece of aluminum.

Now let's take a look at the specs of iPad mini 3 versus the competition.

* according to the manufacturer's information
** for the version with a minimum of flash memory and communication capabilities

Over the year (and iPad mini 3 is, in fact, the same last year's iPad mini Retina), very serious competitors have appeared in the camp of compact tablets: in particular, Samsung Galaxy Tab S 8.4 with Super AMOLED display and Nvidia Shield Tablet with record-breaking performance (well above the Apple A7 found in iPad mini 3). In general, the position of the iPad mini 3 in the top segment is far from being as cloudless as its predecessor had when it first appeared. Today, for almost any parameter (screen, performance, camera, weight, thickness), a stronger solution can be found.

However, in terms of the totality of its properties, it still remains a very successful model, and the decrease in the price of the iPad mini 2 by $ 100 (alas, eaten in Russia by the change in the dollar exchange rate) makes it an even more attractive mid-budget solution.

But let's take a closer look at Apple's new products.

Packaging and equipment

The packaging of the iPad Air 2 is almost identical to the packaging of the previous generation tablet. Only the picture here is even more minimalistic, emphasizing the thickness of the updated device.

As for the package bundle, everything here is also similar to the iPad Air: leaflets, Charger(10W, 2.1A, 5.1V), Lightning cable, stickers and key to eject the SIM cradle.

The box design and packaging of the iPad mini 3 are similar to those of the iPad Air 2.

Design

Now let's look at the design. As already noted, the appearance of the iPad mini 3 does not differ from its predecessor, with the exception of the appearance of the golden color option. And since the iPad Air 2 is thinner than the iPad Air, and the iPad mini has everything the same, the iPad Air 2 is noticeably thinner than the iPad mini 3.

As for the color (the iPad Air 2 also has a golden color), it looks noble, elegant. This is not deliberately "golden", but a soft, beautiful shade, which, depending on the ambient light, looks either light gray or bronze.

Alas, on versions of both tablets with 4G, the plastic white insert, which is necessary for normal reception, looks rather clumsy and alien cellular signal... Well, everyone around you will see that you have a version with 4G, and not a cheaper one :)

In terms of placement of controls, the main difference between the iPad Air 2 and the first iPad Air is the lack of a lock lever (on the iPad Air, it was located above the volume keys). Well, the second distinctive point is the expansion of the functionality of the Home button, which is now equipped with a fingerprint scanner.

The button looks exactly the same as on the iPhone 5s / 6/6 Plus. The fingerprint scanner works perfectly: you can take the iPad in any convenient way, the fingerprint will be recognized instantly. Subjectively, it is better than the iPhone 5s, where the percentage of unrecognized touches was still higher. True, we used the iPhone 5s for almost a year, and the iPad Air 2 only for a week. So, perhaps, the statistics for the year will be less positive.

The size of the bezels around the screen, the width and height of the iPad Air 2 body have remained unchanged. However, today this is one of the best indicators. And it is very interesting in which direction the iPad design will develop in the future, because now both the width of the side frames and the thickness are close to the threshold beyond which it will already start to cause inconvenience.

And the thickness of the connectors leaves almost no room for maneuvers: for example, there is only about 1 mm left above the Lightning, which could have been saved without affecting the connector itself. And a 3.5 mm mini-jack will hardly fit into a thinner case. This, of course, only applies to iPad Air 2. Because iPad mini 3 still has a lot to reduce in size.

Everything else in the iPad Air 2 remains unchanged from the previous version: starting from the main points (shape of the case, roundness of the edges) and ending with details (shape of the tray for nanoSIM cards in the version with 4G).

In general, the changes, of course, cannot be called revolutionary. But is it really important if the iPad Air 2, like a year ago, its predecessor, you just do not want to let go? The first days I constantly want to take it, once again admire its thickness and low weight, twirl it in my hands ... It would seem that Apple has not done anything radically new, and it is more and more difficult to surprise the user. Nevertheless, the products of the apple corporation have not lost their main property: the ability to please the user. It's that simple. This is a thing that you hold in your hands with pleasure. And what could be more important than this?

Concluding our conversation about design, we note that Apple's PR department gave us an iPad Air 2 with a proprietary Smart Cover. Many Apple tablet users are familiar with this accessory, and for them it will not be a discovery. But to the rest, we can say that the cover is really very nice and comfortable: the polyurethane coating on the top and the inner microfiber surface (it touches the tablet screen when we close the cover) are extremely pleasant to the touch, and in general, the accessory does not make the tablet bulky or thick. but protects the screen well and helps to set it on the table at an angle.

In turn, the iPad mini 3 arrived for the test in a Smart Case. On the one hand, it has a big plus: it protects the tablet not only from the side of the screen, like Smart Cover, but entirely. In addition, the entire outer surface of the Smart Case is made of expensive aniline leather. But although knowing this warms the soul, from the point of view of everyday use this is a less practical solution: any small scratches on this skin are clearly visible (and such scratches will appear even with careful use). In addition, small folds are visible on the folds on the skin (while the Smart Cover remains like new even after a week of active use).

In addition, the cover makes the already quite voluminous gadget even more plump and weighty. And the tablet is removed from it with some difficulty. Therefore, between the more expensive Smart Case and the cheaper Smart Cover, we choose the latter, and not at all because of the price. However, these are subjective feelings. For users who are thinking about buying covers and covers, we advise you to go to the store and watch them live in order to understand whether you want to go with such a thing or not.

Screen

The declared parameters of the iPad Air 2 and iPad mini 3 screens do not differ from those of their predecessors: in all cases we have an IPS-matrix with a resolution of 2048 × 1536, and the screen diagonal is 9.7 ″ and 7.9 ″, respectively. However, the fact that the key parameters are identical does not mean that the screens are exactly the same in all their properties. After all, even screens from different batches may differ slightly. In addition, it was curious to compare the screens of iPad mini 2 and iPad Air 2. As shown by tests carried out according to his own methodology by the editor of the “Monitors” and “Projectors and TV” sections, Alexei Kudryavtsev, they differ not only in diagonal! Below is his conclusion.

The front surface of both screens is made in the form of a glass plate with a mirror-smooth surface, resistant to scratches. Judging by the brightness of the reflected objects, the anti-glare properties of the Air 2's screen are noticeably better than that of the Google Nexus 7 (2013) (hereinafter simply the Nexus 7). In the case of the mini 3, these properties are comparable to our benchmark. For clarity, here are the photos, which show a white surface in the switched off tablet screens (Nexus 7 is on the left, then it can be distinguished from the tested tablets by the screen size, since it is smaller. Similarly, the Air 2 can be easily distinguished from the mini 3 by its size). iPad Air 2:

The Air 2's screen is significantly darker - the brightness in the photo is 65 versus 106 for the Nexus 7. The tripling of reflected objects in the Air 2's screen is very weak, which indicates that there is no air gap between the outer glass (aka touch sensor) and the matrix surface (screen type OGS - One Glass Solution). Due to the smaller number of borders with strongly differing refractive indices (glass-to-air type), such screens look better in conditions of strong external illumination, but their repair in case of cracked outer glass is much more expensive, since the entire screen has to be changed.

On the contrary, the screen of the iPad mini 3 is slightly lighter - the brightness in the photo is 117. The reflection in the screen is tripled, which suggests the presence of an air gap between the matrix surface and the outer glass. From the point of view of image perception, this is a minus, but a screen with a split outer glass (it is Touchpad) is easier and cheaper to repair.

In the case of both tested tablets, there is clearly a special antiglare coating on the outer surface of the screens (a slightly purple tone of the reflection indirectly testifies to this), and the surface of the LCD matrix itself is slightly matte - the reflection is a little unclear.

On the outer surface of the screens there is a special oleophobic (grease-repellent) coating, so fingerprints are removed more easily, and appear at a slower rate than in the case of ordinary glass. At the same time, the effectiveness of this coverage is noticeably higher for the iPad mini 3, but in both cases it is significantly lower than that of the Nexus 7.

The iPad Air 2 with manual brightness control, its maximum value was about 410 cd / m², and the minimum - 4.5 cd / m². For iPad mini 3, the values ​​are 445 and 8 cd / m². The maximum values ​​are quite high, and given the good anti-glare properties, the image on both screens should be clearly visible in bright daylight. In complete darkness, the brightness can be lowered to a comfortable level. Automatic brightness control by light sensor (s) works. The iPad Air has 2 sensors, two, they are located under front panel at the top right and left. They work according to the priority of the maximum brightness, so an accidentally covered corner will not suddenly lower the brightness of the screen during the day on the street. V automatic mode when the ambient light conditions change, the screen brightness both increases and (well, wow!) decreases. If you do not touch the brightness slider, then in complete darkness, the auto-brightness function reduces the brightness to 4.5 cd / m2 (very dim, but at night during a sleep break, the time to spy on is normal), in an office illuminated with artificial light (about 400 lux) it sets to 100 -120 cd / m² (suitable), in a very bright environment (corresponds to bright daylight outdoors, but no direct sunlight - 20,000 lux or slightly more) raises to the maximum, that is, up to 410 cd / m² (as it should be) ... In general, this function works adequately. There are legends that by setting the brightness slider by hand to the desired level with automatic brightness control enabled, tablets and smartphones (as well as monoblocks and monitors) from Apple can be trained to set the desired brightness level, but we did not manage to comprehend the logic of learning, since after our intervention we got strange and poorly reproducible results. Automatic brightness control for iPad mini 3 does not fundamentally differ from this function of its predecessor. In this mode, the brightness can only increase - with a decrease in the level of ambient light, we did not wait for the corresponding decrease in the screen brightness. However, if you put the tablet into sleep mode and turn it on again, then the brightness will be set in accordance with the external conditions. In complete darkness - 8 cd / m² (dull), in the office - 90-130 cd / m² (suitable), in bright light - 445 cd / m² (logical). Both the Air 2 and the mini 3 have practically no backlight modulation at any brightness level, so there is no screen flickering either.

The tablets use an IPS matrix. The micrographs show the subpixel structure typical of IPS. iPad Air 2:

For comparison, you can see the gallery of photomicrographs of screens used in mobile technology.

The screens have excellent viewing angles without inverting tints and without significant color shift, even with large gaze deviations from the perpendicular to the screen. For comparison, here are the photos in which the same images are displayed on the Nexus 7 and the tested tablets, with the brightness of the screens set to about 200 cd / m2, and the color balance on the camera forcibly switched to 6500 K. Perpendicular to the screens, the test picture, iPad Air 2:

The color rendition is good for all screens, the color balance differs slightly, but if you look closely, in the case of the mini 3 you can see a slight decrease in the saturation of bright colors, close to the primary ones. And white box, iPad Air 2:

Note the good uniformity of brightness and color tone. Now at an angle of approximately 45 degrees to the plane and to the side of the screen, iPad Air 2:

It can be seen that the colors and brightness balance have not changed much for both tablets. Then the white box, iPad Air 2:

The brightness at an angle on the tablets decreased noticeably (at least 5 times, based on the difference in exposure), but in the case of both iPads, the screen brightness at this angle is still slightly higher. The black field, when deviated along the diagonal, is lightened weakly, and acquires a violet or red-violet tint. The photo from the Nexus 7 for comparison shows this (the brightness of the white areas in the perpendicular direction for both tablets is about the same!), IPad Air 2:

And from a different angle:

And from a different angle:

When viewed from a perpendicular view, the black uniformity of the iPad Air 2 is imperfect, as there are areas around the edge with slightly increased black brightness:

In contrast, the iPad mini 3 is doing well with black uniformity:

But the contrast is lower - 600: 1 versus the very good 930: 1 in the iPad Air 2. last time response at transition black-white-black is equal to 23 ms (13 ms on + 10 ms off). The transition between gray tones of 25% and 75% (based on the numerical value of the color) and back takes 36 ms in total. For mini 3, the values ​​are 22 ms (13 ms on + 9 ms off) and 33 ms, respectively. The gamma curve, plotted using 32 points with equal intervals in terms of the numerical value of the shade of gray, did not reveal a blockage in either the highlights or the shadows. The exponent of the approximating power function is 2.21 and 2.25 (iPad Air 2 and iPad mini 3), which is close to the standard value of 2.2, while the real gamma curve practically coincides with the power dependence:

This technique allows you to increase the brightness of the screen with the same energy consumption for the backlight. As a result, the colors of images - drawings, photographs and films - oriented to the sRGB space (and there are the overwhelming majority of them) on the iPad mini 3 screen have a slightly reduced saturation.

The balance of shades on the gray scale is good, since the color temperature is slightly higher than the standard 6500 K and the deviation from the spectrum of the absolute black body (ΔE) is less than 10, which is considered an acceptable indicator for a consumer device. At the same time, the variation in color temperature and ΔE is small, which has a positive effect on the visual perception of color balance. (The dark areas of the gray scale can be ignored, since there the color balance does not really matter, and the error in measuring color characteristics at low brightness is large.)

Let's summarize. IPad screen Air 2 has a high enough maximum brightness and excellent anti-reflective properties, so the device can be used outdoors without problems, even on a sunny summer day. The iPad mini 3's screen is slightly worse in this regard - the anti-glare properties are not so outstanding - but even its screen will not “go blind” in the sun. In complete darkness, the brightness of both screens can be dimmed to a comfortable value. It is also permissible to use the mode with automatic brightness adjustment, which works more or less adequately (plus some possibility of manual correction of this function, and the iPad Air 2 can even lower the brightness itself!). The advantages of the iPad Air 2 include: the absence of an air gap in the layers of the screen, high contrast and sRGB color gamut, also both screens do not flicker, are distinguished by high stability of black to deviation of the gaze from the perpendicular to the screen surface and are characterized by good color balance. TO significant disadvantages in the case of the older model, a weak oleophobic coating can be attributed, and in the case of the iPad mini 3 - a narrowed color gamut. Nevertheless, taking into account the importance of properties for this class of devices, the screen quality of both the iPad Air 2 and iPad mini 3 should be recognized as high. We can't resist and once again celebrate the outstanding anti-glare properties of iPad Air 2, resulting from the combination of OGS technology and a special anti-reflective coating. No other screen has this mobile device from those who visited us for testing.

To the above, we can add that the grease-repellent coating of the iPad Air 2 really leaves much to be desired - the screen "plops" quickly enough. Otherwise, the display is excellent. Feels like one of the best we've seen. Which, in general, is confirmed by detailed tests.

OS and software

Both new iPads come with newest version operating room iOS systems- 8.1. The main changes that have appeared in it are associated with the deepening and expansion of interconnection within the Apple ecosystem: between iOS devices as well as iOS devices and computers running OS X 10.10 Yosemite. Here Apple introduces two new concepts: Handoff and Continuity. Without going into terminological and marketing nuances, here are just a few examples that are very indicative in terms of user experience.

By clicking on it, you will see the same page that was opened on the iPad. Mail works the same way. If you started typing in Mail and then switched to a Mac, you can continue where you left off. Of course, all this only works in Apple applications, so if you prefer an alternative email client or browser, then Handoff cannot be used.

Another example is the ability to receive calls to an iPhone from a tablet, even without a SIM card in it. Let's say you're sitting in a chair with an iPad, and an iPhone is on a table in the other corner of the room. If someone calls you, you used to have to go to your smartphone. Now you can take a call directly on your iPad.

This is a very convenient feature, although it has one drawback: when you receive a call, all your Apple devices start to vote at once :) Similarly, with SMS: now you can receive and answer regular text messages using not only iPhone, but also iPad and Mac (we are talking specifically about SMS, because iMessage could have been accepted on all these devices for a long time).

For more information on Continuity and Handoff, see our 27-inch iMac with Retina display 5K - detailed testing this computer will soon appear on the site. Here, we note that now the connection between iPad, iPhone and Mac is stronger than ever. And to those who are inside this ecosystem (which implies the use of not only hardware, but also software products only one company), such opportunities are available that, perhaps, users of competitors' products do not have. More precisely, a little bit different: these features are available "out of the box" and work by default.

And one last thing: as before, new iPads sold already with pre-installed office suite(Pages, Numbers and Keynote), which gives it a big advantage over Android and Windows tablets, where we can't always find a free decent office solution. On the other hand, again, to work with Pages, Numbers and Keynote as efficiently as possible, you will also need Mac versions (fortunately, they are now free, but not all iPad owners have Macs themselves).

In the second part of this article, we will tell you about the performance of the iPad Air 2 and iPad mini 3, games, battery life, 4G and cameras.

iPad Air the second generation has acquired an additional gigabyte of memory. This is reported by the Taiwanese edition of TechNews. 2 GB of RAM will receive only a "big" tablet Apple, iPad mini with Retina display will still be content with 1 GB of "RAM".

1 GB of RAM was first proposed by Apple in. The same amount was received by all subsequent tablets up to the present time - both, and work on 1 GM RAM. Due to this, Apple saved on components (and the price of the iPad did not grow), made the tablets thinner and lighter, and withstood the "gold standard" battery life of 10 hours. But taking into account the requirements of iOS 8, the "upgrade" of memory seems to be almost inevitable.

Apple is rumored to be preparing mini revolution... The company's programmers will borrow key function from Windows 8 - the ability to display two applications on the screen at once and work in them simultaneously... The screen can be split in half or give one of the applications 3/4 of the space. Of course, all relevant Apple tablets- but you need 2GB of RAM to work perfectly.

The split-screen is supposed to be exclusive to. Porting the function to iPhones and older iPads will take a while. Advanced multitasking is unlikely to be ready for the fall debut, but it may come as a separate update (for example, iOS 8.1).

TechNews also has information on the amount of memory in. "Smart" Apple watches will receive 512 MB of RAM and 8 GB of internal memory for data storage.

Should you trust the information from TechNews? Until recently, the site's “predictions” have left a mixed impression. The portal correctly reported on the sapphire coating of Touch ID in the iPhone 5s, but was wrong in its assumption that the Home button in the current Apple flagship will become touch-sensitive.

Apple is expected to unveil new iPad models (iPad Air and iPad mini) and iWatch at a special press conference in October this year. In this case, the supply of " smart watch»Companies can start.

Old Air and new Air they are similar only externally - the second model has a lot of noticeable and not very changes inside. Better screen, the camera shoots better, the performance is better, almost everything has become better ...

Contents of delivery

• Tablet
• USB cable
• Power Supply
• Documentation

Design, construction

The second generation tablet looks almost the same as the first generation - I don't think anyone is surprised. Apple traditionally uses design best practices to the last. Well, why throw good things into the dustbin of history if they can still serve? The Air 2 has Touch ID, a microphone hole is on the end next to the camera, and a gold tablet has appeared, in addition to the traditional white and gray.

The company is very fond of comparing the new and the old, I also like this kind of game. The first iPad weighed 680 grams, was 13.4 mm thick, while the Air 2 weighs 437 grams and is 6.1 mm thick. I remember well the first Apple tablet, it didn’t seem so big, but now, in 2014, it will probably feel cumbersome, heavy, and awkward in the hands.

I say this especially for those who are waiting for some incomprehensible revolutions from Apple. A real revolution - from year to year to make an excellent device even better, to ignore critics and what is happening on the market. Let Samsung invent a fourfold tablet - Apple will make the usual tablet a little lighter, a little thinner, but leave the usual runtime and improve performance. Thanks for the stability.

Speaking of details, here's what they write on the official website: “The bevel on the edge of the aluminum case is removed using a single crystal diamond. The process is so precise that tolerances are measured in microns. (By the way, the thickness of a human hair is about 75 microns.) To some, our level of accuracy will seem excessive. But we believe that every detail is important for such a device. "

Let me remind you that the body is made of a single piece of aluminum, the Touch ID sensor consists of several parts, and sapphire is used for protection. The dimensions of the device are 240 x 169.5 x 6.1 mm, the weight is 437 grams, the version with LTE weighs 444 grams, on the back there is a plastic insert with an antenna under it.

I will borrow a paragraph from an article about iPad mini 3, in the US and UK, Apple SIM is supplied with tablets, a very interesting experiment of the company. This SIM card is already installed in the devices, in the menu on the tablet you can quickly choose an operator for yourself, or rather, you can quickly choose for yourself tariff plan taste. Imagine how convenient it is, here is a man gathered in Las Vegas for CES. I took an iPad mini 3 with me, chose some AT&T tariff at the airport, made an access point from a tablet - please, work. Flew to another state - chose a different plan. I flew to Europe (so far it works only in the UK) - I connected there. No need to buy different SIM cards, no need to carry them in a separate hammock, no need to pull out the tray. I'd like to believe that Apple SIM will come to Russia as well - and it will come next year ”.

Some boring data:

• Operating temperature: 0 to 35 ° C
• Storage temperature: -20 to 45 ° C
• Relative humidity: 5% to 95% non-condensing
• Operating altitude: tested up to 3000 m

Keep in mind that you shouldn't use iPad in cold weather, spare the battery.

Display

The diagonal of the display is 9.7 inches, the resolution is 2048 x 1536 pixels, there is an anti-reflective coating, I have been trying for a long time to show in the photo how it works, not a single sensible frame has turned out. Take my word for it, it works. It seems that the screen of the Air 2 is matte, which greatly affects the perception of the device as a whole. Less glare means less nerves. In addition, the screen was reassembled, there is no air gap, on top - safety glass, below it - the touch sensor, below - the LCD matrix. The official website says that the image quality has changed for the better. Honestly, I didn't notice much difference. But the anti-reflective coating is a good find.

Modifications and prices

There are several major versions, but a person not too familiar with Apple technology may well get confused. So I decided to help and put together a simple guide to choose iPad tablet Air 2. There are several versions in total, these are 16, 64 and 128 GB models with Wi-Fi or Wi-Fi + LTE. The prices are as follows:

• 16 GB - 24 990/30 990 rubles
• 64 GB - 29 490/35 990 rubles
• 128 GB - 34 490/40 990 rubles

It may seem to someone that 40,990 rubles is expensive, but here again you can remember that the iPad Air 2 has no competitors in the tablet market in terms of its characteristics. The price is more than justified, especially for zealous, business users - those who want to use the tablet for a couple of years and sell it not for a penny, but at a good price. Alas, Sony tablets, Samsung in the secondary market instantly depreciates, people are sometimes afraid to buy such goods from their hands, since it is not known whether it will be possible, in which case, to repair a banal breakdown. Over the years, a huge number of service centers Apple, they are literally at every step - which can not be said about the SC, where other gadgets are being repaired.

Now an optional guide. I'll go point by point:

• A model with 16 GB memory is good to buy except as a gift - given the tablet's capabilities and the lack of a memory card slot, it's not even funny. It's best not to even consider buying a 16GB tablet, unless you intend to use the Air 2 solely for web browsing. Alas, the 32GB model has been removed, so look at the 64GB iPad.
• Will the Wi-Fi version be enough, or is it better to buy Wi-Fi + LTE? Everything is simple here, if you use the iPad more often at home, like a bedside VCR or something like that, you can safely abandon LTE. After all, you can always go online by connecting via a smartphone. If you often travel, including across Russia, if you use iPad to communicate in the city to check mail (for example), then it is better to buy a model with Wi-Fi + LTE and choose a tariff for the tablet of one of the operators
• Accordingly, this is what I chose last year when the iPad Air came out - a model with 64 GB memory, Wi-Fi + LTE. There is enough memory to capture more movies on the road, and the SIM card installed in the tablet helps a lot on trips to other cities or countries. For example, at one time I often visited Kaluga, and there it was possible to use cellular network to get quite normal internet on the device, turn Air into a hotspot
• Don't be afraid to buy an iPad in Europe or the US, LTE (or 3G) will work just fine.
• Three colors, but the most practical is dark gray. During the year of use, my Air dropped several times, a mark appeared on the case, but overall, the device looks like new. White is very pretty and smart, gold looks cool, but (remember) gray is the most practical.
• Of the accessories, I will immediately recommend the two-meter original Lightning cable (to easily charge the tablet and lie in bed), the Twelve South SurfacePad cover, the model for the first Air is suitable, I checked the original Bluetooth keyboard. With it, you can quickly turn your tablet into a laptop.

If you still have any questions about your choice - write to the mail, I will try to help. Note especially for girls, iPad Air 2 great camera, do not forget about this possibility.

Touch ID

Let me remind you how Touch ID works, nothing has changed since the iPhone 5S. After the first power-on and various formalities, such as entering the Apple ID, you are asked to set a fingerprint, for a right-handed person, this is most likely the thumb of the right hand. You put your finger on the sensor, the picture shows how the system recognizes the pattern: you apply, release, apply again, then it is suggested to apply not a pad, but the tip of your finger, with a slight twist. Imagine the movement while pressing the button, just like that. Then the system remembers your fingerprint, you are prompted to enter a password in case the fingerprint is not recognized. Naturally, all other fingerprints can be saved for added convenience. The sensor settings are located in the "Basic / Password and Fingerprint" menu, to work with this menu you need to enter a password (paranoia). Here you can turn off the sensor, change the password, select simple or complex password, add or remove a fingerprint. And during the purchase in the iTunes / App Store, you can also use fingerprints, although here you have to enter your password, put your finger down, plus or minus the same time.

The most important question I'm asked is how fast is scanning? Look, the device is locked, you press the button with your thumb, release it, it is unlocked and you go to the home screen. Without any Slide to unlock. I am not a supporter of protection, I have nothing to hide, but this thing works very well and saves time - no need to press the power button, no need to move your finger across the display once again... By the way, in the locked state, you can switch tracks in the player, start the camera - all this is available without entering a password, but when you want to go to the home screen, you will find yourself on the lock screen, you need to enter a password or scan a fingerprint. That is, you can give someone a shot, listen to music, use a calculator or a flashlight, but the person will not be able to go further.

Many people say that all this is not new, it was all, but history repeats itself, as with many other notions of Apple - using TouchID is just convenient and that's it. Many people use tablets for work purposes, so the representatives of corporate security services will surely like Touch ID, employees forget ordinary passwords, they lose it, one hassle. Losing a finger is almost impossible (well, or much more difficult).

Performance

According to AnTuTu, the performance gains are significant compared to the iPad Air, see the screenshot.

In fact, Air 2 works noticeably faster, this is especially noticeable when you run different applications at the same time, the camera, browser, maps, and other programs start faster. It uses an A8X processor with an M8 coprocessor, Apple talks about a 64-bit architecture, but for the end user this is not so important. More importantly, performance is improved and runtime remains the same.

In addition to Touch ID, there are other sensors: accelerometer, barometer, ambient light sensor. For geolocation, you can use a digital compass, Wi-Fi and the iBeacon pinpoint function. Just a few words about this technology, using iBeacon you can receive push notifications on your device when you are in a store - for example, it can be some kind of promotional offers. The technology is written in detail. The LTE version has Assisted GPS and GLONASS. FaceTime audio and video calls to any Apple devices(except for iPods), I can only sympathize with everyone who regrets the impossibility of making calls directly from the iPad. Alas, here the SIM card is used only for data transfer, but the call from the iPhone can be forwarded directly to the iPad - plug in the headset and chat as much as you like (or don't connect). The front camera is not bad, you can take decent selfies or chat in FaceTime, the quality has become noticeably better.

Wi-Fi (802.11a / b / g / n / ac) supported; two HT80 bands (2.4 GHz and 5 GHz) with MIMO technology, Bluetooth 4.0, here are the data for the LTE version:

• UMTS / HSPA / HSPA + / DC-HSDPA (850, 900, 1700/2100, 1900, 2100 MHz); GSM / EDGE (850, 900, 1800, 1900 MHz)
• CDMA EV-DO Rev. A and Rev. B (800, 1900 MHz)
• LTE (bands 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 7, 8, 13, 17, 18, 19, 20, 25, 26, 28, 29, 38, 39, 40, 41)

Installed iOS 8, pro operating system you can read in detail in a separate review.

Working hours

A Lightning connector is used for charging, the charging time is about four hours using the complete power supply unit, you can count on 10 hours in video viewing mode. These are good numbers, most likely, in the next Apple tablets we will see an increase in battery life.

Camera

I'll tell you the main thing right away, the camera is very good here, the image quality is on par with the iPhone 5S or even slightly better. Resolution - 8 MP, five lenses, fast autofocus, light sensor on the back panel, panoramic shooting, geotagging, timer mode are supported. Video recording in HD, everything is quite good here too. Alas, the weather was very bad, and it was not possible to take a good shot from the window of the apartment with a view of the Arc de Triomphe, I promise to add sunny shots to the review. In the meantime, the impressions are positive, now I will not say that it is better to shoot with a smartphone, Air 2 will help you create high-quality images in a variety of conditions.

A few more words about video, slow-motion shooting is supported, let me remind you that previously only the iPhone 5S was able to shoot such videos.

conclusions

New large tablet I really liked Apple, many are habitually boring, they say, yes, it's the same thing. In fact, the two Airs are as different as heaven and earth. The Air 2 has a better display, a smaller and lighter body, it is faster, here there is Touch ID, a gold version, the camera is now like in a smartphone - and if you often shoot with a tablet, this may be a reason to switch from Air to Air 2. Own The tablet definitely costs money, but do not ask me about replacing the old iPad with a new one, you know, this is not a smartphone. And if you have a two-year-old tablet working normally, maybe you shouldn't look for good from good then? Moreover, the crisis, reductions, the rate is growing. The new Apple tablets came to Russia at a difficult moment, it was a year or two ago that you could sell your old iPad of the second or third generation and switch to something new, just to support the arms race - now this behavior is found among a small proportion of consumers.

The good things are, the sales just started against the backdrop of a strange market situation.

If you don't already have an iPad, the Air 2 is a great way to get started.

"For the tablet kindly provided for testing.

It's no secret that the growth of the tablet market in 2014 has seriously slowed down, and the undisputed (so far) leader - Apple - has begun to lose market share. This is primarily due to the fact that users see no reason to change their tablets two-, three- and even four-year-old to new models. The same iPad 2 (presented, for a moment, in 2011) still works great and is fully supported by the manufacturer - and, judging by the fact that the first iPad mini, similar to iPad 2 in filling, is still produced and sold, will be supported for a while. What can we say about newer models - for example, about the same iPad Air, which was released in 2013 and still feels great.

In addition, personally, I get the impression that Apple has simply exhausted ideas for improving its tablets. This is very clearly seen in the example of the current generation. Especially "distinguished" in this sense, iPad mini 3, which is essentially the same iPad mini 2, but with a TouchID fingerprint scanner.

The iPad Air 2 isn't very different from its predecessor either. Yes, it has become even thinner, which makes a very strong impression on first meeting. True, for the sake of the minimum thickness, a hardware switch for locking the screen orientation was brought. And the rigidity of the structure has also suffered greatly, as a result of which it is a trifle to bend the tablet until the characteristic distortions appear on the screen. Our test unit was so flimsy that it was as easy as picking it up for distortion! True, one more specimen, which I happened to encounter later, had great rigidity, but still the design as a whole does not inspire confidence.

Another notable innovation is the TouchID fingerprint sensor built into the Home key. It works the way we used to expect from Apple: that is, it works very well and is completely transparent to the user. As a result, the device is unlocked as follows: press Home to turn on the screen, slightly hold your finger on the button - and that's it! Just a fraction of a second is enough to read the "finger". True, after rebooting the tablet, you still have to enter a PIN code - this is done in order to increase security.

Performance and autonomy

Inside, the iPad Air 2 has a new 64-bit A8X processor. It has three cores clocked at up to 1.5 GHz and an integrated PowerVR GX6650 graphics accelerator. But the most important thing is the amount of RAM, which has increased to 2 GB. Those users who have experienced frequent tab reloading in Safari on previous iPads will share my excitement about this.

In general, in terms of processing power, the iPad Air 2 currently ranks first among tablets, and in terms of graphics it is second only to tablets based on the NVIDIA Tegra K1 chip. Compared to the iPad Air, the CPU performance has increased by about 20%, the GPU - by about one and a half times.

At the same time, battery life is not affected at all compared to the iPad Air (which is actually surprising, given the reduced battery capacity). The tablet is still enough for about 9 hours of web surfing and 10-11 hours of video playback. It takes about 3.5 hours to fully charge the battery from the supplied 10-watt power supply.

In the dry residue

If you are just thinking of buying an iPad, then, of course, it makes sense to buy the iPad Air 2. It is faster than the previous generation, is equipped with twice the amount of RAM, while it is thinner and similar to the iPad Air battery life. The only drawback is the case is too thin and flimsy, so when buying, you may need to look at several copies and choose the toughest of them. Otherwise, it's still the same iPad: thin, beautiful, with a great screen, excellent performance and the best ecosystem on the market (apps + services + accessories).

Owners of iPad 3 (the first generation of Retina tablets) and earlier devices should also consider upgrading. But if you have an iPad Air or even more early iPad 4, I wouldn't change them on the iPad Air 2.

4 reasons to buy an iPad Air 2:

• it's Apple;
• This is the thinnest and most beautiful tablet on the market;
• the best ecosystem on the market (apps + services);
• excellent performance and autonomy.

3 reasons not to buy an iPad Air 2:

• it's Apple;
• too thin and flimsy body;
• too few changes compared to the previous generation.

IPad Air 2 Specifications

It was also not without a fly in the ointment - even despite the release of a large iOS updates 8.1, the system is far from the desired level of stability. Glitches are found on all devices and the iPad Air 2 is no exception. I am glad at least that during the day of the test we did not come across anything critical or unique. The problem with the operating system is clearly temporary, but at the moment this is the case and it is worth being prepared for this.

iOS 8.1 in all its glory:

The review turned out to be somehow too laudatory, but this is not from a desire to present the iPad Air 2 better than it really is. It's just that there is not much to scold the tablet for. However, if you try very hard, then you can blame him for missed opportunities... This class of devices has been around for four years, and during this time Apple has not actually changed the pattern of using the tablet. iPad is single-tasking - the interface does not allow you to operate multiple programs at the same time. The dual-window mode would solve the problem, but it is not in the iPad Air 2. As well as there is no flexible system settings or full multitasking. Also, I would not hesitate to exchange "18% thinner" for an additional 2-3 hours of autonomy. Given the fact that for many iPad has become a companion of a computer that is always with you, this watch will not be superfluous.

Still, the iPad Air 2 is Apple's best tablet and the best tablet ever. It looks great, is compact for a device with a 9.7-inch screen, has the ultimate filling - from the processor to the camera. He is able to solve any problem that the existing software will provide. And he has no shortcomings as such.

If the question is whether to buy the latest generation of Apple's full-size tablet, the answer will definitely be in the affirmative. The iPad Air 2 certainly won't disappoint. But whether it is worth updating the owners of the first generations of "air" - I'm not sure. Of the obvious advantages of the novelty, it is worth highlighting more quantity RAM, improved screen, Touch ID and possibly a camera, other innovations are not so noticeable in daily use. Well, and also thickness, although it's hard for me to imagine a person who, just for the sake of being thinner, would rush to update his trusty tablet.