When a new product is presented, the first thing we do is confront it with the competition and the previous model. Let's see, what's new that is worthwhile? The companies themselves often rely on this comparison during the event. Yesterday, Apple introduced the new iPad Air 2, and although we have already reviewed the main novelties of the tablet, we want to see if it is worth the change of one for the other. We started.
This morning we asked ourselves the same question regarding the iPad mini 3. The smaller tablet tiptoed through the event held in Cupertino, something had hidden. Once they were made public on the company's website, we were able to carefully review their characteristics and indeed, most of the news that they explained on stage are not present. Taking into account that its price has increased by 100 euros, it does not seem a very advisable purchase.
Integrated
With the iPad Air 2 the situation is different. It is true that practically all the changes introduced by the new generation of the iPad, the sixth, had already been filtered, but this does not detract from them. Design first. We can say that it is very continuous, that they do not risk, that it is practically the same. In part it is true, at first glance we do not find great differences, but it is not necessary either, its Premium aspect is still within the reach of very few. It has also reduced its thickness from 7,5 to 6,1 millimeters (10-inch thinnest tablet in the world) and its weight up to 437 grams. The incorporation of TouchID it is another important issue, not only aesthetic, but functional and safety. As a final note, the gold color that has many fans of the bitten apple in love.
Technical improvements
We start with the screen, although the size (9,7 inches) and the resolution (2.048 × 1.536) are the same, they have merged the three layers of the previous Retina panel and included a anti-reflective film that significantly improves the display of content, especially in less favorable conditions. The processor, we went from an A7 to an AX8, it is more than one version. The AX8 processor It has a 40% faster CPU and 2,5 faster graphics than the A8 that already improves the performance of the A7, much more power at the service of the user. The battery is one of the points that have been left pending improvement, it continues to offer 10 hours of autonomy.
The camera, although many consider it a secondary section for a tablet, it is increasingly common to find people who make tourism tablet in hand, for example and use it to immortalize those moments. P5 to 8 megapixel handle and includes functions such as burst, timer, panoramas, time-elapse or slow motion. The front has been redesigned with FaceTime HD to improve the quality of video calls. Without forgetting other details such as Ultra fast WiFi.
Price and conclusions
Ok, this is all very good, but what is the difference in price? The 2013 iPad Air, after the consequent price drop, can be obtained from 389 euros, while the iPad Air 2 goes up to 489 euros, 100 euros difference. It is the same difference between the iPad mini 3 and the iPad mini Retina, but the conclusions we draw have nothing to do with it. Although, the purchase of the iPad mini 3 is little or nothing recommended and it is preferable to save 100 euros, the purchase of the iPad Air 2 may be justified. Although the iPad Air is still a great tablet, the sixth-generation improvements are enough in number and importance for those who can financially to consider a change.