Going into the holiday season, the tablet market looks much different than it did last year. Apple (AAPL) was finally releasing a Retina iPad Mini at that point, as sales of small tablets soared. It also released the iPad Air, a sleek new full-sized tablet with a powerful 64-bit processor.
The same players are still here. Google (GOOG) just released its latest Nexus tablet, Amazon (AMZN) has a handful of new Kindle Fires to tempt shoppers and Samsung (SSNLF), as usual, is overwhelming consumers with dozens of tablet choices.
However, this year tablet sales have slowed and the new killer product is phablets — super-sized smartphones.
At the same time, the tablet market has begun to fracture. For example, Microsoft (MSFT) is finally seeing success in focusing on enterprise and professional users, while both Samsung and Amazon are offering colorful, padded tablets aimed at children.
When it comes to a multipurpose tablet, one thing hasn’t changed. The leader remains Apple and for most people, the iPad Air 2 is the best choice.
iPad Air 2 Review: Thinner, Faster, Sharper
Apple didn’t change the appearance of the iPad Air 2 dramatically — why mess with a good thing?
It did make the new iPad thinner, though, shaving it down to 0.24 inches and dropping the weight to just under one pound. This tablet is light, thin and extremely comfortable to hold.
One way Apple managed to trim down the iPad Air 2 also makes its display appear sharper — despite the fact that it has the same resolution as before. Going to a fully laminated display eliminated air gaps between layers, saving space while reducing reflection. That makes text look crisper and images have brighter colors.
Speaking of reflections, an industry-first antireflective coating cuts glare noticeably outdoors. You still won’t enjoy using the iPad Air 2 in sunlight, but at least you’ll be able to make out a little more of what’s on screen.
With the new A8X processor and 2GB of RAM — the first time an iOS device has included more than 1GB — the iPad Air 2 smokes the previous model and performs well against Android competitors. Apple says the new iPad has 40% more processing power than last year’s iPad Air and 2.5 times the graphics performance.
Gamers will love the iPad Air 2, even if its built-in speakers leave a little to be desired.
iPad Air 2 Review: Apple Wants You to Take Photos and Shop Online
While the new iPad has the power to run games and productivity apps, Apple is betting people will also want to use this tablet for a lot more.
One of the biggest new additions is a Touch ID sensor. Not only does this make unlocking the iPad Air 2 a one-touch process (going back to a 4-digit PIN is so annoying now), it also makes the new iPad compatible with Apple Pay for online shopping.
And despite the undeniable fact that holding a 10-inch slab of glass and metal in the air to take photos looks ridiculous, tablet owners keep doing it. So Apple paid special attention to the cameras on the iPad Air 2.
The front-facing camera gets improved low light performance, burst mode and a timer — all the better for taking the perfect selfie.
Meanwhile the primary camera has been upgraded to Apple’s new 8MP iSight sensor, with the added horsepower of the A8X chip’s image signal processor. The tablet also takes full advantage of iOS 8’s new photo features, including burst mode, super slow-mo, exposure control, timer mode and high definition panorama.
If a tablet is your preferred method of photography, you’re going to be pretty happy with the Apple iPad Air 2.
iPad Air 2 Review: Specs
- 9.7-inch LED backlit display at 2048 x 1536 resolution (264 ppi)
- Antireflective coating
- A8X CPU with M8 motion coprocessor, 2GB RAM
- 8MP iSight camera with autofocus, burst mode, slow-mo video and exposure control
- Touch ID sensor
- Dual channel 802.11a/b/g/n/ac Wi-FI with MIMO, LTE available
- Bluetooth 4.0
- 273-watt-hour battery rated at 10 hours of continuous use
- Weighs 0.96 pounds
- Runs iOS 8.1
- MSRP $499 (16GB), $599 (64GB), $699 (128GB)
- Available in Silver, Gold and Space Gray
iPad Air 2 Review: Conclusion
If you already own an iPad Air, there’s no absolutely must-have reason to upgrade it to the iPad Air 2. Many people are getting by just fine using an original iPad, and that lengthy upgrade cycle is a challenge for Apple.
Mind you, the case for upgrading to an iPad Air 2 is much stronger than that for going from an earlier iPad Mini to a new iPad Mini 3. That’s why this one got all the air time at Apple’s October media event. Apple really hopes you’ll pick one up.
When it comes to multi-purpose tablets, this is the one to beat: You get powerful, excellent display, and high quality metal case; the iPad is thinner than ever, with a great camera and access to the best selection of tablet-optimized apps. And it’s still priced at $499.
If a new full-sized tablet is on your radar this holiday season (and you’re not stuck on Android), the iPad Air 2 should be right at the top of your shopping list.
As of this writing, Robert Martin did not hold a position in any of the aforementioned securities.
