Apple iPad Air 2 Tablet Review

1. Introduction2. Packaging and Bundle3. Design4. Display5. Software6. Performance7. Camera8. Battery9. Closing Thoughts10. View All Pages

Clearly, the Apple iPad Air 2 is a very impressive tablet.

Apple's standard, sleek packaging gives way to a beautifully designed device. It is 18% thinner than its predecessor, and a fair bit lighter too.

The display is also another strong area, with lovely colour reproduction and a higher contrast ratio than the original Air. The 2048*1536 resolution over 9.7-inches gives 264 PPI – less than the 326 PPI figure of the latest iPad Mini. However, for all intents and purposes, the display is bright and crisp.

The OS is clearly the most contentious area. Android fans criticise its ‘locked-down' nature – as it is nowhere near as customisable as Android. However, iOS 8 is uncomplicated and certainly very attractive. If it is not for you, it is not for you. Other users, however, may appreciate the simple approach.

Performance is certainly the standout area of the iPad Air 2. Everyday use is lightning fast, and the benchmarks are incredible. A multi-core score well of over 4000 from Geekbench 3 is jaw-dropping.

Photos are also of a high standard. Images are crisp, with rich colours. The new array of iOS 8 camera features, including time lapse and burst mode, are also very useful. For a tablet camera, this is well above average.

Battery life, too, remains high. While the actual capacity on the Air 2 is smaller than the original Air, improvements with the motion coprocessor mean the battery life is just as good in real terms. It should last 2 days comfortably, and at least a day under heavy loads.

The iPad Air 2 is undoubtedly a quality device. It does have a premium price tag, however, as it will cost you at least £399. You can look at the different options from Vodafone over here.

Pros

• Beautifully slim design
• Improved display
• Phenomenal A8X chip
• Good battery life
• Impressive tablet camera

Cons

• Very expensive
• Pixel density could be higher
• iOS is not for everybody

KitGuru says: If you want an iOS device, the iPad Air 2 is the one to get due to its incredible performance. However, iOS is not for everybody, and many readers may well prefer to have a Dell Venue 8 7840 as it runs Android, and has a superior screen resolution.

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