Apple has recently unveiled its newest addition to its iPad series, the iPad Air, and there is no denying that aside from the its new name, the 5th generation iPad is more advanced than the previous iPad 4 or the "iPad With Retina Display" and all of the other earlier generations all the same. But with all the hype over the "Air" in iPad Air and the fact that the iPad 4 is now kaput, is this year's upgrade worth it? Here's a head to head match of iPad Air Vs. iPad 4 to give us the answer.
iPad Air Vs. iPad 4 Round 1: Hardware
Holding the two devices side by side, one can see right away the obvious weight-loss of the iPad 4 all thanks to its thinner bezel on the side. The sleeker build made the latest generation a tad thinner and lighter than the iPad 4, not to mention the other outdated generations. Apple's claim of the iPad Air being "20 percent thinner" is not an overstatement since one can see and feel change upon holding the device. And although we know that from the get go Apple's iPad is designed to be thin, this new iPad Air is just amazingly thinner. At 470 grams, the iPad Air is much lighter than the 650 grams iPad 4.
Other changes on the hardware of the device include the switching of the plastic volume rocker into metal, which does not really improve the performance of the iPad, but it gives the entire product a more premium feel than the one it already has. The iPad Air comes with dual microphones which enhances the quality of sound the tablet records and does a good job in reducing background noise either while recording or simply making FaceTime calls.
iPad Air Vs. iPad 4 Round 2: Display
The iPad Air still packs the same 9.7 inch display although the device is shorter than than iPad 4 and all of its other predecessors. The aspect ratio is still at 4:3 and the resolution and the PPI remain unchanged at 1536 x 2048 and 264 pixels per inch, respectively. And of course, the Retina Display is still there to offer that superb display quality.
iPad Air vs. iPad 4 Round 3: Processor
In a nutshell, we can say that the iPad Air is the 9.7-inch version of the iPhone 5S minus the Touch ID fingerprint scanner. While the iPad 4 sports the dual core A6x with quad-core graphics chip, the iPad Air gets the big lead with its 64-bit, A7 processor - the same stuff found in the iPhone 5S - with the addition of an M7 co-processor, which enhances the overall performance of the device in terms of collecting motion-based data. Such feature then gives the accelerometer, gyroscope, and digital compass a boost when gathering movement data. Hence, fitness apps are more accurate.
iPad Air Vs. iPad 4 Round 4: Connectivity
Similar with the iPad 4, the iPad Air comes in wi-Fi only and 4G Cellular models. However, the biggest advantage of the newer tablet from the 2012 generation is the presence of MIMO (Multiple Input, Multiple Output), a technology that enhances connectivity speed.
iPad Air Vs. iPad 4 Round 5: Camera
The camera for these two does not have quality issues. Both Apple tablets have a 5-megapixel rear-facing camera and a 1.2 front-facing FaceTime-dedicated shooter. The five-element lens and the f/2.4 aperture of the back camera make the iPad 4 and the iPad Air competitive photo-snapping devices in the tablet arena. When it comes to video recording, the back shooter in both tablets captures up to 1080p footage while the front cam can record up to 720p video.
iPad Air Vs. iPad 4 Round 6: Battery Life
Upon the unveiling of the latest generation of its tablet, Apple was quick to reassure fans that despite the demanding A7 processor, the iPad Air can definitely run for a total of 10 hours, which is up to par with the iPad 4's batt life. This already anticipates non-stop Wi-Fi usage, music and video playback demands.
iPad Air Vs. iPad 4 Round 7: Storage & Pricing
Again, there is nothing new in terms of the storage options for both the iPad 4 and the latest Apple tablet generation. Device storage options are still at 16, 32, 64, and 128GB. All four are subsequently available in both Wi-Fi only and Wi-Fi with Cellular models. Nevertheless, while the iPad Air will start rolling at $500 and $630 for the 16GB Wi-Fi and 4G versions, with the highest storage options at $800 and $930, respectively, the iPad 4 is walking in all sorts of directions and are being sold in various prices ever since Apple announced the cessation of its production. This means that the circulating iPad 4 devices merely account for the stocks left unsold since its manufacture has stopped.
iPad Air Vs. iPad 4: The Verdict
Without a doubt, Apple has come up with the better if not the best tablet for its 5th generation release. With its impressive build, form, factor, and design, the iPad Air has innovation written all over it. The addition of the powerful 64-bit, A7 processor is also something that is hard to beat, unless of course the 6th generation shows up with something better. But 'til then the iPad Air is the better pick between the iPad 5 and the iPad 4, although we can still give credit to the fourth generation for having that Retina Display that is rather quite impressive that the company has even retained that aspect for its newer tablet. Faster, lighter, thinner - these three words are more than enough to convince us that indeed the upgrade would be all worth it.
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