iPad Air vs iPad 4 vs iPad 2: specs comparison
Well, even though we weren't exactly caught by surprise by the offerings of the fifth-generation iPad, Apple has at least surprised us with the name of its new full-sized tablet. So, here it is, the iPad Air, and boy does it deserve the new name! The iPad Air is extremely thin and weighs just 16.86 oz (478 g), which is a great improvement compared to the iPad 4's 23.35 oz (662 g). So, that's OK, but what about the other specs of the new tablet? How's good's the new processor, how does it compare to its predecessor? And perhaps even more importantly, exactly how does it compare to the specs sheet of the iPad 2? Why is that? Well, it's because the iPad 2 actually stays on sale as a more affordable tablet starting at $399.
As you can imagine, starting November 1, there will be a lot of users wondering which one to pick up, and so what better way to find out than to take a close look at the exact differences between the two? Of course, keep in mind that specs aren't all, and there are some things that cannot be seen or felt on paper, but still, a good old specs comparison remains one of the most informative ways of finding out which device would be best for you. Isn't that right?
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|
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| Apple iPad Air | Apple iPad 4 | Apple iPad 2 |
Design
| Dimensions | ||
|---|---|---|
| 9.45 x 6.67 x 0.30 inches 240 x 169.5 x 7.5 mm |
9.50 x 7.31 x 0.37 inches 241.2 x 185.7 x 9.4 mm |
9.50 x 7.31 x 0.34 inches 241.2 x 185.7 x 8.8 mm |
| Weight | ||
| 16.86 oz (478.0 g) | 23.35 oz (662.0 g) | 21.62 oz (613.0 g) |
| Materials | ||
| Back: Aluminum | ||
| Keys | ||
| Right: Volume control, Other | Right: Volume control, Other | Right: Volume control, Other |
| Colors | ||
| Black, Gray, Silver, White | Black, White | Black, White |
Display
| Size | ||
|---|---|---|
| 9.7-inch, 71.65% screen-to-body | 9.7-inch, 65.03% screen-to-body | 9.7-inch, 65.03% screen-to-body |
| Type | ||
| IPS LCD | IPS LCD | IPS LCD |
| Resolution | ||
| 1536x2048px, 264 PPI | 1536x2048px, 264 PPI | 768x1024px, 132 PPI |
| Colors | ||
| 16 777 216 | 16 777 216 | |
| Features | ||
| Oleophobic coating, Ambient light sensor | Oleophobic coating, Ambient light sensor | Ambient light sensor, Oleophobic coating |
Hardware
| System chip | ||
|---|---|---|
| Apple A7 | Apple A6X | Apple A5 |
| Processor | ||
| Dual-core 1400 MHz Cyclone |
Dual-core 1400 MHz | Dual-core 1000 MHz ARM Cortex-A9 |
| GPU | ||
| PowerVR G6430 | PowerVR SGX554 | PowerVR SGX543MP2 |
| Memory | ||
| 1GB (LPDDR3)/128GB 1GB/16GB 1GB/32GB 1GB/64GB 1GB/128GB | 1GB/128GB 1GB/16GB 1GB/32GB 1GB/64GB 1GB/128GB | 0.5GB (DDR2)/64GB 0.5GB/16GB 0.5GB/32GB |
| OS | ||
| iOS (12.x, 11.x, 10.x, 9.x, 8.x, 7.x) | iOS (10.x, 9.x, 8.x, 7.x, 6.1, 6.x) | iOS (9.x, 8.x, 7.x, 6.1, 6.x, 5.1, 5, 4.x) |
Battery
| Type | ||
|---|---|---|
| 8820 mAh, Li - Polymer | Li - Polymer | 6944 mAh, Li - Polymer |
Camera
| Rear | ||
|---|---|---|
| Single camera | Single camera | Single camera |
| Main camera | ||
| 5 MP (Autofocus, BSI sensor) Aperture size: F2.4 Focal length: 33 mm |
5 MP (Autofocus, BSI sensor) Aperture size: F2.4 | 0.7 MP Aperture size: F2.4 |
| Video recording | ||
| 1080p (30 fps) Time-lapse video, EIS, Video calling | 1080p (30 fps) EIS | 720p (30 fps) Video calling |
| Front | ||
| 1.2 MP Video capture: 720p (30 fps) |
1.2 MP Video capture: 720p |
0.3 MP VGA Video capture: VGA |
Connectivity & Features
| Bluetooth | ||
|---|---|---|
| 4.0 | 4.0 | 2.1, Yes |
| WLAN | ||
| a,b,g,n,dual-band Multiple antennas, MIMO, Hotspot 802.11 a, b, g, n | a,b,g,n,dual-band Hotspot 802.11 a, b, g, n | a,b,g,n 802.11 a, b, g, n |
| USB | ||
| Lightning | Lightning | Proprietary |
| Sensors | ||
| Accelerometer, Gyroscope, Compass, Ambient light sensor | Accelerometer, Gyroscope, Compass, Ambient light sensor | Accelerometer, Gyroscope, Compass, Ambient light sensor |
| HDMI | ||
| Yes | Yes | |
| Location | ||
| A-GPS, Glonass, Cell ID, Wi-Fi positioning | A-GPS, Glonass, Wi-Fi positioning | A-GPS |
| Other | ||
| Tethering, Computer sync, OTA sync, AirDrop | Computer sync, OTA sync, AirDrop | Computer sync, OTA sync |
Multimedia
| Headphones | ||
|---|---|---|
| 3.5mm jack | 3.5mm jack | 3.5mm jack |
| Speakers | ||
| Multiple speakers | Loudspeaker | |
| Features | ||
| Album art cover, Background playback | Album art cover, Background playback, Dolby Digital | Album art cover, Background playback |
| Screen mirroring | ||
| TV-out | TV-out | TV-out |
| Additional microphone(s) | ||
| Yes | ||
Cellular
| 4G (FDD) | ||
|---|---|---|
| Bands 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 7, 8, 13, 17, 18, 19, 20, 25, 26 | Bands 4, 17 | |
| 3G | ||
| Bands 5, 8, 2, 1 | Bands 5, 8, 2, 1 | Bands 5, 8, 2, 1 |
| Data Speed | ||
| LTE, HSPA, UMTS | LTE Cat 3 (100/50 Mbit/s), HSDPA+ (4G) 42.2 Mbit/s, HSDPA+ (4G) 21.1 Mbit/s, UMTS | HSDPA 14.4 Mbit/s, HSUPA 2 Mbit/s, UMTS |
| SIM type | ||
| Nano SIM | Micro SIM | Micro SIM |
Phone Features
| Notifications | ||
|---|---|---|
| Flight mode, Silent mode | Silent mode, Speakerphone | Silent mode, Speakerphone |
| Other features | ||
| Voice commands, Voice recording | Voice commands, Voice recording | Voice recording |
Regulatory Approval
| FCC approval | ||
|---|---|---|
| Date approved: Oct 22, 2013 FCC ID value: BCGA1475 | Date approved: Mar 02, 2011 FCC ID value: BCGA1396 | |
| Measured SAR | ||
| Body: 1.19 W/kg Simultaneous Transmission: 1.33 W/kg |
Body: 1.19 W/kg | Body: 1.19 W/kg Measured in: 1900 MHz |
Availability
| Officially announced | ||
|---|---|---|
| Oct 22, 2013 | Oct 23, 2012 | Mar 02, 2011 |
| MSRP | ||
| $ 929 | $ 799 | |
See the full
Apple iPad Air vs Apple iPad 4 vs Apple iPad 2 specs comparison
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