Apple has added another interesting option to its lineup with the all-new Apple iPad Air, and on paper it looks like a device that wants to be your daily driver. Announced in 2013, October 22. Released 2013, November 01, it arrives at a time when the competition is as tight as ever.
Design & Display
On the front you get a 9.7 inches, 291.4 cm 2 (~71.6% screen-to-body ratio) panel, pushing a resolution of 1536 x 2048 pixels, 4:3 ratio (~264 ppi density). Colours look punchy and text stays clean, so you will not have much to complain about here. In terms of design, the Apple iPad Air keeps things modern and comfortable to hold. You can pick it up in a few finishes, including Space Gray.
Performance & Software
Under the hood you will find the Apple A7 (28 nm), paired with 1GB of RAM, which means smooth scrolling, quick app switching and no real hiccups in normal use. It runs iOS 7, upgradable to iPadOS 12.5.8 out of the box, so the software experience feels current.
Camera
On the camera side, the Apple iPad Air is led by a 5 MP main sensor. It is not a pro camera rig, but for everyday memories it gets the job done nicely.
Battery
Keeping the lights on is a Li-Po 8600 mAh, non-removable (32.4 Wh) cell, which should comfortably see most people through a full day on a single charge.
Our Opinion
So, what do we actually make of the Apple iPad Air? This is a phone that does not try to be the flashiest option on the shelf, and honestly that works in its favour. It gets the basics right, offering strong battery life, a dependable main camera, a crisp display, which is exactly what most buyers are really after. In day-to-day use it feels like the kind of device you can rely on, whether you are replying to messages, scrolling through social media, watching videos or taking the odd photo. Is it perfect? No phone is, and you will always find a sharper camera or a faster chip somewhere else for a little more money. But taken as a whole, the Apple iPad Air is a sensible, well-judged choice that should keep most users happy for a good while. If you have used this device or are planning to pick one up, do let us know your thoughts in the comments section below.
