Computerworld reviews Apple’s 64-bit iPad Air: The very best large screen tablet experience available

13 years ago

“Since the original iPad was introduced three and a half years ago, Apple has churned out five iterations of its benchmark tablet — and said last month it has sold more than 170 million of them,” Michael deAgonia writes for Computerworld. “The latest generation, the iPad Air, arrived Oct. 22 and improves on every aspect of what was great about those earlier iPads. (Apple even addressed the biggest concern with every post-iPad 2 version: weight.) From the iPad mini-inspired frame to the fast 64-bit A7 chip and architecture, the new iPad Air is a stunning improvement on what was already a rightfully successful tablet.”

“I’ve now had my iPad Air for almost a month, having picked up a 128GB unit, in Space Gray, on the day they arrived in stores,” deAgonia writes. “Lesson learned: When it comes to the iPad, lighter is better… The one-pound iPad Air is a game-changer.”

“Another plus: This is the first 64-bit tablet, utilizing the architecture Apple engineers custom-developed and shipped with the iPhone 5S. Unlike the iPhone 5S, space isn’t as constrained in the iPad and so Apple engineers have clocked the A7 processor slightly higher, making the iPad Air the fastest mobile device Apple has ever shipped [make that “fastest iOS device,” as Apple does ship the MacBook Pro],” deAgonia writes. “Naturally, the iPad Air runs apps faster than previous iPads. But when an application has been written to take advantage of the 64-bit architecture, the real-world benefits are readily apparent; I’ve seen twice the performance as before when using such apps.”

deAgonia writes, “The only thing that stops me from calling this iPad the ultimate personal computer is the lack of a Touch ID fingerprint scanner, like the one found on the iPhone 5S. Touch ID is one of those features that, once you get used to it, you don’t ever want to go back. I use it constantly on my iPhone 5S and I’d like to see it on the iPad lineup as well. That aside, the iPad Air doesn’t just feel like another new iPad Apple — it feels like an entirely new class of iPad. From its performance to its look to how it feels in hand, the iPad Air offers the very best experience from a tablet with a large display.”

Read more in the full review here.