Looking to buy one or the other for a xmas gift. Still seeing the Air 2's priced in the same range as the new iPads so wondering if the Air 2 has any significant advantages. Obviously, the new iPad has the "new" going for it. This person is still using the 4th gen iPad and would like to get the same mileage out of the next model.
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iPad 2017 iPad vs refurb iPad Air 2
- Thread starter bsharrah
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You will get longer life out of an iPad 2017 with the newer processor. The iPad Air 2 was at the bottom end of devices compatible with the last iOS upgrade. The next upgrade will not likely include the iPad Air 2. So if the price of the iPad 2017 is similar then the better financial investment will be in the device that will last longer.
Saving money is not a crime.
Saving money is not a crime.
Except the new ipad is made from scrap parts and plastic screen ruining the whole experience.
Appreciate the comments from both of you. Both gave me something to think about. Air 2 is out due to age but cheap screen concerns me as well. Really did not want to spend more money but might have to consider the 9.7 Pro. Not interested in anything with a larger screen.
The 2017 gen 5 iPad has got a high quality screen that (to me) feels as good and performs as well as the Pro. Not cheap or made from plastic. I don’t know what the previous poster was talking about in trashing this model. I much prefer it over all my previous gen iPads in terms of display quality and obviously performance.
No doubt in my mind the gen 5 over Air 2.
No doubt in my mind the gen 5 over Air 2.
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I will take a look at a display model before purchasing anything. After reading the previous post regarding the screen, I Googled reviews and seen others also complaining about the screen being cheap. It is often a matter of perspective in these cases. Will take a look. If I do not see any significant(to me) concerns with the screen compared to the 4th gen iPad, will probably go with the 5th gen. If I do see differences, then will probably buy a refurbed 9.7 pro.
Definitely check the 2017 iPad out in person. It is quite common these days for people to engage in hyperbole regarding the quality of things. For them, anything that isn't the cutting edge is "junk". The 2017 iPad is essentially the internals of the Air 2 in the body/screen of an Air 1.
I bought a 2017 for my mom and the screen seems off. Colours are fine, it just seems not as responsive.
The previous poster is referring the the non laminated screen on the new iPad. The top piece of glass in the screen is not glued to the pieces below. That leaves a small air gap that gives the screen a hollow or plastic feel when you tap on it.
I see. I think I experienced that when I got the kid the first iPad mini. I recall it did make the screen feel cheap and even plastic. Hoping the local walmart has a display I can check out. I don't have anything else within an hour drive. Not willing to spend a lot because to be honest this person is still using the gen 4 with no complaints. Might be willing to step up to a refurb 9.7 pro, but the newer pro's are out of the question and are overkill for what this person uses it for.
I am fine with that. Currently using the SE with no intentions of upgrading unless the rumors are true that another SE is coming. Don't need the latest and greatest because greater is almost always a year away, and that is a rabbit hole I don't care to enter.
The display on the Air 2 is better because it is laminated meaning more vibrant colours and overall a better display with less reflectivity. The iPad 2017 is faster but not by much. I would go for the Air 2 honestly just for the display
LOL. Yeah....still finding myself considering that option and was comparing the two, again, just a couple minutes ago.
Another thing to check out and consider is... speaker vibration. The Air 2 has a nasty habit of vibrating the whole unit. Not a deal-breaker but certainly something to be evaluated.
Ok, I see. Though it may feel like plastic, none there. All glass as all iPads displays. I owned both the 10.5 Pro and the current gen 5, and didn't see any huge advantage of laminated. I actually didn't like the feel of the display as it seems to bend with any pressure on the glass, causing light leak especially around the home button. It just seemed fragile.
The clarity of the gen 5 is equal to laminated in my opinion. I’m also fine with any slight gap, and also don’t see why that’s an issue. Same with the so-called thump. To me, the gen 5 just feels sturdier and less susceptible to damage. But this is really all subjective.
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I'd bet they will be EOL for an iOS version at the same time. They sold a lot of Air 2's and the CPU performance isn't that much off from the 2017 iPad. And even if the iPad 2017 does get an extra year, typically that last year isn't very good anyway!
That being said the Air 2 is now over 3 years old and the 2017 iPad at Black Friday deals of $249 was an incredible buy. Still seeing deals of $279 which is still great.
It really depends on which features you notice more.
Do you notice the thinner/lighter of the Air 2 (I did, parents didn't when going from Air to Air 2)
Do you notice the "better" screen of the Air 2 (I did, parents didn't when going from Air to Air 2)
Do you notice the slightly faster 2017 over the Air 2?
How important is the bigger/longer lasting batter of the 2017 iPad?
I always recommend reading Arstechnica review.
That being said the Air 2 is now over 3 years old and the 2017 iPad at Black Friday deals of $249 was an incredible buy. Still seeing deals of $279 which is still great.
It really depends on which features you notice more.
Do you notice the thinner/lighter of the Air 2 (I did, parents didn't when going from Air to Air 2)
Do you notice the "better" screen of the Air 2 (I did, parents didn't when going from Air to Air 2)
Do you notice the slightly faster 2017 over the Air 2?
How important is the bigger/longer lasting batter of the 2017 iPad?
I always recommend reading Arstechnica review.
Thanks all. Going with the 2017 iPad which is still on sale for $279. Had the chance to take a close look at it this morning and think this person will be more than pleased with it over their gen 4, which is running current apps horribly. Really surprised this person hasn’t been complaining about how slow their gen 4 is.
It’s probably really a question of how many future versions of IOS will support the 2017 (gen 5). I’d guess 2-3 more. That might mean another 3-4 years, maybe 5 optimistically, is my guess.
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Historically, iOS support is based on the processor.
The A9 came out in 2015, so I would expect support through iOS 13.
No one really has to imagine how it would have been on iOS 11. A great many iPad Air 2 owners have upgraded to 11.*. Some have complained. Others, like me, have no complaints at all. There is a ton of discussion on MR.
My old iPhone 6, on the other hand . . .
All the reviews of this product that I watched on youtube stated that while yes, the screen is cheaper than other iPads, its because the LCD panel is not laminated to the bottom of the glass like it is for iPhones and other iPads. It isn't because the screen is made out of plastic, because its not. There are a couple consequences of this design choice. 1. There is a slight air gap between the glass and the surface that the images appear on. 2. The pieces are actually cheaper to replace should any damage occur.
The consensus seems to be that it is more noticeable if you are coming from a pro model, but otherwise it won't be noticeable. One guy even had a pro model and was testing the 2017 for a few months and said he didn't even notice it after a while. I'm looking at this model for my first ever iPad so I expect I will be just fine with the screen, especially considering the price. Still gonna check it out in the store though.
Update: Went in to the Apple store today to check out 2017 iPad. I was expecting some level of that "separated" feeling you get when you use a poorer quality touch screen (particularly those on the new-ish Coke branded soda fountains) of feeling like your touch is extremely far away from the icon you are touching. But I was pleasantly surprised. I couldn't really tell a difference. I could visibly see the air gap if I looked closely but the screen felt really responsive and indistinguishable from my iPhone, or indeed, the iPad pro sitting right next to it. Definitely going to get it. Can't beat the price.
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