All iPads Buying advice: New 9.7" iPad (32gb) or refurbished iPad Air 2 (64gb)?

[Playmbl]

Hello everyone:
I've been reading about the specs of this new iPad since yesterday, as I need a replacement for my mum's 3rd generation iPad, which is painfully slow at present, almost unusable.
At the same price, around 400€, I can buy in the Apple Store a refurbished 64gb iPad Air 2, or this new iPad (32gb). So, which one do you think it's a better buy?
My mum uses it a lot, but for daily uses such as surfing the Internet on Safari, watching Youtube or reading e-mails. The only demanding task she does in the iPad is gaming (a lot of games in fact, Candy Crush style), what makes me think about the advantages of the A9 chip over the A8x. However, the 64gb would be a nice update, since her current iPad has 32gb and it's almost full.
Thank you very much!! Any input is welcome.

 

[spooklog]

I find my 64GB Air 2 runs very well on iOS 10, with little stuttering (when switching apps or opening windows). In fact, I expect the Air 2 to be a viable device well into the future -- a year, at least. Given your usage scenario I'd seriously consider going with the Air 2.

 

[gobikerider]

Hello everyone:
I've been reading about the specs of this new iPad since yesterday, as I need a replacement for my mum's 3rd generation iPad, which is painfully slow with iOS 10, almost unusable.
At the same price, around 400€, I can buy in the Apple Store a refurbished 64gb iPad Air 2, or this new iPad (32gb). So, which one do you think it's a better buy?
My mum uses it a lot, but for daily uses such as surfing the Internet on Safari, watching Youtube or reading e-mails. The only demanding task she does in the iPad is gaming (a lot of games in fact, Candy Crush style), what makes me think about the advantages of the A9 chip over the A8x. However, the 64gb would be a nice update, since her current iPad has 32gb and it's almost full.
Thank you very much!! Any input is welcome.

Your mother is the perfect candidate for the newly announced "iPad". She would love the new design, well new to her and the A9 will be plenty fast for all her needs. Just get the iPad 32gb if you think you can have her offload her photos or something or cut back on unesscary apps but otherwise just spend $400 on the 128gb model. The Pro doesn't make since for her since you'd sacrifice storage space for features that would be irrelevant to her. The Air 2 at this point I'd not bother with since it's 2 years old unless your better off spending that money on the fresh iPad for her

 

[lugworm]

Your mother is the perfect candidate for the newly announced "iPad". She would love the new design, well new to her and the A9 will be plenty fast for all her needs. Just get the iPad 32gb if you think you can have her offload her photos or something or cut back on unesscary apps but otherwise just spend $400 on the 128gb model. The Pro doesn't make since for her since you'd sacrifice storage space for features that would be irrelevant to her. The Air 2 at this point I'd not bother with since it's 2 years old unless your better off spending that money on the fresh iPad for her

"New design" ?

 

[Playmbl]

"New design" ?

I think he's referring to "new to her", since my mother now has a 3rd gen iPad, which is heavier and thicker than the new one.

 

[bodonnell202]

The new iPad is basically an Air 1 with an A9 processor, Touch ID and the camera from the Air 2. In a lot of ways the Air 2 is the better device since it was designed as a premium device versus the new iPad which was designed as a budget device.

The only real advantages of the new iPad are the newer processor (although the A9 is a very modest upgrade compared to the A8X), possibly better battery life (thanks to a more power efficient processor and larger battery) and probably an extra year of iOS updates.

 

[Mr. Dee]

My friend said he is willing to give me his 128 GB Cellular iPad Air 2 at the cost of shipping and handling. Think I might take him up on the offer.

 

[Weasel60]

Just voted for the iPad Air 2 64GB and backed that up with a purchase. I currently have an iPad 2 16 GB which I frequently want to sling across the room (frisby style) due to its frequent app crashes. I was really looking forward to Apple dropping the iPad Pro price but as that didn't happen I looked carefully at the "new" iPad. As this turns out to be a reworked iPad Air 1, losing screen quality and increasing weight, I decided that an refurb Air 2 would suit me fine for a few years.

 

[Badrottie]

Your mommy would be angry at you if you give her an Air 2 and iOS 11 come out later this year will slow down.

 

[sracer]

Hello everyone:
I've been reading about the specs of this new iPad since yesterday, as I need a replacement for my mum's 3rd generation iPad, which is painfully slow with iOS 10, almost unusable.
At the same price, around 400€, I can buy in the Apple Store a refurbished 64gb iPad Air 2, or this new iPad (32gb). So, which one do you think it's a better buy?
My mum uses it a lot, but for daily uses such as surfing the Internet on Safari, watching Youtube or reading e-mails. The only demanding task she does in the iPad is gaming (a lot of games in fact, Candy Crush style), what makes me think about the advantages of the A9 chip over the A8x. However, the 64gb would be a nice update, since her current iPad has 32gb and it's almost full.
Thank you very much!! Any input is welcome.

It's too early to suggest one over the other. I would like to see one of these new iPads first-hand before making a decision.

 

[bufffilm]

Easy choice...the iPad Air 2.

More storage and better screen (FWICT) beats faster processor (and maybe slightly better audio). The storage and screen you have to deal with every day.

The A9 processor is nice but won't benefit you that much. As for the better speakers...I'd go BT for MUCH better audio.

 

[gobikerider]

For what your mother will care about the iPad is plenty she isn't going to care about Air 2 screen as the iPads screen is fine, keep in mind she's coming from a iPad 3rd gen, the last thing you want to do is give her a 2 year old tablet just get the new iPad that way it'll work smooth for years were as the Air 2 could easily start choking starting in iOS 11, we don't know.

 

[bodonnell202]

Your mommy would be angry at you if you give her an Air 2 and iOS 11 come out later this year will slow down.

Nah, since Apple will need to continue supporting devices with 1 GB of ram (iPad Air, iPad Mini 2 & 3, iPhone 5s, 6 and 6 plus and 6th gen iPod touch) with iOS 11 (and many of them with iOS 12 as well) any device with at least 2 GB of ram (which the Air 2 has) should be fairly safe from a performance perspective for at least another 1.5 years and probably more...

 

[Howard2k]

I am going to be replacing my iPad3. I was leaning to the Air 2 but now will get the new iPad.

At retail pricing, the 32GB new iPad is the winner for me, however, if I could get the Air 2 64GB for the same price as the 32GB iPad, I'd very likely get the Air 2. I'm coming from 16GB though so even 32GB is a good upgrade.

 

[bodonnell202]

I am going to be replacing my iPad3. I was leaning to the Air 2 but now will get the new iPad.

At retail pricing, the 32GB new iPad is the winner for me, however, if I could get the Air 2 64GB for the same price as the 32GB iPad, I'd very likely get the Air 2. I'm coming from 16GB though so even 32GB is a good upgrade.

Admittedly, the new iPad is a pretty good upgrade (at a great price) for those looking to replace an older iPad 2, 3 or 4. It's also a great option for kids, education, store check-outs etc... Just in comparison to the iPad Air 2 it isn't really an upgrade at all.

 

[Howard2k]

Admittedly, the new iPad is a pretty good upgrade (at a great price) for those looking to replace an older iPad 2, 3 or 4. It's also a great option for kids, education, store check-outs etc... Just in comparison to the iPad Air 2 it isn't really an upgrade at all.

Agreed.

 

[rui no onna]

The new iPad is basically an Air 1 with an A9 processor, Touch ID and the camera from the Air 2. In a lot of ways the Air 2 is the better device since it was designed as a premium device versus the new iPad which was designed as a budget device.

The only real advantages of the new iPad are the newer processor (although the A9 is a very modest upgrade compared to the A8X), possibly better battery life (thanks to a more power efficient processor and larger battery) and probably an extra year of iOS updates.

This pretty much. If their pricing is the same or close enough (e.g. $50 diff), I'd definitely get the 64GB Air 2.

The A9X was a pretty significant jump over the A8X particularly in terms of single core performance (which would help with web browsing, etc). The A9 over A8X? Not so much. If Apple is using the Air 1 display on the new iPad, then the screen downgrade is pretty obvious. The iPad Air display felt like cheap, hollow plastic compared to the iPad 1/2/3/4.

If refurb or closeout sales on Air 2 didn't exist, then the new iPad is a great budget option. Between Air 2 and new iPad with similar capacities at around the same price, the Air 2 gets my vote.

 

[bufffilm]

We'll read the reviews soon enough, but other than for those people upgrading from a much older device...this news is disappointing in a way.

Just more disappointment from Apple...they just seem to want to squander the headstart that the iPad has over Android and Windows.

 

[Patcell]

My vote goes to iPad Air 2 also. This is still a very solid tablet; no issues running iOS 10. A9 is a very modest upgrade from A8X and that only goes for small increase in single-core performance. Multi-core tests still put the A8X slightly ahead of A9. The Air 2 has 2GB of system RAM (same as iPad Pro 9.7), so I really can't imagine that software support will suffer greatly in the near future (2 years or so).

 

[Howard2k]

My vote goes to iPad Air 2 also. This is still a very solid tablet; no issues running iOS 10. A9 is a very modest upgrade from A8X and that only goes for small increase in single-core performance. Multi-core tests still put the A8X slightly ahead of A9. The Air 2 has 2GB of system RAM (same as iPad Pro 9.7), so I really can't imagine that software support will suffer greatly in the near future (2 years or so).

You can find real benchmarks online. The iPhone SE is significantly faster in single core and slightly faster in multi core than the Air 2. The iPad has 500MHz over the SE, apparently, so that'll make it faster still.

 

[Patcell]

You can find real benchmarks online. The iPhone SE is significantly faster in single core and slightly faster in multi core than the Air 2. The iPad has 500MHz over the SE, apparently, so that'll make it faster still.

I didn't realize the new iPad was clocked higher. I was basing my post off of this article http://wccftech.com/apple-a9xipad-pro-benchmarks/. Which shows the A8X slightly ahead of A9 (in iPhone 6S) in multi-core score.

 

[Coolpher]

it it was my mother I would spend the extra money and go with the iPad announced yesterday in 128gb it will have many many more years of support for iOS

personally my mom has my Old iPad 4 right now and I am already talking to her about upgrading to the iPad announced yesterday because I guarantee the iPad 4 will be left off the compatibility list of IOS 11 this June

another thing even thought the iPad 4 has run the latest iOS up till now it has none of the New Features they have come out with in the last ow 2 or 3 years I would guess that this NEW iPad would get all New features from iOS 11

 

[Mad Mac Maniac]

However, the 64gb would be a nice update, since her current iPad has 32gb and it's almost full.

Honestly I think this is the key, and why I cast my vote for Air 2. Storage aside, I would say it's about a virtual toss-up between the 2. I would personally tend to lean towards the new iPad, because the new processor will likely have a slightly better longevity. However, if she's already nearing the 32gb mark and would expect to keep this iPad for 3-4 years, she'd better make room.

 

[rui no onna]

You can find real benchmarks online. The iPhone SE is significantly faster in single core and slightly faster in multi core than the Air 2. The iPad has 500MHz over the SE, apparently, so that'll make it faster still.

Source for 2017 iPad A9 having 500MHz faster clock rate?

 

[Howard2k]

Source for 2017 iPad A9 having 500MHz faster clock rate?

Ha ha, good question. I think it was AppleInsider but I'm not totally sure. I'm not totally convinced though, which is why I used "apparently".