Ipad air 2 a good upgrade for my purposes?

[tigress666]

Ok, so I've been using an old ipad 2 to just watch netlix in the kitchen while I do dishes. It does the job but it's slow and it has this weird "crash" every so often, sometimes very often, where I have to restart it to get netflix to work (and because it's slow it restarts slow).

I don't want to pay too much cause it's not worth a lot to me (I already have an ipad mini - the last one - for my general ipad needs and I prefer mini for that anyways). But I'd like to get a faster/more up to date ipad to replace the 2 if I can get one cheap enough. My husband found a whoot deal for an an ipad air 2 64 gb for 280 and it got me thinking that is about what I'd find it worth.

Anyways, I looked up prices and decided that the price isn't any much of a better deal for the air 2 judging from what I can find on ebay or amazon (granted I didn't check out hard drive sizes but since I need it for very little I can compromise on that). But... is it a good upgrade for both how much faster it will be over the 2 as well as how long it will stay mostly relevant (as in at least be usable as much as my 2 is now).

or should I be looking at newer ones (I found for 300 I could find 2017's model but that's getting a little higher than I want unless it is a huge difference between it and the 2016 and I know myself, I have to put a limit somewhere cause I'll keep talking myself into"Oh, just a little more and I can get this"). Or even is an ipad air good enough if I can get it cheap (I realize most are going to be a good upgrade from the 2 but is an air still pretty relevant these days. Some ipads are better than others for long lasting, the 2 was amazing for how long it has been usable, the 3 was not a good one <- slower than the 2 cause of the screen change and no new chip).

 

[Kendo]

As an owner of an iPad Air 2 since 2014, I'd say no. It is getting a little long in the tooth and websites can have a slight stutter when scrolling. This will only get more pronounced a year or two later. The 2018 iPad is such a great value since the A10 basically has the same power as an A9X from the 9.7 iPad Pro. Just spend the extra few dollars and have a smooth system for years to come.

 

[sracer]

As an owner of an iPad Air 2 since 2014, I'd say no. It is getting a little long in the tooth and websites can have a slight stutter when scrolling. This will only get more pronounced a year or two later. The 2018 iPad is such a great value since the A10 basically has the same power as an A9X from the 9.7 iPad Pro. Just spend the extra few dollars and have a smooth system for years to come.

I'm of the opinion that one should get what works without overpaying for more than one needs. Having said that, the Air 2 for $280 (that's for the LTE model) is too expensive IMO for its age and projected remaining lifespan. I wouldn't pay more than $150 for one. I'm a big fan of the 2018 iPad (which performance-wise is a bit better than the 1st gen 12.9 iPad Pro) and it is worth the $330 MSRP... but if one can wait, it should be available on sale for $300.

 

[MacDevil7334]

I think for just watching Netflix, the Air 2 is fine. It’s got a solid processor and (crucial in this day and age) 2 GB of RAM. I do agree with others that it is getting a little long in the tooth at this point. But it should be supported for a few more years to come. One advantage it has over the 2017/2018 budget iPads is that the screen is laminated to the glass and has an anti reflective coating. Both make the screen look great and help reduce glare from other lights (which can be a problem in the kitchen).

I’d definitely stay away from the Air 1. It only has 1 GB of RAM and is pretty close to no longer being supported already. The Air 2 or the 2017/2018 regular iPads are your best bet. If it were me and all I was doing was watching Netflix on it, I would pick the better screen on the Air 2 over the faster processors on the later models.

One other thought: you can find used iPad Pro 9.7” for pretty cheap on places like swappa. I’ve seen base models going for $350. For that extra $70 over that Air 2 your husband found, you get a nicer screen, faster processor, AND way better speakers. Even though that would be more money up front, that’s probably the best value in the long run.

 

[rui no onna]

Ok, so I've been using an old ipad 2 to just watch netlix in the kitchen while I do dishes. It does the job but it's slow and it has this weird "crash" every so often, sometimes very often, where I have to restart it to get netflix to work (and because it's slow it restarts slow).

I don't want to pay too much cause it's not worth a lot to me (I already have an ipad mini - the last one - for my general ipad needs and I prefer mini for that anyways). But I'd like to get a faster/more up to date ipad to replace the 2 if I can get one cheap enough. My husband found a whoot deal for an an ipad air 2 64 gb for 280 and it got me thinking that is about what I'd find it worth.

Anyways, I looked up prices and decided that the price isn't any much of a better deal for the air 2 judging from what I can find on ebay or amazon (granted I didn't check out hard drive sizes but since I need it for very little I can compromise on that). But... is it a good upgrade for both how much faster it will be over the 2 as well as how long it will stay mostly relevant (as in at least be usable as much as my 2 is now).

or should I be looking at newer ones (I found for 300 I could find 2017's model but that's getting a little higher than I want unless it is a huge difference between it and the 2016 and I know myself, I have to put a limit somewhere cause I'll keep talking myself into"Oh, just a little more and I can get this"). Or even is an ipad air good enough if I can get it cheap (I realize most are going to be a good upgrade from the 2 but is an air still pretty relevant these days. Some ipads are better than others for long lasting, the 2 was amazing for how long it has been usable, the 3 was not a good one <- slower than the 2 cause of the screen change and no new chip).

You can get refurb 2017 iPad 32GB/128GB for $240/310 from Apple and those come with 1-year warranty. They have refurb Air 2 also for ~$50 more (at same capacity).

Between Air 2 (A8X) and 2017 iPad (A9), I'm inclined to get the 2017 model. Battery life is great and despite similar multi-core scores, there are still plenty of tasks that are bound by single-core performance where the A9 should fare better.

 

[ChrisChaval]

an air 2 for free would be ok

I own one and really do like it, but it is yesterday's tech

get an iPad 2018 and you will be happy for years to come
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You can get refurb 2017 iPad 32GB/128GB for $240/310 from Apple and those come with 1-year warranty. They have refurb Air 2 also for ~$50 more (at same capacity).

Between Air 2 (A8X) and 2017 iPad (A9), I'm inclined to get the 2017 model. Battery life is great and despite similar multi-core scores, there are still plenty of tasks that are bound by single-core performance where the A9 should fare better.

between those two I'd still get the Air2 (but not for 280 bucks) for the better screen

the cpu performs about the same in multitasking, ram is the same, so no real value here, despite a couple of years in software (security) updates

 

[muzzy996]

If it’s just for Netflix I have to wonder if an Amazon Fire HD 10 would fit the bill just as well as an older iPad. $135 for a 32GB with expandable storage or $175 for the 64GB model (both prices w/out lock screen ads).

 

[ChrisChaval]

If it’s just for Netflix I have to wonder if an Amazon Fire HD 10 would fit the bill just as well as an older iPad. $135 for a 32GB with expandable storage or $175 for the 64GB model (both prices w/out lock screen ads).

haven't thought about that, but yes I guess that would do it too for much less

 

[fricotin]

As an owner of an iPad Air 2 since 2014, I'd say no. It is getting a little long in the tooth and websites can have a slight stutter when scrolling. This will only get more pronounced a year or two later. The 2018 iPad is such a great value since the A10 basically has the same power as an A9X from the 9.7 iPad Pro. Just spend the extra few dollars and have a smooth system for years to come.

Do not notice any stutter on mine.

 

[rui no onna]

If it’s just for Netflix I have to wonder if an Amazon Fire HD 10 would fit the bill just as well as an older iPad. $135 for a 32GB with expandable storage or $175 for the 64GB model (both prices w/out lock screen ads).

This is true. Aspect ratio is much more suited for videos, too, and they often go on sale for $90-110.
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between those two I'd still get the Air2 (but not for 280 bucks) for the better screen

the cpu performs about the same in multitasking, ram is the same, so no real value here, despite a couple of years in software (security) updates

Screen is a matter of personal preference.

I personally use a 256GB Pro 9.7 and 512GB Pro 12.9 but we also have Air 2 and 2017 iPad in the household. None in our household find the lack of laminated display and AR coating on the 2017 model a deal breaker. Indeed, I enjoy how my finger tips seem to glide more smoothly on the 2017 iPad and how it's more resistant to fingerprints compared to Air 2 and Pro models. YMMV.

As for CPU, for apps that are multi-thread optimized, A8X and A9 are the same speed. For tasks that are not (or can't be) multi-threaded, then A9 is faster. The A9 loads Excel noticeably faster. I also found it faster at indexing and searching for text in big ebooks.

The Air 2 and 2017 iPad are more or less comparable. It's really just a matter of how much value you put on the laminated display. If one doesn't care about the display, then the 2017 iPad is a slightly better option due to faster single-core and bigger battery.

 

[s2mikey]

As an owner of an iPad Air 2 since 2014, I'd say no. It is getting a little long in the tooth and websites can have a slight stutter when scrolling. This will only get more pronounced a year or two later. The 2018 iPad is such a great value since the A10 basically has the same power as an A9X from the 9.7 iPad Pro. Just spend the extra few dollars and have a smooth system for years to come.

Gotta agree here - my 2018 base ipad is very fast and snappy. Moreso than I thought it would be. And, it has the same amount of RAM as the Air 2 so you get nothing extra there. I say having the latest chipset/processor makes a big difference with these iPads. I love RAM.... but that chip is also important!

Go for the newest model if you can swing it. You'll love it!

 

[tigress666]

Thank you for all the replies and suggestions. This has been very helpful.

 

[AroundTheFur922]

an air 2 for free would be ok

I own one and really do like it, but it is yesterday's tech

get an iPad 2018 and you will be happy for years to come
[doublepost=1526055258][/doublepost]

between those two I'd still get the Air2 (but not for 280 bucks) for the better screen

the cpu performs about the same in multitasking, ram is the same, so no real value here, despite a couple of years in software (security) updates

[doublepost=1526063646][/doublepost]I've had an Air 2 for years now and it still runs great, especially for movie viewing in the kitchen which is the major task my iPad is assigned to. If all other aspects are fairly comparable and your main purpose for the device is using its' screen for viewing videos, I would suggest getting the option with the best screen quality, which is the Air 2 in this case.

 

[sracer]

If it’s just for Netflix I have to wonder if an Amazon Fire HD 10 would fit the bill just as well as an older iPad. $135 for a 32GB with expandable storage or $175 for the 64GB model (both prices w/out lock screen ads).

This. I have one. It makes a TERRIFIC Netflix device...well, streaming device in general. I have things like Terrarium TV, Mobdro, and FreeFlix HQ, installed. Fantastic... and can be bought on sale for about $100-$110. (I got mine ion sale for $85)

 

[aakshey]

I think for just watching Netflix, the Air 2 is fine. It’s got a solid processor and (crucial in this day and age) 2 GB of RAM. I do agree with others that it is getting a little long in the tooth at this point. But it should be supported for a few more years to come. One advantage it has over the 2017/2018 budget iPads is that the screen is laminated to the glass and has an anti reflective coating. Both make the screen look great and help reduce glare from other lights (which can be a problem in the kitchen).

I’d definitely stay away from the Air 1. It only has 1 GB of RAM and is pretty close to no longer being supported already. The Air 2 or the 2017/2018 regular iPads are your best bet. If it were me and all I was doing was watching Netflix on it, I would pick the better screen on the Air 2 over the faster processors on the later models.

One other thought: you can find used iPad Pro 9.7” for pretty cheap on places like swappa. I’ve seen base models going for $350. For that extra $70 over that Air 2 your husband found, you get a nicer screen, faster processor, AND way better speakers. Even though that would be more money up front, that’s probably the best value in the long run.

It probably won’t. iOS 12/13 will be the last iOS to support Air 2. And even if iOS 13 supports it, it would crawl.

 

[Radon87000]

The only issue here is iPad 2018 has an inferior display to Air 2 but is significantly faster.

 

[braddick]

This is an interesting thread. As I don't get rid of iPads when I pick up a new one I can tell you watching Netflix is about the same experience on the Air Air2 and the iPad 10.5 Pro.

 

[tigress666]

The only issue here is iPad 2018 has an inferior display to Air 2 but is significantly faster.

Heh. I'm coming from an iPad 2. Pretty sure either will look much nicer (the 2 was the last before they introduced the Retina display). Also, since I only get to glance at the iPad and am mostly just listening I think I'd prefer the speed all other things being the same.

 

[aneftp]

If you can get air 2 for $150. I would do it.

But if it’s near $300 or so. You are better off getting the 2018 iPad 6the gen (A10/2gb ram) budget iPad.

There are plenty of sales even on the new 2018 iPad A10 budget iPad. Heck. Sams club has 2018 version of 128gb iPad A10 budget iPad for $360 this morning.