I stumbled upon that statement as well. I'm not sure if the reviewer is imagining things. At least my iPad Mini4 doesn't have low power mode... And it really needs it.
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iPad Mini 5 and iPad Air 3 Reviews
- Thread starter AJB1971
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I wondered if there was an embargo on the Air 3 because of the lack of reviews. There was definitely an embargo for the Mini 5 as I’ve seen mention of it elsewhere and all of the reviews were published at the same time.
TechRadar’s review of the Air 3 was released at the same time as the Mini 5 reviews, perhaps they broke the embargo. The other reviews are mainly hands-on impressions of the device.
It’s possible that Apple has staggered the embargoes to avoid news clashes - iPad Mini 5 reviews on the 21st of March, Apple event on the 26th of March and the Air 3 reviews sometime later this week.
The devices are definitely in the hands of reviewers as I’ve already mentioned that The Verge’s review is due this week and The Wall Street Journal has released a video on which iPad to buy which featured the Air 3 -
https://www.wsj.com/articles/ipad-m...-heres-how-to-pick-the-right-ipad-11553432400
TechRadar’s review of the Air 3 was released at the same time as the Mini 5 reviews, perhaps they broke the embargo. The other reviews are mainly hands-on impressions of the device.
It’s possible that Apple has staggered the embargoes to avoid news clashes - iPad Mini 5 reviews on the 21st of March, Apple event on the 26th of March and the Air 3 reviews sometime later this week.
The devices are definitely in the hands of reviewers as I’ve already mentioned that The Verge’s review is due this week and The Wall Street Journal has released a video on which iPad to buy which featured the Air 3 -
https://www.wsj.com/articles/ipad-m...-heres-how-to-pick-the-right-ipad-11553432400
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Laptopmag's review of the Air 3 -
https://www.laptopmag.com/reviews/tablets/apple-ipad-air-2019
https://www.laptopmag.com/reviews/tablets/apple-ipad-air-2019
Interesting note in the review about the brightness. iPad mini and the 9.7 seem to get quite a bit brighter?
Yeah, but the mini also has true tone and per the review, still gets quite a bit brighter
The budget iPads have always been brighter than the more expensive Pro (and now the Air). I had one of those iPads and didn't find the extreme brightness to be all that noticeable in real life usage. What I'm surprised about is that new review is saying the battery life is better on the Air than on the low priced iPads.
Fair enough, how about the bottom matching silicone case? Besides the new microphone placement and longer volume controls on iPad mini 5 would this work with iPad mini 4 silicone case?
I don’t know, Apple no longer stocks Silicone Cases for the Mini 4 so there’s no way of knowing whether they’re compatible at this stage unless one of the reviewers has mentioned it. I’m sure people will be able to answer your question when they receive their Mini 5s.
I don’t use the microphone but the volume buttons may be an issue, although I suppose you can get used to using Control Center. I’m going to try the Mini 4 cover on the Mini 5 when I get it (waiting for a sale). If it fits, I’ll try to snag one on eBay as I’m not thrilled with the color of the one I have. Looking forward to finding out from early adopters here whether the Mini 4 back cover will fit. If not, maybe there will be a third party back cover that is similar.
As of today, we have Geekbenches of iPad11,1 iPad11,2 iPad11,3 and iPad11,4. All are ~3 GB RAM.
At last, The Verge has published its review of the Air 3 -
https://www.theverge.com/2019/3/27/18282956/apple-ipad-air-2019-review-ios-features-specs-price
https://www.theverge.com/2019/3/27/18282956/apple-ipad-air-2019-review-ios-features-specs-price
So basically it's an iPad. A really nice iPad. But if you have a Pro 10.5, keep it. If you can get a Pro 10.5 as cheap as an Air, get it.
Says it’s the best overall value, almost a Pro for much less, and quite a bit nicer than the base iPad model.
However, he also says a price-reduced iPad Pro 10.5” is a better value than the Air.
EDIT: Beat to it by Mackinjosh
If you can live with the possibility of a bright spot issue somewhere down the line. And I can.
I’ve come to the same conclusion as you.
The thing that persuaded me was seeing that a number of people had encountered the bright spot issue on multiple occasions. That could indicate a widespread problem.
I hope I'm wrong and that the problem has now been resolved.
I think it’s a question of whether or not you believe it’s an inherent problem. I do, but I’m not going to argue with anyone who thinks differently. At least we’re all aware of the issue and can make our own decisions.
The Air 3 could have the same or even different issues. I’m waiting for a teardown to see if any changes have been made to the affected area and I will probably buy from a retailer that offers a free extended warranty. Resale value is a consideration for me as I tend to change iPads fairly regularly.
Ironically, I’ve owned a Pro 10.5 before but sold it because I wasn’t using it enough to justify the price. It’s a great iPad and the specs are generally better than the Air 3. If it wasn’t for this issue, I would buy another one.
The reviews do suggest that the Air 3 is the sweet spot of the current range for most people. I expect it to be discounted fairly quickly as there’s unlikely to be the same level of pent up demand for it as there is with the Mini 5 and Pro models. I think it will probably be a more consistent seller like, I imagine, the 9.7 model is.
Once the prices are discounted, it will be a fairer comparison against the refurbished and heavily discounted Pro 10.5 models. It’s also worth remembering that if you do want AppleCare, it’s cheaper for the Air 3.
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Anyone know when the review moratorium is up? The Verge (pre)review is already out and the Laptop Mag review also is out. Furthermore, the Air is already in some consumers hands too since some Best Buy stores have them already. Like here:
But yet, there is no avalanche of reviews yet, so the review moratorium must still be in effect.
Good point on AppleCare+ for the Air being cheaper though. In my case I don't bother though since I always just pay using my Amex, which extends the warranty an extra year and costs nothing extra.
But yet, there is no avalanche of reviews yet, so the review moratorium must still be in effect.
Don't count on refurb Airs until late summer or fall. So that "fair" comparison isn't really useful for anyone wanting to buy anytime soon. Also, at that point there is a good chance the 2018 Pros would be on the refurb store too. If the 2018 Pros had decent pricing then and I hadn't bought either an Air or a 10.5" Pro yet, I probably would have just bought the 11" Pro instead. The advantages of the 11" Pro weren't worth ~US$350 to me (combined incremental cost here in Canada vs. what I paid for Pro 10.5" and Smart Keyboard), but if the 11" Pro were say only US$150 more, I would have bought that.
Good point on AppleCare+ for the Air being cheaper though. In my case I don't bother though since I always just pay using my Amex, which extends the warranty an extra year and costs nothing extra.
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I’m not talking about buying refurbished versions of the Air 3. iPads are so widely available now that you can usually find them on sale with large discounts.
I’ve bought a lot of refurbished products from Apple in the past but lately, I’ve found that I can buy new ones for less money by shopping around. Admittedly, I think I’m pretty good at taking advantage of sales, promotion codes, cashback, etc.
For example, I bought an iPad Pro 10.5 five weeks after launch which was discounted by 24%.
It would not surprise me if some retailers are discounting the Air 3 by, say, 15% within a month or two and I think that will be a fairer comparison to the price of the heavily discounted and discontinued Pro 10.5s.
I’m actually looking at buying from a retailer that offers free 2 or 3-year extended warranties, but crucially they will price match some other stores. Alternatively, I may just look for the biggest discount.
Are you in the US? It seems the sales there are MUCH better than what we get in Canada.
Best Buy Canada is still selling the 64 GB iPad Pro 10.5" WiFi for CAD$770 and 256 GB for CAD$970. That works out to US$573 and US$722. Meanwhile, the pricing at Best Buy USA is US$500 and US$630 respectively. In other words, Best Buy Canada is currently charging 15% more than what Best Buy USA is charging for the same product, and this Canadian pricing is way more than what the new iPad Air costs.
What makes this even more stupid is that Apple itself is selling NEW 64 GB units for CAD$729, which is US$542. I bought an Apple refurb though for CAD$619, which is US$461.
I’m in the UK and we’ve also been hit by a poor exchange rate.
Most of the UK retailers haven’t adjusted their prices for the 10.5 Pro yet, but technically the Air isn’t released until tomorrow. I expect prices to change over the next week or so.
The discount I got on my iPad Pro wasn’t typical, but I do believe 15% will be a realistic discount for the Air once any supply issues have been resolved.
I expect the Air 3 will be a mainstream iPad, similar to the 6th generation one, and those are regularly discounted.
First time mini owner here. I really am liking the new mini. It is fast, dig the sharp screen and split mode. I also like the form factor and how much easier it is to carry and hold, versus the old iPad Air I had years ago. Really glad I made the purchase.