Become a MacRumors Supporter for $50/year with no ads, ability to filter front page stories, and private forums.

augu2000

macrumors member
Original poster
Nov 18, 2008
38
2
Hi, I have an iPad air 1 currently running iOS 8.4. I am thinking on upgrading the OS to 9.3.1, and I am wondering if that will slow the iPad down. Can anyone share their experience with 9.3.1 on iPad air regarding speed?

Thanks!
 

C DM

macrumors Sandy Bridge
Oct 17, 2011
51,392
19,461
Keep in mind that people's experiences vary, just as people's perceptions of different things that might (or sometimes even might not) be there vary as well.
 

augu2000

macrumors member
Original poster
Nov 18, 2008
38
2
Keep in mind that people's experiences vary, just as people's perceptions of different things that might (or sometimes even might not) be there vary as well.

Thanks for the response! I just wanted to hear from someone who has upgraded to see what their perception is :)
 

g35

macrumors 6502a
Dec 13, 2007
667
151
Thanks for the response! I just wanted to hear from someone who has upgraded to see what their perception is :)
I upgraded my iPad mini 2 this week from 8.4.1 to 9.3.1. Has same A7 chip/1 GB RAM as your iPad air except a bit slower. It runs 9.3.1 very well, and resolved a couple of problems I was having on 8.4.1 (Safari would freeze a lot, and multitasking would kick things out of RAM very quickly). Only downside is my iCloud backup became 10x bigger, 300 MB to 3 GB. 9.3.1 feels about the same speed to me as 8.4.1 in terms of visual legginess. I downloaded the IPSW from ipsw.me then did an option-update in iTunes, I don't know if that made any difference.
 

d5aqoëp

macrumors 68000
Feb 9, 2016
1,809
3,189
iPad Air 1 was bit of a dud with low GPU power. It struggles with translucency effects used extensively in iOS 8 & 9. But 9.3.1 is your best bet when it comes to system stability and Safari responsiveness.

You have to be happy with current level of performance or buy iPad 9.7 Pro which would provide a huge performance improvement.
 
  • Like
Reactions: augu2000

gobikerider

Suspended
Apr 15, 2016
2,022
1,478
United States
Not really no. Animations and effects will always stutter since iOS can't get that right, heck my Air 2 stutters on the Ui but we just have to accept that and go on with our day. You'll find that in day to day use web browsing, watching videos, editing docs and PDFs, sending email. All the actual things we do will be plenty fast and snappy. Now if you game most should be okay once they load up but don't expect them to load instantly and super intense 3D ones will stutter(asphalt 8) it stutters on air 2. Lucky for me I don't game so all my use is generally fast and responsive with the occasional iOS stutter but what can you do.
 
  • Like
Reactions: augu2000

oldmacs

macrumors 601
Sep 14, 2010
4,941
7,182
Australia
Hi, I have an iPad air 1 currently running iOS 8.4. I am thinking on upgrading the OS to 9.3.1, and I am wondering if that will slow the iPad down. Can anyone share their experience with 9.3.1 on iPad air regarding speed?

Thanks!

My experience on a Mini 2 (same GPU and CPU) is that it is slightly slower, but its the animation stuttering that really brings it down for me compared to iOS 8.4 .
 
  • Like
Reactions: augu2000

gobikerider

Suspended
Apr 15, 2016
2,022
1,478
United States
My experience on a Mini 2 (same GPU and CPU) is that it is slightly slower, but its the animation stuttering that really brings it down for me compared to iOS 8.4 .
It does stutter, don't feel bad Air 2 also stutters, but when your doing day to day things on it there not any slower are they? Would you say your device is now crippled because it stutters? Just curious because a lot of people say that the stutters are agony and it makes it so slow which I find hard to believe since I have stutters but actually using the device is not any slower compared to iOS 8 if anything it's more stable and maybe just maybe a hair quicker loading certain apps.
 
  • Like
Reactions: augu2000

oldmacs

macrumors 601
Sep 14, 2010
4,941
7,182
Australia
It does stutter, don't feel bad Air 2 also stutters, but when your doing day to day things on it there not any slower are they? Would you say your device is now crippled because it stutters? Just curious because a lot of people say that the stutters are agony and it makes it so slow which I find hard to believe since I have stutters but actually using the device is not any slower compared to iOS 8 if anything it's more stable and maybe just maybe a hair quicker loading certain apps.

Personally when a device is not fluid in animations it drives me up the wall, it makes everything feel slow and annoying - One of the reasons I chose iOS over Android products was for the lack of stutter. My iPad 2 didn't stutter till iOS 8, and by that stage it was semi understandable given the age of the device, where as the Mini 2 is only on its second update.

Its a matter of opinion. Some find animation stutter annoying, some don't. Some don't even notice stutter.

App opening times are a bit slower also, not significantly though, and some things sped up a bit. I don't find iOS 9 any more stable than iOS 8 was, if anything there are more random bugs on my device.
 
  • Like
Reactions: augu2000

gobikerider

Suspended
Apr 15, 2016
2,022
1,478
United States
Personally when a device is not fluid in animations it drives me up the wall, it makes everything feel slow and annoying - One of the reasons I chose iOS over Android products was for the lack of stutter. My iPad 2 didn't stutter till iOS 8, and by that stage it was semi understandable given the age of the device, where as the Mini 2 is only on its second update.

Its a matter of opinion. Some find animation stutter annoying, some don't. Some don't even notice stutter.

App opening times are a bit slower also, not significantly though, and some things sped up a bit. I don't find iOS 9 any more stable than iOS 8 was, if anything there are more random bugs on my device.
I actually agree I just try not to let it bug me since I stuck with this iPad until 2018 anyway. It does tick me off that on the first major update for the Air 2 it is already stuttering, and I can only imagine how frustrating you feel on a A7 device. My advice would be to wait until the last point release of iOS 10 to upgrade that way they already fixed all the bugs that's what I'm doing at least. No more compulsive updating to newest iOS the day it comes out.
 
  • Like
Reactions: augu2000

oldmacs

macrumors 601
Sep 14, 2010
4,941
7,182
Australia
I actually agree I just try not to let it bug me since I stuck with this iPad until 2018 anyway. It does tick me off that on the first major update for the Air 2 it is already stuttering, and I can only imagine how frustrating you feel on a A7 device. My advice would be to wait until the last point release of iOS 10 to upgrade that way they already fixed all the bugs that's what I'm doing at least. No more compulsive updating to newest iOS the day it comes out.

Mm yes. My Mini 2 is my 'work device' that I use while giving help and tutorials to people teaching them how to use iPads. My personal iPad is my iPad 2 and in a way, i prefer to use that to the Mini 2, as it does stutter, but it has an excuse :p

I am a bit of a compulsive upgrader... i'll see what happens. All I know is that when I go to upgrade my iPad 2 in 2017, I want one that will take a while to start stuttering :p
 

d5aqoëp

macrumors 68000
Feb 9, 2016
1,809
3,189
Air 2 felt ridiculously overpowered on it's release day and it handled iOS 8 with utmost ease. The animations and translucency are almost left unchanged in iOS 9 but all of a sudden, Air 2 feels unadequate. It stutters and lags not everytime but at any random time. Just enough to drive those OCD people nuts.

Apple does make software adjustments to make sure current product appears faster.
 
  • Like
Reactions: augu2000

XTheLancerX

macrumors 68000
Aug 20, 2014
1,911
782
NY, USA
Animations are pretty similar if not better than iOS 8 (control center, spotlight) but the device is a little slower. Mine sort of hangs when opening and closing apps sometimes, just all around a little less snappy but it's ok.

App switcher though that still stutters a lot if you don't have reduce transparency enabled. The blurring of the further back apps causes stuttering in the in and out animations. Going back to homescreen from app switcher for example is kinda choppy.
 
  • Like
Reactions: augu2000

gobikerider

Suspended
Apr 15, 2016
2,022
1,478
United States
Mm yes. My Mini 2 is my 'work device' that I use while giving help and tutorials to people teaching them how to use iPads. My personal iPad is my iPad 2 and in a way, i prefer to use that to the Mini 2, as it does stutter, but it has an excuse :p

I am a bit of a compulsive upgrader... i'll see what happens. All I know is that when I go to upgrade my iPad 2 in 2017, I want one that will take a while to start stuttering :p
See that's how long your supposed to keep a iPad. Awesome when you upgrade get the newest model that way you avoid stutters as long as possible. And since you obviously see the actual value of the iPad you probably don't mind the higher price since you keep them for 4+ years :)
 
  • Like
Reactions: augu2000

Abhishek23

macrumors newbie
Jan 4, 2016
20
12
Opening apps and browsing Safari are almost identical to 8.4.1. It's small areas like opening spotlight search, the app switcher and folders where there is a stutter. Overall, 9.3.1 is a good update as the device remains fast while you get new features like night shift(which works great for me!)
 

gobikerider

Suspended
Apr 15, 2016
2,022
1,478
United States
Opening apps and browsing Safari are almost identical to 8.4.1. It's small areas like opening spotlight search, the app switcher and folders where there is a stutter. Overall, 9.3.1 is a good update as the device remains fast while you get new features like night shift(which works great for me!)
Perfect summary, I agree 100% same experience on Air 2 I wish iOS would just fix the stutters though.
 
  • Like
Reactions: augu2000
Register on MacRumors! This sidebar will go away, and you'll see fewer ads.