iPad Air 2 vs. the competition: Is it the tablet to beat?
There was a time when it was hard to find someone who would argue with Apple's claim that the iPad was heavyweight tablet champ. But now Android slates like the Galaxy Tab Pro 10.1, the Xperia Tablet Z2 and the recently announced Nexus 9 are making a run at the title. Sure, the iPad still has some great apps, but how does the latest iPad Air compare to the competition under the hood? Check out the tale of the tape below, and decide for yourself if the iPad Air 2 has what it takes to stay on top.
Price | $499 and up (WiFi), $629 and up (Cellular) | $399 and up | $500 | $500 or $550 |
Thickness | 6.1mm (0.24 inch) | 7.95mm (0.31 inch) | 7.37mm (0.29 inch) | 6.4mm (0.25 inch) |
Weight | 437g or 444g (0.96 or 0.98 pound) | 425g or 436g (0.94 or 0.96 pound) | 469g (1.03 pounds) | 439g (0.97 pound) |
OS | iOS 8 | Android 5.0 | Android 4.4 | Android 4.4 |
Display | 9.7-inch IPS LCD Retina display | 8.9-inch IPS LCD | 10.1-inch WQXGA scLCD | 10.1 inch TFT LCD |
Resolution | 2,048 x 1,536 (264 ppi) | 2,048 x 1,536 (288 ppi) | 2,560 x 1,600 (299 ppi) | 1,920 x 1,200 (224 ppi) |
Processor | 64-bit Apple A8X | 64-bit, 2.3GHz NVIDIA Tegra K1 | 32-bit Exynos 5 Octa (1.9GHz + 1.3GHz quad-core) | 32-bit, 2.3GHz Qualcomm Snapdragon 801 (MSM8974AB quad-core) |
Memory | NA | 2GB | 2GB | 3GB |
Storage | 16 / 64 / 128GB | 16 / 32GB | 16GB | 16 / 32GB |
Ports | Lightning | micro-USB 2.0 | microSD, HDMI | microSD, MHL 3.0 |
Front camera | 1.2MP FaceTime, f/2.2 | 1.6MP, f/2.4 | 2MP | 2.2MP, 1080p |
Rear camera | 8MP iSight, f/2.4, 1.5µm pixel size, 1080p | 8MP, f/2.4 | 8MP | 8.1MP |
Cellular radio | Optional | Optional GSM/CDMA/ | Optional LTE | Optional |
WiFi | Dual-band 802.11a/b/g/n/ac | Dual band 802.11a/b/g/n/ac | Dual-band 802.11a/b/g/n/ac | Dual-band 802.11a/b/g/n/ac |
Bluetooth | v4.0 | v4.1 | v4.0 LE | v4.0 |
Accelerometer | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
Gyroscope | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
Battery | 10 hours | 6,700mAh | 8,220mAh Li-ion | 6,000mAh Li-ion |
