Madrid
Updated:06/05/2022 01:12h
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Apple does not rest. Despite the shortage of chips, and the problems that the company has encountered in recent months to meet the demand for iPhone 13, it continues to present and put on the shelves (or, at least, trying to) new devices. As is the case with the new iPhone SE third generation, which we talked about a few weeks ago, and the brand new iPad Air the 2022with which the technology wants to continue tightening a tablet market in which it remains the first power.
The device, which ABC has had the opportunity to test in recent weeks, is very reminiscent in its lines and design of the iPad Pro, launched by the technology company in 2021 and with which, among many features, it shares a heart: the chip M1 billed by the Cupertino company itself.
Precisely, this component is the main claim of the recent tablet. It offers impeccable performance and allows the device to be able to move the most ambitious applications, including video games, without any problem. Almost as good as the iPad Pro, which, however, has a larger screen.
a little for everything
The panel of the new Air -with a resolution of 2,360 by 1,640 pixels- stays at 10.9 inches, which, added to its weight, which does not even reach half a kilo, makes the device an interesting option for those users who are looking for a powerful and manageable tablet. Whether to function as a support screen at work, consult social networks in downtime or consume multimedia content while traveling.
The ‘gadget’ also works well as a portable video game console. At ABC we have tested it with titles from xCloud, Xbox’s cloud video game service, and it has held up perfectly. Both the screen image and the sound and the image refresh rate, of 90 Hz, are acceptable. Obviously, the experience is not similar to that of playing on a large screen with 4K resolution, but for mashing buttons in a quick game, or on the road, the iPad Air works perfectly. Perhaps not as much as the iPad Pro, which reaches 120 Hz, but we have not found any major drawbacks.
In times of pandemic, the use of video call services has been increasing, and this has caused many companies, including Apple, but also Samsung, to have taken pains to strengthen the capabilities of their devices when it comes to video conferences. .
The apple firm has already incorporated a camera capable of following the user’s movements into its iPad Pro. This technology is also present in the new Air model in the 12 MP front camera. On the back you can find another lens that offers the same resolution. They are not the best sensors in history, although the photographic and video recording capacity are not among the main specifications to pay attention to when purchasing a ‘tablet’. Regarding autonomy, the iPad Air is capable of reaching the day of use. Although, like everything, this time can be shortened depending on what the user expresses.
What we liked least was the storage capacity, which in the most basic model remains at 64 GB. Something scarce, and not only because of the amount of data that the user wants to store when buying a device of this type, but also because, in addition, for the 679 euros from which it starts, there is no doubt that Apple could have given more. There is also a 256 GB version that, in this case, starts at 849 euros.
Better option than the iPad Pro?
Let’s not fool ourselves. A tablet is not a ‘smartphone’. It does not have any functionality that makes it a necessary device for common users. Rather, it is a support tool. As a general rule, it neither performs as well at work as a computer – although the fact that the Air is compatible with Apple’s keyboard, Magic Keyboard, and Apple Pencil helps – nor does it offer tools that can’t necessarily be found on the Internet. a smartphone.
That said, if we review the iPads that Apple currently has on the market – and making it very clear that in the Android market there are much more affordable and highly competent devices of this type– Perhaps the iPad Air is the most balanced current tablet of the apple firm. Its dimensions, slightly larger than those of the normal iPad, and somewhat smaller than those of the Pro model, are ideal for those who are looking for a reliable off-road device.
Along the way, the user loses the facial recognition technology of Apple’s most powerful tablet, which is not present in the Air, and the 120 Hz refresh rate, something that probably will not be to the taste of fans of the gaming However, the differences with the Pro model are few. In addition, the savings can be between 200 and 500 euros. All in all, we emphasize that outside the apple ecosystem you can find more affordable tablets capable of offering good performance.
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