Related Articles
In addition to the iPad Mini 3 , Apple took the wraps off its new iPad Air 2 tablet today during a press event held at its Cupertino, Calif. headquarters. Though many of its specs haven’t changed from its predecessor (it’s equipped with the same 9.7-inch or 246.38mm display), its 0.24-inch (6.1mm) profile and proprietary 64-bit A8X chip processor make it Apple’s thinnest and fastest tablet to date.
Related stories:
- iPad Air 2, iMac Retina 5K, iPad Mini 3 and more: Here’s everything that Apple just announced
- iPad Air 2 is thinner, starts at $499 USD, has Touch ID (hands-on)
- Samsung Galaxy Tab S (review): Premium Android tablet for movie buffs
- Google Nexus 9 (first-take): Google Nexus tablet has 8.9-inch screen, preorders begin October 17
The device’s launch also comes on the heels of Google’s latest tablet debut, the Nexus 9 . Announced yesterday, the device serves as an attractive Android alternative to the Air 2. Running the most recent Android 5.0 software, the Nexus sports a slightly smaller 8.9-inch (226.06mm) display. However, with its $399 starting price, it’s less expensive than the Air 2. (In the UK and AU, the Nexus’ pricing has yet to be revealed, though converted, it comes out to about £250 and AU$455, respectively).
But the Nexus 9 isn’t the only competitor the Air 2 should worry about. Not surprisingly, Apple’s ever-present rival Samsung has a high-end tablet as well. Known as the Galaxy Tab S , the device has an ultra-sharp screen, an attractive sleek design, and plenty of software and media features to keep users entertained. Plus, with its $500 (£400, AU$590) starting price, it costs about about the same as Apple’s tablet, but adds on a slightly bigger 10.5-inch (267.2mm) screen and expandable storage.
For more on how these devices stack up spec-by-spec, check out our comparison chart below. And be sure to take a look out our list of the best tablets of this year.
Apple iPad Air 2 vs. Google Nexus 9 and Samsung Galaxy Tab S (10.5)
| Apple iPad Air 2 | Google Nexus 9 | Samsung Galaxy Tab S (10.5-inch) | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Display | 9.7 inches (246.38mm) with 2,048×1,536-pixel resolution | 8.9 inches (226.06mm) with 2,048×1,536-pixel resolution | 10.5 inches (267.2mm) with 2,560×1,600-pixel resolution |
| Pixel density | 264ppi | 288ppi | 288ppi |
| Dimensions | 9.4 x 6.6 x 0.24 inches (240×169.5×6.1mm) | 8.9 x 6.05 x 0.31 inches (228.25×153.68×7.95mm) | 9.74 x 6.98 x 0.26 inches (247.3×177.3×6.6 mm) |
| Weight | Wi-Fi: 15.36 ounces (437g); Wi-Fi with cellular: 15.68 ounces (444g) | Wi-Fi: 14.99 ounces (425g); Wi-Fi with cellular: 15.38 ounces (436g) | Wi-Fi: 16.40 ounces (465g); Wi-Fi with cellular: 16.47 ounces (467g) |
| OS | iOS 8.0 | Android 5.0 | Android 4.4.2 (TouchWiz) |
| Rear-facing camera; video | 8-megapixel; 1080p HD video | 8-megapixel; 1080p HD video | 8-megapixel; 1080p HD video |
| Front-facing camera; video | 1.2-megapixel; 720p HD video | 1.6-megapixel; 720p HD video | 2.1-megapixel; 720p HD video |
| Processor | Proprietary second-gen 64-bit A8X chip with M8 motion co-processor | 64-bit NVIDIA Tegra K1 with 2.3GHz dual-core Denver | Exynos 5 Octa 5420 with 1.9 GHz quad-core Cortex-A15 |
| RAM | N/A | 2GB | 3GB |
| Capacity | 16GB, 64GB and 128GB | 16GB and 32GB | 16GB and 32GB |
| External memory | No | No | Expandable up to 128GB |
| Battery | Non-removable; 27.3-watt-hour battery with 10-hour usage time on Wi-Fi and 9-hour usage time on cellular | Non-removable; 6,700mAh | Non-removable; 7,900mAh |
| Bluetooth | 4 | 4 | 4 |
| NFC | No | Yes | No |
| Fingerprint scanner | Yes | No | Yes |
| Colors | Silver, space gray, and gold | Indigo-Black, lunar white, and sand | Dazzling white and titanium bronze |
| US retail price | Wi-Fi: $500 (16GB), $600 (64GB) and $700 (128GB); Wi-Fi with cellular: $630 (16GB), $730 (64GB) and $830 (128GB) | Wi-Fi: $400 (16GB) and $480 (32GB); Wi-Fi with cellular: $600 (32GB) | Wi-Fi: $500 (16GB) and $550 (32GB); Wi-Fi with cellular: $600 to $650 (16GB) |
| UK retail price | Wi-Fi: £400 (16GB), £480 (64GB), and £560 (128GB); Wi-Fi with cellular: £500 (16GB), £580 (64GB) and £660 (128GB) | Pricing not available yet | Wi-Fi: £400 (16GB); Wi-Fi with cellular: £480 (16GB) |
| AU retail price | Wi-Fi: AU$620 (16GB), AU$740 (64GB) and AU$860 (128GB); Wi-Fi with cellular: AU$780 (16GB), AU$900 (64GB) and AU$1,020 (128GB) | Pricing not available yet | Wi-Fi: AU$590 (16GB) and AU$650 (32GB); Wi-Fi with cellular: AU$750 (16GB) |
