How is tab reloading on iPad Air (1) and iPad 4 compared to iPad 2?

Flashy

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After my aborted iPad Air 2 purchase, I'm still considering my options. While the speaker resonance was enough to put me off the Air 2 completely, I was impressed with the fact that tabs in Safari didn't constantly reload, which they do on my iPad 2.

Considering a refurb iPad Air or 4 to tide me over, and just wondered if anyone had experience of the tab reloading on those particular models and could advise whether there's any improvement on the 2 and how far behind the Air 2 they are.

(And yes, know it's not the '4' specifically, but used the number for ease. :))
 
Tab reloading occurs on the ipad Air and its most annoying. I dont know if its a memory issue, software or hardware, but its bloody annoying.
 
Thanks. Believe the tab reloading is put down to the RAM, which is why the Air 2 (with 2GB of it) copes so much better.

And that thought led me to look at RAM in other models – my iPad 2 has 512MB and tabs reload constantly, every time you go another and return. But the 4 and Air have 1GB, so should be better than my iPad 2. And by twice as much, almost, mathematically.
 
I have an Air 16Gb and get tab reloads. I am actually thinking of 'upgrading' to a Mini Retina 32Gb which costs a similar price to what I can sell this for. But if it still has the reload issue I may as well look at a decent Android tab :(
 
If it is down to RAM, then the mini 2 and 3 have the same as the iPad Air (and all share the A7 chip, too).

I'm too far into the Apple ecosystem to think about Android, and I do like Apple's products. I want something to replace my iPad 2, but not the Air 2, and that leaves me with a 4 or Air. Refurb store currently has 32GB 4 for ÂŁ279, and 64GB air for ÂŁ349. Prefer the price of the former, but the latter's probably better bang-for-buck value. That said, I don't particularly like the feel of the screen on the Air.
 
If it is down to RAM, then the mini 2 and 3 have the same as the iPad Air (and all share the A7 chip, too).

I'm too far into the Apple ecosystem to think about Android, and I do like Apple's products. I want something to replace my iPad 2, but not the Air 2, and that leaves me with a 4 or Air. Refurb store currently has 32GB 4 for ÂŁ279, and 64GB air for ÂŁ349. Prefer the price of the former, but the latter's probably better bang-for-buck value. That said, I don't particularly like the feel of the screen on the Air.
If you don't like the Air 2 I don't see why you would prefer the Air 1 any better.

If you want something more solid, go for the iPad 4.
 
If you don't like the Air 2 I don't see why you would prefer the Air 1 any better.

If you want something more solid, go for the iPad 4.
For the simple reason that the Air 1 doesn't send vibrations up my fingers via the screen. i found the newest version genuinely uncomfortable to use. The same is not true of its predecessor.
 
After my aborted iPad Air 2 purchase, I'm still considering my options. While the speaker resonance was enough to put me off the Air 2 completely, I was impressed with the fact that tabs in Safari didn't constantly reload, which they do on my iPad 2.

Considering a refurb iPad Air or 4 to tide me over, and just wondered if anyone had experience of the tab reloading on those particular models and could advise whether there's any improvement on the 2 and how far behind the Air 2 they are.

(And yes, know it's not the '4' specifically, but used the number for ease. :))


The iPad Air and 4 are pretty similar with tab reloading, as in, quite often with a number of tabs open. It seemed to happen every time I wrote s long post somewhere and happened to change tabs to copy/paste a quote or link.

The Air 2 is streets ahead, I haven't had a single tab reload happen to me since launch day, and I have tested it up to 20+ open tabs.

There is just no comparison between the Air 2 and any other iPad.
 
The iPad Air and 4 are pretty similar with tab reloading, as in, quite often with a number of tabs open. It seemed to happen every time I wrote s long post somewhere and happened to change tabs to copy/paste a quote or link.

The Air 2 is streets ahead, I haven't had a single tab reload happen to me since launch day, and I have tested it up to 20+ open tabs.

There is just no comparison between the Air 2 and any other iPad.
Thanks. Knew the Air 2 was miles ahead after my few days' experience of it. Given I'm not going to get another, I know I'm going to have to compromise. If the performance of the 4 and Air isn't too different (I'm not too bothered about size/weight) then it makes sense to go with the cheaper, albeit older option.
 
It's perhaps simplistic to equate more ram as the be-all solution when optimising software is also important. The browser might not crash on your desktop but have you checked for memory leak. The final stable version of ios7 noticeably reduced the frequency of tab reloading on my mini retina.
 
It's perhaps simplistic to equate more ram as the be-all solution when optimising software is also important. The browser might not crash on your desktop but have you checked for memory leak. The final stable version of ios7 noticeably reduced the frequency of tab reloading on my mini retina.

I had an Air and an iPad 4, they would both reload tabs at some stage during the day. Generally it would happen when I had written half a page of text and quickly swapped to another tab to copy a quote or link to my text, going back to the original tab would invariably mean the tab would reload and I would lose everything I had written. It happened often enough on every iOS version I used, right up to iOS 8.

I bought my Air 2 on release day and it hasn't even happened once since then , not even when tested with up to 20 tabs open, so whether it's the RAM or not I am not qualified to give a definitive answer (but I believe it is). TBH, I don't really care why the Air 2 works as it should while the others have the reloading problem, I'm just happy that it doesn't happen with the Air 2.
 
Yeah sure. I think what I mean is ideally developers should not cover up non-optimised mobile software via the hardware

(not that we should complain, first world problems)
 
Thanks for the replies, all food for thought. Do we think that there's little difference between the Air and 4, then?

If not, I'll be inclined to go with the 4 and save some pennies. But I don't mind spending those pennies on the Air if they'll be worth it.
 
Thanks for the replies, all food for thought. Do we think that there's little difference between the Air and 4, then?

If not, I'll be inclined to go with the 4 and save some pennies. But I don't mind spending those pennies on the Air if they'll be worth it.

I actually preferred the 4 to the Air, the Air screen has a horrible feeling, almost like its hollow, and tapping on the screen (text input) can sound very loud in a quite room when compared to a 4 (or Air 2, which has the superior screen over all the others).
 
^^^I feel the same. But I'll be happy to accept the screen if the Air will last longer, factoring in the fact that the Air would be ÂŁ30/ÂŁ40 more than the 4 (for 32GB/64GB).
 
the Air screen has a horrible feeling, almost like its hollow, and tapping on the screen (text input) can sound very loud in a quite room when compared to a 4 (or Air 2, which has the superior screen over all the others).

I think you guys must be using your iPads very heavy-handed...they're touch-screen devices...that means you touch it lightly, you don't stab or bang it with your fingers.
I'm on my 3rd iPad, my 1st was the original iPad, followed a couple of years later with the iPad 3 and a couple of months ago I got my present iPad Air (1).
There is no difference sound-wise between them when touching the screen.
 
I think you guys must be using your iPads very heavy-handed...they're touch-screen devices...that means you touch it lightly, you don't stab or bang it with your fingers.
I'm on my 3rd iPad, my 1st was the original iPad, followed a couple of years later with the iPad 3 and a couple of months ago I got my present iPad Air (1).
There is no difference sound-wise between them when touching the screen.
I think some of the posters here are being a bit fussy, but there is definitely a difference in 'feel' between the Air and older iPads. The glass is thinner, or I think it has one sheet of glass rather than two. This is obviously to reduce weight and thickness.

For me, it took no more than a couple of hours to get used to. I don't get nostalgic about the differences between old and new devices. I trust that Apple have done their R&D and believe that the changes are for the best.
 
I think some of the posters here are being a bit fussy, but there is definitely a difference in 'feel' between the Air and older iPads. The glass is thinner, or I think it has one sheet of glass rather than two. This is obviously to reduce weight and thickness.

For me, it took no more than a couple of hours to get used to. I don't get nostalgic about the differences between old and new devices. I trust that Apple have done their R&D and believe that the changes are for the best.
I'm playing devil's advocate to an extent here, but I think people have the right to be fussy with a product somewhere in the region of ÂŁ500 or more. And while the Air's screen has a definite feel to it, it was changed for the Air 2, which feels much more... solid's not quite the right word, but it's that kind of thing.
 
I don't get nostalgic about the differences between old and new devices. I trust that Apple have done their R&D and believe that the changes are for the best.

Yes, and it how the screen looks rather than feels that matters.
 
Yes, and it how the screen looks rather than feels that matters.
Without playing devil's advocate now, I actively disagree with that. :)

I sent my iPad Air 2 back specifically because of how the screen felt – I could feel the resonance from the speakers through it as I pressed. It made it uncomfortable to use and was distracting. Not saying that's the case for everyone, but it was for me. The screen was sublime, infinitely better than my iPad 2's, but I prefer the iPad 2's screen simply because using it is a more pleasant experience, even if it doesn't look as good.

It's not just about look or just about feel, it's about both.
 
I sent my iPad Air 2 back specifically because of how the screen felt – I could feel the resonance from the speakers through it as I pressed

Was that with a case fitted?
I always have a Melkco leather case on mine so I would imagine something similar on an Air 2 would maybe dampen or absorb any resonance.
 
No, it wasn't. My iPad doesn't leave the house so I have no need for a case. And I wouldn't buy one in a bid to remedy an issue that I don't think should be present on an expensive device. It went back. Different strokes for different folks, I know others who experienced the same as me and I know others who aren't bothered by it. But I was, and that was all I was concerned about, having spent almost 500 of my hard-earned pounds. :)
 
I think you guys must be using your iPads very heavy-handed...they're touch-screen devices...that means you touch it lightly, you don't stab or bang it with your fingers.

Nope, I touchtype, have done so since the iPad 1, I often use in bed with my partner sleeping next to me. She was never disturbed by the iPad 1, iPad 2, iPad 3, iPad 4, iPad Mini, iPad Mini 2 or iPad Air 2. She was by the iPad Air. It makes a more distinct hollow noise with typing, no matter how gentle you do it.

I'm on my 3rd iPad, my 1st was the original iPad, followed a couple of years later with the iPad 3 and a couple of months ago I got my present iPad Air (1).
There is no difference sound-wise between them when touching the screen.

I'm not sure how many iPads I'm on now, I had 17 listed in my Apple support profile, the one's I bought for business aren't in there, so I'm probably up around number 25 by now. There is most definitely a difference touch wise, that is from my experience of a large number of different iPads and also by posts made by other users last year on McRumors (by plenty of other users) in the months after the the Air release.

I suppose as someone who bought and is still using an Air 1 you probably feel obliged to defend it.
 
I suppose as someone who bought and is still using an Air 1 you probably feel obliged to defend it.

Nope, I genuinely don't think it sounds hollow compared to my previous.
Guess we'll just need to differ on the subject [emoji1]
 
Nope, I genuinely don't think it sounds hollow compared to my previous.
Guess we'll just need to differ on the subject [emoji1]

It is subjective, as with most things, some users will tolerate something more (or less) than others ;).
 

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