US Media Review of iPad Air: The Best Tablet Ever

According to BusinessInsider, the first round of reviews for the Apple iPad Air is out. Since Apple only distributed a very limited number of units to journalists for evaluation, there are currently only a few reviews available.

However, these reviewers seem to really love the iPad Air, with many calling it the best tablet ever. Most reviews indicate that the battery life is excellent, far exceeding Apple's claimed 10 hours. The iPad Air also features the same 9.7-inch screen size but is lighter and thinner, weighing only 1 pound and being just 7.5 millimeters thick.

Internally, the iPad Air uses the new A7 processor, which performs about twice as fast as the processor used in the iPad 4. Below are the reviews of the iPad Air from various media outlets:

Darrell Etherington of TechCrunch

The iPad Air looks like a lightweight device, but its performance is absolutely heavyweight. Benchmark tests are just one side of the story; most users will be more interested in the other side, i.e., how this tablet performs under normal, everyday use conditions. In short, Apple's latest iPad represents a significant breakthrough.

Walt Mossberg of AllThingsD

I tested the iPad Air for about a week and found it very comfortable to use. The new iPad is not a disruptive redesign of the tablet, but rather a major improvement on a successful product. It is the best tablet I have reviewed.

Tim Stevens of CNET

The new iPad Air can last for 13 hours and 10 minutes, allowing us to use this tablet for long periods without needing a charger. Under any usage scenario, it can easily last a day. For more casual users who generally browse the web on their iPads, they can go several days without issues.

Damon Darlin of The New York Times

If you decide you want a larger screen, you'll find many advantages with the iPad Air. Besides being light and thin, it opens apps and web pages faster — at least faster than the older models, thanks to Apple’s custom software matching its custom A7 processor.

Brad Molen of Engadget

Apart from a few animation glitches related to iOS 7, the iPad Air runs smoothly and steadily. Apps open faster, but the biggest improvement lies in activities that intensively use the processor, such as games like Infinity Blade III and apps like Vjay, iMovie, and GarageBand. Interestingly, it generates less heat compared to previous models, even when the processor is used for extended periods.