Trying to determine if the new iPads are worth an upgrade? Our handy charts will clearly show the differences between the new tablets and last year's models. by Jessica Dolcourt and Eric Franklin October 22, 2013 2:29 PM PDT The new iPads have a lot more in common with each other than you may think. (Credit: CNET) Apple's pair of refreshed tablets -- the iPad Air and iPad Mini with Retina Display -- have a lot more in common with each other than you may think. The Air completely replaces last year's fourth-generation iPad, its most relevant new features being the faster A7 processor, a new iPad Mini-inspired design, and coming in at a light 1 pound. Clearly, the second-generation Mini got more elbow grease out of the two. It receives a higher-resolution Retina Display, which ups the pixel density by quite a bit. It also benefits from Apple undercutting the original Mini with the now ancient -- by CPU standards -- A5 chip. As a result, the new Mini gets a healthy upgrade with the A7 processor, but it doesn't come cheap. The new starting price for the Retina Mini is $70 more than the original price of the Mini and $100 more than the Mini's new $299 -- for 16GB -- price. The following charts should help better illustrate what's new and what's changed from last year's iPad crop to this year's reboots. Wi-Fi capacity and price 16GB ($499), 32GB ($599), 64GB ($699), 128GB ($799) 16GB ($499), 32GB ($599), 64GB ($699), 128GB ($799) Wi-Fi and cellular 16GB ($629), 32GB ($729), 64GB ($829), 128GB ($929) 16GB ($629), 32GB ($729), 64GB ($829), 128GB ($929) Colors and material Silver, space gray; aluminum Black, white; aluminum Dimensions 9.4 x 6.6 x 0.29 inches 9.5 x 7.3 x 0.37 inches Weight 1 pound (Wi-Fi); 1.05 pounds (cellular) 1.44 pounds (Wi-Fi); 1.46 pounds (cellular) Display 9.7 inch IPS; 2,048x1,536 pixels (264ppi) 9.7 inch IPS; 2,048x1,536 pixels (264ppi) Processor A7 chip (64-bit architecture); M7 motion coprocessor Dual-core A6X chip GPU Unconfirmed Quad-core PowerVR SGX554MP4 Rear camera 5-megapixel camera; 1080p HD video 5-megapixel camera; 1080p HD video Front-facing camera 1.2-megapixel; 720p HD 1.2-megapixel; 720p HD RAM Unconfirmed 1GB Battery life Up to 10 hours Wi-Fi, 9 hours cellular Up to 10 hours Wi-Fi, 9 hours cellular SIM Micro-SIM Micro-SIM Connector Lightning Lightning iPad Air hands-on (pictures) 1-2 of 13 Scroll Left Scroll Right Wi-Fi capacity and price 16GB ($399), 32GB ($499), 64GB ($599), 128GB ($699) 16GB ($329), 32GB ($429), 64GB ($529) Cellular and price 16GB ($529), 32GB ($629), 64GB ($729), 128GB ($829) 16GB ($459), 32GB ($559), 64GB ($659) Colors and material Space gray, silver; aluminum Black, white; aluminum Dimensions 7.87 x 5.3 x 0.28 inches 7.87 x 5.3 x 0.28 inches Weight 0.68 pound (Wi-Fi); 0.69 pound (cellular) 0.73 pound (Wi-Fi); 0.75 pound (cellular) Display 7.9-inch IPS; 2,048x1,536 pixels (326ppi) 7.9-inch IPS; 1,024x768 pixels (163ppi) Processor A7 chip (64-bit architecture); M7 motion coprocessor Dual-core A5 chip GPU Unconfirmed Dual-core PowerVR SGX543MP2 Rear camera 5-megapixel camera; 1080p HD video 5-megapixel camera; 1080p HD video Front-facing camera 1.2-megapixel; 720p HD 1.2-megapixel; 720p HD RAM Unconfirmed 1GB Battery life Up to 10 hours Wi-Fi, 9 hours cellular Up to 10 hours Wi-Fi and cellular SIM Micro-SIM Micro-SIM Connector Lightning Lightning Apple's crisp and clear iPad Mini with Retina Display (pictures) 1-2 of 8 Scroll Left Scroll Right Read the CNET Editors' Take Apple iPad Air Editors' Take: Apple's rebooted iPad doesn't come in gold or have that Touch ID sensor we saw in the iPhone 5S, but it has accomplished one physical feat: an extremely light build you won't believe until you feel it. Read More
Trying to determine if the new iPads are worth an upgrade? Our handy charts will clearly show the differences between the new tablets and last year's models.
The new iPads have a lot more in common with each other than you may think.
(Credit: CNET)
Apple's pair of refreshed tablets -- the iPad Air and iPad Mini with Retina Display -- have a lot more in common with each other than you may think.
The Air completely replaces last year's fourth-generation iPad, its most relevant new features being the faster A7 processor, a new iPad Mini-inspired design, and coming in at a light 1 pound.
Clearly, the second-generation Mini got more elbow grease out of the two. It receives a higher-resolution Retina Display, which ups the pixel density by quite a bit. It also benefits from Apple undercutting the original Mini with the now ancient -- by CPU standards -- A5 chip. As a result, the new Mini gets a healthy upgrade with the A7 processor, but it doesn't come cheap. The new starting price for the Retina Mini is $70 more than the original price of the Mini and $100 more than the Mini's new $299 -- for 16GB -- price.
The following charts should help better illustrate what's new and what's changed from last year's iPad crop to this year's reboots.
| Wi-Fi capacity and price | 16GB ($499), 32GB ($599), 64GB ($699), 128GB ($799) | 16GB ($499), 32GB ($599), 64GB ($699), 128GB ($799) | |
| Wi-Fi and cellular | 16GB ($629), 32GB ($729), 64GB ($829), 128GB ($929) | 16GB ($629), 32GB ($729), 64GB ($829), 128GB ($929) | |
| Colors and material | Silver, space gray; aluminum | Black, white; aluminum | |
| Dimensions | 9.4 x 6.6 x 0.29 inches | 9.5 x 7.3 x 0.37 inches | |
| Weight | 1 pound (Wi-Fi); 1.05 pounds (cellular) | 1.44 pounds (Wi-Fi); 1.46 pounds (cellular) | |
| Display | 9.7 inch IPS; 2,048x1,536 pixels (264ppi) | 9.7 inch IPS; 2,048x1,536 pixels (264ppi) | |
| Processor | A7 chip (64-bit architecture); M7 motion coprocessor | Dual-core A6X chip | |
| GPU | Unconfirmed | Quad-core PowerVR SGX554MP4 | |
| Rear camera | 5-megapixel camera; 1080p HD video | 5-megapixel camera; 1080p HD video | |
| Front-facing camera | 1.2-megapixel; 720p HD | 1.2-megapixel; 720p HD | |
| RAM | Unconfirmed | 1GB | |
| Battery life | Up to 10 hours Wi-Fi, 9 hours cellular | Up to 10 hours Wi-Fi, 9 hours cellular | |
| SIM | Micro-SIM | Micro-SIM | |
| Connector | Lightning | Lightning |
| Wi-Fi capacity and price | 16GB ($399), 32GB ($499), 64GB ($599), 128GB ($699) | 16GB ($329), 32GB ($429), 64GB ($529) | |
| Cellular and price | 16GB ($529), 32GB ($629), 64GB ($729), 128GB ($829) | 16GB ($459), 32GB ($559), 64GB ($659) | |
| Colors and material | Space gray, silver; aluminum | Black, white; aluminum | |
| Dimensions | 7.87 x 5.3 x 0.28 inches | 7.87 x 5.3 x 0.28 inches | |
| Weight | 0.68 pound (Wi-Fi); 0.69 pound (cellular) | 0.73 pound (Wi-Fi); 0.75 pound (cellular) | |
| Display | 7.9-inch IPS; 2,048x1,536 pixels (326ppi) | 7.9-inch IPS; 1,024x768 pixels (163ppi) | |
| Processor | A7 chip (64-bit architecture); M7 motion coprocessor | Dual-core A5 chip | |
| GPU | Unconfirmed | Dual-core PowerVR SGX543MP2 | |
| Rear camera | 5-megapixel camera; 1080p HD video | 5-megapixel camera; 1080p HD video | |
| Front-facing camera | 1.2-megapixel; 720p HD | 1.2-megapixel; 720p HD | |
| RAM | Unconfirmed | 1GB | |
| Battery life | Up to 10 hours Wi-Fi, 9 hours cellular | Up to 10 hours Wi-Fi and cellular | |
| SIM | Micro-SIM | Micro-SIM | |
| Connector | Lightning | Lightning |
Apple iPad Air
Editors' Take: Apple's rebooted iPad doesn't come in gold or have that Touch ID sensor we saw in the iPhone 5S, but it has accomplished one physical feat: an extremely light build you won't believe until you feel it. Read More
