iPad Air vs. Every Other iPad Ever Made

In the battle for speediest tablet, there can be only one victor. In our side-by-side tests of every single full-sized iPad generation ever made, not surprisingly, the Apple iPad Air makes a strong case for supremacy.

Since Apple introduced the iPad in 2010, it's been continually upping the ante on its processor. The very first iPad featured a custom-built A4 mobile CPU, which ran at 1 GHz. The iPad 2 got an upgrade to the more powerful A5 chip. It, too, was clocked at 1 GHz.

But, as with all Apple's ARM-based chips, the performance was more than the sum of its Hertz.

When the iPad 3 came along, it included a huge graphic performance boost, thanks to the A5x chip. The A6, which arrived with the iPhone 5, added performance and new digital photography chops to the phone and the iPad 4, which arrived in November of 2012.

This year brought the A7 chip and a new set of iPhones and iPads. The 1 lb., .29 inch iPad Air not only looks and feels different, it performs differently too.

To see the real-world changes wrought by Apple's component updates across the five generations of iPad, we put them all in one room and performed a series of simple, illustrative tests. The iPad Air is on the far right. Next to it is the iPad 4 Retina, followed by the iPad 3, then the iPad 2 and, finally, the heftier iPad 1.

Caution: watching this video may lead to standing in line for the iPad Air line at your local Apple store Friday.

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  Holding the Apple iPad Air

  Apple's iPad Air takes the tablets design to a new level of portability. At just one pound and 0.29 inch thick, the tablet is light enough to hold with just your fingertips.

• 

  iPad Air Box

  The only notable thing about the iPad Air box is that it's smaller than any full-size iPad box that's come before it.

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  iPad Air side view

  As you can see, the lock switch and volume buttons are still on the side.

• 

  iPad Air Back

  Aside from the "space gray" aluminum, there's nothing remarkable about the back of the iPad Air. You can see the iSight camera in the upper left corner.

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  iPad Air's iSight Camera

  This is pretty much the same camera you'll find on the previous iPad and on the iPhone 5C.

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  iPad Air Top Edge

  The top edge features the 3.5mm audio jack, microphone opening and the power/sleep button.

• 

  iPad Air Speakers and Lighting Port

  Another look at that very thin edge.

• 

  iPad Air Bottom Edge

  You'll find the speakers and Lightning port on the bottom edge of the iPad Air.

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  iPad Air in Smart Case

  The new iPad Air fits snugly into the leather Smart Case.

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  iPad Air Bottom View

  Another look at the bottom of the iPad Air.

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  iPad Air Slims Down

  Compared with previous iPads, the iPad Air (left) is also considerably thinner.

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  A Smaller iPad

  The iPad Air is considerably smaller than the iPad 4 (bottom).

• 

  iPads of All Shapes and Sizes

  At the bottom is an iPad 4. In the middle is the much smaller iPad Air (with the same size screen). On top is the iPad Mini (Gen 1).

• 

  iPad Air is Thin and Light

  It's fun to hold it like this, but not particularly useful.

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  iPad Air in New Smart Case

  If you've seen iOS 7 before, then the home screen is quite familiar. Even if you haven't, it still looks just like an iPad.

• 

  New iPad Air Smart Case

  The new Smart Case is leather and fits the iPad Air perfectly. It's easy to put on and a bit tricky to take off. It also doubles as a stand. It lists for $79.

• 

  Smart Case Rear View

  The case features an opening for the camera, speakers and Lightning port. Other buttons are covered, but still entirely usable.

• 

  iPad Air in Smart Case Beside Smart Cover

  Don't want to cover the iPad Air's shiny back? Try the smart cover. It costs $39.

• 

  iPad Air With iPad Mini on Top

  They share many of the same specs, but the iPad Air is considerably larger than the iPad Mini.

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