# The advantage of 32 bit iPad over 16 bit? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [March 3, 2014, 10:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-advantage-of-32-bit-ipad-over-16-bit/682783 "2014-03-03T22:56:58Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Chefguy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chefguy/32/138_2.png) [@Chefguy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chefguy)\ **Post date:** [March 3, 2014, 10:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-advantage-of-32-bit-ipad-over-16-bit/682783/1 "2014-03-03T22:56:58Z")
Thinking of buying an iPad Air. For a ‘normal’ user without games, is there any advantage of 32 over 16? It’s an extra $100. ---
**Author:** ![chrisk](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/6de8d8/32.png) [@chrisk](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/chrisk)\ **Post date:** [March 3, 2014, 11:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-advantage-of-32-bit-ipad-over-16-bit/682783/2 "2014-03-03T23:02:46Z")
Have any ipads been built with a 16-bit architecture? Or are you talking about 32 gig storage versus 16 gig storage? I don’t have any iPad, but I own a 32 gig iPhone 4 and a 32 gig Nexus 7. In both, I would say that the games aren’t the big space hogs, it’s music or video, and to a lesser extent my offline wikipedia apps. Your mileage may vary. ---
**Author:** ![Chefguy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chefguy/32/138_2.png) [@Chefguy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chefguy)\ **Post date:** [March 3, 2014, 11:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-advantage-of-32-bit-ipad-over-16-bit/682783/3 "2014-03-03T23:37:38Z")
> [@chrisk](#): > > Have any ipads been built with a 16-bit architecture? Or are you talking about 32 gig storage versus 16 gig storage? > > I don’t have any iPad, but I own a 32 gig iPhone 4 and a 32 gig Nexus 7. In both, I would say that the games aren’t the big space hogs, it’s music or video, and to a lesser extent my offline wikipedia apps. Your mileage may vary. Oh, hell, I was looking at the GB figures. Half asleep I guess. Okay, let’s change the question to “which is better, Samsung Galaxy or iPad Air?” ---
**Author:** ![Merneith](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/57b2e6/32.png) [@Merneith](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Merneith)\ **Post date:** [March 3, 2014, 11:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-advantage-of-32-bit-ipad-over-16-bit/682783/4 "2014-03-03T23:39:58Z")
They’re both nice. The real question is - do you want to connect to the Apple Store and use iTunes or do you want to connect to Google Play and use some other music solution? ---
**Author:** ![Isilder](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/cc9497/32.png) [@Isilder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Isilder)\ **Post date:** [March 3, 2014, 11:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-advantage-of-32-bit-ipad-over-16-bit/682783/5 "2014-03-03T23:52:23Z")
> [@Chefguy](#): > > Thinking of buying an iPad Air. For a ‘normal’ user without games, is there any advantage of 32 over 16? It’s an extra $100. In fact the latest ipad, Ipad Air , is a 64 bit cpu , while all previous ipads have a 32 bit cpu… Its unlikely that there will be a rapid change to software that _requires_ ipad Air (or newer), probably new software will be released for older ipads for many (5?) years … eg 2019 32 gigabyte is the amount of file storage. its just the size of the flash drive (like a USB flash drive) that is inside of it. ---
**Author:** ![mack](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/b19c9b/32.png) [@mack](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mack)\ **Post date:** [March 4, 2014, 1:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-advantage-of-32-bit-ipad-over-16-bit/682783/6 "2014-03-04T01:41:41Z")
if you want to store lots of videos, music, pictures, etc. on the device itself, 16 gb fills up pretty quickly and the 32 might be your best bet. if you’re going to do mostly streaming and/or online storage of music and pictures then you could probably get by with a 16 gb device. ---
**Author:** ![Chefguy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chefguy/32/138_2.png) [@Chefguy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chefguy)\ **Post date:** [March 4, 2014, 4:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-advantage-of-32-bit-ipad-over-16-bit/682783/7 "2014-03-04T04:15:58Z")
My main use for this product will be for when we travel. I like the idea of a GPS with a large screen, and the wireless service will be a plus when we’re in an RV park without wi-fi. I may use it as a temporary storage for photos while traveling, but will likely just access the photos stored in Amazon cloud for family to see. I’ll probably go with the 32GB storage, but am not so sure I need the 64 bit processor. ---
**Author:** ![Habeed](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/a587f6/32.png) [@Habeed](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Habeed)\ **Post date:** [March 4, 2014, 5:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-advantage-of-32-bit-ipad-over-16-bit/682783/8 "2014-03-04T05:30:00Z")
For most people, iOS products are easier to use and offer a more consistent high quality experience. Android is _almost_ as good, but not as good. This is for a variety of reasons, including the fact that since Android devices come in a huge array of configurations and screen formats and OS versions, it is impossible for the programmers writing the apps to provide a consistent experience. Other reasons include the fact that Apple makes slightly higher quality hardware to protect their brand, and app sales are better on iOS so more effort is put into developing great apps. The advantage of Android is that if you want to do something that is not standard - say you want to use apps that are not in the app store, or you are an engineer working on a project - then it is far more open and flexible. TLDR : you will be happier with the iPad Air. It does everything you mentioned _slightly_ better. ---
**Author:** ![Telemark](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/telemark/32/372_2.png) [@Telemark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Telemark)\ **Post date:** [March 4, 2014, 1:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-advantage-of-32-bit-ipad-over-16-bit/682783/9 "2014-03-04T13:26:03Z")
> [@Habeed](#): > > For most people, iOS products are easier to use and offer a more consistent high quality experience. I’ve never seen any real evidence to support this assertion. It hasn’t been my experience. ---
**Author:** ![shijinn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/cc9497/32.png) [@shijinn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/shijinn)\ **Post date:** [March 4, 2014, 1:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-advantage-of-32-bit-ipad-over-16-bit/682783/10 "2014-03-04T13:58:44Z")
could Androids be easily used by babies and tech-fearing old people now? i know it hasn’t before. ---
**Author:** ![Justin\_Bailey](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/justin_bailey/32/8792_2.png) [@Justin\_Bailey](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Justin_Bailey)\ **Post date:** [March 4, 2014, 3:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-advantage-of-32-bit-ipad-over-16-bit/682783/11 "2014-03-04T15:36:11Z")
> [@Telemark](#): > > I’ve never seen any real evidence to support this assertion. It hasn’t been my experience. Did you hit reply right after that sentence? **Habeed** also wrote this: > [@](#): > > This is for a variety of reasons, including the fact that since Android devices come in a huge array of configurations and screen formats and OS versions, it is impossible for the programmers writing the apps to provide a consistent experience. Other reasons include the fact that Apple makes slightly higher quality hardware to protect their brand, and app sales are better on iOS so more effort is put into developing great apps. Sounds like evidence to me. ---
**Author:** ![RickG](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rickg/32/5174_2.png) [@RickG](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RickG)\ **Post date:** [March 4, 2014, 4:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-advantage-of-32-bit-ipad-over-16-bit/682783/12 "2014-03-04T16:21:51Z")
> [@Chefguy](#): > > My main use for this product will be for when we travel. I like the idea of a GPS with a large screen, and the wireless service will be a plus when we’re in an RV park without wi-fi. I may use it as a temporary storage for photos while traveling, but will likely just access the photos stored in Amazon cloud for family to see. I’ll probably go with the 32GB storage, but am not so sure I need the 64 bit processor. I have a 64GB iPad Air, wifi-only. It replaced a 1st-gen 32GB iPad I got on the first day they were available in 2010. I have a fair number of apps, photos, and music, and I fill it up a little over half-way. Compared to the old one, which was stuck at iOS 5.x, this one’s screamingly fast, light, and has a gorgeous screen. That said, I only have the big iPad because I have very poor eyesight, and need text to be relatively big. Have you considered getting the retina iPad mini? Tech specs are basically identical: same processor, same battery life, same number of pixels on screen (they are just smaller pixels). The only difference I know about is that the screen has a somewhat smaller color gamut, which I think only photo pros probably care about. It’s also a hundred bucks less than an Air with the same storage, so you could trade screen dimensions for additional storage at the same price point. ---
**Author:** ![jasg](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/f0a364/32.png) [@jasg](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jasg)\ **Post date:** [March 4, 2014, 4:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-advantage-of-32-bit-ipad-over-16-bit/682783/13 "2014-03-04T16:43:08Z")
Using a tablet as a digital photo album is incredibly seductive so I consider 8 and 16GB versions inadequate. Same goes for music storage, especially if you use the tablet to ‘beam’ the music to a stereo or wireless speaker. Having owned and used both Android and (mostly) iOS tablets, I give the nod to iOS. Recently sold my Android and picked up an iPad Air - I am amazed all over again. (The wireless option on the Air is cool since you can switch carriers at will. T-Mobile even gives you 200Mb/month for free.) ---
**Author:** ![Chefguy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chefguy/32/138_2.png) [@Chefguy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chefguy)\ **Post date:** [March 4, 2014, 5:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-advantage-of-32-bit-ipad-over-16-bit/682783/14 "2014-03-04T17:41:57Z")
> [@shijinn](#): > > could Androids be easily used by babies and tech-fearing old people now? i know it hasn’t before. This is a small concern. I’m not tech-fearing, but my entire computer life experience has been with DOS/Windows platforms. How difficult is it to come up to speed on an iOS platform? ---
**Author:** ![Habeed](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/a587f6/32.png) [@Habeed](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Habeed)\ **Post date:** [March 4, 2014, 5:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-advantage-of-32-bit-ipad-over-16-bit/682783/15 "2014-03-04T17:52:05Z")
> [@Chefguy](#): > > This is a small concern. I’m not tech-fearing, but my entire computer life experience has been with DOS/Windows platforms. How difficult is it to come up to speed on an iOS platform? It’s the easiest interface that has ever been released. There’s a tiny number of “secret” things you do have to learn, such as ``` 1. Pushing the bottom button twice brings up something kind of like task manager, where it shows you a series of images of programs you have open. You can use this to get back to a program you were at before 2. Holding your finger down on an icon on your home screen eventually puts it in a mode where you can move the icons around. 3. Hold your finger over text and release it and a copy/paste menu will appear. 4. The voice recognition is better than typing if you are in a quiet room and know what you want to say. ``` But as a computer system, there’s virtually nothing to it. All of the tasks that had to be done to maintain and operate DOS/Windows systems are gone, done automatically by software. File folders no longer exist that you can see, all your files can be seen by any application on your device that needs to access them. You don’t have to back it up any more - Apple does it for you automatically by default every 24 hours. Installing or deleting a program involves tapping a single button at the app store. And so forth. ---
**Author:** ![shijinn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/cc9497/32.png) [@shijinn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/shijinn)\ **Post date:** [March 5, 2014, 1:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-advantage-of-32-bit-ipad-over-16-bit/682783/16 "2014-03-05T01:41:40Z")
> [@Chefguy](#): > > This is a small concern. I’m not tech-fearing, but my entire computer life experience has been with DOS/Windows platforms. How difficult is it to come up to speed on an iOS platform? it really is very easy, you’d get the hang of it immediately. the difficulty comes later with itunes for people with expectations that it work like a pc and its file system. as a crude gauge, if you’re not bothered that the ipad does not have a usb port nor an expandable memory slot, you’re good to go; otherwise, you might want to check out the alternatives first. i was in the same position as you. after using Windows all that time, the first thing i noticed was that i didn’t have to worry about the system. i downloaded way more apps than i ever did my entire life on Windows and i did not have to worry about viruscans, my data or the system slowing down because it had too much junk. if you ever lose your ipad for whatever reason, you can just buy another one, restore, and it’ll be more or less the same as the old one. without ever having to worry or remember about backups. ---
**Author:** ![Pork\_Rind](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pork_rind/32/111_2.png) [@Pork\_Rind](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Pork_Rind)\ **Post date:** [March 5, 2014, 2:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-advantage-of-32-bit-ipad-over-16-bit/682783/17 "2014-03-05T02:42:41Z")
> [@Habeed](#): > > ``` > 4. The voice recognition is better than typing if you are in a quiet room and know what you want to say. > > ``` This is the single biggest issue I have with the voice recognition and Siri. I press the button, the little microphone pops up, and I say something smooth like, “I, um, well, uhhhhhh… Shit.” ---
**Author:** ![RickG](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rickg/32/5174_2.png) [@RickG](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RickG)\ **Post date:** [March 5, 2014, 5:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-advantage-of-32-bit-ipad-over-16-bit/682783/18 "2014-03-05T05:16:15Z")
> [@Pork\_Rind](#): > > This is the single biggest issue I have with the voice recognition and Siri. I press the button, the little microphone pops up, and I say something smooth like, “I, um, well, uhhhhhh… Shit.” Heh. Worth noting that there’s Siri voice interaction, and there’s the dictation from the keyboard stuff. There’s overlap, but they seem to work slightly differently. When dictating, you have to remember to say the punctuation marks (it’s a bit like Victor Borge’s old routine). There are engineers at Apple that sometimes have some fun with Siri. For example, ask Siri, “what does the fox say?” Early on, you could ask where to get rid of a body, but that one doesn’t work anymore. There are occasionally other Easter eggs–set a 3 minute timer with Siri, and it’ll (sometimes) warn you not to overcook the egg. ---
**Author:** ![Pork\_Rind](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pork_rind/32/111_2.png) [@Pork\_Rind](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Pork_Rind)\ **Post date:** [March 5, 2014, 6:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-advantage-of-32-bit-ipad-over-16-bit/682783/19 "2014-03-05T06:17:28Z")
Me: shit Siri: after all I’ve done for you? ---
**Author:** ![Chefguy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chefguy/32/138_2.png) [@Chefguy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chefguy)\ **Post date:** [March 5, 2014, 3:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-advantage-of-32-bit-ipad-over-16-bit/682783/20 "2014-03-05T15:23:51Z")
I’m going over to my neighbor’s house this morning; he’s going to demonstrate how his iPad works. Thanks all for your input.