The iPad 5 and iPad Air try to outsmart every tablet description out there. They are faster, cheaper and lighter. The improved specs and more affordable price seem a good deal for many consumers. They are not. There are several reasons why people should think twice before buying either the iPad 5 or the iPad Air.

Whereas iPads never came with an affordable price tag, the refreshed versions this year are the cheapest the market has ever seen. The 16 GB iPad Mini starts with $300. Adding $100 can get a 16 GB iPad Mini featuring 7.9-inch Retina display. The specs of the device can rival the latest 9.7-inch A7-powered iPad Air.

Consider a Bigger Tablet Coupled with a Keyboard

The new iPads may seem to be as portable as anyone will like them to be, but portability does not equate functionality. For people looking for the right gadget to carry around to surf, socialise and spend their leisure time on, then the latest iPads should do. However, for those looking for a slate to actually work with, then the iPad Air or the iPad Mini 2 may not be the best choice.

The two devices are built for recreation and portable computing but not completely for working. Just like when considering MacBook Air, those who seriously need to accomplish work should opt for MacBook Pro instead.

Fingerprint Sensor Gone

The fingerprint sensor alone can be a basis for not buying some Apple products. The technology has had its fair share of problems. Nonetheless, for those still looking for a fingerprint sensor on the new iPads should have to wait or be disappointed. It came as a surprise when Apple did not include the scanner in the iPad Mini 2 and the iPad Air. It may be a deal breaker for some looking forward to use the technology on their iPads.

Wi-Fi Option

In terms of Wi-Fi capability, 802.11a/b/g/n is not the same as 802.11ac. The 802.11ac can be found on Apple's Retina MacBook Pros and the server-class Mac Pro. In essence, 802.11ac is considerably faster compared to 802.11n - that is, 1.3 Gbit/s vs 450 Mbit/s. Ideally, the faster connection is the better option. Why settle for a lower speed connection if you can have the faster? If Wi-Fi speed and performance is an issue, then these iPads may cause users to think twice.

Cloud Devices

Following other thinner tablets, the iPad has been increasingly becoming a cloud device. Apple has been pushing their users to use the cloud, with the latest free apps from the company running on cloud-based structures. This is not really a problem, if you happen to love the cloud. But this emphasis on cloud storage could pose a problem for users who wish to keep their data local.

Apps Not Available in Tablet

There are some applications which do not have their tablet counterparts yet. For example, "StarCraft II" or "World of WarCraft" or similar programs do not have tablet applications. Despite working on larger tablets, these apps may take a long time before they find their way to Apple's tablets.

Nonetheless, according to Apple CEO Tim Cook, the company has confidence in this niche, and Apple is not stopping with putting more innovative features into its devices.