The iPad is dead, long live the iPad... although only an incremental upgrade, the new iPad 4 has been released to usurp this model.
However,
at only £359 the iPad 3 is still on sale and still offers a strong
experience with the latest version of Apple's operating system, iOS 6.
However, the iPad 3 is a device that from the outside looks remarkably like the iPad 2 but with an overhaul on the innards.
The question most people ask us when it comes to the third iteration is: what's different from the old one?
Well,
in this case it's pretty easy: there's a Retina Display that makes
everything looks superbly crisp, an updated A5X processor bringing
quad-core graphics and a 5MP camera on the rear with a VGA sensor on the
front.
Oh, and the iPad 3 was also the device that brings iOS 5.1 to the masses (well, it's also on the likes of the iPhone 4S and iPad 2 as well, but hey, we're not reviewing those today.) The
design of the iPad 3 isn't really anything different from the original
duo from Apple's tablet range. Actually, while we're thinking about it,
it looks almost identical to the iPad 2 – to the point you'd struggle to
tell them apart when turned off.
TechRadar rating
4/5
For
Superb screen
Slick gaming
Simple interface
Against
Can overheat
Apps take up too much space
No expandable storage
Thicker than iPad 2
iPad 3 review
Sharper screen, faster innards - but is it worth the update?
The iPad is dead, long live the iPad... although only an incremental upgrade, the new iPad 4 has been released to usurp this model.
However,
at only £359 the iPad 3 is still on sale and still offers a strong
experience with the latest version of Apple's operating system, iOS 6.
However, the iPad 3 is a device that from the outside looks remarkably like the iPad 2 but with an overhaul on the innards.
The question most people ask us when it comes to the third iteration is: what's different from the old one?
Well,
in this case it's pretty easy: there's a Retina Display that makes
everything looks superbly crisp, an updated A5X processor bringing
quad-core graphics and a 5MP camera on the rear with a VGA sensor on the
front.
Oh, and the iPad 3 was also the device that brings iOS 5.1 to the masses (well, it's also on the likes of the iPhone 4S and iPad 2 as well, but hey, we're not reviewing those today.) The
design of the iPad 3 isn't really anything different from the original
duo from Apple's tablet range. Actually, while we're thinking about it,
it looks almost identical to the iPad 2 – to the point you'd struggle to
tell them apart when turned off.
However,
in the hand, there's a little bit of a difference, especially when it
comes to the weight. The new iPad is nearly 60g heavier than the
previous iteration, and while it's not terrible, it does add a little
arm strain during a marathon movie session.
Retina Display
Before
we get onto all the normal insight over the frame of the new iPad, it's
worth talking about the main feature: the Retina Display.
Apple
has packed a huge amount more pixels into the 9.7-inch screen - 1536 x
2048 to be exact. However, despite the fact that the Cupertino brand
makes a big thing about the 330 PPI density of the iPhone 4, we're
looking at a screen that's technically a lot less sharp than its
smartphone brethren - around 264PPI. Apple
has got around this fact by stating that the screen is meant to be held
at 15 inches from the face, rather than the 10 inches the iPhone is
supposed to from your eyes, and as such the sharpness is the same.
Given
the fact the term 'Retina Display' really isn't a legally binding term,
we don't care. What matters is the effect - and it's one of the most
impressive we've seen on a tablet to date. If someone took an iPad,
printed out a really hi-res image of an iOS system and stuck it on the
front, we'd struggle to tell the difference - it's superb, and even
squinting up close you'll be hard pushed to notice any pixelation.
The
colour reproduction will also appeal to many, as it's pretty close to
reality - it lacks the punch of the Super AMOLED HD screens seen on the
likes of the Samsung Galaxy Note for instance, but it will depend on
personal preference as to whether that's a good thing.
We like the vivid colours of Samsung's screens, but we know plenty of people that loathe them too.
The
main thing is things like internet browsing; photo viewing and movie
sessions are all much, much improved over the iPad 2, and is one of the
main reasons to pick up the iPad 3. Check out how the iPad 3 display got on when it went head-to-head with the Asus Transformer Pad Infinity in our video below.
TechRadar rating
4/5
For
Superb screen
Slick gaming
Simple interface
Against
Can overheat
Apps take up too much space
No expandable storage
Thicker than iPad 2
iPad 3 review
Sharper screen, faster innards - but is it worth the update?
The iPad is dead, long live the iPad... although only an incremental upgrade, the new iPad 4 has been released to usurp this model.
However,
at only £359 the iPad 3 is still on sale and still offers a strong
experience with the latest version of Apple's operating system, iOS 6.
However, the iPad 3 is a device that from the outside looks remarkably like the iPad 2 but with an overhaul on the innards.
The question most people ask us when it comes to the third iteration is: what's different from the old one?
Well,
in this case it's pretty easy: there's a Retina Display that makes
everything looks superbly crisp, an updated A5X processor bringing
quad-core graphics and a 5MP camera on the rear with a VGA sensor on the
front.
Oh, and the iPad 3 was also the device that brings iOS 5.1 to the masses (well, it's also on the likes of the iPhone 4S and iPad 2 as well, but hey, we're not reviewing those today.) The
design of the iPad 3 isn't really anything different from the original
duo from Apple's tablet range. Actually, while we're thinking about it,
it looks almost identical to the iPad 2 – to the point you'd struggle to
tell them apart when turned off.
However,
in the hand, there's a little bit of a difference, especially when it
comes to the weight. The new iPad is nearly 60g heavier than the
previous iteration, and while it's not terrible, it does add a little
arm strain during a marathon movie session.
Retina Display
Before
we get onto all the normal insight over the frame of the new iPad, it's
worth talking about the main feature: the Retina Display.
Apple
has packed a huge amount more pixels into the 9.7-inch screen - 1536 x
2048 to be exact. However, despite the fact that the Cupertino brand
makes a big thing about the 330 PPI density of the iPhone 4, we're
looking at a screen that's technically a lot less sharp than its
smartphone brethren - around 264PPI. Apple
has got around this fact by stating that the screen is meant to be held
at 15 inches from the face, rather than the 10 inches the iPhone is
supposed to from your eyes, and as such the sharpness is the same.
Given
the fact the term 'Retina Display' really isn't a legally binding term,
we don't care. What matters is the effect - and it's one of the most
impressive we've seen on a tablet to date. If someone took an iPad,
printed out a really hi-res image of an iOS system and stuck it on the
front, we'd struggle to tell the difference - it's superb, and even
squinting up close you'll be hard pushed to notice any pixelation.
The
colour reproduction will also appeal to many, as it's pretty close to
reality - it lacks the punch of the Super AMOLED HD screens seen on the
likes of the Samsung Galaxy Note for instance, but it will depend on
personal preference as to whether that's a good thing.
We like the vivid colours of Samsung's screens, but we know plenty of people that loathe them too.
The
main thing is things like internet browsing; photo viewing and movie
sessions are all much, much improved over the iPad 2, and is one of the
main reasons to pick up the iPad 3. Check out how the iPad 3 display got on when it went head-to-head with the Asus Transformer Pad Infinity in our video below.
Design
The
iPad 3, as we said, is only marginally thicker and a little heavier
than the iPad 2, and if you pick it up with no knowledge of the former,
you'll likely be mighty impressed.
The rest of the design is
premium too - given you can be paying a fair whack for a top end model,
it needs to seem like a worthwhile investment, and it does. The
curved edges, the oleophobic scratch-proof glass and the aluminium
chassis are all the kind of thing that some Android tablets have tried
to ape and failed. Of course, many will prefer the feather-light frames
of some of the Samsung models but, like the screen, it really comes down
to personal preference.
The buttonry on the iPad 3 is pretty sparse though - we're talking four buttons and that's your lot. The iconic home button is back once again, despite rumours of its demise, and is easy to reach and hit within the thick bezel. The
rest of the buttons are all clustered tightly together in the top
left-hand corner of the device, with the rocker/volume key, the
mute/orientation switch and power/lock key all within an inch of one
another.
As you can see, Apple has been pretty efficient with the
button placement, with all of them performing more than one function.
And they say the iPad can't multi-task... tsk.
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