New iPad vs iPad 2: Should I Upgrade?
Apple has finally launched its new iPad on Wednesday at the Yerba Buena Centre for Arts in San Francisco. With the release many are wondering whether they should rush to upgrade their old iPad 2's to the 'new iPad' or whether they should stick with their current version.
A comparison of the specs of both devices shows that the new iPad does deliver on some counts, but falls down on some others.
Many are highlighting that the recently deceased former Apple CEO Steve Jobs had said that he wanted to revamp the design of the iPad 2 as he was not completely satisfied with the physical design elements. However, it is apparent that the new iPad does not address those issues. Because Apple have been unable to tackle those issues this time round many feel this is the reason the new iPad is very apparently "nameless." It is felt by many that the company wanted to avoid driving up expectations by releasing a new tablet called the iPad 3.
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Here is a breakdown of the specs between the devices:
1) Display
Both devices feature a large 9.7-inch screen with HD capability. The new iPad however offers a million more pixels than you would on your standard HDTV, boasting a retina display with double-resolution (2048x1536 pixels) screen at a pixel density of 264ppi (pixels per inch).
On the other hand, the iPad 2 sports a, still very impressive, 1024x768 pixels display with a pixel density of 132ppi, but which stands at about half the resolution and pixel density of the new iPad.
So there is no question that the new iPad would offer the better viewing capabilities for crisp HD movies. However, the iPad 2 is certainly good enough for regular standard definition videos and photos.
2) Processor
The new iPad possesses a faster dual-core processor based on A5X chip. The X represents support for quad-core graphics rather than a quad-core chip. The new iPad can deliver twice the graphics performance than the iPad 2's A5 chip.
Therefore, gamers and graphic designers are likely to notice a difference and can expect enhanced performance across videos, games and other graphics applications.
3) Camera
The new iPad boasts a superior 5 megapixel camera with its optical sensor the same as the iPhone 4S. The new tablet's camera supports full HD 1080p video recording, whereas the iPad 2 features 720p video capturing at 30fps.
The two tablets, however, equip the same front-facing VGA camera for video chatting.
4) Network
The new iPad possesses 4G LTE capability with much superior speeds than the iPad 2's 3G network. The 4G version is supported by Verizon and AT&T wireless carriers, however, across most parts of the world, there is a distinct lack of widespread infrastructure for 4G upgrade from the existing 3G infrastructure.
5) Battery Life
The new iPad ports the same battery as its predecessor, and offers 10 hours battery life for web surfing and video playback over a wi-fi connection.
However, the new iPad's battery is reduced when using the 4G LTE network. The iPad 2, however, boasts a full 10 hours of battery life over both the 3G and wi-fi networks.
6) Size
The new iPad weighs more and is thicker than the iPad 2.
The new tablet weighs 652 grams with 9.4 mm thickness. The iPad 2 is slightly lighter at 601 grams and is also slimmer at just 8.8mm.
