iPad 3: First experiences, impressions

Even though Apple does not refer to the third iPad as iPad 3 but only as "iPad", it helps to make it clear which iPad is meant. So here the language of "iPad 3" will be 😉

As already in previous blog entry noticedthe main new feature of the current iPad generation is the display: with a resolution of 2,048×1,536 pixels, it beats just about everything currently available in the consumer sector (apart from 27 and 30-inch monitors) in terms of resolution and, above all, pixel density (since the 3.1 megapixels are squeezed onto a 4:3 screen with a 9.7″ diagonal). The result is an impressive sharpness, even if on paper it doesn't quite match the retina display of the iPhone 4/4S, you can't see any pixels with the naked eye. I myself decided on the WiFi-Only version, since the HSPA+ version costs 120,- Euro extra on the one hand and on the other hand the LTE chip, which is also built in, cannot be used in Europe in practice.

In everyday life the display is really fun: Writing e.g. on websites is much easier to read than on the display of the iPad 2 (although this is of course personal perception). The slightly increased weight and the increase in thickness, on the other hand, is not noticeable (at least if the devices are not used in parallel). In terms of speed, the A5X isn't any faster on paper than the A5 of the iPad 2, only the graphics performance has been significantly increased by Apple with a quad core graphics chip from PowerVR, which is absolutely necessary for the display resolution.

I have applied a display foil to my device (Vikuiti ADQC27 at Amazon) which takes away a bit of the brilliance, but ensures that the display doesn't pass as a makeup mirror anymore. I also find it more pleasant as the fingers glide over the display much more easily.

Back to the iPad 3If you own an iPad 2 and are satisfied with the display, you don't really need to switch to the new iPad. Whoever owns the first iPad or is thinking about buying an iPad, should directly contact iPad 3 which is available from 479,- Euro. How much memory you need should be considered carefully: unlike with Android tablets, Apple does not offer the possibility to upgrade the memory afterwards. Apple now also offers 1080p movies via iTunes, which accordingly increase the storage space, so if you want to use this possibility intensively, you should at least choose the 32 GB version. The Opinion of Golem.deI don't share the opinion that you should never buy a 16 GB iPad - there are certainly users (like me) who will have no problem with 16 GB.

All in all, the third generation of the iPad offers evolution rather than revolution - which is also what Apple expected in the run-up to the launch. Now we have to see how things like increased heat generation and possibly decreased battery performance will work in practice. With my usage profile it is relatively unimportant whether the battery lasts half an hour longer or shorter, for other users this will have a larger share in the purchase decision. One can certainly criticize that Apple restricts the users very much: Apps are only available from the Appstore, and the system has quite tight chains in other respects as well. But on the one hand it is only a matter of time until a jailbreak appears, on the other hand you know by now what you are getting into as an Apple buyer. The choice of alternatives is given, for example Asus' Transformer Prime, which can be combined with a keyboard and thus follows a clearly different approach than Apple's iPad.

Of course there are still detailed tests on the net, for example pictures of the inner workings of ifixit.com and a complete Test at Golem.de. Golem has also compiled information in a video:

Meanwhile I also bought a Bluetooth keyboard, from HP. My Opinion about the HP WebOS Keyboard on iPad 3 I've been holding on to that, too.

Update 12.09.2015

After a little over three years it was time for an update. Instead of the iPad 3, a iPad Air 2 the service as an Apple tablet in my household. After such a long time, the upgrade is clearly noticeable, the new iPad has really improved and feels much better in direct comparison. Who still uses an old iPad should think about an upgrade.