Much has been said about the new iPad — stating with the “new” name, the same old design, the slightly beefed profile and the underwhelming specs. Only one thing remains and that’s the hyped up, beyond-HD display. Check out our full review of the new iPad after the break.
First off, and for the purpose of making this review less confusing, let’s just refer to the new iPad as the iPad 3 (besides, that’s how everybody else calls it, especially the folks selling them in Greenhills).
We then refer you to our earlier review of the iPad 2 for comparison, considering the profile and design are almost exactly similar. In fact, at 3 or 4 feet away, you would have a hard time figuring out which one is the iPad 2 or the iPad 3.
Once you’re done with that, let’s move on and walk you thru some of the major improvements Apple did with the iPad 3.
Faster, better processor under the hood.
The iPad 3 sports an improved central processing unit Apple refers to as the A5x chip. This includes a dual-core processor which is the same as the one on the iPad 2 and a quad-core graphics chip which is double that of the previous model.
Apple’s focus on the graphics is logical as most of the processing power of the iPad involves heavy graphics rather than number crunching of the CPU. Add to that the much needed juice to support the very high resolution of the display (the highest and densest in any tablet) you will understand why Apple had to put extra effort in the GPU department.
Nevertheless, a lot of people including competitors to the iPad have pointed out the deficiency or insignificance of the new chip used in the iPad 3. For example, NVidia’s Tegra 3 processor used in the Asus Transformer Prime and the HTC One X has 5 CPU cores (referred to as 4PLUS1 with the 5th core for battery-saving features) and 12 GPU cores. By the numbers alone, the iPad 3 pales in comparison.
Setting aside any benchmarks or core-counting, normal users will stick with actual user experience rather than faster clock-cycles or number of cores and this is where the iPad 3 always impresses. Simple UI, smooth transitions, really fast app switching, quick app load time, and almost no noticeable lags or delays is what makes the over-all experience on the iPad 3 enjoyable and without a doubt, impressive.
Compared to the iPad 2 though, we did not notice any generally significant performance boost except maybe on a few key features and specific apps. That includes some graphics-intensive games, video editing apps like iMovie and photo manipulation apps like Photoshop Express. Everything else seemed to work just as fast or as smooth as in the iPad 2.
Thicker, fatter profile.
Apple started out with with really thin tablets since they first introduced the iPad a couple of years ago. They pushed the limits even further with the iPad2. So, it was a bit of a surprise that they actually decided to make the new iPad a bit thicker (about a millimeter) and heavier. This is primarily due to a bigger, higher-capacity internal battery that they had to include to compensate for the juice-guzzling hardware upgrade.
I guess it boiled down to two things that they had to choose — retain the thin-ness and declare a lower battery life OR increase the thickness to retain the claimed battery life. Now we know which one they picked.
The iPhone4-ish Camera.
One of the most noticeable upgrades Apple made on the iPad 3 is the rear camera. At 5MP, it’s the same optics they used on the iPhone 4.
To date, we can definitely say this is the nicest camera on a tablet we’ve ever used and tested. The great thing with the iPad is that the live preview is so big (the whole 9.7-inch screen) you can clearly see what the output would look like and how accurate the focusing is.
The image quality degrades pretty quick though under low-light conditions. He are some sample photos taken with the iPad 3:
You can view the original, raw photos here.
Video recording is now up to full HD 1080p and the rear camera does a really good job with taking clear, well-saturated and fairly focused shots. There might be some subtly noticeable lags or choppiness when you’re shooting dynamic or active scenes but that’s pretty much expected of any non-dedicated camera in this category.
Here is a sample clip to better appreciate what we’re trying to describe here.
Basically, if you’re familiar with the camera on the iPhone 4 or the iPhone 4s, it’s almost identical with the one on the iPad 3.
Because of the size of the iPad, the tendency of the user is to shoot at the portrait orientation and not the landscape which is what you’d normally do on the iPhone. It is also a bit awkward and cumbersome to carry this and use it to take pictures. Nevertheless, when the need arises and there’s nothing else around to use, you’ll be confident enough that the iPad 3 can do the job just as good as any other camera on any other smartphone you’ve ever used. Sometimes, maybe even better.
The Resolutionary Display.
Apple has this signature marketing approach of overdoing a specific device feature, hyping it up, and owning it to the point that everybody else wanted to copy or cope up with. They did that with the Retina Display on the iPhone 4, the ultra thin on the MacBook Air, and now they’re doing it on the iPad 3.
The curious thing is, it usually works. We’ve now seen Super AMOLED Plus, Super IPS+, Reality Display on other screens, dozens of ultrabooks competing for the ultra-thin category and we’ll probably see more tablets with at least 10 hours battery life and full HD display (like the on on Acer and the Asus Infinity Pad).
With a 2048×1536 pixel resolution, it’s the highest we’ve ever seen in any tablet. Like the iPhone 4, Retina Display on the new iPad break down to a pixel density of 264ppi. The closest we have ever used prior to this is the 217ppi of the Huawei MediaPad.
The pixel density is evident when you look closer into the display. A close-up shot of the screen will show you very fine details with images, graphics and especially texts.
Compare this to the screen quality on the old iPad 2 and you will definitely notice the difference upon close inspection. However, at a certain distance (perhaps 3 feet or farther) the benefits of higher pixel density of the iPad 3 is no longer that evident.
Battery Life
Since the first iPad, Apple has set the standard for battery life on a tablet and they kept that promises of 10 hours on a single full charge for years.
With the iPad 3, Apple had to make a little bit of sacrifice and increase the battery size to make up for the additional juice that is required to run that quad-core GPU and lighting up 4 times more pixels than its predecessor.
They were still able to deliver the 10 hours as promised but in return the size of the iPad grew a bit thicker and put on more weight. For most folks, this isn’t a huge issue. Besides, if you did not know about the changes, you’ll likely not notice it anyway.
Running a continuous movie on a fully charged iPad took us just minutes short of the 10 hours it promised. If you’re a long-time iPad user, this is no surprise. A few might complaint that after several years of developing the iPad, Apple has not yet improved on the battery life while many other competitors have already caught up or even surpassed the 10-hour standard.
Bigger batteries mean you’ll have to charge them much longer. Our experience with the iPad 3 puts the charge time just a little over 4 hours when the iPad is turned On and just a little shorter than that when it is Off.
HSPA+, LTE or 4G
Some variants of the iPad 3 now comes with LTE but in countries where the service is not available or the LTE frequency is not compatible, this option might have little or no value.
Fortunately, Apple made sure that if you can’t make use of the 4G LTE modem, you’d still be able to connect to cellular networks via HSPA+ or DC-HSDPA with capacities of up to 42Mbps.
Note: Our review unit is a WiFi-only model so we’re not able to test HSPA+ on the device.
The performance of mobile internet on the iPad is actually more dependent on the network you are connected to rather than the device itself.
Our solution here is just to get a separate pocket WiFi to provide the iPad internet connectivity.
Price, Release Date and Availability.
While the iPad 3 is not yet officially released in the Philippines, a sizable number of units are already available in the gray market with prices starting from Php26k and above. Several other online stores have also carried the units since a week after its initial release in the US.
The new iPad 3 was also made available in neighboring countries such as Hong Kong and Singapore but the list still did not include the Philippines. It’s probable we’ll get to see the iPad 3 released in the Philippines in the next 4 to 6 weeks.
So, is it worth the upgrade?
Like the iPhone 4S and the iPhone 4, the new iPad 3 did not have major design changes from the iPad 2. This might have disappointed a significant chunk of the market but we don’t think it will affect sales. As a matter of fact, we believe Apple will surpass expectations for the iPad sales this year despite stiff competition from Android tablets.
I have to that that I sold my iPad 2 (half off) in anticipation of the iPad 3. The motivation was mostly to get the new iPad for review purposes and not because I thought it was a necessary upgrade.
In fact, I would say the current owners of the iPad 2 aren’t missing much if they don’t swap it for the new one. The hardware updates we detailed above does not really merit getting a new one.
However, if you are still stuck with the first-generation iPad, then this could be your cue.
New 3rd-generation iPad specs:.
9.7-inch IPS LCD Retina Display, 2048×1536 pixels @ 264ppi
Apple A5X chip dual-core
Quad-core graphics
5MP autofocus rear iSight camera
1080p full HD video recording
VGA front-facing FaceTime camera
Built-in microphone
4G LTE 73Mbps
HSPA+ 21Mbps, DC-HSDPA 42Mbps
WiFi 802.11 b/g/n
Bluetooth 4.0
Assisted GPS
Personal WiFi Hotspot
iOS 5.1
What we liked about the iPad 3.
What we did not like.
YugaTech.com is the largest and longest-running technology site in the Philippines. Originally established in October 2002, the site was transformed into a full-fledged technology platform in 2005.
How to transfer, withdraw money from PayPal to GCash
Prices of Starlink satellite in the Philippines
Install Google GBox to Huawei smartphones
Pag-IBIG MP2 online application
How to check PhilHealth contributions online
How to find your SIM card serial number
Globe, PLDT, Converge, Sky: Unli fiber internet plans compared
10 biggest games in the Google Play Store
LTO periodic medical exam for 10-year licenses
Netflix codes to unlock hidden TV shows, movies
Apple, Asus, Cherry Mobile, Huawei, LG, Nokia, Oppo, Samsung, Sony, Vivo, Xiaomi, Lenovo, Infinix Mobile, Pocophone, Honor, iPhone, OnePlus, Tecno, Realme, HTC, Gionee, Kata, IQ00, Redmi, Razer, CloudFone, Motorola, Panasonic, TCL, Wiko
Best Android smartphones between PHP 20,000 - 25,000
Smartphones under PHP 10,000 in the Philippines
Smartphones under PHP 12K Philippines
Best smartphones for kids under PHP 7,000
Smartphones under PHP 15,000 in the Philippines
Best Android smartphones between PHP 15,000 - 20,000
Smartphones under PHP 20,000 in the Philippines
Most affordable 5G phones in the Philippines under PHP 20K
5G smartphones in the Philippines under PHP 16K
Smartphone pricelist Philippines 2024
Smartphone pricelist Philippines 2023
Smartphone pricelist Philippines 2022
Smartphone pricelist Philippines 2021
Smartphone pricelist Philippines 2020
elvira says:
Hi! I would like to ask your advice on buying an iPad. It’s my first time to have an iPad and I’m thinking if it’s better to buy an iPad 3 or its just ok to buy iPad 2 despite the new models coming out. I’m considering the price kasi and the fact that it will mostly be used by my little sister. So, is it ok to stick to the old model, the iPad 2?
Jeff says:
Guys, ung may mga ipad 3 na ask ko lang po if ok sya or wala naman nagiging problem? normal lang po ba na mas mabilis umiinit ang ipad 3? or possible kaya na mag overheat sya? im planning to buy ipad3. thanks
Jeff says:
Yugatech, ano po mas ok Ipad2 or ipad3? wala naman naging problema ang ipad 3? thanks.
Habilyonar says:
Guys ano magandang case/cover for the new ipad? Yung di masyado mahal sana. Hehe. Thank u in advance guys.
clem says:
hi yugatech! i need your say on the ipad having no flash and its repercussions on us filipino consumers. does apple compensate for this by hiring various website devs to create apps instead so that we won’t have to browse apple’s flashless internet, for ex. from youtube site-youtube app, facebook site-facebook app?
clem says:
hi yugatech! i need more info on the ipad having no flash and its repercussions on us filipino consumers. does apple compensate for this by hiring the website devs to make html 5 pages/create apps instead so that we won’t have to deal with a flashless internet?
Kemm says:
I am ok with my ipad 2 i think its better i need more battery
Iife and fast charging.
DAMO says:
I just recently buy an iPad 2 I have no regrets because it is iPad2,4 which means it it the ipad2 that has been manufactured with a chip that gives it a long battery life,even longer than the new ipad,and ipad2,Im very happy with it,I spend 1 1/2 hours on my ipad the battery is superb from 68% down to 61%,insane.. :) just sharing my thoughts.. :)
Mac says:
http://www.go-Pinoy.net
GTR says:
There are already New iPads on some gadget shops locally… they came from the U.S. Iba talaga pag black famed, white kasi nakakailang white borader niya especially when watching, playing games or even browsing pix. That is why almost all TVs has black borders… sa phone ok lang white though. :)
benchmark says:
What I learned way back high school in a photography seminar, pra daw umanang at colored pictures, frame it with a black back ground or frame….if the photo is in b&w, frame it with white. :) im not sure if it is still applicable, but I think it still does.
jani robles says:
where could i buy an iPad3 here in Phil?? How much?
Mary says:
I bought my ipad 3 in the US. I went back in the Philippines last April 19. There are slight changes, the display, the clearer camera (compared to the previous iPad).
u8mypinkcookies says:
Buying one too, im upgrading my ipad1 already :) no date on PH release yet? hmm, i might just buy it online :) Excited much!!
imcurious says:
How can i access the +4g here in Phil?I think the +4g is not worth it its price was to exag.Much price than the wifi only but the specs is definitely the same except for the connections.
Im planning to buy an Ipad 3,but i dont know what to buy.
Edwin says:
I have a 16 GB new ipad wifi only… Di naman ganun ka importante and LTE or 4g..if you have an android phone or iphone, then you can make use of the Hotspot feature… then connect the ipad through wifi… yun… :) Diba? Basta make sure na naka unlimited browsing ka para di magastos… :)
imcurious says:
What is more better to buy here in Phil. The New ipad wifi only or the New Ipad wifi + 4g.?(Connection Matters in US but here in Phil i dont think that the 4g is much effective)
Marco says:
Actually, the wifi only iPad doesn’t have GPS. It’s not much of a downside on the wifi model actually since iPad won’t permit you to do some offline navigating.
imcurious says:
How can i access the +4g here in Phil?I think the +4g is not worth it its price was to exag.Much price than the wifi only but the specs is definitely the same except for the connections.
Im planning to buy an Ipad 3,but i dont know what to buy..
John says:
It’s completely the same !
imcurious says:
BTW,what is the difference between the wifi only and the +4g except for the connections.
John says:
The Wifi + 4G model can still take advantage of the HSPA+ speeds. So even without LTE (4G), you can still ride the HSPA+ bands up to 42 Mbit/s.
douchebag says:
ehrm….I think somebody is TERRIBLY misguided about Tegra 3….YES, Tegra 3 has a 4 cores for CPU (actually 5 but only 4 can run simultaneously at the same time)…NO, the QUAD-core in Tegra 3 is not for graphics, T3 has 12-cores for that….check your facts first before accusing everyone else that they’re wrong…pffft
FanBoi94 says:
Do you need a 17-inch MacBook Pro? or the Mac Pro? Leave your comments. Please share! SAY NO TO APPLE!!!!!
http://youtu.be/4K64hH5PiVM
iTechGadgets says:
Is there an exact date when it will be available in our country? Baka exclusive nanaman yan sa Globe, tapos kukuha din yung smart..
TechnoJohann says:
The camera of the iPad 3 is on par with the iPhone 4S, not with the iPhone 4. The optics of the iPad 3 is exactly identical with of the iPhone 4S. It has a backside illuminated sensor, 5-element lens, hybrid infrared filter, and an f/2.4 aperture. The iPhone 4’s camera is only similar with the iPad 3’s, is because they both have a 5-megapixel sensor. But believe me, you won’t see any difference from a 5-megapixel photo of the iPad 3 and an 8-megapixel photo of the iPhone 4S when viewed without zooming. The only advantage of a photo with higher megapixel count is that it doesn’t pixilize that much when zoomed very closely. The quality of a photo depends on the camera’s lens, and not on the number of megapixel it has. Since the iPad 3 and iPhone 4S has the same lens, photos taken from each of the device will look identical.
TechnoJohann says:
Excuse me? May I ask the author of this review, where did you get your facts about the NVIDIA Tegra 3? It has quad-core graphics. That’s true. But where the heck did you get the idea of it having 12-cores of graphics processing? Sir or Ma’am, whoever you are. Let me tell you that the NVIDIA Tegra 3, only has a single-core graphics processor. Yes, that is true. In other words, it’s graphics processing power is just a quarter if compared to the iPad 3. To tell you, the iPad 3 has the most powerful graphics processor of all the tablets out there. It is seriously a graphics powerhouse. Sir or Ma’am, please. I consider your site as a reliable source of information, so please make sure you give out reliable facts.
nappy says:
The Tegra 3 quad-core CPUs are complemented with a new 12-core NVIDIA GeForce® GPU, which delivers more realism with dynamic lighting, physical effects and high resolution environments, plus support for 3D stereo, giving developers the means to bring the next generation of mobile games to life.
John says:
is*
John says:
Ermm sort your life out mate. You tend to exaggerate and talk shit as if your “reliable facts” can match your logical wits. The Tegra 3, or “Kal-El”, if a fully functional 40 nanometer SoC (System on a chip) with a quad core CPU and not quad core graphics. Before you irrationality contrast such review, make sure what you talk is out of being generalised as farcical. Going back mate, it also has a 12 core GPU. Single core graphic processor eh, ? Highlighting the fact that the HTC One X (International version) is using the chip, supports 720p resolution, 1080p HD video playback, DiVX, VC1AP, and 21 Mbit/s HSPA+ makes it apparently have a GPU capacity more than a single core. You’re being farcical. What a disgrace ! Grand cheers mate.
Christian says:
para sa mga skip muna dito hintay na lang ng mga october to november para na naman sa bagong ipad (ipad 4)
tu9tifive says:
Bibili ako na lang ako ng “iPad 4″…parang di masyado nakaka motivate bumili nyan e
Al says:
I think the battery is now better compared to the previous model…. it has 11K plus maH battery compared to the almost 7000 mah battery of the ipad 2. higher GPU means more power needed so if they didnt improved the battery, it will only have more or less 6 hrs of battery life
John says:
+1
showbiz says:
Perhaps, if you own the first gen of ipad you’ll consider this one but if you own ipad 2, I don’t think it the resolution will become big factor for upgrade.
Milhouse says:
Exactly! That is why a lot of ipad 1 users including me didnt buy the 2nd gen iPad because we are willing to wait for the 3rd gen and its expected retina display.
chris says:
Tulo laway na naman mga Android users.
maico says:
Typical Apple Fanboy
el toro bumingo says:
Ang ganda naman :)
John says:
Well unfortunately, we’re all buying the Wifi-only versions ?! There’s no LTE yet… Erm.
koi says:
is there no update yet on Ph release date? thanks
Mark says:
hey, wanna buy my second hand iPad 3 16G wifi? i got it as prize in our company raffle. if you want just email me or text me here 092367*****.
Abe Olandres says:
Nope, Apple is very secretive.
Minachan says:
I’ve used the iPad 2 and 3 side by side. I could barely see the pixels on the iPad 3. Honestly, after playing with the new iPad, I don’t event want to use the iPad 2 anymore. I bought the new iPad a few months ago, and have been very happy with it.
If you plan to use the iPad for plenty of reading, the iPad 3 is definitely worth it.
Roegan Taron says:
“at a certain distance (perhaps 3 feet or farther) the benefits of higher pixel density of the iPad 3 is no longer that evident.”
Who uses it that way anyway? Why would someone view their iPad that far?
Once you’ve seen the new iPad’s screen, you’ll definitely consider your iPad 2’s screen as an abomination.
Edwin C says:
Eh, kung ayaw mo na ng iPad 2 mo akin na lang iyan. Maypa-abomination-abomination ka pa diyan hinde naman ganon kapangit screen ng iPad 2. OA mo.
John says:
Seriously ? An abomination ? The iPad 2’s 1024×768 display is, de facto, decent enough in contrast to all other tablets at that time.
Abe Olandres says:
I used it at night as a digital clock or oftentimes as a digital picture frame. That’s more than 3 feet away.
chamiechamcham says:
sir saang resort po yan?? yung pinagkuhanan nyo ng pics?
chamiechamcham says:
kinda far from here.but but nice resort though.
i thought it’s misibis bay.
nexusboy says:
shangri-la mactan cebu!
Name: Enya says:
I suppose this comes with a portable wi-fi hotspot functionality that can make use of Smart’s HSPA+ network?