- Conclusion Get the lowdown
- Features How they compare
- Performance Real world benchmarks
- Differences Technical showdown
- Reviews Word on the street
- Competition Others to consider
- Discussion Answers and opinions
Compare with...
- Google Nexus 10
- Apple iPad 4
- Asus Eee Pad Transformer TF300
- Samsung Galaxy Tab 2 10.1"
- Sony Xperia Tablet S
Rated 87% by by c|net (Mar, 2012)Whether it's a simple round of Scrabble or an intense romp through Grand Theft Auto 3, the iPad's combination of Retina Display and quad-core graphics processor add up to a dramatic improvement for gaming.
Conclusion Which is better for you?
Features Key features of the Apple iPad 3 compared to the 2
“9.7
iOS 6
Rated 80% by by TrustedReviews (Sep, 2012)This would be a great feature for designers and artists, or even those who like handwritten notes, and would complement the Retina Display very nicely.
9.7”
iOS 5
Rated 80% by by B.-Lynch--the_onewhoknows (Apr, 2011)The size and weight make the iPad-2 extremely easy to carry around, and convenient to use.
screen size
9.7"
9.7"
iPad 3 by The Verge (Mar, 2012)With a breathtaking display and big hardware upgrades, does the tablet king retain its crown?
iPad 2 by Tommy-Sixx-Morais (Jul, 2012)The size is one of the best thing about the Ipad, it's neither too big nor too small and the screen is big, bright and clear and there's just so much you can do.
screen resolution
iPad 3 by Gabriel (Aug, 2012)This a Great product, the retina display is simple great, much more stable because of the memory and the graphics in games are much better.
iPad 2 by S.-Lir (Feb, 2012)Fact of the matter is Apple displays are nice, and set a good benchmark, however they have been surpassed by newer technologies and better resolutions on many fronts.
memory
| 0 GB | 1 GB | 1 GB |
camera resolution
| 0 MP | 0.3 MP | 0.3 MP |
iPad 3 by BerkleyMyers--Berkley (Jul, 2012)I wish the front camera was better, but the rear camera is amazing.
iPad 2 by Vincent-E.-Martin--Darkbard (Mar, 2011)The front camera can also be used for (VGA) video recording of up to 30 frames per second with audio, as well as still camera pictures.
processor
iPad 3 by The Verge (Mar, 2012)At the center of that chip is an ARM-based, dual core SoC clocked to 1GHz, along with a quad-core GPU.
iPad 2 by GabrielArg (Jun, 2011)I agree that because applications are similar and they both share the same iOS, the experience might not seem that different, but once you get your hands on it, the bigger screen, the dual core processor, larger memory and longer battery result in much much better overall experience.
Performance Real world tests of Apple iPad 3 vs 2
cpu speed
iPad 2 by Teri-Feller (Apr, 2011)The processor on the iPad 2 features the Dual-Core A5 chip, whereas the original only has the A5 chip, but upon consistent use, the speed appears to be about the same.
sunspider 0.9.1 benchmark
battery life
10 hour
10 hour
iPad 3 by The Verge (Mar, 2012)Another nice perk is that if you buy into the Verizon version, not only do you get your LTE service on the iPad, but you also can use the device as a wireless hotspot at no extra charge (AT&T says they're working on it, but they don't offer the same luxury).
iPad 2 by Sharon (Oct, 2012)I have had hours of enjoyment with it and I have a greatgrandson who plays for hours with the free games for him to play with.
Differences What are the advantages of each
Advantages compared to the 2 64 GB, WiFi + Verizon 3G, White
| Latest and greatest OS | iOS 6 | vs | iOS 5 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Newer iOS; Get all the latest features and apps with a more recent version | |||
| Much higher resolution screen | 2048 x 1536 | vs | 1024 x 768 |
| 4x higher resolution screen | |||
| Much sharper screen | 263 ppi | vs | 131 ppi |
| More than 2x sharper PPI; enjoy photo-realistic, crisp images | |||
| Significantly higher resolution rear camera | 5 MP | vs | 0.92 MP |
| Around 5.5x higher resolution rear camera; Can be used like a point-and-shoot camera | |||
| Much faster Bluetooth | 24 Mbit/s (Bluetooth v4.0) | vs | 3 Mbit/s (Bluetooth v2.1 + EDR) |
| 8x faster Bluetooth | |||
| Marginally newer | Mar, 2012 | vs | Mar, 2011 |
| Release date over a year later | |||
| Supports voice commands | Yes | vs | No (iOS 5) |
| Somewhat common; Can be operated hands free | |||
| More RAM | 1 GB | vs | 0.5 GB |
| 2x more RAM; Better able to run big apps with lots of content | |||
Advantages compared to the 3 64GB 4G AT&T
| Slightly lighter | 589 g | vs | 662 g |
|---|---|---|---|
| More than 10% lighter | |||
| Slightly smaller | 241 x 186 x 9 mm | vs | 241 x 186 x 9 mm |
| Around 10% smaller | |||
Reviews Word on the street
Apple iPad 3 | Apple iPad 2 | ||
 |  
| 
| |
|---|---|---|---|
 | Rated by 190 users at amazon.com Rated 100% by by AgingBoomer Rated 100% by by Renata-Palmer--Ren-Ren (Jun, 2012) | Rated by 1131 users at amazon.com Rated 80% by by Leo-Stark Rated 100% by by Expert-Reviewer (Mar, 2011) | |
network technology
Apple iPad 2 64 GB, WiFi + Verizon 3G, White | Rated 83% by by c|net (Mar, 2011)Verizon's iPad uses a CDMA 3G modem and lacks the SIM-swapping feature of AT&T's GSM modem, making it a poor choice for international jet-setters.
Apple iPad 3 64GB 4G AT&T | Rated 93% by by The Verge (Mar, 2012)The new iPad is also equipped with a greatly improved camera on its back (a 5 megapixel shooter, not unlike the one featured on the iPhone 4), new 4G LTE options (for both Verizon and AT&T), and a considerably more powerful processor.
Apple iPad 2 64 GB, WiFi + Verizon 3G, White | Rated 100% by by Anup-S.-Nair (Jun, 2011)I have the 16GB white, Wifi+3g I use it for books, movies, games, news, banking, YouTube, surfing, location specific services, meetings, presentations, notes, comics, baby entertainment etc.The real estate is just right, extremely portable, the user interface design is very intuitive and simple, the apps are outstanding.
wifi
Apple iPad 2 64 GB, WiFi + Verizon 3G, White | Rated 40% by by AJ (Jul, 2011)I received the ipad 2 (Wi-Fi +3G) but without the SIM card slot, and they didn't accept to return it or replace it.
expandable
Apple iPad 2 64 GB, WiFi + Verizon 3G, White | Rated 83% by by c|net (Mar, 2011)The AT&T iPad model uses a GSM modem and a micro-SIM card slot, allowing you to easily swap in compatible micro-SIM cards from foreign carriers when overseas.
Competition What else you should consider
 | 2 | Apple iPad 4 Faster sunspider 0.9.1 benchmark |
 | 4 | Samsung Galaxy Tab 2 10.1" 2-way tie: OK operating system |
 | 5 | Sony Xperia Tablet S 2-way tie: Lots of expandable storage |
 | 7 | Dell Latitude 10 Largest amount of storage capacity |
 | 8 | Asus PadFone 2 Quite higher resolution rear camera |
Discussions Get involved, ask your question about the Apple iPad 3 and 2
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Popular Questions
August 31, 2012
Is it worth upgrading to the new iPad just for the retina display?
I have an iPad 2 that is well used, but still has some life left in it. I was thinking I may retire it and get a new iPad, but is the screen really worth it?
Visitor
10
Answers 