Is The New iPad 3 Worth The Upgrade?

If you already own an iPad, you may be wondering whether you should upgrade to the new iPad 3 or not. Only after understanding the major differences between the two iPads, you can come to know whether to stick to your version or get the latest edition. It has only been about a year since the launch of iPad 2 and Apple has just released the iPad 3 in the first quarter of 2012.

Should I sell my old iPad?

Apple has significantly reduced the price of the iPad 2 with the release of the new iPad. A similar situation happened a year ago when iPad 2’s release was announced. Apple dropped the price of the 1st gen iPad when iPad 2 released. Since the price of the Apple iPad 2 has already dropped, you cannot expect to receive much money. Even if your iPad2 is in good condition, you can expect your old iPad to fetch less than half of its original price.

Let us compare the 3rd generation iPad with the 2nd generation to understand which one fares better:

New iPad 3 Display vs iPad 2 Display

Both the iPad 2 and the new iPad have 9.7 inches LED capacitive touchscreen display with IPS technology. However, there is huge difference is the display resolution. The iPad 2 supports 768 x 1024 pixels whereas the iPad 3 supports 1536 x 2048 pixels. Also, the pixel density of iPad 2 is 132 ppi whereas it is 264 ppi in iPad 3.

4G LTE Mobile Broadband

Apple has stepped into the 4G network world with the new iPad. 4G networks can be accessed through AT&T and Verizon. 4G networks allow users to use high speed web connectivity that is even faster than 3G speeds. If a 4G network is unavailable, new iPad users can access the 3G network for web connection. The iPad 2 only provides 3G connectivity.

Camera

If you love photography, the iPad 3’s 5-megapixel iSight camera with backside illuminated sensor will let you snap decent quality photos. The camera present on 2nd gen iPad and original iPad absolutely are no match when compared to the iPad 3’s camera. The maximum resolution the new iPad offers is a very decent 2592 x 1944 pixels and comes with features like autofocus, touch focus, geo-tagging, HDR, etc. You can also shoot HD videos of 1080p at 30fps.

Dimensions and Weight

The iPad 2 measures 241.2 x 185.7 x 8.8 mm and weighs 607g whereas the iPad 3 measures 241.2 x 185.7 x 9.4 mm and weighs 662g. As far as looks are concerned, the new iPad has no noticeable difference when compared to iPad 2.

Battery Life

Apple states that the new iPad is able to deliver a battery life of 10 hours of Wi-Fi and 9 hours on 4G. Apple iPad 2 is also able to deliver similar battery performance. It produces 10 hours of battery life on Wi-Fi and 9 hours on 3G. However, the new iPad boasts 4G speeds with same amount of battery life as compared to 3G speeds on iPad 2.

Price

The iPad 2 price has come down to $399. The lowest price of the new iPad 3 is $499 for the 16GB Wi-Fi edition whereas the 16GB Wi-Fi + 4G edition is available at $629.

Final Verdict - iPad 3 vs iPad 2

Definitely, the tech specs of new iPad wins over the tech specs of iPad 2. If you prefer better visuals, want to enjoy games, browse the web and watch streaming videos on 4G speeds and better photographic experience, you need to upgrade to iPad 3. Otherwise, you can stick to your old iPad. However, it all boils down to your personal usage to decide whether you should upgrade to the new iPad or continue using the same iPad that you have.

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-By Dominic

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