On March 7th, we listened, read, watched, and tweeted as Apple unveiled their newest iPad. While the name is leaving much to be desired with some, others wonder if it is worth the upgrade. Yesterday, those that did pre-order lined up all over the globe outside Apple stores to get their hands on one. I mean the iPad 2 is a pretty good device as it stands. So, if you have one should you look at upgrading to the new iPad?
This is a battle that I had with myself as I listened to the press conference the other day. I was pretty convinced that I wanted to try the new one for various reasons. Although, I will say that if I had not had a buyer already lined up for my iPad 2 and gift cards to cover the rest I might not have been so quick to decide. Here is a breakdown of the new features that I think matter and why it is worth it for me.
- The Display: This is the first huge noticeable improvement. The iPad 2 has a resolution of 1024 x 768 pixels. But, since the iPhone 4/4s got the retina display many have been waiting for the same to be available on the iPad. And now that time has come. The new iPad has the retina display and sports a resolution of 2048 x 1536 pixels. It can also display movies in stunning 1080p.
- The Camera: While the iPhone 4 and 4s have a great camera and can actually do very well filling in for a real camera, the iPad 2 is not so lucky. With a resolution of only .92mb (yes less than 1mb), photos are often grainy and unusable. But, the new iPad has a 5mb camera that can also shoot 1080p video. And while some wonder why Apple did not go all the way and give it an 8mb camera to match that of the iPhone, Apple promises that the camera quality is stellar.
- The Processor & Graphics: The new iPad has a faster processor than the A5 in the iPad2. It’s not a major upgrade like some had hoped, but the A5x is is a 1.2GHz processor versus the 1GHz Processor in the iPad 2. The graphics engine got upgraded as well. The graphics engine in the iPad 2 is a dual-core processor. The New iPad has quad-core graphics.
- The Memory (RAM): The iPad 2 has only 512mb RAM. That has been doubled on the new iPad. The 1gb available will make a huge difference in performance and speed
- Networking: The iPad 2 is available as a Wi-Fi only unit or with 3G service via Verizon or AT&T. The new iPad will offer the same + 4G LTE (where available). I’m sure many will be willing to pay for that. Personally, I utilize 4G speeds on the go by connecting it to my Comcast 4G Mi-Fi device.
After hearing all of that I decided that I was going to order. I jumped online and after some fighting with the Apple Store I decided to pre-order. The improvements of the screen, speed, and memory make it worth it to me. This will not be the case for everyone. Of course the camera upgrade is great as well. But I still think people look pretty silly holding up their iPad to take a photo. 🙂
My new iPad arrived yesterday when I was returning from a trip. I have not had too much time to play yet, but as I do you will hear about it! I’ll certainly be taking it on the next trip! I love to keep my iPad on hand to watch streaming video like Netflix, Hulu, or LoveFilm when in my hotel room, or hanging in the airport. Wondering about lovefilm vs netflix? Check out the site for great info and a comparison. And sign up for a free trial to check it out for yourself.
Did you decide to upgrade? Or did you purchasing the New iPad for the first time?
I don’t have an iPad yet but if I had the old model and the difference on the specs is remarkable then I would not hesitate to upgrade it to the newer version. I’m actually saving for this one and I hope that with my family’s needs, it will take me along way to achieve it. LOL.