iPad The iPad 4 is a BIG improvement over the iPad3!

I went to the Apple Store this morning to check out the iPad Mini (no lines, no madness). I absolutely loved the look, feel, design, build, size and everything about the little tablet - except for one thing. The display. Pixel density and slightly jagged fonts aside, it was just dull and not very vibrant (very much like the iPad 2 display, which I've always hated). The floor manager agreed as he confessed that he is a picky display snob like me.

So, I headed over to the iPad 4's to see what this upgrade was all about. I immediately noticed the speed difference when launching apps as well as the peppier Safari browsing experience while using the store's WiFi. So, since my iPad 3 has issues (a display only a Jailbreak calibration app could remedy, takes forever to charge, overheating, burning hot back, losing charge rapidly while sleeping, etc.), I decided to 'upgrade' and take my chances.

Imagine my surprise when I got home and took the iPad 4 out of the box to find that the display was gorgeous, vibrant, color-rich and evenly lit without the need for a calibration app. The contrast and color saturation is so much better than my iPad 3 (uncalibrated). Not sure who the LCD supplier is in this particular iPad, but it's definitely not a supplier who was making panels during the iPad 3 display lottery. Or, maybe it was and and I just didn't receive a panel from this supplier when I was playing the iPad 3 exchange game.

Aside from the speed (app launching and WiFi browsing - not placebo since my iPad 3 is sitting right next to it), I also noticed that the iPad 4 runs VERY cool. This thing never gets hot! It's always cool to the touch and at worst, only very slightly warm (while charging and or gaming). I loaded 20GBs of music, 12GBs of movies, 175 apps and several hundred pictures and the device was cool to the touch when the content was done loading. Something an iPad 3 user is not used to (at least I wasn't).

So Apple is clearly using a faster, more powerful processor that actually runs cooler than the processor in the iPad 3. For me, this alone justifies upgrading. Also, when you plug it in it actually charges like it's supposed to without getting hot and taking forever to fill up.

So for me, the iPad 4 has a much improved display (even though they are probably using the same display suppliers and I just got lucky this time), is much faster, has faster WiFi, charges quicker and runs VERY cool without any heating up at all.

I had no intentions of getting the iPad 4 today, but I am so glad that I went to the Apple Store and decided to check out this 'small upgrade'. I can't help but think that the iPad 4 is probably what the iPad 3 should have been when it was first released, but the technology just wasn't there yet.

This iPad 4 will hold me over nicely until Apple releases the iPad Mini Retina with more ram and processing power (that is, if they ever release such a device). I hope they do, that little tablet would be amazing with a retina-like display.

ixbilalxi said:

It looks like OP's iPad 3 had a plethora of real or perhaps imagined problems which don't exist on my iPad 3 or the vast majority of iPad 3s. Swapping iPads over and over shows a degree of obsessiveness over minutia, that I'm sure that most people won't have.

I've never had my iPad loose charge while sleeping, had it overheat, or had it take abnormally long to charge (charges to 100% every night for me). And the display looks perfect.

So while this may seem like a huge upgrade for those obsessed with processor speed, I doubt its enough to warrant paying another 150 or so for after selling off a 3rd gen.

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Oh, you're one of those... If you haven't encountered any issues, or noticed blotchy, dingy, tinted displays (or lucky enough not to get one), these problems simply don't exist for others. Or, they're 'imagined' or due to 'OCD'. Brilliant logic.

I could give a rats ass about specs and benchmarks. The iPad 4 *feels* faster than my iPad 3, the display is of MUCH better quality and the device runs very cool and charges at a normal pace.

Your iPad 3 doesn't have any issues - great! But according to your logic, since mine did, your smooth running and speedy iPad 3 must be imagined - it's just all in your head.

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urkel said:

It's always weird to me when someone gets excited about app launch times or reboot speed. I guess that stuff never was noticeable to me but obviously they're a huge deal for others.

im glad the A6 is faster but to be honest then (based on my iPhone 4S to 5 upgrade) I just don't see a real world improvement of the A6. I'm getting the wife an iPad 4 but I really wish it had more improvement than just speed because rebooting isn't something I do much on iOS.

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For me, the speed increase is icing on the cake. The cooler running processor and quicker charge time is what did it for me.

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Broadus said:

Thanks for posting that video. I just opted for a refurbished iPad 3 and it looks like for my needs, no intensive gaming or video needs, it all to be just fine.

And to the OP--congratulations on your 4. It looks like it was a good step up in your situation.

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Thanks! I am sure my iPad 3 had more issues than most, so I am sure your refurb will be fine. I am giving my iPad 3 to a friend - I am going to have him take it into Apple and swap it out in hopes of getting one that doesn't run as hot (and without the multicolor tint issue).