iPad iPad 4 or iPad 3 for 100$ less?

Sensamic said:

Would you buy now the 3 for 100$ less or the 4 to have a better product in the long run? Consider this the last Ipad you will buy in 5 or more years. Im coming from Ipad 1.

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$100 over 5 years = $20/year

If you were to ever sell either of the iPads, you would get more for the 4.

Therefore, it is really not a significant cost difference, and I would go with the 4 all day long.

With Target $60 gift card (if u are in USA) nex Friday. It's only $40-50 price difference.

Get the 4 at Target next Friday. Plenty of stock.

That 100 bucks goes further with the 4.

Benchmarks aren't everything, but looking at those, the iPad 3 could be called the iPad 2 w/ Retina display.

i had an ipad 3 before the 4. and yes, putting them side by side, the experience seems negligible.
websites only pop up 1 second after the 3....
HOWEVER, using both continuously, the 4 is miles ahead than the 3.
the 4 wouldn't choke on large websites, the 3 would. the 4 would never stutter, the 3 would occasionally.
for my money, the 4 is worth it. don't just trust the side by side comparisons on youtube.

I would buy the 4, no question. Facetime hd, more years of ios updates, and same connector as all iphones going forward. But I have no idea how much $100 means to you. For some people that might be their discretionary money for a month (or more), and for others it might be one bottle of wine (or less). So it's very hard to say whether something is worth a certain amount to a stranger.

Not trying to hijack the thread but, let's say if i'm buying an ipad to tide me over till ipad 5. Would you guys recommend getting the ipad 3 for $100 less or the ipad 4

get the 4 and be one gen behind the next release instead of two gens behind the next release

The 4, especially since u won't be upgrading in awhile. the 4 rocks!

Could potentially be more than one iOS update. iPhone 3G topped out at iOS 4 (and ran very badly) while the 3GS can run 6. iPad one topped out at iOS 5, and I bet iPad 2 gets 7, as it (and the mini, using the same processor) are currently for sale and will be at the time iOS 7 is introduced.

Personally, I would go with the iPad4, but not because of future updates. I can't predict future Apple behavior any better than Gene Munster, and Apple has certainly done things differently than I expect at times, but I would be surprised if iOS7 was the last update for iPad3. Sure there is a processor bump in the 4, and the new lightning connector, but for the most part these are the same iPad under the hood. There is not a big enough difference in tech for me to think that the iPad3 is going to be abandoned after iOS7 ships. If anything, I would expect them to give these customers longer than normal to make up for releasing the iPad4 so quickly.

But as mentioned, I would personally go with the 4th gen and not worry about the $100. But you gotta do what you gotta do

As noted, if you plan to re-sell the device in the next 2 years or so, you will probably re-coup much of that $100 difference at resale.

Supra Mac said:

That 100 bucks goes further with the 4.

Benchmarks aren't everything, but looking at those, the iPad 3 could be called the iPad 2 w/ Retina display.

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iPad 4 could be called iPad 3 with lightning and CPU upgrade that noone takes advantage of.

If you already had a 3 I don't know that I would but without already owning one, I think the 4 is a no brainer. If you price match gift card deals its less than 100. Best buy price matched the target $40 gift card deal on mine.

Sensamic said:

If the Ipad 2 gets iOS 7 then the Ipad 3 should get iOS 8, right? I dont see Apple pissing the 3 owners much more if they see that iPad 2 still gets iOS updates and they dont.

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iPad 3 will definitely get 7. My theory is iPad 2 will also, as it's a currently shipping model. But that might be the last update for both of them. Some iOS devices get 2 upgrades (e.g. iPhone 3G) and some get 3 (iPhone 3GS). My bet is that iPad 3 only gets two, as it won't be a shipping model at the time of iOS 8 (or even 7, but it has to get that). iPad 4, meanwhile, might stop at 8 or might go to 9. So iPad 4 will get at least one more year of upgrades, maybe two.

Where's link that ipad 3 will only get iOS 7 and not 8?

The iPad 4 would be the better choice in my opinion. The increased speed would be great -- it will be able to power most intensive games at its native resolution, or very close to it, and web browsing, etc., should be incredibly snappy. The 3 has inferior WiFi, cameras, processor, graphics, and possibly battery life as well.

Though the iPad 3 is great, it took a few hits in comparison to the iPad 2 to achieve the high resolution display, such as battery life and performance in intensive apps.

I get you only need for what you'll use it for; hence get a 3.

(But I'd definitely get the four).

I love my ipad3 and bought another (refurb) ipad3 for my dd just because it's such a great value. However we don't use the wifi or cell with it except when we go out. At home we use it for apps, pdfs, etc., no surfing. When I go out and try to use the wifi, I think it's pain in the butt slow. (personal opinion, guess I'm spoiled by my imac and good internet) If you plan to surf with it, you should look at the benchmarks. From what I've seen, the wifi is twice as fast on the 4 vs. the 3. I wouldn't get the 3 in your shoes. Get the 4.

I got a refurbed 64GB Ipad 3. I couldn't justify the $150 price difference between that and a new Ipad 4. Is my 3 a little slow... yes? It is worth another $150 I don't think so.

Toughie. If you were going to sell in a year or two and buy a new one, I'd suggest the iP3 so as to minimize the loss during sale.

But you're in it for the long haul, albeit for relatively undemanding uses. I use my 3 primarily for the same things.

There's a couple of videos comparing the iP3 to the iP4. One shows basic tasks (starting, opening apps, surfing web pages) where there's little difference between the two. The other shows more intensive apps (such as editing photos) where the 4 shows a substantial improvement.

The problem is that we can only guess as to what next year will bring, much less 2017. There will be a point before then when the iP4 may get an iOS update that the iP3 won't receive. And at that point, you may stop getting app updates for your iP3. At probably a later point, app developers will stop supporting the 3 as well. The iP3 will still use the same apps and have the same performance it does today, it will just seem slow compared to the newest models.

I suspect both will be relatively outdated in 2017-18 and be only good for relatively undemanding consumer applications. But in the interim, the iP4 will probably have longer legs due to the increased horsepower under the hood, and be supported in iOS and ordinary apps for a bit longer.

That said, I'd get the refurbed base model iP3 since it meets your needs today and stash the savings towards an upgrade later on. If the iP5 or iP6 comes out with some "Mother of God, how did Western Civilization survive until now?!?" feature, you'll be able to upgrade a bit less painfully.