iPad iPad 4 just not much faster in real life. Returning

My iPad 4 was my first iPad purchase -- I intend to use it for a good four to five years before I upgrade, if even. Although, if I had an iPad 3, I would argue that it's definitely not worth upgrading. The differences are pretty minuscule. If you already had an iPad 3, you're better off sticking with it - they're nearly the same.

On the fence.

My personal experiences: Lukewarm

I went from an iPad1 3G to an iPad 4 Wifi. I could have bought all the other iPads as they were released, by selling the older model. I think I spent more total to get both a 1 and 4 versus that method.

I never felt that the iPad1 was a slow device. The 1GB RAM is very nice. I wish the 1 had 512MB instead of 256MB. No more reloading tabs or random Safari crashes. Apps load faster(slightly). I don't know how iOS5 support will be after they release 7.0. I suppose that is a reason to upgrade.

I don't read too many PDFs, play Games, Use Garageband and etc. I assume thats where I would see a big difference. I use my iPad1 for was showing photos/videos to clients, reading internet articles, Flipboard, writing, podcast recording and Netflix. Any heavy creative stuff, I use my computer.

I did edit a short film on my iPad. Kinda cool. I'll stick to my NLEs but nice to know a tablet without full PC features can accomplish such a task. Cameras are great but I have dedicated tools for that purpose.

The iPad 1's screen was never horrible for photos and movies. Side-by-side, there is a difference but not enough for me to think I'm missing out, ignoring the resolution which is great for text. I prefer a paper book.

Like someone else said. Upgrade every other generation. I waited 3 to say 'yes'. My iPhone4 was my first smartphone. Still use it and felt it was the right version for the iPhone. iPad 4 seems to way too. It's the right retina device like the iPad 2 was what the iPad 1 should have been. I do feel this is a temporary device. The 5 might be a noticeable change.

Cheers

Upgraded from a 1 to a 4... so yeah I notice the difference.

Nice to browse the web and not have the tabs refresh or just randomly crash

For those who think there is no speed/power difference between the iPad 3 and iPad 4 I think this will do more than convince you...Its not even CLOSE

http://www.anandtech.com/show/6472/ipad-4-late-2012-review/4

flavr said:

For those who think there is no speed/power difference between the iPad 3 and iPad 4 I think this will do more than convince you...Its not even CLOSE

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People aren't saying there isn't a differencem they're saying that in real world usage it doesn't feel like that much of a difference.

darngooddesign said:

People aren't saying there isn't a differencem they're saying that in real world usage it doesn't feel like that much of a difference.

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really?...ok then check this out, they do a great job of showing in game graphical differences (the ipad mini looks awful)...and these are for games not even optimized yet for iPad A6X

http://www.anandtech.com/show/6472/ipad-4-late-2012-review/5

and how about BATTEY PERFORMANCE!

web surfing iPad 4: 9.48 hours iPad 3: 8.2 hours (thats a full 2 HOURS longer on iPad 4)

video playback iPad4: 13.45 hours iPad 3: 11.15 hours (Almost 3 HOURS LONGER on iPad 4, thats a full movie more!)

http://www.anandtech.com/show/6472/ipad-4-late-2012-review/7

I see PLENTY of examples of HUGE performance gains in real world usage for the iPad 4 over the iPad 3...

flavr said:

I see PLENTY of examples of HUGE performance gains in real world usage for the iPad 4 over the iPad 3...

Click to expand...

I would choose the 4 over the 3, but in reality the differences are not that great.

The 3 provides good battery life, it's not like the 3 can't last a day or two, and the enhanced graphics are more subtle, compared to the difference between the 4 and the 2. For most people the differences are that apps open a little quicker and safari pages load a little quicker. People who have actually upgraded from the 3 to the 4 have said that they didn't notice too much of a difference.

If you spend a lot of time with demanding apps like games or garageband, for example, you will notice the difference, but for general usage, which is what the majority of people use their iPads for the 4 isn't a huge upgrade over the 3.

for me, it's worth it.
Maybe I had a B-class iPad 3 lol but I found it to heat up much quicker than the iPad 4, it crashes on a lot of intensive apps and PDFs just dont refresh as quickly (I work with PDFs alot, it's my main use of the iPad, and the iPad 3 is sluggish with bigger files)

flavr said:

Thats the thing and you just proved the argument for the iPad 4 over the 3, the iPad 4 is a HUGE step toward being more a full blow PC...The power of the A6X processor delivers laptop class power available just a few years ago...So the hardware is already there and in place for this transformation. The other piece of the puzzle to being more like a PC is Apple needs to tweak the Operating System to act more like a PC, maybe in IOS 7, but it has nothing to do with hardware power limitations of the A5X anymore, the software needs to catch up to the power of the iPad 4 and will soon, thats where the iPad 4 wins out over the iPad 2/3/mini.

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iPad is a post PC device, and we are living in a post PC world, why would Apple have an iPad act like one?

Defender2010 said:

iPad is a post PC device, and we are living in a post PC world, why would Apple have an iPad act like one?

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Probably because not everyone lives in a post-PC world.

darngooddesign said:

Probably because not everyone lives in a post-PC world.

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Apple do, so don't expect the software to become more PC like. What do you mean exactly? File system? Or just more power?
Plus: personally, I feel the iPad 4 is just a stop gap to address the issues the laggy iPad 3 had. Next one should be all new looking and much better inside too.

Defender2010 said:

Apple do, so don't expect the software to become more PC like. What do you mean exactly? File system? Or just more power?

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They still make computers so no they don't.

OSX still has all the traditional PC benefits, access to files, full OS, etc.

Vastly more people live in a PC world than a post-PC world.

FWIW, I never said I wanted iOS to become like OSX.

darngooddesign said:

They still make computers so no they don't.

OSX still has all the traditional PC benefits, access to files, full OS, etc.

Vastly more people live in a PC world than a post-PC world.

FWIW, I never said I wanted iOS to become like OSX.

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This is an iPad thread...that's what we are discussing. Time will tell I guess!

Defender2010 said:

iPad is a post PC device, and we are living in a post PC world, why would Apple have an iPad act like one?

Click to expand...

An iPad is just a PC for the increasingly stupid masses. It has worked wonderfully for Apple, but there's no way this OS in its current and foreseeable state will ever be as useful as my 5-year-old clunker of a Dell laptop (or Mac for that matter).


As for the question at hand, I'd go for an iPad 4 unless you're planning to upgrade next year again.

I upgraded from an iPad 1 to a 3 and noticed a huge difference. To me however upgrading less then a year between devices for not a very noticeable in everyday usage is a waste of cash.

I bought the iPad 3 in October. Then the iPad 4 was announced.

So I returned my iPad 3, being within the 14-day return window, and purchased the iPad 4.

I loved the iPad 3, but am thrilled with the iPad 4. The speed increase is very noticeable. Most tasks are done quite snappily

The screen was just as sharp and bright and colorful as the iPad 3 (something I was concerned about).

Also the iPad 4 seems to operate much cooler than the iPad 3, which could get nearly uncomfortable. There is little if any noticeable heat.

And when you consider the faster wi-fi, and the lightning connector (which is MUCH easier to use than the previous connector) it is simply a better value all around.

Infinite Jest said:

An iPad is just a PC for the increasingly stupid masses. It has worked wonderfully for Apple, but there's no way this OS in its current and foreseeable state will ever be as useful as my 5-year-old clunker of a Dell laptop (or Mac for that matter).


As for the question at hand, I'd go for an iPad 4 unless you're planning to upgrade next year again.

Click to expand...

"there's no way this OS in its current and foreseeable state will ever be as useful as my 5-year-old clunker of a Dell laptop (or Mac for that matter)."


Thats an interesting statement...would you mind defining what you mean when you say "useful"...?

flavr said:

For those who think there is no speed/power difference between the iPad 3 and iPad 4 I think this will do more than convince you...Its not even CLOSE

http://www.anandtech.com/show/6472/ipad-4-late-2012-review/4

Click to expand...

Graphs, charts, and statistics, and real life experience are two separate things.

When I use my mini, and 5th gen ipod touch, I never find myself saying, Damn, these apps are launching too slow! I wish it had the A6 processor!

I don't think you have a clue to what your are talking about. Obviously you don't have both the iPad mini and iPad 4 side by side. I have.

The difference is really minute. The iPad 4 on paper should be blazing fast because I have other threads I've started regarding how fast they phone 5 is and was hopeful they bring the A6 over to the iPad 4 and voila, a week later it was announced.

But upon using the iPad 4, it's really not that different than the iPad 2/3/mini. The apps open up nearly the same speed as the previous gen hardware. In fact even the games are the same. Perhaps the games aren't fully optimized but its not noticeably faster.

The iPad mini can browse the websites just as fast. Perhaps a few heavy java scripted web sites would be a few seconds faster on the iPad 4 but 99% of the time it's not appreciated.

In fact the only thing the iPad 4 does very well vs the previous gen hardware is how it can quickly render high quality PDFs. That's it.

In fact switching between apps, there is significant lagging compared to an iPhone 5. The iPad 4 in real use is nearly identical to the iPad 2/3/mini.

I'm going to bet you money that the iPad 5 will be a real successor with the new A7X (A15 variant plus rogue series GPU). Those that say the iPad 4 is significantly faster is just trying to justify their purchase I have no problem admitting my iPad 4 isn't that much faster. In fact I am keeping it because at least for a few more ios iterations for sure the A6X will still be relevant.

flavr said:

really?...ok then check this out, they do a great job of showing in game graphical differences (the ipad mini looks awful)...and these are for games not even optimized yet for iPad A6X

http://www.anandtech.com/show/6472/ipad-4-late-2012-review/5

and how about BATTEY PERFORMANCE!

web surfing iPad 4: 9.48 hours iPad 3: 8.2 hours (thats a full 2 HOURS longer on iPad 4)

video playback iPad4: 13.45 hours iPad 3: 11.15 hours (Almost 3 HOURS LONGER on iPad 4, thats a full movie more!)

http://www.anandtech.com/show/6472/ipad-4-late-2012-review/7

I see PLENTY of examples of HUGE performance gains in real world usage for the iPad 4 over the iPad 3...

Click to expand...

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cnev3 said:

Graphs, charts, and statistics, and real life experience are two separate things.

When I use my mini, and 5th gen ipod touch, I never find myself saying, Damn, these apps are launching too slow! I wish it had the A6 processor!

Click to expand...

Yes but when u use an iPhone 5 you'll appreciate the A6. It's fast.

newsflash: hopping from one generation of product to the next is a minor incremental speed improvement.

throAU said:

newsflash: hopping from one generation of product to the next is a minor incremental speed improvement.

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Not if you went from iPhone 4S to iPhone 5!

AFDoc said:

You read it online huh.... kinda like the fox "news" contributor saying "some sources say". Basically you have no actual proof of this, you are simply using hearsay to make your point. Yeah, that is a very affective argument to prove your point.

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At least I'm able to read. You really should learn some time.

I said I experienced it before I read it. Or do you think making up someone else's arguement is a better way to prove your point?

Oracle1729 said:

At least I'm able to read. You really should learn some time.

I said I experienced it before I read it. Or do you think making up someone else's arguement is a better way to prove your point?

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LoL you mad? IF it was so slow for you there was no need to add the "I later read" part. Seems to me you put more into what you read than what you experienced.

Smile, tmr will be a better day.

My jailbroken iPad 2 ive had since release is still going strong. I will update to the newest iPad when i0S 6 is jailbroken if ever, or my dependable iPad 2 can't handle the newest apps which ever comes first. Having the jailbreak is more important then upgrading as long as it does what I need. I may get an ipad mini with LTE to play around with and use the GPS for traveling so I don't have to take my IPad 2.

Defender2010 said:

iPad is a post PC device, and we are living in a post PC world, why would Apple have an iPad act like one?

Click to expand...

How about a post pc OS? with a file browser! and multi tasking. puh-lease