iPad: New to iPad, great deal on 3rd generation

[2iPadorNot]

Hello:

I've done LOTS of research on the iPad but discovered a deal at an electronics store for a 64gb wi-fi only 3rd generation iPad for $499. The price seems great for 64gb and retina display but not sure if the 3rd generation will become obsolete soon. Do they stop providing "system updates" for this model after a certain time?

Any advice?

Thanks so much.

[grapes911]

The 3rd and 4th gen are basically the same. The 4th gen has a small spec bump but it's not drastic enough for the average user to notice. They are still making and supporting the 2nd gen, so I believe the 3rd gen will be supported for a while.

[braddick]

That's a great deal.
Definitely would tun toward that offer if I was in the market for an iPad.

The iPad3 will continue to be supported for quite awhile, I'd imagine although they are not being offered via Apple.

[SHirsch999]

Originally Posted by grapes911

The 3rd and 4th gen are basically the same. The 4th gen has a small spec bump but it's not drastic enough for the average user to notice. They are still making and supporting the 2nd gen, so I have doubt the 3rd gen will not become obsolete soon.

Should have left the "not" out. It should read "I have doubt the 3rd gen will become obsolete soon." I would agree with this since it has a more advanced processor than both the iPad 2 and mini, but you never know what apple will do.

[grapes911]

Originally Posted by SHirsch999

Should have left the "not" out. It should read "I have doubt the 3rd gen will become obsolete soon." I would agree with this since it has a more advanced processor than both the iPad 2 and mini, but you never know what apple will do.

I butchered that. I'm going to edit it and fix it up and make my wording more clear. Thanks.

[Gizmo22]

Only complaint about my iPad three is the 30 pin. At best, a minor nuisance with keeping different cables around for phone and iPad. At worst, incredibly slow to charge. Incredibly. Slow.

[Night Spring]

Originally Posted by Gizmo22

Only complaint about my iPad three is the 30 pin. At best, a minor nuisance with keeping different cables around for phone and iPad. At worst, incredibly slow to charge. Incredibly. Slow.

It's a bit slow, but I wouldn't call it "incredibly" slow. Are you using the wall charger that came with the iPad 3? If you are trying to charge from a computer USB port, then yes, that is incredibly slow.

[grapes911]

Originally Posted by Gizmo22

At worst, incredibly slow to charge. Incredibly. Slow.

Are you sure you are using the Apple provided iPad adapter to charge it? My buddy was complaining how long it took to charge. Turns out he was using an iPhone adapter instead of the Apple provided iPad one. He switched to the iPad one and his charging time decreased.

[Gizmo22]

Originally Posted by grapes911

Are you sure you are using the Apple provided iPad adapter to charge it? My buddy was complaining how long it took to charge. Turns out he was using an iPhone adapter instead of the Apple provided iPad one. He switched to the iPad one and his charging time decreased.

Yes, using the provided adapters. Times are relative.

[cardfan]

I chose an ipad 3 over the 4. I already had the accessories. Saved a couple hundred. No significant change in performance. It's the best value right now if you want a retina ipad.

[2iPadorNot]

Thanks for all the feedback, I appreciate it. I plan on using it a lot for media related things so the 64gb will come in handy.

[yeah]

You know the iPad 4 is $499, right?

Edit: I didn't look at your size of flash storage.....

Buy that 3rd gen iPad 64GB for $499!

[grapes911]

Originally Posted by yeah

You know the iPad 4 is $499, right?

For 16 GB. The OP is talking about 64 GB.


Edit: didn't see your edit in time.

[bigboar]

great deal! I dont know about the small spec bump from a 3 to a 4 though... the 4 is a big spec jump in my opinion...there just isnt anything that utilizes it yet...

[Menel]

Originally Posted by grapes911

The 3rd and 4th gen are basically the same. The 4th gen has a small spec bump but it's not drastic enough for the average user to notice. They are still making and supporting the 2nd gen, so I believe the 3rd gen will be supported for a while.

No. 4th got a huge spec bump.

2 -> 3.
A5 -> A5X, both same tech at same clock speed, CoretexA9. CPU performance identical.
Same GPU technolgoy, just doubled GPU cores for pixel performance, retina resolution display.
Same RAM

3 -> 4.
New micro architecture for CPU (CortexA9 to Swift), doubled CPU performance.
New micro architecture for GPU (SGX543 -> SGX544), doubled GPU performance again but keeping same number of cores.
Doubled RAM

3rd will still be supported awhile, will get at least iOS7. Maybe or maybe not 8, but probably.

----------

Originally Posted by bigboar

great deal! I dont know about the small spec bump from a 3 to a 4 though... the 4 is a big spec jump in my opinion...there just isnt anything that utilizes it yet...

It's not being utilized because Apple sold soooo many iPad 2's, their install base is saturated with it.

AND they continue to sell them as new device, so people are still buying them.

App developers want their applications to work across the broadest range possible... so they won't stop coding for as the least common denominator for another 2 years probably.

[korbearus10]

Originally Posted by Menel

No. 4th got a huge spec bump.

...

3 -> 4.
New micro architecture for CPU (CortexA9 to Swift), doubled CPU performance.
New micro architecture for GPU (SGX543 -> SGX544), doubled GPU performance again but keeping same number of cores.
Doubled RAM

I believe iPad 3 has 1 GB Ram, just like the new iPad 4.

And like grapes911 wrote, an average user won't notice much performance difference between iPad 3 and the iPad 4. Of course, this may all change in future iOS.

[grapes911]

Originally Posted by korbearus10

I believe iPad 3 has 1 GB Ram, just like the new iPad 4.

Correct. They both have 1024MB of DDR2.