iPad Hard to tell difference between iPad 3 and 4

[blackbelter]

It's funny when reading comments on the new iPad models these days.

The most frequently encountered complaint about the iPad mini is regarding its low screen resolution, and one of the popular views on iPad 4 is the one from OP: that it is hard to tell the difference in speed between 3 and 4.

Both of these are premature judgements, unfortunately. The screen resolution is one of the first things that meets one's eyes, while the difference in speed matters only when one is deep into intensive computations. So it is not hard to understand why some people have come to those conclusions just after the shipment began. However, it is also not hard to see that the focus on the pixelated screen will fade away when one is submerged by what one is doing, which happens to be the precise moments when speed differences mark their existence: this is not what usually happens during one's initial wave of excitement.

So to conclude, it's easy to make judgements, but it is not easy to make judgements that can stand up to the test of time. We shall see.

 

[Redjericho]

(only reason iPad 1 cannot run iOS 6 is because of greed)

First of all, you couldn't be more wrong on this. The iPad 1 just didn't have the RAM to handle any more than iOS 5, heck, it even struggled running that.

As far as your other points, I agree partially. Some apps are definetly limited to the oldest generation of still-supported devices, but where I stop agreeing is when it comes to the apps that actually need that extra RAM or processing speed to function properly (which really isn't many), because those apps will drop support for older devices and optimize for newer ones. The only time it's really limiting is when one generation of a device owns a huge amount of the market, because then they will be more willing to cut features in order to be able to sell it to those large groups. Currently that would be the iPhone 4 (maybe that will change with the 5, but if it doesn't, it will be gone in a year) and the iPad 2. The iPad 2 is still very capable, even more so than the iPad 3 in some cases( https://forums.macrumors.com/threads/1369662/ ), so it's really not limiting.

 

[Deasnutz]

It's funny when reading comments on the new iPad models these days.

The most frequently encountered complaint about the iPad mini is regarding its low screen resolution, and one of the popular views on iPad 4 is the one from OP: that it is hard to tell the difference in speed between 3 and 4.

Both of these are premature judgements, unfortunately. The screen resolution is one of the first things that meets one's eyes, while the difference in speed matters only when one is deep into intensive computations. So it is not hard to understand why some people have come to those conclusions just after the shipment began. However, it is also not hard to see that the focus on the pixelated screen will fade away when one is submerged by what one is doing, which happens to be the precise moments when speed differences mark their existence: this is not what usually happens during one's initial wave of excitement.

So to conclude, it's easy to make judgements, but it is not easy to make judgements that can stand up to the test of time. We shall see.

I'm pretty sure they are helping others make a purchase decision, not judge it's worth across gadget history. As far as time goes, I can say for sure that the mini will be obsolete in 12 months when apple resells it with a non-***** screen.

 

[blackbelter]

I'm pretty sure they are helping others make a purchase decision.

Me too... I am simply pointing out the possible nature of their opinions, so that people can be better informed. I could be wrong though.

As far as time goes, I can say for sure that the mini will be obsolete in 12 months when apple resells it with a non-***** screen.

Tell us something that we don't know...

 

[Tezcatlipoca]

that is b.c no apps really push the a6x. The difference will be more noticeable in later IOS version...7, etc

I'm just out the Glasgow store, had my 3 side by side with a 4, and had to look for the Lightning port to tell the difference.

iOS 6.0.1 is as smooth on both, no difference at ALL in UI animations, smoothness, pinching in/out of photo piles, etc.

Sure, bigger games will load a few seconds quicker but right now the iPad 4 is more about being future proof rather than making an immediate impact.

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He's not lying or delusional. Until apps come which push the A6X you will see NO difference other than marginal load time improvements (few seconds).

iOS development history has proven that newer devices don't see peak performance apps for 6/8 months due to developers catering for older devices (see 3GS still being supported on the iPhone platform).

I don't think it will be too long before we start to see games take advantage of the iPad 4, as there are already some games that do push the iPad 3 and/or make sacrifices to display at the "Retina" resolution (as the iPad 3 isn't really any more powerful than the iPad 2, as although it has double the number of GPU cores it has quadruple the number of pixels, plus still has the same CPU).

e.g. (& IIRC...)

Galaxy on Fire 2 HD was updated to run at the iPad 3's Retina resolution... And then it was then updated again to cut the resolution because of performance issues. After people complained, it had another update to give people a choice of resolution, so that those who did not mind the performance hit could run it at the Retina resolution.

NOVA3 was updated to run at the iPad 3's Retina resolution... But was missing various graphical effects normally present compared to running it on an iPad 2, because the iPad 3 could not handle the Retina resolution *and* the extra effects. A later update saw it give iPad 3 users the choice of having the Retina resolution *or* the extra effects.


There are probably other games out now that have performance issues running at the Retina resolution, or make sacrifices to be able to run at the Retina resolution.

I doubt it will be too long before those two games and others receive updates so that they can be run at the Retina resolution without performance issues and without sacrificing other effects.

 

[ixodes]

In fairness to Apple I believe based on my first hand experience that there is enough of a difference. Even if slight.