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How big of an upgrade is the A6X to the A5X for Web Browsing

H

HKhalil

macrumors newbie
Original poster
May 16, 2009
12
0
Hi,

I'm a happy owner of an iPad 3, and while I don't feel the need to upgrade I'm curious at how big of an ugprade the A6X is to the A5X for mundane tasks like Web Browsing ?

The iPad 3 is often sluggish when browsing sites such as GiantBomb.com, etc. Even opening the App. Store is often slow and it is quite apparent that the iPad is barely keeping up.

Will the new processor help ? Or is it only useful for gaming ?

Thanks
 
The new processor is incredibly powerful and will deliver an unparalleled browsing experience in new iPad. Quite frankly, only an idiot would choose to suffer with iPad 3 when pre-ordering opportunities start to acquire new iPad in just a few hours.
 
Last edited by a moderator:
aurichie said:
The new processor is incredibly powerful and will deliver an unparalleled browsing experience in new iPad. Quite frankly, only an idiot would choose to suffer with iPad 3 when pre-ordering opportunities start to acquire new iPad in just a few hours.
Click to expand...

Are you SERIOUS or are you TROLLING?

WTF would you buy an iPad 4 if you are browsing?

It's like you are buying the fully loaded MacBook Pro and all you do is facebook and e-mails.
 
I'm also curious about this. I've got an iPad 3 running 5.1.1 (I refuse to upgrade to 6 until all the problems are fixed) and still find it incredibly smooth and fast. I couldnt imagine how much quicker browsing or opening apps would be than it is now.

I plan to do a side-by-side comparison with my iPad 3 when they put them on display at the apple store, just to quell my curiosity.
 
sers said:
I'm also curious about this. I've got an iPad 3 running 5.1.1 (I refuse to upgrade to 6 until all the problems are fixed) and still find it incredibly smooth and fast. I couldnt imagine how much quicker browsing or opening apps would be than it is now.

I plan to do a side-by-side comparison with my iPad 3 when they put them on display at the apple store, just to quell my curiosity.
Click to expand...

Just don't be the person I saw on the iPhone 5 launch day... holding his new iPhone against the floor models (literally going around the table and compare to EACH AND EVERYONE OF THEM) and complained that his iPhone has a "cooler" backlight and saying how it is defective... because his old iPhone 4S is "warmer"

/facepalm
 
Poochi said:
WTF would you buy an iPad 4 if you are browsing?
Click to expand...

For a richer, smoother and faster browsing experience. A6X is sublimely better than the old A5X processor at rendering web pages and media rich HTML5 applications. And for the ability to enjoy stunning HD video content without any lagging or device lockups.
 
Last edited by a moderator:
aurichie said:
For a richer, smoother and faster browsing experience. A6X is sublimely better than the old A5X processor at rendering web pages and media rich HTML5 applications. And for the ability to enjoy stunning HD video content without any lagging or device lockups.
Click to expand...

Haven't had any lag or lockup streaming HD on my iPad 3 as is.
 
Yes the A6 is significantly faster. The iPhone 5 ranks as being the fastest web browsing tablet / smartphone out there.
 
Actually, "ZOMG like DOUBLE" should prove to be fairly accurate.

One the ipad gets the info for a website, it's up to the processor to "put it together."

If the A5-A6 transition in the iPhone is any indicator, it'll work twice as fast.
 
cperry2 said:
Actually, "ZOMG like DOUBLE" should prove to be fairly accurate.

One the ipad gets the info for a website, it's up to the processor to "put it together."

If the A5-A6 transition in the iPhone is any indicator, it'll work twice as fast.
Click to expand...

And typically the chips in the ipad are clocked even faster than the equivalent in an iphone.
 
Don't know if this is a fair comparison but I did a side by side browser test on the iPhone 5 (A6) vs the new iPod touch (A5) both retina display and the difference was like 1 to 2 seconds AT BEST. I also loaded up the game Metal Storm and again the difference I saw was minimal that I could not justify moving from my 3rd gen ipad to 4th gen.

I suspect this is also why apple has discontinued the 3rd gen ipad as for most people the difference is not easily visible.
 
psychonaut said:
Don't know if this is a fair comparison but I did a side by side browser test on the iPhone 5 (A6) vs the new iPod touch (A5) both retina display and the difference was like 1 to 2 seconds AT BEST. I also loaded up the game Metal Storm and again the difference I saw was minimal that I could not justify moving from my 3rd gen ipad to 4th gen.

I suspect this is also why apple has discontinued the 3rd gen ipad as for most people the difference is not easily visible.
Click to expand...

I have the iPhone 5, iPad 2, and iPad 3. I actually enjoy the performance of web browsing on the iPhone 5 more so than the iPad 3. Reason is its not just faster its significantly faster at web rendering the pages and the JavaScript performance for disqus comments, anything that has to do with JavaScript is very fast so much so faster than the iPad 3.

Remember the battery is puny compared to the iPad 3. Imagine the performance scale of the A6X with an iPad 3 battery. Phil Schiller said it best the performance of the 4th generation iPad is so fast you can't even see the competitors in the rear view mirror.

Loading apps may be a faster to a bit faster vs an iPad 3 but everything else is extremely fast. Just the task switching is instantaneous and that alone warrants the praise of the A6.

Bottom line is when the reviews are out for the new iPad 4, you will come back to this thread and say how wrong you were.
 
Anti-Lucifer said:
I have the iPhone 5, iPad 2, and iPad 3. I actually enjoy the performance of web browsing on the iPhone 5 more so than the iPad 3. Reason is its not just faster its significantly faster at web rendering the pages and the JavaScript performance for disqus comments, anything that has to do with JavaScript is very fast so much so faster than the iPad 3.

Remember the battery is puny compared to the iPad 3. Imagine the performance scale of the A6X with an iPad 3 battery. Phil Schiller said it best the performance of the 4th generation iPad is so fast you can't even see the competitors in the rear view mirror.

Loading apps may be a faster to a bit faster vs an iPad 3 but everything else is extremely fast. Just the task switching is instantaneous and that alone warrants the praise of the A6.

Bottom line is when the reviews are out for the new iPad 4, you will come back to this thread and say how wrong you were.
Click to expand...

I dont doubt that it is faster, I just think that unless you are really pushing the limits on your 3rd gen iPad most people (casual users) would not notice it all that much - power users will notice.

Personally, I want to wait for the next gen iPad which I would not be surprised to see mid 2013 and billed as the iPad Air (thinner, lighter, etc...) However, since I do tons of case reviews I am tempted to pick up a 16g wifi only so i can show how cases fit with the lightning port.
 
if i can sell my 64gb wifi 3rd gen for $570, is it worth it paying the extra $130 to upgrade do you think? or wait till the next thinner version?
 
jokerz126 said:
if i can sell my 64gb wifi 3rd gen for $570, is it worth it paying the extra $130 to upgrade do you think? or wait till the next thinner version?
Click to expand...

If I could do that I would. Thats a great price but since I have a 64g Wifi + ATT I don't want to take such a big loss in price. Gazelle only offers me $495 which in no way am I taking that and I don't do Craigslist.

Next thinner version is not a lock... best case mid 2013 (my guess) worst case Oct 2013. Depends on how bad you want it and what your needs are.
 
jokerz126 said:
if i can sell my 64gb wifi 3rd gen for $570, is it worth it paying the extra $130 to upgrade do you think? or wait till the next thinner version?
Click to expand...

thats a huge drop from the 750 you paid(tax) for it 6 months ago. i think you could get at least 600-630 for it.
but im in the same boat. i think im waiting till next year when they change the form factor. i like the mini's looks i hope they switch the the more rounded modern look. definitely a newer fresher look.
 
HKhalil said:
faiz23 said:
ZOMG like DOUBLE
Click to expand...
Thanks for the insightful answer, which clearly took you quite a while to come up with. I hope your brain cells are still functioning ? Yes ? Thank God.
Click to expand...

Actually it's the best answer here. Apple claims double CPU and GPU performance from iPad 3 to 4.

Since they managed to double both from iPhone 4S to 5, it's a credible claim. They'll likely have done it the same way: increased clock (+ shrink) and redesigned CPU. Same for GPU (though in iPhone, they added a GPU core (to tri-core); but the iPad has stayed at quad-core... suggesting a redesigned GPU).

What difference does it make? It depends on the limiting factor. If browsing is limited by CPU, this will help. If browsing is limited by GPU, this will help (though most sites aren't that graphics intensive!).

But if browsing is limited by bandwidth (including of the server), this won't help (true 4G might though); if browsing is limited by internal memory bandwidth, this won't help (though I understand they've also made improvements here).
 
Yikes i just bought an ipad 3- anyome know if i can return it to the appke store in 30 days? This new a6x sounds awesome
 
psychonaut said:
If I could do that I would. Thats a great price but since I have a 64g Wifi + ATT I don't want to take such a big loss in price. Gazelle only offers me $495 which in no way am I taking that and I don't do Craigslist.

Next thinner version is not a lock... best case mid 2013 (my guess) worst case Oct 2013. Depends on how bad you want it and what your needs are.
Click to expand...

Sell on ebay... I just sold my 3rd gen 16GB verizon model for $490 on ebay
 
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