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How much better is iPad 2 ? (vs the original)

As many people have already stated the main differences are that the iPad 2 is Thinner and Faster.

Loved my original but love iPad 2 so much more. Feels so much better holding it and much easier carrying it around.

I would always spend the extra cash and get the newest product but everyone is different.
 
Personally, I think it really depends on whether you play games on your iPad: the dual core processor and vastly improved graphics performance are going to make a real difference to gaming on the iPad and as more games come out that take advantage of this, the iPad 1 is going to look more and more dated.

Personally, I don't play games at all on my iPad and am holding off upgrading my iPad 1 as it does everything I need it to and with decent performance. My plan is to wait until iPad 3 is released and then upgrade, but that plan may change if any killer apps come out that merit the upgrade for me
 
Using my own scientific calculation, I have determined it to be...

|--------------------------| this much better. (give or take 2 dashes)
 
Me: The reason I "traded up" was because it's lighter and thinner. It just feels more comfortable to hold and use. (I prefer to hold mine vs. letting it rest on a stand).

Reality: The iPad 2's guts are clearly superior to the iPad 1s. Garage band is a good demo. There are a handful of other iPad 2 enhanced apps, but today, for all practical purposes, the iPad 1 is every bit as functional as the iPad 2. However, the time will come in a few months when devs have had a time to "catch up" to the iPad 2's beefier specs, when we will see a whole lot more enhanced iPad 2 apps.

You could easily buy a cheap iPad 1 now and wait for the iPad 3 next year and not suffer. However, once the iPad3 ships my guess is the iPad 1 will be well into its slide into oblivion, kind of like the original iPhone when the 3GS shipped.
 
Memory!

I'm starting to have real trouble with the memory (RAM) in my iPad 1. I use iCabMobile as my main browser and like to have multiple tabs open.

Problem is web pages (e.g., WashingtonPost.com) have added so much Ajax stuff that the constant loading/reloading of stuff in the background causes the app to crash for lack of memory with only 2-3 tabs open.

Same story with Atomic Browser and Perfect Browser. Not Apple's fault directly (the page sizes are getting ridiculous) but it is making iPad 1 a bad experience now.

I'm going to upgrade purely for the RAM once the backlighting bleed issues settle down (and they have stock to buy one).
 
Right i know this isn't technically the right thread but i have a question.

I've got a 32gig Iphone 4 and a 09 17" standard MBP. I was thinking about about an ipad2 but is it really worth it? I'm a student and am about to get my student loan through... i would only buy the 16gig Wifi one because i hardly use the 3G on my phone. I would probably use for studying and leave my computer at home.
It would also mean i'd have to buy alot of apps again which would add a fair bit on.
Or should i just wait till an ipad with retina if it ever comes out?
 
Adam- said:
Right i know this isn't technically the right thread but i have a question.

I've got a 32gig Iphone 4 and a 09 17" standard MBP. I was thinking about about an ipad2 but is it really worth it? I'm a student and am about to get my student loan through... i would only buy the 16gig Wifi one because i hardly use the 3G on my phone. I would probably use for studying and leave my computer at home.
It would also mean i'd have to buy alot of apps again which would add a fair bit on.
Or should i just wait till an ipad with retina if it ever comes out?
Click to expand...

This depends entirely on your specific financial situation and how often you would use it for school. I love my iPad, but I have friends who just graduated and are paying off student loans and it is NO fun!
 
Donz0r said:
This depends entirely on your specific financial situation and how often you would use it for school. I love my iPad, but I have friends who just graduated and are paying off student loans and it is NO fun!
Click to expand...

Yeah thats true, but aside from money, it comes and it goes i just want to know what i can get out of it that my trusty Iphone.
 
I don't get people who say that the new iPad is not a major update. It is much faster, has a better and brighter screen, has much better design and it is lighter. Did I mention the great graphics performance and the two cameras? The fact that it has double the memory makes everything faster and better. If you multitask a lot with your first iPad you will love the new iPad.

Sure guys, it isn't worth it because we didn't get a Retina display! People that believe that have really no clue...

If you hold it in your hand for a couple of hours, you will immediately feel the difference.
For all iPad 1 owners: If you have the money and can afford an iPad 2, get it!
This is a big difference to the first one.
 
the main reason everyone is saying its not much better is because of the software. it runs essentially the same software as the ipad 1. come ios 5, that might not be the case anymore. the ipad 2 likely will have features that will not work on the first gen.

As for the hardware, i find the ipad 2 much easier to hold when reading. its lighter and thinner. Facetime is also handy for me as I travel at times for work and it keeps me connected. While my iphone 4 can do this as well, it doesn't work that great over most hotel wifi's. I use my iphone as a hotspot and can have factime virtually anywhere.
 
I had the iPad 1 for 9 months before upgrading to the iPad 2. Now that I've had the iPad 2 for about a week, I can confidently say that the upgrade is not worth the money. In comparing the original iPad to the iPad 2, the main difference is a very slight speed bump (essentially, apps open a second or two faster and webpages load a second or two faster) that does not justify the cost of upgrading. As for the physical differences, that will be an issue of personal preference. I personally find the original iPad more comfortable to hold, but I can see why someone would prefer the thinner iPad 2. I don't feel a difference in weight.
 
I may be in a small minority here, but I actually found holding the iPad 2 to be less pleasant than the first. The curved edges don't feel as comfortable to my hands as the first model's thicker edges did. I know it's thinner and (ever so slightly) lighter, but it doesn't feel as strong as the original, in my opinion.

Then again, it is a hell of a lot faster and has a couple of cameras. Whether this matters to you is a case of whether you'll be playing games or not, or if you'll be wanting to use FaceTime. For web browsing and PDF reading, I can afford to wait the extra second or so. If you're nearing the end of your life, you may want to get the iPad 2.
 
I remember when the original iPad was introduced, I felt it was a giant iPod Touch, and there was no way I would be getting one. Then the reviews and hands on videos released, and the more I watched, the more I wanted one. I'm thinking this occured with many people lol. I loved my iPad. I used it every day for reading, web, emailing, some gaming, magazines, etc.

iPad 2 got introduced, I felt it was not a large enough upgrade, so I figured I would wait for iPad 3. Then the reviews and comparisons released, the more I watched and read, the more I wanted one, lol I am an easy sell when it comes to technology ;)

The main reasons I upgraded were pretty simple. First and foremost, I really appreciated the physical changes. Original iPad was not ridiculously large, but the hands did grow a little fatigue after using it for a very long time. The thin form of iPad 2 absolutely makes it more comfortable to hold for longer times, the weight is a bit negligable, but the thinner definitely feels better. I was happy to get rid of the need for the Apple Case, I was not a big fan of the added bulk and those flat seams. I am loving the Magnets, and the Apple Cover. It brings me back to what I loved about the Sony Ebook Readers that always very handily made the slot for the covers, and they used the same magentic strip to keep it closed and secure.

The screens are exactly the same. And for the record, when iPad 1 came out, I had to exchange 4 to get one without significant bleed. The graphics are a little faster and more responsive. The processing and Ram upgrades do not make it FEEL miles ahead of the first one, but it does not hesitate to load up an app or iBook, or file where the first iPad sometimes took a few more seconds to do so. I have this thing with technology though that says the next upgrade Apple releases may be significant enough to make the first iPad a little more outdated where the iPad 2 may stand the test of time for a bit of a longer period, thats just my opinion of course.

So like many have asked, do you NEED the iPad 2 over 1.....no. If you like having the latest and greatest, and don't mind spending the extra hundred to have that....go for it. Sounds like your sister would be fine with the iPad 1, and you might appreciate the upgrades of the iPad 2 a little more than she might.

Good luck, let us know how it turns out. :)
 
Adam- said:
Yeah thats true, but aside from money, it comes and it goes i just want to know what i can get out of it that my trusty Iphone.
Click to expand...

It's a totally different experience than using an iPhone. Sure it's the same OS, but it looks and feels much more like a computer. Since a 17" laptop is definitely NOT portable, I think you'll be very pleased using an iPad around campus! I wish it would have come out a few years ago so I could've had one throughout college!

Very usable and capable. I wouldn't write a paper on the thing, but I do just about everything else on it. Typing on it may take a bit of getting used to, but it's pretty easy once you get the hang of it, especially using the smart cover to prop it up on a table.

If you're not too worried about the money, an iPad would be a perfect fit inbetween an iPhone and a 17" MBP, perfect for the library, coffee shop, quad, ignoring your prof. during class, etc. ;)
 
DougFNJ said:
So like many have asked, do you NEED the iPad 2 over 1.....no. If you like having the latest and greatest, and don't mind spending the extra hundred to have that....go for it. Sounds like your sister would be fine with the iPad 1, and you might appreciate the upgrades of the iPad 2 a little more than she might.

Good luck, let us know how it turns out. :)
Click to expand...

Great post.. what is making it tough for me was the option of a 64GB 3G iPad 1 new-in-the-box (non-refurb) at $529. Now that Apple has pulled them from the stores apparently that is less of an option as I have an Apple Gift Card, not cash.. tempted to try to get my cash back so I can get this deal at at&t.
 
For me the iPad 2 is a great upgrade. The original left me feeling I wanted more power..even just surfing the internet. I don't feel that way with the new one. My laptop is getting a lot less love.
 
Talk about a subjective question!

At most the iPad 2 is a $200 upgrade. Just ask yourself whether size, performance, marginal weight difference, smart covers, and poor cameras are worth $200 to you. It's as simple as that.

The performance is noticeable in all aspects of the OS and apps, and I bet it will become more so when apps come out optimized for the new hardware, but there are very few things that the iPad 2 can do which can't be done with the original (save for camera functionality). The size presents a different feeling, but that's not very meaningful to everyone. The weight difference is negligible IMO. I love the smart cover, but many people don't. The cameras are terrible except for rear-facing video, which is reasonably good. Still, the cameras will become more important as more apps take advantage of them (like an iPad version of Skype, and augmented reality, etc).

What else do you need to know?
 
Apps are going to be designed for the new processor, so the iPad1 will be a dog within a few months.



Sounds Good said:
Hi guys,

For those that have owned both, how much better is the iPad 2 than the iPad 1?

What *specifically* is better about it for you, personally?

Thanks in advance, I appreciate it. :)
Click to expand...
 
petvas said:
I don't get people who say that the new iPad is not a major update. It is much faster, has a better and brighter screen, has much better design and it is lighter. Did I mention the great graphics performance and the two cameras? The fact that it has double the memory makes everything faster and better. If you multitask a lot with your first iPad you will love the new iPad.

Sure guys, it isn't worth it because we didn't get a Retina display! People that believe that have really no clue...

If you hold it in your hand for a couple of hours, you will immediately feel the difference.
For all iPad 1 owners: If you have the money and can afford an iPad 2, get it!
This is a big difference to the first one.
Click to expand...

Hilarious.

Sorry man but I've seen a lot of your posts and you are the picture perfect example of a blind apple fanboy.
 
It is pretty much like any other computer or electronic device when a new one comes out. Sure the new one is a bit better but is it really that much better.

It really depends who you ask. There are some speed freaks that would gladly pay an extra $1,000.00 to buy a cpu that is 2 or 3% faster. For the rest of the sane world that is a waste of money.

My point is that at one point everybody here considered the iPad 1 a great device. Now all of a sudden these same people call it junk compared to the iPad 2. Isn't it funny how quickly the status of an item can change from revolutionary to junk in just a few days?

Yes the iPad 2 is faster and yes it has a few new features but that in no way shape or form makes the iPad 1 all of a sudden useless.

Put it this ay you can buy a iPad 1 now and 1 year from now buy an iPad 2 for 50% of the current cost or at that point buy an iPad 3. Those who insist they have to have the iPad 2 will want the iPad 3 right away and then the iPad 4 and so on.

If you are not a power user then the iPad 1 is a perfectly fine machine. Most of what made the iPad great is there minus a few cool new toys like the video cameras. Other then that speed is speed and not the end all of what makes the iPad great. If iPad users were looking for speed then they wouldn't use an iPad.
 
If you don't buy green bananas anymore then get the iPad 2. The extra second or two of faster loading times is NOT that big of a deal. Plus crummy cameras. :D

Otherwise keep the iPad 1 or pick one up cheap.
 
The fact that many here that have BOTH have such different views.

Some say the speed and size is VERY noticeably different
Some say the speed and size is NOT noticeably different

I used the iPad2 for days due to a friend getting it and I was frankly not that impressed with the new additions.

The speed was great but nothing that really was THAT much of a difference. The size was cool but I wouldn't hold it differently than the 1st.

But, that is just me
 
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