iPad 3 upscaled apps look poor?

[samac92]

OK maybe my last image wasn't clear enough.

how about this:


This is what a zoomed in image of a W looks like on an iPad 1 or 2, or an iPhone, 3G, or 3GS:
Image


Now this is what happens when we display the exact same image on the new iPad, an iPhone 4 or 4S:
Image


now if we remove the gridlines:

iPad 1 and 2, and iPhone, 3G and 3GS:
Image

new iPad, iPhone 4 and 4S:
Image

EXACTLY THE SAME!

the close up photos posted further up, i don't know about you but i think the Retina one is better, at normal viewing distance, what you call "jaggies" to me give a much sharper crisper image seeing as there is a smaller gap between the pixels, it's the other one that looks blurriest to me.

Wow I thought this thread was finished, we established that the same image displayed on a retina and non retina display will look different. I personally, and others, think it makes the old apps look worse when displayed on a retina screen. Others have said they make it looks better.

I appreciate the effort you went into to make your graphic, but all that shows is that the images are the same, we know that already as that is the whole point of the thread; the same image but on different displays.

the pixel pitch on the iPad 1 and 2 is 192µm, on the new iPad it is 96µm

so we are talking about pixels that are exactly half the size, spaced exactly half the distance away from each other, so where's the difference?

You said it yourself. The difference is the pixels are further apart on the old iPad, which makes the black lines (the gaps between the pixels) thicker. These thicker black lines create a "screen door" effect, and your brain fills in the missing information, creating a sort of antialiasing effect, make the jaggies less pronounced.

 

[xraytech]

Ok, so I sold my iPad 1 and pre-ordered an iPad 3 and it dawned on me, are apps going to look like garbage until they are updated? For example, will things look like you have an iphone app on an iPad 1? I am concerned in the long run some of my apps will never get upgraded and instead developers will again sell new apps specific to the iPad 3 and I'll get stuck buying all over again (just like I had to when I bought my iPad 1). Thoughts anyone?

Have you updated all you apps lately?

Cuz soon after the announcement of the new iPad and iOS 5.1 the vast majority of my iPad Apps had an update already cued up. So we have nothing to worry about, Apple and the Developers got that covered.

 

[Lukeyy19]

The difference is that there's twice as much black between pixels on the iPad 1 and 2 than there is on the new iPad! This makes the jaggies much less apparent. Think about the numbers you just quoted.

i guess some people see things differently to others.

i can no longer be bothered to argue, maybe you prefer it one way, but i prefer it the other.

 

[samac92]

I've seen the difference between retina and non retina with the iPhones, I might even take a photo for you tomorrow. The retina screen makes a non retina app look WORSE.

Sure, they are the same in terms of pixels. But they do not look the same. Maybe similar, but definitely not the same.

In my opinion -- and it is clear from this thread it is a matter of opinion -- the graphics look better on their original device than when they are upscaled for the Retina Display.

I'm curious to know who here has actually owned both a "non-Retina" iPhone and one with a high-res display.

Yes the pixel pitch and screen door effect of the old iPad hides the jaggies. With the increased pixel density of the ipad3 the jaggies appear in stark contrast.
The resolution is the same.. But does the jaggies make the overall image quality worse? IMO, yes!

Btw I played a psp game on my ps vita today. Same situation as ipad2 -> ipad3, pixels doubled, same screen size. IQ looked bad.

Glad to see some people who agree.

 

[slicecom]

Here's a slightly more accurate comparison of what we're talking about here, now to me, the first one (non retina) looks better.

 

[ZBoater]

Here's a slightly more accurate comparassion of what we're talking about here, now to me, the first one (non retina) looks better.

Image

Image

It looks better at this zoom, but really, do you think the difference will be that noticeable at 10-15"?

 

[slicecom]

It looks better at this zoom, but really, do you think the difference will be that noticeable at 10-15"?

It is on my iPhone 3G vs my iPhone 4, yes.

 

[Lukeyy19]

Here's a slightly more accurate comparison of what we're talking about here, now to me, the first one (non retina) looks better.

Image

Image

actually - this is a better representation, and i prefer the bottom one.

 

[ZBoater]

It is on my iPhone 3G vs my iPhone 4, yes.

No, I'm talking iPad 2 vs iPad 3. I thought that was what we were talking about.

 

[slicecom]

No, I'm talking iPad 2 vs iPad 3. I thought that was what we were talking about.

It's basically the same discussion, retina vs non retina. 4 times the amount of pixels.

actually - this is a better representation, and i prefer the bottom one.

Image

Image

And I prefer the top, like we said earlier, it comes down to personal preference.

Bottom line is that the icons and apps will quickly be updated to retina if they want to stay relevant. Personally a couple months after the iPhone 4 came out, I deleted all the apps that hadn't updated to retina as I couldn't bare to look at their jaggy icons and images. I'm going to go back to eagerly waiting for my new iPad now.

 

[Lukeyy19]

And I prefer the top, like we said earlier, it comes down to personal preference.

i guess so, it is odd though, i wonder why some people's eyes work one way, and others another, makes you wonder what else you see differently to other people.

 

[samac92]

And I prefer the top, like we said earlier, it comes down to personal preference.

Bottom line is that the icons and apps will quickly be updated to retina if they want to stay relevant. Personally a couple months after the iPhone 4 came out, I deleted all the apps that hadn't updated to retina as I couldn't bare to look at their jaggy icons and images. I'm going to go back to eagerly waiting for my new iPad now.

Boom, and that should be the end of the thread
I predict a few "non retina apps look crap" threads come friday however.

 

[MR1324]

unless they are optimized for the higher resolution screen, they will not look very good.

dude u were right all along

 

[nickchallis92]

can you please stop all saying "retina", it's so irritating.

retina isn't a technological term, it is a load of apple BS

 

[slicecom]

i guess so, it is odd though, i wonder why some people's eyes work one way, and others another, makes you wonder what else you see differently to other people.

It's possible. For what its worth, I also prefer to play old SD video games (NES, SNES, N64) on a 480i tube TV rather than on an LCD HDTV. In my opinion it looks much better with a 1:1 pixel ratio the way it was intended rather than upscaled. It could have to do with the way I see things, or just personal preference.

 

[Lukeyy19]

can you please stop all saying "retina", it's so irritating.

retina isn't a technological term, it is a load of apple BS

nobody said it was a technological term, we were just using it to be clear about which screen we were talking about. how else do you suppose we collectively refer to the iPhone 4, iPhone 4S and new iPad screens?

 

[slicecom]

can you please stop all saying "retina", it's so irritating.

retina isn't a technological term, it is a load of apple BS

Why? Sure its a marketing term invented by Apple, but it makes it easy to identify, and they have a proper technical explanation of what it takes to be a retina display. What would you rather us say? Higher pixel density screen vs lower pixel density screen? Retina is easier, and makes perfect sense.

 

[ktmelvis]

Many devs have updated their apps using a retina display simulator, their all hoping they get their new iPads on the 16th so they can make any fixes needed.

 

[samac92]

can you please stop all saying "retina", it's so irritating.

retina isn't a technological term, it is a load of apple BS

What's wrong with using a marketing term? Shall we stop calling them iPhones because iPhone isn't a technological term?

 

[Tinmania]

Boom, and that should be the end of the thread
I predict a few "non retina apps look crap" threads come friday however.

LOL, probably so.

But yes that should be end of the thread!

Until...

can you please stop all saying "retina", it's so irritating.

retina isn't a technological term, it is a load of apple BS

As confusing as this thread got no one was confused by the term retina.

So chill out Captain Pedantic.




Michael

 

[Gregintosh]

What's wrong with using a marketing term? Shall we stop calling them iPhones because iPhone isn't a technological term?

Its not an iPhone, its a cellular communicator and internet access device. Stop using marketing b.s.!

 

[planktonamor]

Got mine today...As I was worried about, apps not optimized for the new screen look jaggedy and poor compared to the iPad 1. No question, apps optimized look beautiful. Text in books is now crisp. I am a photographer, and images I have at proper resolution look beautiful. Now to see if FIFA 2011, Madden 2011, as well as many of the year plus old apps get updated, or when. Now the wait.

 

[Tinmania]

Got mine today...As I was worried about, apps not optimized for the new screen look jaggedy and poor compared to the iPad 1...

I also have a brand new iPad and have the opposite opinion. As expected older apps look just fine to me--if not better as the display seems a bit more vibrant.



Michael

 

[DS3]

I have no idea what plank is talking about, they look great to me. Slight jaggies look better than seeing the pixels. And now you get retina support on 2x iPhone apps.

 

[planktonamor]

A good example is X-Plane 9. I have spent a fair amount of hours in that app. It loked good before, now everything is jagged lines. I am sure it's because everything is curved lines. Kinda frustrating to look at with the horizon and every gauge. Perhaps it is just a personal irritant. As I said though, everything updated or with text is amazing. I do need to try some of my retina iphone apps and see how those look...been too busy playing Real Racing 2 (which looks killer!).