The speed the iPad renders webpages...

[yegon]

...is slow compared to a laptop, as we all know. Doesn't really bother me, my iPad 2 usage is almost entirely when I'm out and about, browsing/media/comics/rss reading etc and it's a wonderful device for that purpose. I use an mba and a beastly gaming rig at home.

Question though, regarding browsing specifically; what is it exactly that prevents it from being like for like with an average computer?

CPU? While a dual core arm isn't really comparable to a desktop cpu, I thought we'd be beyond the point where the cpu would hold back processing a webpage, or am I wrong?

RAM? I understand the limited capability of the iPad holding previous pages in RAM, makes sense, but again surely this isn't holding back the initial processing of a webpage?

Just curious is all. Like I say, this isn't a whinge, I'm just interested and wonder when/if an iPad will deliver essentially the same browsing speed of an average comp.

 

[Patriot24]

I don't have direct experience at this point, but the word from Devs running iOS 5 beta is that the new Nitro JavaScript engine remedies many of the page load issues that exist in 4.3.x.

A few weeks ago I was reading a thread where they were mentioning never seeing the checkerboard at all when loading/scrolling pages. We'll see...

 

[Young Spade]

...is slow compared to a laptop, as we all know. Doesn't really bother me, my iPad 2 usage is almost entirely when I'm out and about, browsing/media/comics/rss reading etc and it's a wonderful device for that purpose. I use an mba and a beastly gaming rig at home.

Question though, regarding browsing specifically; what is it exactly that prevents it from being like for like with an average computer?

CPU? While a dual core arm isn't really comparable to a desktop cpu, I thought we'd be beyond the point where the cpu would hold back processing a webpage, or am I wrong?

RAM? I understand the limited capability of the iPad holding previous pages in RAM, makes sense, but again surely this isn't holding back the initial processing of a webpage?

Just curious is all. Like I say, this isn't a whinge, I'm just interested and wonder when/if an iPad will deliver essentially the same browsing speed of an average comp.

The software and the hardware play a part in the rendering speeds of the browser. That's why on your computer, Chrome, Safari, Firefox, and Opera will all run at different speeds, depending on the speed of your internet connection.

I personally use Canary (nighly Chrome) but I don't like the fact that it uses up a Gig of RAM or so to help it stay on top in terms of speed.

 

[idkmybffjon]

with iOS 5 on an iPad 1 i haven't seen the checkerboard once. yes the page still renders a bit slower than a macbook, but its much much much better.

 

[Sydde]

with iOS 5 on an iPad 1 i haven't seen the checkerboard once. yes the page still renders a bit slower than a macbook, but its much much much better.

Awesome, does it feel like it is getting close to GM? (i.e., Will we be seeing it early next month?)

 

[urkel]

with iOS 5 on an iPad 1 i haven't seen the checkerboard once. yes the page still renders a bit slower than a macbook, but its much much much better.

It doesnt checkerboard because they removed the checkerboard background on iOS5.

But as far as the topic goes, I definitely am curious as to why the iPad is so slow on websites too. Its frustrating to use my Mac and everythings snappy, but on the iPad I slowly load a site, "multitask" and then have it force a reload again when I return. It just feels like its a 56k modem again or something.

 

[idkmybffjon]

It doesnt checkerboard because they removed the checkerboard background on iOS5.

But as far as the topic goes, I definitely am curious as to why the iPad is so slow on websites too. Its frustrating to use my Mac and everythings snappy, but on the iPad I slowly load a site, "multitask" and then have it force a reload again when I return. It just feels like its a 56k modem again or something.

you're missing understanding me, it doesn't checker board, show a blank page, fail to render, whatever you want to call it. it loads the page and scrolls without error.

and yes the os is feeling much much more stable. i think they are getting much closer. it feels like lion did a few weeks before it went gold.

 

[Kauai]

I'd say my iPad is only the slightest bit slower than my MBP - not enough to make it annoying by any means. iOS5 improvements will still be nice, but anyone saying their iPad is super slow should blame their connection not the iPad.

 

[bluesteel]

i just purchased my first iPad the other day...the safari browsing experiences is much, much, much slower than with my Macbook Pro and Mac Pro. this was the first thing that bothered me about the iPad....i'm definitely annoyed by it, but oh well. hopefully things improve with future innovation.

 

[byke]

Just downgraded from 5.6 to 4.35 and the browser speed is definitely slower.
When gm5 is released it will kick as over gm4 .... I just hope they introduce the opton of tabbed browsing in regarding choosing if you want it or not.