iPad Which iPad to Buy?

[hunterheath33]

Let me start this off by saying that I have never had an iPad before. I currently have a nexus 7 and a droid from my carrier. I used to have an iPhone 4 and I have a lot of 30 pin connectors laying around. I was checking the apple refurbished website and I can get a 16GB 3rd gen iPad for $359 and a 16GB iPad 4 for $379. Now I know that there is only a $20 difference, but that is not my problem. Price does not really matter, but I do not like the feel of the iPad Air and from looking at the forum, people seem to have issues with the 1GB ram that the Air provides. They say that there is a lot of reloading tabs in safari and other problems. They are also talking about their ipads crashing.
What I use my Nexus 7 for and what I expect to use my iPad for:
Accessing and writing emails, using google drive(my school uses iPad 2s), doing the normal facebook, twitter, snapchat, imessage, and facetime. I will use safari very little, as I have a laptop, and that is what I prefer to browse with, and possibly play some very light games. Such as Plants vs Zombies, temple run, and thats about it. And remember, I have a lot of 30 pin connectors and cables, and also have 2 or 3 docs that cost around $150 each. Thanks!

 

[Decimotox]

Let me start this off by saying that I have never had an iPad before. I currently have a nexus 7 and a droid from my carrier. I used to have an iPhone 4 and I have a lot of 30 pin connectors laying around. I was checking the apple refurbished website and I can get a 16GB 3rd gen iPad for $359 and a 16GB iPad 4 for $379. Now I know that there is only a $20 difference, but that is not my problem. Price does not really matter, but I do not like the feel of the iPad Air and from looking at the forum, people seem to have issues with the 1GB ram that the Air provides. They say that there is a lot of reloading tabs in safari and other problems. They are also talking about their ipads crashing.
What I use my Nexus 7 for and what I expect to use my iPad for:
Accessing and writing emails, using google drive(my school uses iPad 2s), doing the normal facebook, twitter, snapchat, imessage, and facetime. I will use safari very little, as I have a laptop, and that is what I prefer to browse with, and possibly play some very light games. Such as Plants vs Zombies, temple run, and thats about it. And remember, I have a lot of 30 pin connectors and cables, and also have 2 or 3 docs that cost around $150 each. Thanks!

If it's only $20, just go for the 4. Faster, better graphics, better battery life, and they'll give you a new charging cord.

Personally, I'd go for the Air. Just bought mine Friday and I absolutely love it. Have had one or two safari crashes, but don't let these people fool you - this is an amazing device. For example, I'm going on 13 hours of usage and am JUST hitting 45% battery left. So, I'm sure I can get 17-20 hours total. Incredible battery life!

 

[hunterheath33]

If it's only $20, just go for the 4. Faster, better graphics, better battery life, and they'll give you a new charging cord.

Personally, I'd go for the Air. Just bought mine Friday and I absolutely love it. Have had one or two safari crashes, but don't let these people fool you - this is an amazing device. For example, I'm going on 13 hours of usage and am JUST hitting 45% battery left. So, I'm sure I can get 17-20 hours total. Incredible battery life!

Ok. If I did go with the 4th Generation, how many years would you expect it to receive updates and last me based on my already stated uses?

 

[bambooshots]

Ok. If I did go with the 4th Generation, how many years would you expect it to receive updates and last me based on my already stated uses?

That's anyone's guess. 2, possibly 3 years. Even when Apple stops updating it, it'll be good for some time after.

I got an iPad 1 when the iPad 2 were released. Just got rid of it this week.

 

[hunterheath33]

That's anyone's guess. 2, possibly 3 years. Even when Apple stops updating it, it'll be good for some time after.

I got an iPad 1 when the iPad 2 were released. Just got rid of it this week.

Wow, that must show that iPads are built to last.

 

[Decimotox]

Wow, that must show that iPads are built to last.

I even bought an iPad 1 when the 3rd gen was just being released. Had it for a year and then got the first gen mini in December last year. Had that and sold it 2 days ago to upgrade to the Air.

The 4 could potentially last you a few years. Maybe until the 7th or 8th comes out (using generation numbers and not names)? Who knows if the OS will be compatible then? Anyone's guess, as the previous poster stated. But the 4 is a good iPad, just a bit bulky lol

 

[hunterheath33]

I even bought an iPad 1 when the 3rd gen was just being released. Had it for a year and then got the first gen mini in December last year. Had that and sold it 2 days ago to upgrade to the Air.

The 4 could potentially last you a few years. Maybe until the 7th or 8th comes out (using generation numbers and not names)? Who knows if the OS will be compatible then? Anyone's guess, as the previous poster stated. But the 4 is a good iPad, just a bit bulky lol

Haha. My other option would be getting a 64GB iPad 3 that is cheap refurbished (I think ~500) and then just keep it for a year or two and then upgrade to the newest iPad then. I just dont want to spend a lot of money on new accessories(lightning cables) when I already have 5 chargers and most of my family also has 30 pin cables(only my sis has a mini with a lightning cable) and I hear that they cost around $20 per cable, and ios 7 only allows certified chargers.

 

[Deliro]

Well the iPad 3 is the model I would avoid. Sure it has retina and would be compatible with your accessories however the A5x chip in it is underpowered when pushing that retina display. There are some games that were scaled down graphically on the 3 to keep frames up, but we're not for the mini or the 2.

Grab the 4.

 

[RebornProphet]

For $20 take the iPad 4.

iOS 7 on iPad 3 is stripped down visually, no transparency effects at all and the frame rate on animations isn't the best. That doesn't bode well for iOS 8 if it comes to iPad 3.

Also, when it comes to games or visually intense apps, the iPad 3 isn't going to run things as smoothly as the iPad 4. I upgraded from a 3 to a 4 because it was apparent early on that the 3 wasn't going to have any kind of longevity. The game NOVA 3 made iPad 3 owners choose between running it at full Retina Display resolution or having the graphical effects enabled while running at upscaled iPad 2 resolution.

The iPad 4 runs NOVA 3 natively at full resolution with all visual effects (lens flare, reflections, heat haze from the end of your weapon, smoke and particular effects, etc.

The iPad 4 is going to run the latest and greatest iOS apps very, very well for the next 12 months, easily.

Don't scrimp on $20, you'll regret it.