The good: The newest iPad's
faster A6X processor adds extra system speed and graphics power.
Improved worldwide cellular compatibility makes the LTE model a more
appealing proposition. And the iOS App Store remains best in class, with
the widest selection.
The bad: The
fourth-gen iPad is otherwise identical to its recent predecessor --
same size, weight, and Retina screen. It's heavy to hold in one hand,
and most older accessories won't work without investing in a pricey
Lightning adapter.
The bottom line: The
latest iPad adds several tweaks and improvements to secure its position
at the top of the tablet heap. It's better all around, but third-gen
owners need not apply.
Every year since 2010, there has been a new version of the iPad. In 2012, we've already seen three. One, the iPad Mini, is a different beast altogether. Still, even the third-generation iPad
with its Retina Display has suddenly become the recipient of a
surprising seventh-month upgrade, to a very similar-looking device now
known as the "fourth-generation iPad."
Should owners of the now "old" third-gen March 2012 iPad be upset?
Should new buyers be wary? The answer to the first is yes. The answer to
the second is no. The new iPad (technically just known as "iPad" at the
Apple Store) has a few upgrades, two minor, one significantly major. A
Lightning connector replaces the old 30-pin, just like all other new iOS
devices this fall. And while the rear iSight camera remains the same (5
megapixels), the front-facing FaceTime camera has been upgraded to HD
status: 720p video recording and sharper self-portraits. The LTE
versions of the new iPad also work with a wider range of international
carriers.
replacing the third-gen's A5X. The previous iPad was no slouch in the
performance department, but as we remarked when we reviewed the iPad in
March, its speed gains weren't such a huge quantum leap compared with
what we got from the iPad 2.
The A6X speeds up the iPad back to levels you'd expect, and it handles
Retina Display graphics even better. This is the iPad 3S, so to speak.
Considering that the iPad still has the same price as before, starting
at $499 for 16GB, it's an even better buy than it was seven months ago.
The landscape's changed a little bit since March. Competing tablets have
become more affordable. Windows 8 and RT tablets now offer an
alternative set of products. None of these can touch the iPad. The
biggest competitor, really, is that innocent iPad Mini, which could be
the biggest little disruptor of them all, especially when it gets its
own Retina Display.
You may be concerned to buy this iPad: could Apple surprise us
with more frequent updates instead of yearly cycles? I think that's
unlikely. Plus, the important point is that this iPad is the best one.
It's polished. It's improved over the third-gen model. If you were on
the fence about buying one before, now's the time to go ahead and do it.
And it's still a better product than the iPad Mini...this year, at
least.
Place the new fourth-gen iPad on a table anywhere and no one will be
able to know it's the latest and greatest unless he happens to see that
telltale, teeny-tiny Lightning connector. This isn't a product you can
easily show off. Just like the iPhone 4S,
it has the same weight, size, and overall design as its predecessor.
Even the back panel doesn't give any hint that this is a newer iPad than
before. For a deeper dive on what this iPad feels like, go back and
read Donald Bell's review of the third-gen iPad.
My Wi-Fi review model came in black (64GB); the iPad also comes in
white. Both, as usual, have differently colored front glass and the same
aluminum backs.
Does the iPad's design still hold up? Yes, mainly because of its
all-metal-and-glass construction, still a rarity among tablets. The
1.4-pound body doesn't feel lightweight, but it's comfortable to hold in
two hands. As a one-handed device, it's awkward and cumbersome. The
sleek feel makes it seem fragile; indeed, you wouldn't want to drop one
on a hard floor.
The Retina Display also remains the same, and it's still as lovely
as ever. The 2,048x1,536-pixel 9.7-inch IPS screen is unmatched among
tablets. Color accuracy is superb, movies look great, and photos look
even better. Text is crystal-clear, just like on the iPhone. It makes a
big difference when looking at Web pages. Still, this is all exactly the
same as the third-gen iPad.
The thicker bezel of the iPad is necessary at this size and weight; it
helps keep a grip on the otherwise ultra-sleek body. The single home
button still feels a little vestigial, but it's not going anywhere
anytime soon. Volume rocker buttons on the side and a
silence/orientation lock switch remain. Speakers, headphone jack:
they're all the same.
This is the first iPad that hasn't changed its look at all since the
last iteration. The third-gen iPad is awfully close to the iPad 2, but
thicker. That makes three straight similar-looking iPad models. Much
like the iPhone, the iPad in its larger 9.7-inch version has settled
into a form, for now. It seems due for a redesign next year, based on
Apple's evolutionary history of iOS devices. But it isn't essential that
it gets one.
A6X: What's the difference?
So, let's get down to that new
A6X processor. Just like the last iPad's A5X, the A6X is a dual-core
ARM-based processor with quad-core graphics. Those extra graphics are
what distinguish it from the A6 processor on the iPhone 5. The same was
true for the A5X on the early 2012 iPad versus the iPhone 4S.
It's hard to test any apps that truly take advantage of the A6X, because
at the time of this review, no apps were available that claimed to be
fourth-gen iPad-enhanced. Theoretically, games should run faster and
smoother on the Retina Display. Indeed, the ones I tested did. N.O.V.A.
3, a first-person shooter from Gameloft that's often prone to choppiness
in heavy action, was silky smooth. Other games seemed equally
fast-loading and zippy.
In some instances, you can see the difference clearly. The third-gen
iPad booted up from a turned-off state in 27 seconds; the fourth-gen
iPad boots in 16 seconds. I downloaded apps and tried launching a
variety of apps, as well as encoding videos shot with the front and rear
cameras. In those instances, the difference was generally no more than a
few seconds. The iPad feels very fast, and without a hiccup on iOS 6,
but then again, the third-gen iPad felt that way, too. With the same
amount of RAM as before (1GB), the number of apps you can keep
quick-swapping between using the iOS version of multitasking remains
largely the same. Using Geekbench 2, a popular benchmarking app, the
fourth-gen iPad scored a 1,761 (higher is better). The third-gen iPad
scored around 750, more in keeping with the iPad Mini and iPad 2, while
the iPhone 5 scored 1,461. On the SunSpider JavaScript 0.9.1 benchmark
test, the fourth-gen iPad blazed at 875 milliseconds over an average of
three runs (lower is better), while the iPad Mini performed the same
test at 1,503ms. The iPhone 5, with its A6 processor, performed the
SunSpider test at 1,073ms. Benchmark apps aren't always an indicator of
true performance, but the fourth-gen iPad, by any measure I could find,
is the fastest iOS device around.
Other tablets may be going quad-core for the most part, but the A6X does
its part to provide what feels like very fast performance, and easily
enough power to do anything you'd dream of doing on iOS.
Camera: FaceTime HD
The new front-facing FaceTime HD camera
doesn't feel as dramatic as it did on the iPhone 5 or fifth-gen iPod
Touch. For one, the iPad's screen is a lot larger; also, that high-res
Retina Display can display a lot more pixels, so the average image just
comes off as grainier. It's still better than before, and it makes a
difference on FaceTime calls, but the rear camera remains the same as
before: 5 megapixels, no changes. It's suitable in a pinch, but as a
whole the iPad's camera doesn't match the stellar quality of the iPhone
5's. This should encourage you to never be that person taking photos in
public with an iPad.
Wi-Fi and LTE: A little better
It's worth noting that the
built-in Wi-Fi antennas on the fourth-gen iPad are now dual-band
(2.4GHz and 5GHz 802.11a/b/g/n), which should offer better connections
and speeds over the average home network. Apple made the move to
dual-band on the iPhone 5 and iPad Mini, too.
The LTE versions of the iPad are available in three versions: AT&T,
Verizon, and Sprint. They still cost $130 more than the Wi-Fi-only
options. The LTE connection has improved to offer greater compatibility
with global cellular networks. That's good news for travelers and buyers
of the LTE iPad in markets other than the U.S. and Canada. My review
unit was Wi-Fi only, so I didn't have a chance to test how LTE worked.
What's in the box: Lightning, 12W adapter
Just like
before, the iPad includes just the device plus a sync/charge cable and
AC adapter. Those two have been tweaked in the fourth-gen model:
USB-to-Lightning replaces the older 30-pin cable, and the AC brick is
12W, as opposed to 10W. No earbuds or EarPods are included.
The Lightning connector, new to this larger iPad, is Apple's new
syncing, charging, and connection port. It debuted on the iPhone 5 in
September and has since been seen on the iPod Nano, fifth-gen iPod
Touch, the iPad Mini, and this iPad. The Lightning connector has
essentially the same functionality as the older 30-pin, but requires new
cables or a separate adapter for older accessories (which may not work
with all functions). That could be annoying if you have an iPad dock,
but many accessories have been increasingly using AirPlay for wireless
video and audio streaming. I prefer that option, especially with a
larger device like the iPad.
The 12W adapter offers up slightly faster charging. The third-gen iPad
was notoriously slow to charge, and so far I've seen the new iPad make
greater progress over an hour's top-off plug-in. It's not superfast, but
it's better.
Battery life
Apple makes the same battery-life claims on the
fourth-gen iPad as on the third-gen: 10 hours of video playback. Then
again, the third-gen iPad supposedly had the same battery life as the
iPad 2, but actually lasted a little less over the course of an average
day.
The latest iPad's battery life, based on our formal tests, is even
higher than we expected: it lasted through 13.1 hours of continuous
video playback, compared with 11.4 hours on the third-gen iPad. An extra
hour and 42 minutes of battery life to go with a significantly faster
processor and graphics makes for an awfully nice one-two punch. The
fourth-gen iPad lasted a good solid day, and then some, through
continuous video-playing, game-playing, Web-browsing use. Incidentally,
it also outperformed the iPad Mini's battery life by a full hour.
Conclusion
The new fourth-generation iPad is the best iPad.
It's the fastest iPad. But it's no longer the smallest iPad, or the most
affordable. That changes the perception of Apple's larger tablet
seemingly overnight: this is now the professional-level performance
device, the laptop alternative.
