
The iPad 3's display is visually stunning. But driving more pixels using a more powerful graphics processor requires a trade-off in the form of higher power use. (If you're not familiar with the A5X or how it compares to other SoCs, read our earlier part one coverage of the iPad 3.)

Rather than using a larger panel, which would have been impractical on a tablet, Apple's Retina display occupies the same 9.7" footprint, augmenting resolution through greater pixel density. The result, however, is increased power consumption that tracks in much the same way you'd expect from 22" and 27" screens running at different resolutions. In that parallel, the 27" monitor consumes 3x to 4x more energy as it drives more pixels. Apple is unable to mitigate the increased power consumption normally associated with higher-resolution screens because it's still using panels manufactured with amorphous silicon. These displays are far less energy efficient than the Low Temperature Poly Silicon (LTPS) used on the iPhone's Retina display.
| Desktop Power Consumption Core i5-2500K, HD Graphics 3000 System | 1280x720 | 1920x1080 |
|---|---|---|
| Desktop Idle | 49.1 W | 50 W |
| Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3 | 101 W | 104 W |
The iPad 3's high-resolution display also requires a more powerful graphics processor, which had its own impact on power use. More pixels on the screen necessitate a faster piece of silicon to draw and render, just to maintain similar performance. Although desktop PCs feature much more thermal flexibility, the chart above illustrates our point: a GPU has to work harder at higher resolutions, reflected in a power measurement. This is just as applicable on a tablet employing embedded graphics.
Fortunately, the iPad 3 features Apple's new A5X SoC. It's fundamentally the same as the iPad 2's A5, except that it has four GPU cores, effectively doubling graphics potential. The A5X powers the iPad 3's display at 2048x1536 just as smoothly as the A5 at 1024x768.
- The New iPad Is Heavier, But Features A Dazzling Display
- Wide-Gamut Color Performance
- Driving Higher Resolutions Requires More Power
- Battery Life: What To Expect
- Is There A Problem With Heat? We Profile Power
- Mapping Out iPad 3's Heat: Surface Temperature
- Taking An Infrared Camera To The iPad 3
- 4G LTE Performance: Verizon Versus AT&T
- HDMI Output Disappoints; Camera Quality Impresses
- The New iPad: Making Life Hard For The Competition, Again
+1 to the keyboard thing. But remember that most tablets (all?) don't have full size HDMI so you probably need a dongle 99% of the time anyway.
Really?
100 degrees is damn hot but I think the results are justified.
+1 to the keyboard thing. But remember that most tablets (all?) don't have full size HDMI so you probably need a dongle 99% of the time anyway.
The port isn't all that's needed. There's also a bit of hardware around it for the socket that makes it a tad thicker and a stretch to fit in the chasis of tablets.
Really?
Yeah I thought that comment was bunk too. Typically I use my tablet 1-2 feet away as less that 1 foot away would have the thing shoved up in my face too much and not give me any arm reach to operate the device properly.
As for the display in the iPad3 I went to the apple store and looked at it side by side with the iPad2. The colors look great but the super high pixel density was not as big of a difference as these reviews made it out to be.
The biggest things I noticed when comparing iPad2 and 3 side by side was the increased thickness and weight. Those 2 factors were enough for me to want to choose the iPad2, especially if I could get it a little cheaper than the iPad 3.
I also am curious about who will get the gaming win (more depends on where the devs go):
android tegra3, ipad3, vita, 3ds, or maybe microsoft will pull a rabbit out of their hat with win8.
I'm just saying if we are supposed to be a technology site we should be sure the facts are correct.
If I am going to pay $830 for a limited use tablet with 64GB storage and 4G, then I think I would rather spend that money on a notebook or ultrabook. I can still get a touch screen, I still get good graphics, I get a real keyboard/mouse, can still get a 4G option, and I get real x86 programs, removable storage, better connectivity options (USB3, thunderbolt), and (most importantly) real storage space.
Also, I would prefer win8 over iOS, but iOS is not a deal breaker if they would come out with something that would fit my use.
My fault. Corrected.
Cheers,
Andrew Ku