The iPad 3 was Apple’s first Retina screen iPad. The quality of the screen is mesmerizing and still stands the test of time by looking great two years after launch. It’s also well-designed and robust, with users happy with the way it looks.
One of the primary problems with the iPad 3 is its size and weight. Android tablets have been getting better and better and now compete with the iPad. Apple has rectified this with the iPad Air, which will match the iPad mini 2 in design.
Performance of the iPad 3 is solid and, happily the advent of iOS 7 hasn’t caused the dreaded slowdown on the iPad 3, it still runs well.
If there’s a couple of areas the iPad 3 suffers it’s battery life and value for money. Battery life is reasonable solid but not outstanding. You’ll get a full day’s use out of it but if you’re using 3g that will reduce significantly. It also takes a fair bit of time to recharge meaning you won’t be able to blast it for half an hour before you leave the house.
A couple of other things to consider if you’re looking to buy and iPad 3 second hand is that it uses the old style 21 pin Apple connector as opposed to the new Lightning one. That means that if you have an iPhone 5S, 5C or 5 you’ll have to use different chargers.
iPad 3 - Introduction
Apple’s iPad line is the best-selling tablet range of all time and when it came out the iPad 2 set some pretty high expectations for the market, so to say that most people were excited about the potential of the iPad 3 – officially called the “new iPad”, which is ridiculously confusing - is a bit of an understatement.
Looking for the best iPad 3 alternatives? Have a read of our Best Tablets
But does it live up to the hype? In most ways, the answer is a resounding yes. The iPad 3sports the highest-resolution screen ever seen in a tablet; internals with more graphics power than most handheld consoles barring the PS Vita; seriously improved cameras; and it’s all still stuck into a relatively light and slim aluminium shell. Yet despite this the iPad 3 maintains the same 10-hour battery life and will cost you no more than its predecessor did.
However, if you weren’t a fan before, there might not be enough to this latest model to change your mind. There are even one or two minor downsides compared to the iPad 2, and it’s fair to say that in many ways the Android competition has caught up.
Pricing:
New iPad Wi-Fi: 16GB - £399, 32GB - £479, 64GB - £559
New iPad Wi-Fi 4G: 16GB - £499, 32GB - £579, 64GB - £659