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Unboxing the Apple iPad (third-generation)
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Editor’s Note: Read CNET’s full Apple iPad review here.
The new iPad may first go on sale at 12:01am Friday here in our corner of the world, but CNET’s Singapore-based team managed to snag Apple’s third-generation iPad 4G at midnight their time, before staying up until the wee hours reviewing the anticipated device. Read CNET Asia’s iPad review.
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Vincent Chang’s verdict is more or less what we expected after Donald Bell got his hands on the device here in San Francisco at Apple’s launch event last week. The stunning Retina Display on the 9.7-inch screen is a knock-out you have to see to really believe. The updates to the graphics processor really do make a noticeable difference, and you can say the same for the 5-megapixel camera on the back.
Our sister site’s list of complaints is also unsurprising, with a touch of envy that 4G will work in North America only (on AT&T and Verizon here in the U.S.), as well as a jab at the unchanged front-facing VGA camera, and some disappointment that despite the pre-release hype, the A5X processor is dual-core and not quad-core like many had hoped.
Unboxing the third-gen iPad (photos)
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Luke Westaway of CNET UK largely shared Vincent’s sentiments. He calls the new iPad, “the best tablet money can buy.” In his review, he approves of the new screen, camera, and processor, but he calls the improvements modest and says that the device’s real appeal is its “excellent software and competition-beating app selection.”
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On the downside, Luke bemoans the lack of 4G in the United Kingdom and the tablet’s heavier and bulkier profile. His final verdict? Though the latest iPad is great for first-time tablet buyers, it’s not worth an upgrade for owners of the iPad 2 or the original model.
Updated March 16 at 8:18 a.m. PT with CNET UK review and at 11:40am PT with CNET.com’s review.
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Although some new components have given the new iPad a nice lift from the previous iPad 2, the updates are ultimately incremental. However, that crazy high-resolution screen is enough to blow you away, despite any of the tablet’s flaws.
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