iLounge has completed its extensive testing of the third-generation iPad, and while you can read the full details in our comprehensive review, we wanted to highlight some of the more noteworthy positives and issues. On the plus side, the LTE-enabled iPads are beyond impressive when running on true fourth-generation networks, with speeds on Verizon’s network in the US reaching speeds up to 30Mbps down, and speeds on Bell’s network in Canada reaching an eye-popping 47Mbps down and 28Mbps up. Unfortunately, Verizon units are also hampered by the carrier’s slower 3G network when away from LTE coverage, languishing on 1Mbps connections, while AT&T units enjoy speeds of up to 8Mbps on the company’s HSPA+ network, despite AT&T’s serious lack of LTE coverage throughout the United States.
We also found the new iPad’s screen to be incredibly detailed, with not only improved color saturation, but also improved color reproduction, particularly noticeable at higher—85 percent and up—brightness levels. As with some past Apple products, however, we found that the color temperature can vary from screen to screen, likely due to variations in screen manufacturers. Headphone port audio sounds a little better on the new model, with a reduction in clicking noises that were evident in the iPad 2, alongside small improvements to treble and mid-treble definition, while speaker performance remains unchanged from the prior model. Finally, we found that as a result of its new, higher-capacity battery, the third-generation iPad takes a significantly longer period of time to charge than its predecessor—in some cases, over six hours, compared to 3.5 hours for the iPad 2—and also noticed that all of our units became physically warm in the bottom left corner during normal use, seemingly due to the new A5X processor.
Many more details and over 100 photographs are in our full review.