On The Surface

Not surprisingly, the New iPad looks nearly identical to the iPad 2, and even the original iPad. Compared to the iPad 2, it features the same screen size, 9.7 inches, and the same width and height as well, 7.31 and 9.5 inches respectively. They even come in the same color choices – white or black.

Where they do differ, though, is the thickness. The New iPad is actually slightly thicker than its predecessor, by a full .8mm. It’s enough to notice when comparing the two side-by-side, but the new model also features more tapering along the edge, giving the illusion of a thinner body. That .8mm may not seem like much, but it may render many cases and skins incompatible. If you’re thinking about upgrading, remember that you may need to invest in a new protective case.

The Display

The greatest incentive to upgrading to the New iPad is the new display. With a pixel density of just 264ppi, it doesn’t quite make the 300ppi cutoff Apple previously set for “Retina” displays, though it still calls it one. Still, it has a resolution of 2048×1536, which is currently unmatched by any other tablet. Compared to the iPad 2’s 1024×768 (a mere 132ppi), this is a major improvement. The New iPad will be able to play 1080p content at its native resolution. Text and images will appear much crisper, and fine details will be perceptible where they weren’t on the iPad 2.

The Processor

The New iPad also comes with the A5X processor, a more powerful variant of the A5, found in the iPad 2. This may seem like a compelling reason to upgrade to the New iPad, but it’s actually not.

First, the A5X’ CPU is a dual-core CPU nearly identical to the A5’s. General processing power had not been significantly increased compared to the iPad 2. Where the A5X has seen major improvements is in its GPU.

The A5 uses an SGX543MP2 GPU, while the A5X has an SGX543MP4 GPU (the same GPU found in the PlayStation Vita). In short, the New iPad’s GPU 2 to 4 times more powerful. Ultimately, this results in nearly the same real world performance since the New iPad has 4-times as many pixels as the iPad 2 which requires about 4-times the GPU processing power to run.

If a performance upgrade is what you’re after, you’re better off waiting until next generation.

4G LTE

Apple finally has a 4G product for us, and with LTE, you can expect data speeds over 25Mbps. This works well in tandem with the HD display since HD content requires a fast connection. If you don’t stream much in HD, you won’t notice much of a difference between 4G and 3G, though. Most people prefer the Wi-Fi only version since it’s significantly cheaper anyway.

The Lack of Siri

Many people were looking forward to getting Siri on their tablet, but it looks like Apple has opted to keep Siri restricted to the iPhone 4S, at least for now. The New iPad is just as Siri-less as the iPad 2.

The Price

In order to stay competitive with other tablets, the New iPad actually has a pretty attractive price tag, starting at $499 for the 16GB Wi-Fi version. What this does, though, is push the iPad 2’s price down to $399 – now that’s a bargain. Anyone in the market for a new tablet, should definitely consider the iPad 2.

What it really all comes down to is whether or not you can live with a 1024×768 resolution display. If you can, stick with your iPad 2.

The Display: iPad goes Retina

The iPad’s most lacking feature has always been its low resolution 1024×768 display. In the original iPad, people didn’t mind, but after seeing the Retina display of the iPhone 4, people were expecting a major screen upgrade for the iPad 2 – they were disappointed.

The whole point to Apple’s Retina display is the idea that the pixels are so densely packed, that you cannot see them at a normal viewing distance with the naked eye. Apple controversially claims that this effect is achieved with pixel densities greater than 300ppi. Researchers of the field insist this number is closer to 477ppi; however, the iPhone 4’s display sports 326ppi, and they’re no denying that it is an amazing display.

And now it’s the iPad’s turn to don the retina cap. So far, there is no solid information as to what resolution the iPad 3 will have, but all signs are pointing to 2048×1536. For the 9.7-inch form factor, this would mean a pixel density of only 263ppi, so it’s uncertain if Apple will actually call it a retina display. Still, that resolution is considerably higher than the closest competitor, the Asus Transformer Prime HD which only has a 1920×1080 resolution.

The Processor: Things get faster

The next big upgrade is the processor. The iPad 3 will feature Apple’s A5x processor. Not much is known about the A5x, but reports are hinting that it will be a dual-core processor, much like the A5 found in the iPad 2. Of course, this doesn’t mean it won’t be faster. We’ve seen how Qualcomm’s dual-core Snapdragon S4 can keep up with quad-core devices already.

The A5x is also expected to have a significantly improved graphics core, necessary for driving the high-resolution display. Newer architecture will also help improve performance as well as battery life. It may also have 1GB of RAM, a trend in mobile computing that Apple has yet to catch up with, preferring to stick with 512MB for its previous processors.

Connectivity: iOS finally sees 4G

Up until now, all of Apple’s cellular data devices have been limited to 3G only (including the iPhone 4 and iPhone 4S). The iPad 3 will not only be getting 4G, but full 4G LTE. Rumor has it that an LTE-enabled iPad 3 will be launching on both AT&T and Verizon.

The Software: iOS 5.1 with Siri

Owners of the iPad 2 have felt betrayed by Apple’s refusal to allow Siri voice recognition support. Fortunately, the iPad 3 will be completely Siri enabled. Unfortunately, it’s looking like those with the iPad 2 will have to upgrade if they want Siri at their disposal.

Design and other goodies

According to reports, the iPad 3 will look almost identical to the iPad 2. This comes as little surprise, considering Apple’s usual design trends. What is surprising is the fact that the iPad 3 will be a bit thicker than the iPad 2. This is likely to allow for a larger battery, necessary for powering the higher resolution display.

It’s also expected that the iPad 3 will feature the same 8MP rear camera found in the iPhone 4S. Reports also claim that the front facing camera will be receiving an upgrade to HD status. Whether that means 1080p or 720p is uncertain. Either way, it will allow for Face Time HD video chatting, similar to the new MacBooks.

And that’s the bulk of it. Will you be upgrading to the iPad 3?