Is the iPad 2 Better than the New iPad?

Where mobile devices are concerned, I am sure there are few people that believe “bigger is better”. But there do exist occasions where newer is not always better. According to tech analyst Rob Enderle, Apple’s latest iPad is a perfect example of this. On the surface, the third-generation iPad looks to be a huge upgrade from the iPad 2. It has a gorgeous display, much-improved camera, faster processor and 4G LTE support. What’s not to love?

As it turns out, there are a fair number of things. As soon as the latest iPad launched, reports of high temperatures were reported, making it uncomfortable on your skin. This issue was backed up by Consumer Reports, which found the entire backside of the new iPad to run quite a bit warmer than the previous generation. Still, this is an issue that might not bother everyone.

Another complaint is a bit more serious. It’s been reported that some people have been burning through their carrier data plans like never before, thanks entirely to the larger resolution of the screen. Watching movies on the go, for example, will steam higher-resolution content, which doesn’t bode that well with a limited data plan. A single movie could use 1GB-2GB, and on a data plan limited to just 5GB or thereabouts, that’s a problem (I’d argue that most even SD content could eat up a modest data plan fast).

But there’s another by-product of the higher-resolution screen. Higher resolutions require more GPU horsepower, and the iPad is no exception. Because of this extra power draw, Apple had to use a slightly larger battery, resulting in a slightly heavier iPad, and it still is unable to keep up to the battery-life of the previous iPad. But it can of course be argued once again that some people might not mind that trade-off. You get a gorgeous screen, after all.

If there’s one thing that the iPad “3” does prove, though, it’s that Apple is not immune to releasing a less-than-stellar product from time to time, and as the old saying goes, newer is not always better.