Apple iPad 3. Gen 2012-03
Specifications
![Apple iPad 3. Gen 2012-03 Apple iPad 3. Gen 2012-03](typo3temp/_processed_/2/3/csm_ipad3_078fd9e0c7.jpg)
Pricecompare
Average of 16 scores (from 37 reviews)
Reviews for the Apple iPad 3. Gen 2012-03
Improved? The launch of the new iPad 3 is probably one of the highlights of 2012 - at least when it comes to the general interest displayed by the media. There have been innumerable rumors about the improvements-to-come before the device even launched, but the moment of truth has finally arrived – will the added changes be worthwhile for existing iPad 2 users?
Source: Tech Advisor
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Overall the iPad 3 is a decent upgrade from the iPad 2 in a number of key areas. The retina quality display is the most impressive and there’s a faster processor and better cameras. 4G connectivity is handy if you want that feature. All this for roughly the same price refurbished makes this a no brainer.
Comparison, online available, Short, Date: 07/01/2013
Source: V3.co.uk
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Each tablet wins the same number of categories, so choosing which to buy really depends on what you're looking to use it for. While it's worth pointing out that the £600 Infinity and £559 iPad are much closer in price for their respective 64GB versions, Apple gives the option to buy a cheaper model with less storage so we took that into account for our head to head.
Comparison, online available, Medium, Date: 09/07/2012
Source: V3.co.uk
![English](https://www.notebookcheck.net/typo3conf/ext/nbc2div/images/lang_s_2.gif)
For those looking for a premier, top end tablet experience, Apple's iPad remains the best choice, featuring the best screen on market and a streamlined operating system that allows it to match the performance of similar devices packing more powerful components. This means that while we would recommend the iPad over the Nexus 7 to users with cash to burn looking for a top end tablet experience, we'd equally recommend the Nexus 7 over the iPad to anyone shopping on a budget or casual tablet users looking for basic media and web browsing services.
Comparison, online available, Long, Date: 07/27/2012
Source: PC Authority
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If you already own an iPad 2 – or to a certain extent, the original iPad – the core tablet experience remains similar; if you avoid looking at any new iPads, you could carry on as before. But when you’ve seen that new screen, it will be hard to resist the temptation to stick your old iPad on eBay and pay the cash difference for the upgrade
Single Review, online available, Medium, Date: 06/25/2012
Rating: price: 67% performance: 83% features: 100% ergonomy: 100%
Source: PC World
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As we’ve seen in previous iPad battery tests, the third-generation iPad, with its brighter, higher resolution screen and quad-core graphics, was only able to last 5 hours and 40 minutes when playing the same movie with the same, full brightness, settings.
Comparison, online available, Very Short, Date: 05/01/2012
Source: PC Perspective
![English](https://www.notebookcheck.net/typo3conf/ext/nbc2div/images/lang_s_2.gif)
Some have called the iPad 3 an incremental upgrade. I disagree. As I think this comparison shows, the new iPad is substantially better than the next-best competitor. When judged relative to the competition the iPad 3 is the best product Apple makes and among the best consumer electronics products available today. Everyone else is still trying to catch up.
Comparison, online available, Medium, Date: 04/06/2012
Source: PC Perspective
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The Apple iPad is the standard by which all other tablets are judged. The iPad 3 does nothing to change that. The iPad 2 was the best tablet you could buy, so it’s little surprise that the iPad 3 has replaced it in that role. The new iPad is the best tablet money can buy and its release has transformed the gap between it and the competition into a canyon. Our praise can’t be much clearer than that, and the new iPad is worth every word of it.
Single Review, online available, Medium, Date: 03/30/2012
Source: Reg Hardware
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Apple New iPad 3 Wi-Fi + 4G The iPad remains my favourite tablet. I prefer the screen size and aspect ratio; it delivers the right performance and functionality for what I want a fondleslab to do; USB – without the need for an adapter – would be nice, but otherwise it has the connectivity I need; third-party apps have got me over the walled garden without jailbreaking; the battery life is great. Android buffs and Apple biters won't care anyway. But the iPad 3 is a good tablet, and its screen sets a higher bar for Apple's rivals to try and leap over.
Single Review, online available, Short, Date: 03/27/2012
Rating: Total score: 85%
Source: It Pro
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The iPad 3 is a solid device that outperforms it predecessor in almost all areas except battery life. We were particularly impressed with the Retina display and high-speed mobile internet as well as the improved camera. Users wanting the best iOS tablet need not look any further.
Comparison, online available, Very Short, Date: 03/26/2012
Source: V3.co.uk
![English](https://www.notebookcheck.net/typo3conf/ext/nbc2div/images/lang_s_2.gif)
While the display and processor improvements on the new iPad are immediately noticeable, we'd still advise iPad 2 owners to hold off on an upgrade until a killer feature is added to the next tablet model.
Comparison, online available, Medium, Date: 03/26/2012
Source: T Break
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Priced identical to the iPad 2, the new iPad continues to provide the best experience in a tablet form factor. If you are looking to jump on the tablet-bandwagon, the new iPad should certainly be on top of your list. For those of you who want to upgrade, the new iPad is better than any Android tablet that I have reviewed in the last year as well as a substantial improvement over the original iPad. About the only segment of people that I might not recommend the new iPad to is one that owns the iPad 2. Amongst them, it will mostly be the tech savvy that would want the new display and GPU and I say that because I belong to this exact group. However, my wife is fairly happy with her iPad 2 and not the least bit interested in getting the new one.
Single Review, online available, Very Short, Date: 03/25/2012
Rating: Total score: 90%
Source: Techspot
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That's not to say that there aren't some great Android tablets available right now. Asus's Transformer Prime would be our next choice, but it's a tough sell given the new iPad's Retina display and the sheer size of Apple's app ecosystem.
Single Review, online available, Long, Date: 03/22/2012
Rating: Total score: 90%
Source: Slashgear
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That ecosystem is the new iPad’s biggest draw. The hardware feels, for the most part, like it’s settled; I’d expect Apple to tweak it in future iterations, yes, but the company has a tendency to polish its designs and then avoid change for its own sake. That’s certainly been the case in Apple’s computing lines, and the iPad looks to be following the same route. I’d like to see Google – and others, for that matter; Windows 8 certainly has its points of interest, particularly with ARM support for more frugal, multimedia-centric models – mount a more compelling offense, if only because I like Android and I think the competition is good for the end consumer, but there’s no doubting that, for a great proportion, the new iPad ticks most of the boxes. Upgrading from my first-gen iPad is a no-brainer; the problem for Google and others is that opting for an iPad is likely to remain a no-brainer for many new tableteers, yet to be convinced with what the rest of the market can deliver.
Single Review, online available, Short, Date: 03/22/2012
Source: Tech Advisor
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Extra horsepower from the revised quad-core graphics processor has been funnelled into maintaining the iPad 2’s top-notch graphics performance when tasked with driving four times as many pixels. An improved rear camera is not universally essential, and nor is an uprated modem for next-gen cellular services that are unavailable in most parts of the world. But just a short time using the iPad with its entrancing Retina display gives ample reason alone to consider an upgrade, even if you have an iPad 2. Once you’ve tried a third-gen iPad, iPad 2’s text looks plain blurry. For a newcoming tablet buyer, Apple has just handed you, at an unassailable price, the device that unequivocally retains the iPad at the zenith of tablet computing.
Single Review, online available, Very Short, Date: 03/21/2012
Rating: Total score: 90% price: 90% performance: 90% features: 90% ergonomy: 100%
Source: Tom's Guide
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The Retina Display was the most complex and difficult bit of engineering, and yet that seems to be working fine. Visual creatures that we are, people are downright entranced by the screen. I have to add my voice to it. Even with ClearType on, my desktop screen looks downright chunky by comparison. It's certainly a beautiful screen, and the device is very fast and responsive. Hopefully Apple learned its lesson from Antennae-gate over how to handle a PR problem. They don't have the Reality Distortion Field to rely on any more.
Single Review, online available, Short, Date: 03/21/2012
Source: It Pro
![English](https://www.notebookcheck.net/typo3conf/ext/nbc2div/images/lang_s_2.gif)
Although LTE of little use in the UK for now, the Retina display still makes the new iPad a highly desirable tablet, though it may a short while for apps and web sites to fully exploit it. The fact that prices are the same as the old model is impressive too, although the cheapest 16GB model may not have enough capacity for heavy tablet users.
Single Review, online available, Very Short, Date: 03/19/2012
Rating: Total score: 100%
Source: Laptop Mag
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Apple could be accused of delivering more of the same with the new iPad. More pixels, more speed, better camera. And that's exactly why it's our favorite tablet. This sequel builds on everything we loved about the iPad 2. Is it worth the upgrade? For owners of the original iPad, definitely. iPad 2 owners will need to weigh the benefits of the Retina display and additional graphics oomph versus the expense. Just keep in mind that you'll likely want to get a higher capacity than 16GB if you plan on downloading a lot of games or 1080p video.
Single Review, online available, Short, Date: 03/19/2012
Rating: Total score: 90%
Source: Reg Hardware
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If you don’t already own an iPad or an Android tablet then the new iPad could be the one that finally breaks down your resistance. It certainly blows away the Android competition and should ensure that the iPad continues to dominate the tablet category – especially with the iPad 2 still on sale at a reduced price. Existing owners of the iPad 2 are faced with a trickier decision. The new display is lovely, but is perhaps more of a luxury than a must-have. But you’ll want it all the same, and all that bottled-up techno-lust will keep the iPad at the head of the pack for another year.
Single Review, online available, Medium, Date: 03/19/2012
Rating: Total score: 90%
Source: Ubergizmo English
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I hope that this review has given you a good idea of how it is to use the new iPad in the real world. If it did, share it, like it and spread the word out. If there are things that were not clear, or that I did not cover, feel free to leave a question below, and I’ll do my best to address it.
Single Review, online available, Medium, Date: 03/19/2012
Source: PC Pro
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If, on the other hand, you’re on the hunt for your first tablet, it's very difficult to recommend anything else. The new iPad's screen isn’t only a joy to use, it makes other tablets feel dated by comparison.
Single Review, online available, Short, Date: 03/19/2012
Rating: Total score: 83% price: 67% performance: 67% features: 100% ergonomy: 100%
Source: V3.co.uk
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This could be due to the minimal upgrade it offers on the iPad 2 - more on this in our full new iPad versus iPad 2 head to head review, to follow soon - or rising competition from Android tablets such as the Asus Transformer Prime, which comes with a quad-core processor, 1280x800 10.1in screen, and keyboard dock that pushes the tablet to up to 18 hours of battery life.
Single Review, online available, Medium, Date: 03/18/2012
Rating: Total score: 100%
Source: PC Mag
![English](https://www.notebookcheck.net/typo3conf/ext/nbc2div/images/lang_s_2.gif)
If you want a large-screen tablet, the new iPad is the one to buy. While the 16GB iPad 2 costs $100 less ($399), you're likely to be staring at this thing for a couple of years. The smooth, ultra-clear images on the new Retina display are more than worth the difference.
Single Review, online available, Short, Date: 03/17/2012
Rating: Total score: 90%
Source: PC World
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No one knows how successfully Apple's rivals will respond to the challenge posed by the new iPad. But it's going to be fun to watch non-Apple tablets and operating systems as they come to grips with this powerhouse tablet.
Comparison, online available, Very Short, Date: 03/16/2012
Source: PC World
![English](https://www.notebookcheck.net/typo3conf/ext/nbc2div/images/lang_s_2.gif)
Although the extra weight is a disappointment, in the scheme of things it doesn't hurt the new iPad's ascent to the throne. Apple remains firmly ahead in terms of an app ecosystem, with more than 200,000 apps deemed "iPad" apps. The new, high-resolution display will pose some challenges to the iOS developer community, but I have no doubt that the community will rise to the occasion quickly, thanks to Apple's insular product strategy.
Single Review, online available, Very Short, Date: 03/16/2012
Rating: Total score: 90%
Source: PC World
![English](https://www.notebookcheck.net/typo3conf/ext/nbc2div/images/lang_s_2.gif)
The new iPad is just that: The iPad, updated for a new year and millions of new iPad users. It's not smaller or lighter, but it's got a remarkable screen, a much better rear camera, and support for cellular networking that can run at Wi-Fi speeds. It's the iPad that millions of people have embraced, only one year better.
Single Review, online available, Long, Date: 03/15/2012
Source: MacRumors
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The embargo has lifted on the reviews for the 3rd Generation iPad, and they are starting to trickle out. Here are links and summaries of some of the more prominent reviews:
Single Review, online available, Very Short, Date: 03/14/2012
Source: Slashgear
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Steve Jobs would have approved of the new iPad. With its focus on the holistic experience rather than individual boasts around its constituent parts, it’s the epitome of the Post-PC world the Apple founder envisaged. No lag or delay; no frustrating cloud settings or arcane minimum software requirements. Simply pick up, swipe, and you’re immersed in a joined-up ecosystem. Apple doesn’t need another revolution, it has already started one, and the new iPad brings a fresh degree of refinement to a segment in which it is undoubtedly the king.
Single Review, online available, Medium, Date: 03/14/2012
Source: T3
![English](https://www.notebookcheck.net/typo3conf/ext/nbc2div/images/lang_s_2.gif)
The new iPad looks and feels almost identical to the Apple iPad 2 at first glance, but it brings a fair bit more to the table, not least the impressive Retina display with that massive screen resolution. The result is pin-sharp images and huge improvements in video playback from the Apple iPad 2.
Single Review, online available, Very Short, Date: 03/09/2012
Source: Tech Advisor
![English](https://www.notebookcheck.net/typo3conf/ext/nbc2div/images/lang_s_2.gif)
Overall the new iPad is a decent upgrade from the iPad 2 in a number of key areas. The retina quality display is the most impressive and there’s a faster processor and better cameras. 4G connectivity is a good upgrade but irrelevant for UK users at the moment. Apple has managed all this and stuck to the same price points as the iPad 2 and maintained the 10 hour battery life.
Single Review, online available, Very Short, Date: 03/08/2012
Source: Reg Hardware
![English](https://www.notebookcheck.net/typo3conf/ext/nbc2div/images/lang_s_2.gif)
At least Apple isn't charging extra for the new machine – it matches last year’s pricing, starting at £399 for the 16GB Wi-Fi only model, rising to £659 for the 64GB 3G/4G version. Apple is taking orders now, and the new kit will arrive on 16 March.
Single Review, online available, Very Short, Date: 03/08/2012
Source: Slashgear
![English](https://www.notebookcheck.net/typo3conf/ext/nbc2div/images/lang_s_2.gif)
“It’s Resolutionary” Apple says of the new iPad, and we have to agree. We’ve just grabbed some hands-on time with the new Retina Display iOS 5.1 tablet, and the difference from the iPad 2 – which, remember, stays on sale alongside it – is vast. The pixels in the 2048 x 1536 display are, at regular arm’s length, completely indistinguishable: it’s only when you get up close that you can make them out.
Single Review, online available, Very Short, Date: 03/07/2012
Source: Trusted Reviews
![English](https://www.notebookcheck.net/typo3conf/ext/nbc2div/images/lang_s_2.gif)
Last but not least there’s the question of value, where the iPad 3 continues to impress because it won’t cost a penny more than the iPad 2 did at launch. That means the 16GB Wi-Fi model can be yours for as little as £399, which is superb value for the amount of tech the iPad 3 packs into its casing no matter how you look at it. Do keep in mind though that, unlike on an Android tablet, memory is not expandable, so you’re stuck with what you buy. Unfortunately, Apple charges a rather hefty £479 for the 32GB Wi-Fi model and it goes up from there, bringing it more in line with the kind of pricing we were expecting for Apple’s newest tablet. The new iPad/iPad 3 will be available in most countries on the 16th of March.
Single Review, online available, Long, Date: 03/07/2012
Source: Stuff TV
![English](https://www.notebookcheck.net/typo3conf/ext/nbc2div/images/lang_s_2.gif)
With its Retina Display, 1080p video and quad-core graphics, the new iPad – or iPad 3, whatever you want to call it – is without a doubt the best tablet you can buy.
Single Review, online available, Short, Date: 03/01/2012
Rating: Total score: 100%
Foreign Reviews
Source: Connect - 5/12
![German](https://www.notebookcheck.net/typo3conf/ext/nbc2div/images/lang_s_1.gif)
Single Review, , Long, Date: 04/01/2012
Rating: Total score: 82% performance: 87% features: 70% mobility: 96% ergonomy: 84%
Source: Chip.de - 5/12
![German](https://www.notebookcheck.net/typo3conf/ext/nbc2div/images/lang_s_1.gif)
Single Review, , Long, Date: 04/01/2012
Rating: Total score: 93% features: 93% display: 87% mobility: 81% ergonomy: 100%
Source: c't - 8/12
![German](https://www.notebookcheck.net/typo3conf/ext/nbc2div/images/lang_s_1.gif)
Display very good, equipment very good, battery runtime very good, office performance good, graphics performance very good, app-store very good
Comparison, , Long, Date: 04/01/2012
Comment
PowerVR SGX543MP4: 4 core graphics card with 16 unified shader cores
These graphics cards are not suited for Windows 3D games. Office and Internet surfing however is possible.
» Further information can be found in our Comparison of Mobile Graphics Cards and the corresponding Benchmark List.
A5x: Dual-Core System on a Chip (SoC) from Apple used in the iPad 3 with an integrated Quad-Core graphics card (PowerVR 543MP4 most likely).» Further information can be found in our Comparison of Mobile Processsors.
9.70":
This display format is used for small tablets and a few very big smartphones (so big that they are rather tablets). This is for customers who want a small portable tablet with a display which is at least much bigger than usual smartphone displays.
» To find out how fine a display is, see our DPI List.Apple: Apple is a US company founded in 1976 by Steve Jobs, Steve Wozniak and Ronald Wayne. Headquartered in Cupertino, California, the company is known for its innovative products such as the iPhone, iPad, Mac, and Apple Watch, and manufactures computers and consumer electronics as well as operating systems and application software. Apple is also a leading provider of software and services such as the App Store, iTunes and iCloud.
Apple has earned a reputation as a company that focuses on design and ease of use. As for their notebooks, they are mostly in the high-priced segment, have their own operating system, but also run Windows on the newer Macbooks.
Apple is one of the most valuable companies in the world and has a loyal following of customers and fans. The company also has a strong presence in the entertainment industry, with services like Apple Music and Apple TV+. In 2023, Apple had an approximate 8% market share of global PC sales, ranking it 4th after Lenovo, HP, and Dell.
91.38%: There are not very many models that are rated better. Most of the assessments are in percentage ranges below that. The tested product is not considered perfect, but the sources give a clear purchase recommendation.
» Further information can be found in our Notebook Purchase Guide.