The Apple iPad (Fourth Generation)
has been given a power boost and tweaked with 4G support and a sharper FaceTime
camera, but still lacks the portability of many of its rivals
Crisp Features The 9.7-inch Retina display is one of the sharpest screens around
Glossy Looks
The fourth-gen iPad looks just like its predecessor with a glossy front and
brushed metal back
Power Boost
The chip has been boosted to the latest A6X processor, which admirably handles
any app, game or media you throw at
The
Apple iPad (Fourth Generation)
Launched at the same time as the iPad mini,
the fourth-generation iPad came as a bit of a surprise, mostly because the
third-generation iPad hit our shelves just six short months ago. The internet
was immediately flooded with angry comments from owners of the third-gen iPad,
who had stumped up hundreds of pounds only to see their trusty tablet already
‘outdated’ in mere months.
Truth be told, this fourth-generation iPad
is more of a quick tweak to the existing tablet than a full-blown sequel, so
existing owners need not be too aggrieved, especially as their iPad will still
be capable of doing everything they need for years to come. In fact, the iPad 4
has completely replaced the iPad 3 in the Apple store, proving that it’s more
of a gentle upgrade than a new device. But what’s changed, and is it worth a
punt for existing and aspiring owners?
Launched
at the same time as the iPad mini, the fourth-generation iPad came as a bit of
a surprise, mostly because the third-generation iPad hit our shelves just six
short months ago
Design
Stick the iPad third generation and fourth
generation side by side and, much like the HTC One X and HTC One X+, you’ll not
be able to tell them apart. We checked out the white model and it looks as
fantastic as always, from the glossy front to the brushed metal rear.
The only real change is the Lightning port
on the bottom, which is much narrower than the old charging/data port. This
does mean that existing owners will need adapters to use their accessories, but
new users have nothing to worry about, and we prefer the new slimline cable
head.
Our only issue is that the iPad is quite a
chunky and hefty tablet compared with many similarly-sized rivals, such as the
Samsung Galaxy Note 10.1. If you’re looking for something to take on the daily
commute we’d recommend the iPad mini or the Google Nexus 7 instead. However, as
a device for browsing the web and messing around with apps on your sofa, the
iPad is a joy.
That’s mostly thanks to the supremely sharp
9.7-inch Retina display. One of the crispest tablet screens out there, the
Retina display produces incredibly lifelike HD images, making it a great photo
editor and media machine. Viewing angles are excellent. On its maximum
brightness it will practically melt your eyeballs, so you don’t have to worry
about glare either. The display hasn’t changed at all from the previous iPad’s,
and we can’t say that upsets us.
Stick
the iPad third generation and fourth generation side by side and, much like the
HTC One X and HTC One X+, you’ll not be able to tell them apart
A6X power
One area that has definitely changed is the
processor, which has been boosted from an A5X to Apple’s latest A6X chip.
According to Apple, this new processor has twice the computing power of the
A5X, although given the third-generation iPad’s sterling performance, this is
kind of hard to test. We certainly never saw any stuttering in the many hours,
we spent playing games and messing around with apps, websites and video.
One concern was that the faster processor
would prove more power-hungry, sapping battery life faster than the previous
iPad. Thankfully this isn’t the case, as we still got the promised 10 hours of
use when checking emails, getting stuck into our apps and editing our photos.
Our patented media test (streaming video over Wi-Fi with the screen turned up
to maximum brightness) also gave seven hours of life, better than average for a
modern tablet.
Feature packed
Another update concerns cellular
connectivity (not applicable for the Wi-Fi only version), as the iPad is now
compatible with 4G. Apple fans will remember the iPad third generation had
built-in 4G support for our American friends, but annoyingly it wasn’t
compatible in this country (leading to some hastily corrected adverts).
Thankfully, this issue has been rectified, so if you plan on streaming media on
the move, the iPad fourth generation is a good bet.
The five-megapixel camera on the rear of
the iPad is the same snapper found on the last generation, still capable of
taking bright, colorful shots. Wielding the iPad as a camera isn’t a very
comfortable experience, but we’re seeing more and more people recording video
on their tablets when out and about, so it’s always good to have the option.
More useful is the front-facing FaceTime lens, which has been boosted from the
grainy VGA offering of the last iPad to a sharper 1.2-megapixel effort. If
you’re video chatting with friends online, you’ll therefore appear as more than
a few blocky pixels.
The verdict
The
fourth-generation iPad is only a minor step up from the third-gen tablet, so
anyone who has already-splashed out this year should pay no heed. Owners of
older iPads and newcomers will find plenty to enjoy here, however, from the
brilliant Retina screen to the 4G support. However, regular travelers may
prefer a more portable option such as the iPad mini or Google Nexus 7 by Asus.
The
fourth-generation iPad is only a minor step up from the third-gen tablet, so
anyone who has already-splashed out this year should pay no heed
|
Apple iPad
(Fourth Generation)
·
Web: www.apple.co.uk
·
Price: From $602
·
Size: 241x186x9.4mm
·
Weight: 652g
·
Display: 9.7-inch Retina IPS
·
Resolution: 2048x1536 pixels
·
Camera: 5 megapixels
·
Front camera: 1.2 megapixels
·
Video: 1080P HD
·
Processor: 1.4GHz dual-core A6X processor
·
RAM: 1GB
·
Storage: 16GB to 64GB
·
Internet: Wi-Fi (cellular also available)
·
GPS: Yes
·
Browser: Safari
·
Email: Yes, push
·
Music player: AAC/HE-AAC/MP3/MP3 VBR/AAX and
AAX+/ Apple Lossless/AIFF/ WAV
·
Video player: H.264/MP4/MOV/ M-JPEG/AVI
·
Continuous use: 7 hours
|
