iOS device tiers for gaming

[defred34]

Hey guys, just wanted a quick opinion on this.

Am I right to assume that there are three main device classes as below (classed in terms of general gaming performance)?

Tier 1: iPhone 5, iPad 4
Tier 2: iPad 2, iPad 3, iPad Mini, iPhone 4S, iPod Touch 5
Tier 3: iPad 1, iPhone 4, iPod Touch 4

We can already see that support for Tier 3 devices are dropping.

Tier 2 devices form the largest group, and two of them are brand new (iPod Touch 5 & iPad Mini).

I have an iPad 2, and I would like to know from you guys, when do you think support for Tier 2 devices will start dropping? One year from now? Or more?

Just another extra though: If indeed the Tier 2 device are supported till the end of next year, that would mean the iPad 2 could have been playing the highest end games for 32 months! Which is a really great achievement in the mobile space, considering my Tegra 3 Android tablet has already started ageing despite being just a few months old!

[squabs]

Well iPad mini is an iPad 2 under the hood, so whether support will remain the same remains to be seen, it will prob replace ipad2 like itouch replaced iPod mini etc

[defred34]

Originally Posted by squabs

Well iPad mini is an iPad 2 under the hood, so whether support will remain the same remains to be seen, it will prob replace ipad2 like itouch replaced iPod mini etc

That is not what I meant. If anyone else can chime in, I'll be appreciative of it.

[Primoz]

I wouldn't write the iPad 2 under the same Tier as the iPad 3, mainly because iPad 2 only has 512 mb ram and the iPad 3 has 1gb (and that is a huge difference). The support for iPad 2 will also drop sooner.

But of course, the games that will support all of those devices will end for them sooner or later. That's the natural cycle.

[ip4weather]

ipad3 nee to be in tier1

[defred34]

Originally Posted by ip4weather

ipad3 nee to be in tier1

See my post above. In pure gaming terms, the iPad 3 is inferior to the iPad 2. Many high-end games give you the option of full effects OR retina display.

[Connector]

Originally Posted by ip4weather

ipad3 nee to be in tier1

Defred, did you create your tiers based on just processor class? If so, iphone 5 and ipad 4 are in the top with the a6 processessor.

But I see things a little differently, ipad retina is the most important thing for me, and size of screen. If you use this criteria, things are totally different.

Tier 1
Ipad 4
New ipad

Tier 2
Ipad mini
Ipad 2

Tier 3
Iphone 5

Tier 4
Iphone 4s
Iphone 4
Itouch

Tier 5
Really old stuff

So assuming you are just talking about games and if you did not have any previous hardware, I would buy things in this order. Assuming you had a cheap android phone or iphone 4 which is free for your phone use. So in this way of thinking, ip4weather is correct. Ipad retina is king, not processor speed.

[defred34]

Originally Posted by Primoz

I wouldn't write the iPad 2 under the same Tier as the iPad 3, mainly because iPad 2 only has 512 mb ram and the iPad 3 has 1gb (and that is a huge difference). The support for iPad 2 will also drop sooner.

But of course, the games that will support all of those devices will end for them sooner or later. That's the natural cycle.

You make a valid point there. But still, in terms of pushing gaming boundaries, ask any dev and they'd tell you the iPad 2 performs better than the iPad 3. So in the end the extra 500MB may count for nothing.

[Primoz]

Originally Posted by defred34

You make a valid point there. But still, in terms of pushing gaming boundaries, ask any dev and they'd tell you the iPad 2 performs better than the iPad 3. So in the end the extra 500MB may count for nothing.

Can you post some proof?