How long before my IPad 2 becomes obsolete?

[DistantJ]

LostInBlue, consider this:

The iPad 2's specs were a pretty big leap over the iPad 1's, it can handle a lot more. The iPad 3's specs are larger, but for the most part any improvement in the CPU, memory etc. over the iPad 2 is used up with the retina display. Some games, notably N.O.V.A. 3, actually disable some of the advanced graphical effects when they are played on an iPad 3, because it can't draw enough pixels for the retina display AND achieve those effects at the same time.

In fact, a lot of benchmark tests show the iPad 2 to actually perform BETTER than the iPad 3, since so much of the iPad 3's power is used up by the retina display.

The iPad 3 is also thicker and heavier than iPad 2, something Apple always try to avoid, so the iPad 4 is likely to put most of its focus on becoming lighter and thinner again and dragging that battery life out a bit longer.

If the rumoured iPad Mini turns out to be a real thing, likely it'll be iPad 2's exact specs and resolution, and games will have to be built to run on that too.

So I wouldn't expect many games which can't be run on an iPad 2 to show up for a very long time, since in many ways it can achieve MORE than the iPad 3, and most iPhone 4S-designed games can be run on iPhone 4 so likely it'll even survive a while when the iPhone 4 shows up. The iPad 1 was a bit of a 'beta test' in a way, it was somewhat unfinished, and much too heavy and thick to be practical for what it was intended for, so the iPad 2 showed up so quickly afterwards to fix a lot of its flaws. You have a pretty damn worthy tablet, I'd think it's got some longevity in it.

[RebornProphet]

Originally Posted by DistantJ

LostInBlue, consider this:

The iPad 2's specs were a pretty big leap over the iPad 1's, it can handle a lot more. The iPad 3's specs are larger, but for the most part any improvement in the CPU, memory etc. over the iPad 2 is used up with the retina display. Some games, notably N.O.V.A. 3, actually disable some of the advanced graphical effects when they are played on an iPad 3, because it can't draw enough pixels for the retina display AND achieve those effects at the same time.

In fact, a lot of benchmark tests show the iPad 2 to actually perform BETTER than the iPad 3, since so much of the iPad 3's power is used up by the retina display.

The iPad 3 is also thicker and heavier than iPad 2, something Apple always try to avoid, so the iPad 4 is likely to put most of its focus on becoming lighter and thinner again and dragging that battery life out a bit longer.

If the rumoured iPad Mini turns out to be a real thing, likely it'll be iPad 2's exact specs and resolution, and games will have to be built to run on that too.

So I wouldn't expect many games which can't be run on an iPad 2 to show up for a very long time, since in many ways it can achieve MORE than the iPad 3, and most iPhone 4S-designed games can be run on iPhone 4 so likely it'll even survive a while when the iPhone 4 shows up. The iPad 1 was a bit of a 'beta test' in a way, it was somewhat unfinished, and much too heavy and thick to be practical for what it was intended for, so the iPad 2 showed up so quickly afterwards to fix a lot of its flaws. You have a pretty damn worthy tablet, I'd think it's got some longevity in it.

Could you try ANY harder to make the new iPad out as a complete failure.

1. Games that run at the same resolution or somewhere in between iPad 2 and new iPad will utilise remaining power of Quad Core GPU.

2. PC games have long had the trade off between full resolution and amount of effects on screen. NOVA 3 is no different on the new iPad to trying to run Crysis 2 on your PC. Do you want it to look sharper? You'll lose effects. Do you want the effects? You'll need to tone down the resolution. We're talking double the pixels here ffs.

3. The new iPad weighs 0.11 pound (0.51 grams) more than the iPad 2 (1.33 pounds vs 1.44 pounds. In comparison, a one pound bag of sugar is around 454 grams, yet you make out the weight difference to be huge.

4. The new iPad is 0.37 inches, with the iPad 2 being 0.34 inches. Let's put that in millimetres ... 9.4mm vs 8.8mm, 0.6mm thicker. Again hardly a mammoth difference.

Your tone suggested the new iPad was akin to the original model in terms of weight and size in comparison to the iPad 2, when the difference is negligable at best.

[Teknikal]

Originally Posted by RebornProphet

Could you try ANY harder to make the new iPad out as a complete failure.

1. Games that run at the same resolution or somewhere in between iPad 2 and new iPad will utilise remaining power of Quad Core GPU.

2. PC games have long had the trade off between full resolution and amount of effects on screen. NOVA 3 is no different on the new iPad to trying to run Crysis 2 on your PC. Do you want it to look sharper? You'll lose effects. Do you want the effects? You'll need to tone down the resolution. We're talking double the pixels here ffs.

3. The new iPad weighs 0.11 pound (0.51 grams) more than the iPad 2 (1.33 pounds vs 1.44 pounds. In comparison, a one pound bag of sugar is around 454 grams, yet you make out the weight difference to be huge.

4. The new iPad is 0.37 inches, with the iPad 2 being 0.34 inches. Let's put that in millimetres ... 9.4mm vs 8.8mm, 0.6mm thicker. Again hardly a mammoth difference.

Your tone suggested the new iPad was akin to the original model in terms of weight and size in comparison to the iPad 2, when the difference is negligable at best.

Retina did really hurt the new iPad in my opinion, there no denying it has a monster GPU but it's in general doing four times the work of the second and it's only really double the power.

It could be twice as capable of course if developers use it at the same resolution but then Retina has a habit of looking blocky where other screens don't.

I'd personally rather have a 2nd myself as I've never been impressed by the Retina claims but then again I still think the screens whatever the res just look worse than OLED ones.

[pluto6]

An interesting discussion in the last 3 posts. I like the iPad 2, but I enjoy the iPad 3 as text is so much cleaner. It is the only lit display that I enjoy reading text on, like books, articles. The iPad 1 and 2 I would suffer through, but printed material wherever I could to avoid the screens.
I guess I don't play too many games like Nova 3 - I am more a puzzler / thinker gamer anymore. My twitch reflexes have slowed.
But things like real racing 2 look phenomenal on the iPad 3.

Anyways, as far as topic goes, all hardware is generally 5-7 years max, and more likely 2-3 years before folks start looking hard at the new stuff. Being able to afford it is something else entirely. Mostly just sigh, and use it til it breaks, and then get something new.

[MidianGTX]

I recently bought a new iPad and man, I'm glad I did. I don't care what's going on inside it, every app and game I've tried so far has performed brilliantly. I can't compare it to the iPad 2 as I come from a Touch 4th gen background, but I know gaming and there are no issues to worry about in my experience. I'm sure it can be a pain in the ass for developers to work around the restrictions, but what the end user sees is nothing less than a marvel. Needless to say, I love my new toy and I'm never going back.