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 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.

[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.

[ip4weather]

i think you are wrong,ipad3 have much better hardware than ipad2, 100% sure

[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?

[JBRUU]

Originally Posted by defred34

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.

But when it's not running retina, it performs significantly better. And retina in, Bastion for example, makes the game just stunning. So it's not all bad. Overall though, I would place it in tier 2.