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Late 2012 iPad carries new PowerVR SGX 554MP4 graphics, muscles ahead in video speed
It's well established that the A6X chip in the fourth-generation iPad is about twice as fast as its predecessor in pure number crunching, but how about those reportedly doubled graphics amid some increasingly fierce competition? Thanks to some help from Kishonti, AnandTech has learned that Apple may still have an ace up its sleeve. The new tablet carries a new, quad-core PowerVR SGX554MP4 with twice the raw potential as the already quick 543MP4 graphics in the A5X. While that doesn't always lead to a literal doubling of 3D performance, it unambiguously puts the new new iPad on top in GLBenchmark, with even the imminent Nexus 10's new Mali-T604 video left in the middle of a large pack. We're somewhat surprised when the Samsung-made Nexus is using a brand new chip architecture that many had thought would represent a fundamental leap in speed. Visuals aren't the only factors in buying tablets, so take the results with the appropriate grains of salt; if gaming or sheer responsiveness matters most, however, there's now a clear frontrunner.
iPad review (late 2012)
Welcome to the new new iPad, same as the old new iPad. Well, mostly, anyway. It was less than eight months ago that Apple grafted a Retina display onto its world-conquering tablet, giving every other slate on the market resolution envy, while enchanting gadget lovers with world-class performance and battery life. Now, it's obsolete. Put out to pasture just as it was hitting its stride and replaced by this, the fourth-generation iPad -- still just called "new iPad." Other than a Lightning connector on the bottom it's visually indistinguishable from its predecessor. Even its starting MSRP of $499 stays the same. But, on the inside where it counts, is the new, fire-breathing A6X processor. Could this be possibly worth buying a second new iPad in just one year, or could this perhaps be the one you've been waiting for? Hold on to your wallets and click on through to find out.
Apple announces 4th generation iPad packing an A6X CPU, Lightning connector and FaceTime HD camera
It's not quite what we expected, but Apple has just introduced us to a new, 4th generation iPad at its event in San Jose, California today. It's essentially a hardware refresh for Apple's 3rd gen slate, as it packs new A6X silicon with quad-core graphics that the company claims provides double the performance of the old A5X chip. The new iPad also gets dual-band 802.11 a/b/g/n WiFi, expanded LTE compatibility (including Sprint and KDDI), a 720p FaceTime camera on the front and the new image processor first seen in the iPhone 5. Of course, it also gets the reversible Lightning port that debuted on on the iPhone, and will be available in both black and white. Pricing stays the same as its predecessor, with a 16GB WiFi version for $499 and a 16GB model with cellular data on board costs $629. Interested? You'll be able to pick one up through Apple's online and brick and mortar stores or Apple Authorized Resellers in a host of countries -- listed in the PR after the break -- on November 2nd.%Gallery-169063% For more coverage, visit our Apple Special Event hub!
