The Apple iPad 2 Review
by Brian Klug, Anand Lal Shimpi & Vivek Gowri on March 19, 2011 8:01 PM ESTDisplay
The iPad 2 continues to use what boils down to the same 9.7 inch 1024x768 (XGA) LCD as the iPad 1. It isn’t the 300 or close PPI display that many speculated would launch with the iPad 2. Instead, for the most part, it’s identical to the 132 PPI panel which shipped in the first iPad.
Side by side the two have very similar brightness, black level, and contrast. That said, we’ve noticed some differences in the numbers between the four iPad 2s spread among us. Two are 16 GB WiFi models, one is an AT&T WiFi - 3G, and another is Verizon WiFi - 3G. Each have slightly different brightness and black levels, and correspondingly different contrast as well.
| Display Quality Comparison | |||||
| White Level | Black Level | Contrast Ratio | |||
| Apple iPad 2 #1 (AT&T 3G) | 406 nits | 0.42 nits | 966:1 | ||
| Apple iPad 2 #2 (VZW 3G) | 409 nits | 0.49 nits | 842:1 | ||
| Apple iPad 2 #3 (WiFi) | 352 nits | 0.45 nits | 778:1 | ||
| Apple iPad 2 #4 (WiFi) | 354 nits | 0.41 nits | 859:1 | ||
After looking at the numbers we’ve collected, there seems to be a pretty obvious trend emerging. The WiFi iPads seem to have a brightness closer to 350 nits, whereas the 3G models have brightness levels at 400 nits. It seems entirely possible that there are either multiple suppliers for these panels, or different batches with differing performance characteristics between the WiFi and 3G manufacturing lines.
We measured white point on the iPad 2 with an X-Rite i1Pro and found that (at least my AT&T 3G model) it was right at 6604K, very close to D65 and good performance. Conversely, the iPad 1 WiFi on hand measured around 6908K which is admittedly still acceptable, but not quite as good. In reality, there will probably be a large amount of drift in color temperature across different panel suppliers and batches, just like we saw with the Verizon iPhone 4’s noticeably blue display.
Indoor viewing angles on the iPad 2’s IPS display are still excellent. Uniformity is also good, with one caveat.
There’s been a lot of talk about backlight bleeding on the iPad 2. Initially, I didn’t notice any backlight bleed on my iPad 2, however I now notice a small blotch where backlight bleeds in the bottom right corner. Pressing on the glass surface, I can change the intensity of this backlight bleed, which would imply that the bleed is due to stresses in the glass and TFT like you’d see if you were to press on a panel. It’s not bad at all, especially compared to some of the worst-affected examples I’ve seen in forums online, but hopefully this gets worked out with better manufacturing. Oddly enough, side by side with the iPad 2 the iPad 1 also shows some noticeable light bleed.
Left: iPad 2, Right: iPad 1
Outdoor glare and viewing angles are essentially unchanged. Subjectively the iPad 2 seems a tiny bit better, perhaps thanks to the slightly thinner glass and adhesion process, but it’s still hard to read anything outside in direct sunlight.
Compared to the Xoom, the iPad 2 is more usable outdoors:
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shangshang - Sunday, March 20, 2011 - link
but if you enough fanatic hipsters, +1 device can become a primary fashion must-have.And it's not just yuppies. There are so many geeky engineers at my work place that have an iPad so they can just put it next to there desktop PCs. Worst, there are some managers who use an iPad right along side their laptops in meetings. Baffling to me. I can only chuck it down as fashionable. I mean it's the same reason women pay $2000 for an LV purse that most men would deem god ugly.
kasplat99 - Sunday, March 20, 2011 - link
Last fall there was a discussion of a limitation of 16GB on photos in the iPad.http://discussions.apple.com/thread.jspa?messageID...
I haven't been able to find out whether this was resolved with an iOS 4.x update or the problem persists. This probably is not a limitation of the camera connector kit itself, but rather the photos app, either for total number or data size of photos, but regardless it is a serious limitation if trying to use the iPad for photo work or backup on a long trip.
Testing should be done on 32GB or 64GB iPad if anyone wants to check on this.
BlendMe - Sunday, March 20, 2011 - link
While reading the section on the cameras and the camera UI, I was wondering if you couldn't have saved yourself 1/2 page of writing by just switching on rotation lock? I see that the rotating controls are annoying, but isn't that what the rotation lock switch is for? To keep the UI from rotating?dagamer34 - Sunday, March 20, 2011 - link
That's a pretty bad hack for a problem they should have realized themselves if they ever tried to take a picture with the iPad 2.BlendMe - Sunday, March 20, 2011 - link
How is that a hack? That's what the switch is for (unless you set it to be a mute switch). If you use it to lock the rotation in a browser it's considered a feature.Theoretically (I don't have an iPad 2 and won't be able to try one for at least a week) this switch should allow you to place the capture button on any side of the screen.
I'm kinda surprised Anand/Brian/Vivek didn't even mention it, given that most of their reviews are very thorough and in-depth.
Azethoth - Monday, March 21, 2011 - link
I second that notion. My default is to have rotation locked. I loves me some landscape mode and when reading with it flat it freaks out without some rotation discipline.Now that its on the external switch again there really is not much issue.
Still, it was a major UI oversight. I think they got "lucky" that Jobs was sick and didn't see that rubbish and chew someone a new one. Heck, even Gates would have noticed such UI incompetence.
Bosh - Sunday, March 20, 2011 - link
Yes, you can wait and wait and wait and...........WaltFrench - Sunday, March 20, 2011 - link
Aw, cut @geekfool a break: he's waiting because by then, Flash 10.3.0173 will actually have watchable 720 framerates on a quad-core Tegra.There's geek and there's geek. Perhaps geekfool has drunk the Adobe jizz bigtime. With that list of priorities, he's absolutely doing the right thing.
LauRoman - Sunday, March 20, 2011 - link
Great review but it doesn't hold a candle to Charlie Brooker's 3 and a half minute insightful dissection of the differences between the two devices.http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qNSn6AtdSGM
kube - Sunday, March 20, 2011 - link
Great review.I have an iPad 1 and plan on upgrading.
The review says that the principal use is email and web-browsing. Like most my use focuses on a few uses. But the most important is reading.
1. books. I use the Kindle app most, but sometimes ibooks. I share lots of books with my daughter, who uses a kindle device. Ebooks have probably doubled my book reading.
2. journal articles. For me, this is revolutionary. I'm a scientist, and over the past decade journal articles have migrated from print to pdf. With applications like "good reader" and especially "papers", my reading experience has changed. Reading a journal article pdf off of a computer screen is a second-rate experience. Reading off of the ipad, for me, is as good or better than reading print. As pdf applications have matured, the ability to high-light or write notes on the pdfs has gotten better. Really terrific.
3. Other pdfs. Viewing pdfs of slide presentations or theses or other stuff is great.
4. Instapaper. Can't believe its legal. While saving standard web pages is nice, it really shines at saving things like extended magazine articles. Things like the NY Times book review or NY Review of books articles. Extremely comfortable reading experiences, and easy to share with friends via email.
Another comment. My college-student daughter has an 11-inch macbook air. Its her only computer and is a terrific device. it seems to be a better device for students. It overlaps the function of the iPad making it hard to justify both.