Apple iPad 4th-Gen Really Has Twice the Performance of its Predecessor

Apple promised that the latest version of the full-size Apple iPad will be twice as fast as its predecessor, and benchmarks for this upcoming tablet bear this out (the processor speed and RAM of this device have also been revealed).

For some reason, Apple doesn't like to reveal details on some of the specifications of its mobile devices. It never gives the clock speeds of its tablets and smartphones, nor reveal how much RAM they have. Fortunately for those who like to know such things, the fourth-generation iPad has been put through its paces by Primate Labs' Geekbench. In addition to giving a sense of how fast this tablet is going to be, the app also gives the processor speed and amount of RAM.

The Geekbench Score for the iPad 4th-Gen iPad is 1757. For comparison, the third-generation model, which launched in the spring, received a score of 791 -- about 50% lower.

The app also reveals that the upcoming Apple tablet will be built around a 1.4GHz dual-core Apple A6 processor, while its predecessor has a 1.0GHz dual-core Apple A5X chip.

The iPad 4 will have 1GB of RAM (1024 KB), the same as Apple's third-gen iPad.

The Same, But Different

Aside from the faster processor, this tablet is generally going to have the same features as the earlier model. This means it will be built around a 9.7-inch touchscreen with a resolution of 2048 x 1536 pixels. Its rear-facing camera will have a 5MP resolution.

There are a few changes, though. The front-facing camera in the iPad 4th-Gen is being improved so that it can take 720p video and Apple is taking this opportunity to switch to the smaller Lightning port that debuted on the recently-released iPhone 5.

Launching Tomorrow

The newest Apple iPad is going to reach stores tomorrow. It can be pre-ordered now, but because of a rush of demand for the new device, orders placed today won't ship for a week. 

A WiFi-only model with 16GB of storage capacity will sell for $500. The 32GB version is $600, while the 64GB one is $700.

Versions of this tablet with support for Verizon's, AT&T's, or Sprint's 4G LTE networks will be available in mid-November. Adding this feature will cost an additional $130.

The iPad mini, which was announced at the same time as this iPad and went up for pre-order at the same time, is also going to debut tomorrow.

Source