By the numbers: New iPad and other tablets compared

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When the new iPad was revealed, Samsung had thrown pot shots by having a comparison of their own. Obviously it wasn’t that fair as it left out other aspects of the hardware. To find out which is better on paper, we have laid down the details on a comparison table above.

In terms of display, the new iPad is much superior with its higher 2048×1536 resolution that gives a density of 264ppi. While it is no way near its iPhone 4 Retina display density, it trumps even the latest crop of HD Android tablets of 224-226 ppi. The processor of the new iPad 2 is still running dual-core but comes with an improved quad core GPU and double the amount of RAM compared to the outgoing model.

While the new iPad is thicker by 0.6mm, the battery capacity is tremendously increased to 42.5 Wh which is nearly double of the iPad 2’s 25 Wh. That’s approximately 11,666mAh which is heaps more than most tablets in the market right now. Having to support 4G LTE, battery life is definitely a concern and it is good to know that the new iPad has bumped up the battery capacity to maintain its 10 hour battery life. However in terms of weight, the new iPad seems to be the heaviest among the lot.

With current line up, the new iPad with its high resolution screen is looking like hot choice right now but perhaps not for long. Earlier, it is rumoured that Samsung is working on a 11.6″ tablet that would be powered by its 2GHz dual-core Exynos 5250 processor. The new Exynos is capable of pushing 2560×1600 display resolution which is higher the new iPad. Samsung is better known for developing new models rapidly and their recent abstinence from churning out high end models is probably a strategic move to see what their competitors are up to. Last year, the Samsung Galaxy Tab 10.1 was redesigned after the iPad 2 was introduced.

2011 was a big year for Android tablets but the iPad still manages to maintain its dominant spot for tablets. For 2012, it is no longer a battle between iOS and Android, as Microsoft’s Windows 8 tablet is expected to shake things up. The early previews have created some excitement and it is interesting to see if the final product is able to live up to its expectation.