My Ipad 1 vs Ipad 2 review (for people on the fence like i was)

[Apple Newbie]

Hello everyone, long time lurker decided to make an account. Let me start off buy saying im in the windows camp. And the Ipad was my first Apple product. Allthough i am a Systems Admin, and have used apple equipment in some manner for a long time. So i know allot about the company and their products.

On to my semi review
- Screen is much brighter than my Ipad 1 at the same settings.

- Safari is the exact same speed as on Ipad 1...except sites with heavy graphics. Then it kicks its ass.

- Apps like The Daily and Elements Ipad 2 is a HUGE improvement. Along with all others but not to that degree.

- No typing lag...yay.

- Speaker......blows ipad 1 out of the water. When layed on a flat surface it amplifies the volume. I got very frutrated with podcasts and netflix on Ipad 1 because most the time it was not loud enough. Im surprised this was kept quiet by apple, i was worried about it. Big win for me.

- The way they impliminted facetime is pretty cool, i didnt care about this feature. But now i realize i may actually like using it.

- Now to my biggest problem with the Ipad 1 Weight and how umcomfortable is to hold for long periods. The weight the Ipad 2 brings it down just enough do away with the issue. Of course that along with the MUCH easier to hold design. Make holding it with one hand a non issue.

: I tested world of goo for a few minutes - to the main screen was super fast.

No complaints so far after about 2 hrs of use (except i should have waited). Imo its a huge step up, im not selling my Ipad 1 until tomm so i got to do a side by side. I was worried i was buying into the hype and wasting my money. As my Ipad 1 is only three months old. But after using the Ipad 2...it makes the Ipad 1 look like a beta build. That my honest opinion.

 

[tzimisce]

I'd have been very much surprised if the iPad 2 was anything but many kinds of improvement over iPad 1, whether in performance, size, speed, anything. (In that sense, these sorts of reviews hardly tell me anything I don't already know.)

However, for many current iPad 1 owners (myself included) who are already satisfied with what we have and not compulsive about getting the latest with the mostest, we have the luxury of waiting for the initial wave of craziness to subside and taking the time to decide whether to upgrade or not, and/or to save up for it.

 

[Greg G]

For me it was a decision I made a long time ago. I set aside the money and waited for the announcement. I'm already getting ready to start saving for the iPad 3. Not sure if it is compulsive (since it is planned over a long period of time) or if it is just the inability to accept having anything but the latest in this technology space. I am giving my wife my iPad 1 and when I showed her the iPad 2 I introduced it as the something she would get in a year. =)

Anyway, glad you like it. I'm still waiting for the @#$#@ restore to finish after 7hrs. Guess I should have deleted the videos before I did my last backup. I just hope that I don't run out of battery!

 

[JF7FSU]

A lot of people with the 1 are going to wait until the 3.

 

[Mplough]

I, much like Apple Newbie, have done the same as far as lurking here. Got my iPad2 today. It is a little bit lighter, the shape of the old one didn't bother me. I use mine mostly for viewing mechanical drawings in pdf format. I cannot say that it's faster than my iPad 1!!! I am shocked.
I'm sure the techies use some benchmark program that says the A5 runs circles around the previous chip but I can't see any difference from my particular application. I will say that on the 1 the pdf viewer I was using stored them all in a book case like iBooks, so when scrolling through them (in the book case) performance was a bit sluggish. I downloaded a different reader tonight that I can put into folders and opens then quicker. I used that on my 2. Then I installed it on the 1 and that's when I noticed my lag from the 1 was the app not the actual unit. Side by side the 2 loads a millisecond quicker (yeah like I can count a millisecond) than the 1 but in terms of "twice as fast", I'm not seeing it.
Camera, I'll never use it but i do like the white. My problem now is do I keep the 2 or sell it? Jesus I just saw a white 2, wifi only go for $970 on eBay!!!
Think I'll mull it over this weekend.

 

[NumbLock]

First of all welcome. Thanks for the comparisons.

 

[Mtnmedic]

Thanks for the review. I appreciate it. Now I'm getting more excited. Just waiting for the confirmation email form Apple after I'd placed the order. 2-3 weeks is gonna be hell on me.

I'm liking your observation that the new iPad is truly lighter and easier to hold. To be honest, I didn't think .3 lb was going to make much of a difference but now, when I think about it, on a 1.5 lb device, that's a fairly significant difference. Plus the form factor makes holding a little easier.

The other thing I'm starting to get a little excited about is the cameras. I didn't really miss having a camera on my iPad until I started having "Kodak moments" during which I'd wished I had SOME kind of camera on me. The FaceTime thing seems cool but I doubt I'll use it because I know so few people who are technologically inclined enough to go beyond their desktop PCs.

Most appealing tome, however, is the better processing power and better graphics handling on top of the additional memory. Now THAT excites me!

Michael "Spam, spam, bacon, eggs and spam. Hold the bacon and eggs." Sent from my iPad using iPF

 

[qnet]

Thanks for the reviews. I had no real issues with the original Ipad, other than the sound was kind of low on Netflix. I just wanted more storage. It sounds like the 2nd version is even more improved.

 

[madsquabbles]

On to my semi review
- Screen is much brighter than my Ipad 1 at the same settings.

is the dimmest setting brighter too? that would be a negative for me as i think the ipad doesn't get dim enough - got sensitive eyes.

 

[iPad-Sweden]

Got my iPad 2 3G 16gb all the way to Sweden , It was no WOW effect that I had hoped for, I do like the more "square" design better on my old iPad 3G 64Gb, but beside the weight Is the old one better fitted In my hands.

Faster yes (much)
Camera, hmmm not what I expected.
Weight, better
Design, My opinion, the old Is better.
Screen, Brighter

 

[Apple Newbie]

On to my semi review
- Screen is much brighter than my Ipad 1 at the same settings.

is the dimmest setting brighter too? that would be a negative for me as i think the ipad doesn't get dim enough - got sensitive eyes.

In my case Ipad 1 screen at 75% looks like the Ipad 2 screen at a little less than 50%. Could be an issue with my frist gen i didnt know about though. As none of the reviews i have read mention this.

 

[Mtnmedic]

Thanks for the reviews. I had no real issues with the original Ipad, other than the sound was kind of low on Netflix. I just wanted more storage. It sounds like the 2nd version is even more improved.

Actually...THAT has me excited, too...I'm hearing impaired and there are times when I struggle to hear a video or audio playback. Yay!

Michael "Spam, spam, bacon, eggs and spam. Hold the bacon and eggs." Sent from my iPad using iPF

 

[chiffchaff]

Things that are really noticeable for me are the thinner form (of course), faster performance, and brighter screen. The weight difference isn't real obvious to me but I sold my first iPad a few days ago and can't do a side by side comparison. Maybe if I did it would be very apparent. Just checked out the sound after reading this thread and and it does seem better too.

Saw some side by side screen caps from a game on Mac Rumors and the iPad2 seemed to have better contrast and brighter whites. Didn't expect that, it's nice. Overall the upgrade is worth it for me given how much I use my iPad. Gen 1 was and still is a great device, and did everything I needed it to. This just does it a bit better in several ways.

 

[Mtnmedic]

Things that are really noticeable for me are the thinner form (of course), faster performance, and brighter screen. The weight difference isn't real obvious to me but I sold my first iPad a few days ago and can't do a side by side comparison. Maybe if I did it would be very apparent. Just checked out the sound after reading this thread and and it does seem better too.

Saw some side by side screen caps from a game on Mac Rumors and the iPad2 seemed to have better contrast and brighter whites. Didn't expect that, it's nice. Overall the upgrade is worth it for me given how much I use my iPad. Gen 1 was and still is a great device, and did everything I needed it to. This just does it a bit better in several ways.

'nuff said. Can't wait to get mine!

Michael "Spam, spam, bacon, eggs and spam. Hold the bacon and eggs." Sent from my iPad using iPF

 

[FatalDesain]

The differences are so minor it's like comparing a new year of the same model car. This is the bottomline when you use it the both feel the same when you look at the screen they look the same. It only makes sense to me in my opinion for new users to buy.

I really wish apple would of done something with the screen because that is the main thing you interact with and look at. Maybe if they even had a special ipad2 app that makes it shine then maybe. Same apps and some might run 1 percent faster big whoop.