People seem to be gaga over the new display without even seeing it. How much difference does it really make? I thought the iPad2 already had a good display. Is it the kind of subjective debate between 720p and 1080p, or is it a really noticeable upgrade?
![[H]ard|Forum](/styles/hardforum/xenforo/logo_dark.png){kind=logo}
Whats the big deal with retina display on iPad?
- Thread starter walkman
- Start date
Empty_Quarter
2[H]4U
- Joined
- Dec 23, 2007
- Messages
- 2,247
It's "meh" to me, yeah sure, its a nicer screen, but it doesn't really change its functionality on my end.
Ocellaris
Fully [H]
- Joined
- Jan 1, 2008
- Messages
- 19,077
Find someone with an old iPhone (3GS) and someone with a new iPhone 4 or 4S. Or find someone with an old 320x480 Android phone.
View text or pretty much anything side by side on the two phones. The difference in clarity is dramatic. There is a huge difference in how good things look at high pixel densities.
Really? I found it to be terrible, compared to an iPhone 4 right next to it. My girlfriend has both and says the same. Reading Maps on the old iPad felt like giving me a headache due to low resolution and font smoothing. But maybe I'm a spoiled kid.
I guess one really has to see the difference between the old and the new screen. I'm not going to buy an iPad, but I am sure glad to see Apple force new hardware on other manufacturers, who as usually just keep producing the same old stuff and sell it as new (Xoom 2? Galaxy Tab 2? What the...)
Borgschulze
2[H]4U
- Joined
- Feb 28, 2005
- Messages
- 3,579
The pixel pitch on my laptop is small enough that I can't see the individual pixels (1920x1080 in a 15.6" chassis); I don't need higher resolution in a smaller screen for, well, anything. It's better than the iPad2, for sure, but it's basically just spec bloat since you could have made a display of subjectively equal quality at lower resolution.
They had to exactly double the resolution (as opposed to increase it by say a factor of 1.4) due to an early design decision. Unlike on Android, iOS developers work with the assumption of fixed pixel aspects, such as 1024x768 on the original iPad. Because Apple can't expect all developers to suddenly upgrade their countless apps to the new, higher resolution, the operating system implements an efficient automatic scaling mechanism that allows for backwards compatibility.
By efficient, I mean they're taking quite a few shortcuts because such scaling isn't trivial if done right - and in fact too heavy for a mobile ARM platform that it supposed to run for hours. Of course, the kind of scaling that is used doesn't do the image quality any good. Anybody who has an iPhone 4 must have seen those upscaled old apps; they look really blurry. That's what they look with scaling 2x. With odd scaling factors, they would look much, much worse.
It doesn't matter, except when it does matter. 
It's a feature that other tablet manufacturers don't have, and enables another element of polish to make it even more attractive to buyers and upgraders. For ebooks and browsing, it should make the iPad 3 at the top of its class once again.
I agree that for other users the upgraded GPU is an even better feature. I held off for months until the high res display models were released and now I'm really tempted to get one.
It's a feature that other tablet manufacturers don't have, and enables another element of polish to make it even more attractive to buyers and upgraders. For ebooks and browsing, it should make the iPad 3 at the top of its class once again.
I agree that for other users the upgraded GPU is an even better feature. I held off for months until the high res display models were released and now I'm really tempted to get one.
I don't get it either. Very overrated. And before you go telling me to compare, I have an iPad, iPod touch and my wife has an iPhone 4. The screen is nicer on the 4 but it's not earth shattering. There are other things i'd take over a retina display.
heatlesssun
Extremely [H]
- Joined
- Nov 5, 2005
- Messages
- 44,154
This will give Apple the best display in a tablet on the market and hopefully this kind of display will make its way into other devices.
soldierblue
Limp Gawd
- Joined
- Apr 20, 2010
- Messages
- 358
What's the big deal about 1440/1600p monitors? Since when would you guys not want a higher resolution display?
Zinn
2[H]4U
- Joined
- Jan 31, 2010
- Messages
- 3,430
I dunno guys, I was fine with 640x480 at 16 colors. And also Windows 3.1. All this new stuff is hard to keep up with.
Ocellaris
Fully [H]
- Joined
- Jan 1, 2008
- Messages
- 19,077
When that display is on an Apple product.
Yakk
Supreme [H]ardness
- Joined
- Nov 5, 2010
- Messages
- 5,810
That display should be very nice, and apple managed to ace nvidia (and all the other arm gpu chip designers) at their own game in the process, nice job on their part there, what nearly unlimited funding for R&D won't do...
Not that I would buy one anyways... eeeeks
Not that I would buy one anyways... eeeeks
dr.stevil
[H]F Junkie
- Joined
- Sep 26, 2008
- Messages
- 9,263
yup.
Having went from a 3GS to a iPhone 4, the difference is huge. I think someone really has to use both side-by-side for a while to really appreciate how much better everything looks and how much easier it is to read on.
Here's a page that shows comparison images:
http://www.pocket-lint.com/news/44811/ipad-retina-screen-how-good
http://www.pocket-lint.com/news/44811/ipad-retina-screen-how-good
I really want the ipad orkut for the resolution alone. But since it lacks basic functions such as hdmi out and a sdhc slot I'm not going to get one. I'll wait for other tablet makers to release higher rez screens.
dr.stevil
[H]F Junkie
- Joined
- Sep 26, 2008
- Messages
- 9,263
it has both... you just need the adaptor(s) which you can find really cheap via 3rd party. It beats using a mini-HDMI IMO
I have a ton if mini-hdmi cables already, thats not a big deal, last thing I want to do is get a bunch of add ons I need to carry with me. If the 1080 screens don't do much for me I'll probably get the new ipad but I would rather get a slower (and not notice it) tablet with a hi rez screen and these options for me thats already apart of the device.
I'm not anti-Apple, but it's ridiculous that the "Digital A/V Adapter" costs $40 and a SD *reader* + USB host ("Camera Connection Kit") costs another $30. If Apple wasn't so jealous about leaving out and sometimes locking out (profitable) useful "forgotten" features, compatible devices could be available for the couple of dollars each they are worth.
A good reason to have a SD slot is to cheaply and conveniently expand storage, but that would eat into Apple's marketing segmentation where it can add a hefty price into each incremental memory size model.
A good reason to have a SD slot is to cheaply and conveniently expand storage, but that would eat into Apple's marketing segmentation where it can add a hefty price into each incremental memory size model.
dr.stevil
[H]F Junkie
- Joined
- Sep 26, 2008
- Messages
- 9,263
Correct me if I'm wrong, but I believe the SD reader doesn't even let you use it as storage. It's only for transferring photos from your cameras SD card onto the iPad. So in that sense, it's actually a waste of money. It's not as convenient, but you can do the exact same thing with dropbox/icloud/itunes
I did see a device a while back that was a battery powered portable HDD for iOS (and possibly android). You turn it on, connect to it and can use that as extra storage. While nice for the people with a 16GB device, it doesn't seem very practical.
You are correct about the adapter, and with the hdd but again not something I would like to carry along with me on my trips.
Drop box is a good alternative but still isnt ideal as that requires an internet connection
Valshistixol
[H]ard|Gawd
- Joined
- Mar 25, 2011
- Messages
- 1,809
On that note, rumors are that Samsung is announcing a new tablet with a 2560x1600 screen on the 10th. Just rumors of course, I'll be pretty surprised if it's true.
I do really want to get a samsung tablet. Hopefully they deliver with it.
Its not a waste of money if you use it as intended. On my last trip I took only the iPad with me...no laptop. So I could still download photos from my camera and upload them to share with friends/family through the iPad. Wouldnt be able to if it wasnt for the CCK.
Yes, it is overpriced, but not completely worthless.
Virtualarc7
Limp Gawd
- Joined
- Mar 26, 2008
- Messages
- 147
i've been on the fence on the new ipad, the retina display is nice, i was hoping for siri and it to be the same thickness as the ipad 2
i would probably get one except i would need itunes (on windows its a terrible program imo) solely for the ipad and i am trying to come up with any and all excuses to wait for an android based equivalent (or similar)
so i hope that samsung rumor is true!
back to topic, i'd really like to see the new ipad display up close, the resolution on the retina display sounds nice but will the up-conversion of apps and such look decent on it or will it look like standard def cable channels on a hdtv - grainy and ugly?
*edit. spelling
i would probably get one except i would need itunes (on windows its a terrible program imo) solely for the ipad and i am trying to come up with any and all excuses to wait for an android based equivalent (or similar)
so i hope that samsung rumor is true!
back to topic, i'd really like to see the new ipad display up close, the resolution on the retina display sounds nice but will the up-conversion of apps and such look decent on it or will it look like standard def cable channels on a hdtv - grainy and ugly?
*edit. spelling
I am mainly paying attention to the people who have seen it. Their reaction certainly makes me want to see it:
Then there are the comparison shots. All in all, it certainly makes me want to check it out in person.
the big deal is that such resolutions were previously available only on pro 30" monitors ($1k+) and medical radiology displays ($5k+). The fact that apple managed to bring a device with such a resolution to a consumer market is huge.
I really hope this will start a new trend of making displays with high resolutions, instead of the terrible race to the bottom we've been seeing during the last 10 years. Display is one part of the computer that the human interacts with the most, there is no excuse for making it crappy.
I really hope this will start a new trend of making displays with high resolutions, instead of the terrible race to the bottom we've been seeing during the last 10 years. Display is one part of the computer that the human interacts with the most, there is no excuse for making it crappy.
martinmsj
[H]ard|Gawd
- Joined
- Mar 3, 2005
- Messages
- 1,581
It doesn't matter, except when it does matter.
It's a feature that other tablet manufacturers don't have, and enables another element of polish to make it even more attractive to buyers and upgraders. For ebooks and browsing, it should make the iPad 3 at the top of its class once again.
I agree that for other users the upgraded GPU is an even better feature. I held off for months until the high res display models were released and now I'm really tempted to get one.
I completely disagree here. I'm a Kindle (e-ink) owner here, for the amount of reading I do on my weekend mornings on my e-ink screen is sharper and so much better on my eyes. I look at LCD's all day at work (dev.) Give me a matte screen on that 3rd generation iPad and I may be able to work (play) with it longer. But even then, my kindle is still better on my eyes than the SIPS Matte Screen HP I have at work.
PS. Apple, give me a damn higher res matte screen option on the 13" already and take my money.
dr.stevil
[H]F Junkie
- Joined
- Sep 26, 2008
- Messages
- 9,263
yeah, the e-ink readers are nice for reading books but the problem is that they're a 'one trick pony'. They're not good for much anything else but reading ebooks unfortunately
Is it possible to add some sort of coating to glossy/glass displays to make them matte?
GoldenTiger
Fully [H]
- Joined
- Dec 2, 2004
- Messages
- 29,643
I paid $680 shipped including a 5-year warranty for my 2560x1600 30" Dell 3007WFP-HC years ago... it's great. However, a 10" screen with that kind of resolution is just too small to even see the benefit properly, and with how much trouble even dual-card high-end setups have running my resolution on my PC, I can't imagine trying to drive games on it with a mobile tablet CPU/GPU that is maybe 1/100th as powerful...
.On the other hand, I am glad to see SOMEONE stepping up to try to push displays forward a bit... I really would love to see higher resolutions than 2560x1600 be feasible for desktops, higher DPI + resolution total = better up to a point. The whole stagnation of displays lately has really gotten pretty tiresome. So, in conclusion, while Apple's taken it a little too far for that size device arguably, I'd rather they went overboard than not go far enough
! Still, I have a feeling getting attractive games going at reasonable framerates is going to be a little harder for me as a developer now on such a high resolution and low power capability
.wonderfield
Supreme [H]ardness
- Joined
- Dec 11, 2011
- Messages
- 7,396
What's the big deal with things being better than other things which aren't as good?
wabbitseason
[H]ard|Gawd
- Joined
- Jun 16, 2010
- Messages
- 1,511
Here's the reason this is retarded:
LCDs look like shit at non-native resolutions. Higher resolutions take much more computing power to drive smoothly. Tablets and smartphones are an idiotic place for extreme-resolution displays. You're shooting yourself in the foot by buying one of these iPad 3's, because the hardware could run things that look many times as good as the iPad 2 if it weren't for the outrageous resolution.
LCDs look like shit at non-native resolutions. Higher resolutions take much more computing power to drive smoothly. Tablets and smartphones are an idiotic place for extreme-resolution displays. You're shooting yourself in the foot by buying one of these iPad 3's, because the hardware could run things that look many times as good as the iPad 2 if it weren't for the outrageous resolution.
GoldenTiger
Fully [H]
- Joined
- Dec 2, 2004
- Messages
- 29,643
This, as I touched on above. Plus, even if that weren't a factor, the usefulness of such a high resolution on such a small display is questionable.
Ocellaris
Fully [H]
- Joined
- Jan 1, 2008
- Messages
- 19,077
Hell yeah, everyone should still be using 320x240 cell phones too.
But they don't, because the higher resolutions make things look better.
GoldenTiger
Fully [H]
- Joined
- Dec 2, 2004
- Messages
- 29,643
Not when it's beyond what you can even see on such a small screen. The resolution isn't "better", it's outright ridiculous to where it has no functional benefit and actually is a detriment overall due to the increased requirements to render. I guess things need to be spelled out for some people, despite already having been stated clearly.
martinmsj
[H]ard|Gawd
- Joined
- Mar 3, 2005
- Messages
- 1,581
yeah, the e-ink readers are nice for reading books but the problem is that they're a 'one trick pony'. They're not good for much anything else but reading ebooks unfortunately
Is it possible to add some sort of coating to glossy/glass displays to make them matte?
Having a device do as many things as possible (some great, some as gimmicks, some poorly but "magically") doesn't make a great device. (Oddly enough this was the original argument for the first iPhone verus Android debate.)
Additionally, the "e-book" feature is just not the same compared to the other features. E-book reading on the iPad may carry the same weight but not on an e-ink reader. When I talk e-books we talk novels and textbooks also, things you invest reading time longer than you would web browsing or playing games or reading a comic book on an iPad.
Also, the Kindle e-ink ready is less than a bill versus the 5 bills and more for the new iPad.
I read books and am also a dev. Right now I'm reading the Wizard of Oz series, Applied Modern Cryptography, and The Time Machine. (Sometimes a news publication distributed in e-book form.) Just recently had a mid term and a project proposal presentation. The amount of e-book reading I did doing on the kindle would me gouge my eyes out with a spoon if I did it on an iPad.
Last edited:
Ocellaris
Fully [H]
- Joined
- Jan 1, 2008
- Messages
- 19,077
So there is not functional benefit to having a high resolution phone either, since you hold those about the same distance from your eyes as most people hold tablets. Right?!?
Higher PPI displays clearly look better, I can't believe some people have a problem with this.