Design and Build

(2012) contained within it the 9.7-inch-size version of the iPad 3 that was made of an aluminum body with circular corners. Its dimensions of 9.5 x 7.31 x 0.37 inches (241.2 x 185.7 x 9.4 mm) and the fact that it weighed 1.44 pounds (652g Wi-Fi, 662g 4G) made it a good fit to be used as the one-hand operational device. The product was also available in Silver with a black or white bezel color trim, had a Home button and a 30-pin connector. However, the iPad 3 was not designed to accommodate the Apple Pencil or keyboards. The iPad 3, being devoid of the IP rating, did not secure any degree of protection against water, dust, etc. It is admired for the durability it boasts but criticized for being overly thick and heavy in comparison to the iPad 2 and having an outmoded connector.

• Aluminum chassis with rounded edges
• Home button, no Touch ID
• 30-pin connector
• No Apple Pencil or keyboard support
• No water/dust resistance

iPad 3 Display

The iPad 3 was equipped with a 9.7-inch Retina IPS LCD display (2048 x 1536, 264 PPI) featuring a 60Hz refresh rate, as well as measuring at 400 nits of brightness, and delivering neither True Tone nor wide color gamut. The display was unbonded and so was incompatible with Apple's Pencil. The Retina display, compared with the iPad 2, was a major step forward in terms of color reproduction, sharpness, and did an excellent job in showing media content and text. Although its colors and lines were found by users to be crystal clear, it had only a nominal capacity as far as outdoor visibility was concerned and had a metallic-coated surface which was checked for fingerprints.

• 9.7-inch: Retina IPS LCD, 60Hz
• Resolution: 2048 x 1536, 264 PPI
• Brightness: ~400 nits
• No True Tone or wide color
• Scratch-resistant glass, oleophobic coating

Performance and Software

As a creature of the Apple A5X chip (2-cores CPU, quad-cores PowerVR SGX543MP4 GPU), the iPad 3 came with 1GB of RAM as well as storage choices of 16GB ($499), 32GB, or 64GB (up to $699). By the time it was being offered with iOS 5.1 (it was later upgradable to iOS 9.3.5), it was still deprived of some of the latest features, including more advanced multitasking, and the like. The A5X processor, in order to provide precise and efficient operation via the Retina display, was embedded with an improved graphics core, which was a direct replacement for the A5 used in the iPad 2. The A5X chip was, however, unable to handle all the new applications being released at the time. The device was said to offer a satisfactory level of performance for a 2012 tablet, but was laden with too many software restrictions and ran on a very old iOS for modern use.

• Apple A5X chip, 2-core CPU, quad-core GPU
• 1GB RAM
• Storage: 16GB, 32GB, 64GB
• iOS 5.1 (up to iOS 9.3.5)
• No Apple Intelligence support

The A5X supports the Retina display but is outdated, with iOS 9.3.5 limiting functionality for modern tasks.

Camera System

The iPad 3 got a 5MP rear side camera (f/2.4) that supports 1080p video at 30 fps and.a 0.3MP VGA front camera (f/2.4, 480p at 30 fps). It does not have HDR, Center Stage, or LiDAR feature.

• Rear: 5MP (f/2.4)
• Front: 0.3MP (VGA, f/2.4)
• Video: 1080p 30fps (rear), 480p 30fps (front)
• No advanced features

Battery and Charging

The iPad 3 has an 11560mAh battery, lasting ~10 hours for video playback and 8–9 hours in real-world use (e.g., browsing, apps). It supports 10W charging via the 30-pin connector (full charge in ~5 hours), with a 10W charger included. No fast or wireless charging is available. Battery life is solid despite the power-hungry Retina display, matching the iPad 2. Users report good endurance for light tasks but note slow charging times.

• Battery: 11560mAh
• Video playback: ~10h
• Real-world: 8–9h
• 10W wired charging
• 10W 30-pin charger included

Connectivity

The iPad 3 has an 11560mAh battery, lasting ~10 hours for video playback and 8–9 hours in real-world use (e.g., browsing, apps). It supports 10W charging via the 30-pin connector (full charge in ~5 hours), with a 10W charger included. No fast or wireless charging is available. Battery life is solid despite the power-hungry Retina display, matching the iPad 2. Users report good endurance for light tasks but note slow charging times.

• Wi-Fi 4 (802.11n)
• Bluetooth 4.0
• 4G LTE (cellular models)
• Micro-SIM
• GPS: A-GPS, GLONASS (4G)
• 30-pin connector

Pricing and Availability

The iPad 3 supports Wi-Fi 4 (802.11n), Bluetooth 4.0, and optional 4G LTE on cellular models ($629+). It includes a micro-SIM and GPS (A-GPS, GLONASS on 4G models). The 30-pin connector limits data transfer speeds. Connectivity is improved over the iPad 2 with 4G support, but it’s outdated compared to modern standards like Wi-Fi 6 or 5G. Users report stable Wi-Fi and 4G connections but note slow speeds by today’s standards.