AAPL Company

The new iPad is here and it has a Retina Display packing a million more pixels than your HD TV

9to5 Staff | Mar 7 2012 - 10:26 am PT

In case you had any doubts, Apple just unveiled at a media event in San Francisco the new iPad and boy does it have that ultra-high resolution display you have clamored for. Apple’s marketing honcho said, “Until you see it, you can’t understand how amazing it is.” The screen itself packs in a 2048-by-1536-pixel resolution, or 3.1 million pixels, for “the most ever in a mobile device.”

This screen resolution on a 9.7-inch display translates to a pixel density of 264 pixels per inch, which is less than the 326 pixels per inch on the iPhone 4/4S. However, when holding the device at 15 inches away (the iPhone is typically held at 10 inches away), your eye is unable to distinguish the individual pixels—hence the Retina moniker.

We’re allowed to call 264 pixels per inch Retina because you hold it further from your face.

Another interesting aspect: With a 2048-by-1536-pixel resolution, the new iPad has a million more pixels than your HDTV. It also has 44 percent greater saturation. Moreover, Apple upgraded the processor with quad-core graphics, naming the enhanced chip the “A5X.” to drive all those pixels. Executives bragged on stage that the device has more memory and a higher screen resolution than an Xbox 360 or PlayStation 3 console.

Related Articles