iPad 3 vs iPad 4: the key differences

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Back in October of 2012, Apple threw the tech world for a loop by announcing the iPad 4. This was at the event where everyone was expecting the iPad mini, and the Cupertino firm made good on those rumors, but no one expected a successor to the iPad 3 so soon.

Yes, the poor iPad 3 was less than a year old when its was pushed from the spotlight. To add further insult to injury, Apple refers to the iPad 4 as iPad with Retina display, even though the iPad 3 was the first tablet with the signature high-density display.

The iPad 3 is now gone from Apple shelves and assembly lines. It's only available as a refurbished product when buying directly from Apple. The iPad 2, however, is still sold new, and serves as Apple's budget tablet offering.

But enough about confusing marketing practices, what are the actual differences between the two iPads? Is it worth plunking down the extra cash for the iPad with Retina aka iPad 4? Or should you save a little money and grab a (gently) used iPad 3? Let us break it down so you can decide just how broke you're going to go.

iPad 3 vs iPad 4: Screen

Both the iPad 3 and the iPad 4 come with Apple's Retina display. They both have a pixel density of 264ppi (pixels per inch). Not too shabby, but it's actually outdone by the iPhone 5, which is 326ppi. We think if Apple can make a 4-inch screen than dense, then an iPad mini 2 with Retina should be a given.

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