Latest iPad 2: A gamer's perspective

Speed-Sporting Apple's new A5 chip, the iPad 2 is powered by a dual-core processor -- delivering roughly twice the performance over the first iPad -- and you will notice the increase in speed when loading and running apps.Memory-intensive games such as Infinity Blade and Back to the Future Episode 1 HD play very smoothly, too. Apple says graphics performance is up to nine times better than its predecessor -- and while that number seems awfully high, you can see a marked improvement. As a test, I launched and played the same games on the iPad and iPad 2 side-by-side, and there's no comparison.

Design-One-third thinner than the original, iPad 2 feels better in your hands and is easier to slip into a backpack, briefcase or large purse -- not that the first iPad was a chunker or anything. But 33% slimmer is something you'll see and feel immediately.While it's not considerably lighter than its 1.5-pound predecessor, the 1.33-pound iPad 2 (or 1.35-pound 3G versions) will likely be more comfortable in your hands for long-term gaming, as well. As such, the iPad 2 is lighter than some tablets, such as the Motorola Xoom's hefty 1.65-pound weight, but heavier than others, such as the upcoming BlackBerry PlayBook at 0.9-pounds (but it's a 7-inch device).Apple didn't ramp up the resolution on its 9.7-inch touchscreen, but it still looks beautiful. Finger taps, swipes and other gestures are just as accurate in games and other apps....Read more

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