iPad 3 vs iPad 5th Gen

Swappasaurus says...
Apple released the iPad (3rd generation) in March 2012 and released the iPad (5th generation) in March 2017. The 3rd gen iPad features a 9.7” Retina display, a dual-core Apple A5X chip, and up to 64GB of storage. The 5th gen iPad features a 9.7” Retina display, an Apple A9 chip with 64-bit architecture and embedded M9 coprocessor, and up to 128GB of storage.
Price Comparison
iPad 3 vs iPad 5th Gen Pricing
Specs Comparison
The iPad (3rd generation) key specs include a 9.7” Retina display, an Apple A5X chip, up to 64GB of storage, a 5MP iSight rear camera, a VGA-quality FaceTime front camera, and a 30-pin dock connector. Additional specs for the iPad (3rd generation) include WiFi 802.11a/b/g/n, Bluetooth 4.0, a built-in speaker, and a micro-SIM card tray with assisted GPS with GLONASS on the WiFi + Cellular model. The iPad (5th generation) key specs include a 9.7” Retina display, an Apple A9 chip with 64-bit architecture and embedded M9 coprocessor, up to 128GB of storage, an 8MP rear camera, a 1.2MP FaceTime HD front camera, a Lightning connector, and a home button with Touch ID. Additional specs for the iPad (5th generation) include WiFi 802.11a/b/g/n/ac, Bluetooth 4.2, built-in stereo speakers, and a nano-SIM card tray with assisted GPS with GLONASS on the WiFi + Cellular model.
Size | iPad 3 | iPad 5th Gen |
---|---|---|
Width | 170 mm 6.7 inches | |
Height | 240 mm 9.5 inches | |
Depth | 8 mm 0.3 inches | |
Weight | 478 g 16.9 ounces |
The iPad (3rd gen) measures 9.50” (H) x 7.31” (W) x 0.37” (D). The WiFi-only model weighs 1.44 pounds and the WiFi + Cellular model weighs 1.46 pounds. In comparison, the iPad (5th gen) measures 9.4” (H) x 6.6” (W) x 0.29” (D). The WiFi-only model weighs 1.03 pounds and the WiFi + Cellular model weighs 1.05 pounds. The iPad (3rd gen) and the iPad (5th gen) feature a 9.7” display size.
Camera | iPad 3 | iPad 5th Gen |
---|---|---|
Primary | 8.0 MP | |
Resolution | 3264x2448 |
The iPad (3rd gen) features a VGA-quality FaceTime camera on the front and a 5MP iSight camera on the back. Camera features include auto-focus, tap-to-focus, face detection, and 1080p HD video recording. The iPad (5th gen) features a 1.2MP FaceTime HD camera on the front and an 8MP iSight camera on the back. Camera features include live photos, auto-focus, tap-to-focus, face detection, HDR for photos, 1080p HD video recording, and slo-mo video recording at 120fps.
Display | iPad 3 | iPad 5th Gen |
---|---|---|
Resolution | 1536x2048 | |
Screen Size | 246 mm 9.7 in | |
Pixels Per Inch | ppi | 264 ppi |
The iPad (3rd gen) and the iPad (5th gen) feature a 9.7-inch LED-backlit glossy widescreen Retina display with a fingerprint-resistant oleophobic coating, and a native resolution of 2048 x 1536 at 264 pixels per inch.
Battery | iPad 3 | iPad 5th Gen |
---|---|---|
Capacity | mAh | 8827 mAh |
Longevity | hours | 10 hours |
USB | Lightning |
The iPad (3rd gen) features a built-in 42.5-watt-hour rechargeable lithium-polymer battery, and the iPad (5th gen) features a 32.4-watt-hour battery. The battery capacities for both models allow for up to 10 hours of battery life on the WiFi-only model, and up to 9 hours of battery life on the WiFi + Cellular models. The iPad (3rd gen) charges via a 30-pin dock connector port and the iPad (5th gen) charges using a Lightning port.
Color Choices
iPad 3 vs iPad 5th Gen Colors

The iPad 3rd generation is available in White or Black. The white and black coloring refers to the bezel color on the front and both color options feature a silver back. The iPad 5th generation is available in Silver, Gold, and Space Gray. The Silver and Gold models feature a White bezel on the front and the Space Gray features a Black bezel on the front.
Storage Options
iPad 5th Gen
Choose from 2 storage options:
-
32GB
-
128GB
iPad 3 vs iPad 5th Gen Storage

The iPad (3rd gen) is available with options for 16GB, 32GB, or 64GB of storage space. The iPad (5th gen) is available in 32GB and 128GB storage configurations.
iPad 3 vs iPad 5th Gen Reviews
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