iPad 3 vs iPad 9th Gen

Name: Apple iPad 3
Brand: Apple
SKU: apple-ipad-3
Availability: InStock
Rating: 4.6 (5 reviews)

Guide

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Guide

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Swappasaurus says...

The iPad (3rd generation) was released in March 2012, and the iPad (9th generation) was released in September 2021. Features of the 3rd generation iPad include a 9.7” Retina display, a dual-core Apple A5X chip, and up to 64GB of storage. Features of the 9th generation iPad include a 10.2” Retina display, an Apple A13 Bionic chip with Neural Engine, and up to 256GB of storage.

Price Comparison

iPad 3

Low price:

$70

Avg price:

$72

How much does iPad 3 cost?

iPad 9th Gen

Low price:

$184

Avg price:

$250

What's the best iPad 9th Gen price?

iPad 3 vs iPad 9th Gen Pricing

iPad 3 prices start at $70, which is cheaper than the iPad 9th Gen low price of $184.

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Specs Comparison

The iPad (3rd generation) features 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. The 3rd generation iPad also features WiFi 802.11a/b/g/n, Bluetooth 4.0, a built-in speaker, a microphone, a 3.5mm headphone jack, and a micro-SIM card tray with assisted GPS with GLONASS on the WiFi + Cellular model. The iPad (9th generation) features include a 10.2” Retina display, an Apple A13 Bionic chip with Neural Engine, up to 256GB of storage, an 8MP rear camera, a 12MP ultra-wide front camera with Center Stage, a Lightning connector, and a home button with Touch ID for device security. The 9th generation iPad hardware feature set also includes WiFi 802.11ac, Bluetooth 4.2, stereo speakers, dual microphones, and a SIM card tray with GPS and GNSS on the WiFi + Cellular model.

Size

Size	iPad 3	iPad 9th Gen
Width		174 mm 6.9 inches
Height		251 mm 9.9 inches
Depth		8 mm 0.3 inches
Weight		487 g 17.2 ounces

The iPad (3rd gen) measures 9.50” (H) x 7.31” (W) x 0.37” (D) and features a 9.7” display size. The WiFi-only iPad (3rd gen) weighs 1.44 pounds and the WiFi + Cellular model weighs 1.46 pounds. In comparison, the iPad (9th gen) measures 9.8” (H) x 6.8” (W) x 0.29” (D) and features a 10.2” display size. The WiFi-only iPad (9th gen) weighs 1.07 pounds and the WiFi + Cellular model weighs 1.09 pounds.

Camera

Camera	iPad 3	iPad 9th Gen
Primary		8.0 MP
Resolution		3264x2448

The iPad (3rd generation) features a 5MP iSight camera on the back and a VGA-quality FaceTime camera on the front. The iPad (9th generation) features an 8MP camera on the back and a 12MP ultra-wide camera on the front with a 122-degree field-of-view. The 9th generation iPad also brought Center Stage as a new front-facing camera feature.

Screen

Display	iPad 3	iPad 9th Gen
Resolution		1620x2160
Screen Size		259 mm 10.2 in
Pixels Per Inch	ppi	265 ppi

The 3rd generation iPad features 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. The 9th generation iPad features a 10.2-inch LED-backlit multi-touch Retina display with a native resolution of 2160 x 1620 at 264 pixels per inch, a maximum brightness of 500 nits, and True Tone. The 9th gen iPad display also features a fingerprint-resistant oleophobic coating and support for the 1st gen Apple Pencil.

Battery

Battery	iPad 3	iPad 9th Gen
Capacity	mAh	8686 mAh
Longevity	hours	9 hours
USB		Lightning

The iPad (3rd gen) is powered by a built-in 42.5-watt-hour rechargeable lithium-polymer battery, and charges via a 30-pin dock connector. The iPad (9th gen) is powered by a built-in 32.4-watt-hour rechargeable lithium-polymer battery, and charges via a USB-C connector. The 3rd gen and the 9th gen battery capacities 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 model.

Processing

Processor	iPad 3	iPad 9th Gen
CPU		Apple A13 Bionic APL1085 / APL1W85 (T8030)

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Color Choices

iPad 3

Available in 3 colors:

Black
White
Gray

Which iPad 3 color should you buy?

iPad 9th Gen

Available in 2 colors:

Gray
Silver

Which color iPad 9th Gen is the most popular?

iPad 3 vs iPad 9th Gen Colors

The iPad 3 introduces one new color not found in the iPad 9th Gen color palette: Silver. Both the iPad 3 and iPad 9th Gen share one color: Gray. However, the iPad 3 does away with Black and White, previously seen on the iPad 9th Gen.

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The iPad (3rd generation) features a Silver back with an option for a Black or White bezel on the front around the display. The iPad (9th generation) is available in Silver or Space Gray. Both color options for the 9th generation iPad feature a Black bezel on the front around the display.

Storage Options

iPad 3

Choose from 3 storage options:

16GB
32GB
64GB

Which iPad 3 storage should I buy?

iPad 9th Gen

Choose from 2 storage options:

64GB
256GB

Which storage iPad 9th Gen is the most popular?

iPad 3 vs iPad 9th Gen Storage

The iPad 9th Gen introduces one new storage option not found on the iPad 3: 256GB. Both the iPad 3 and iPad 9th Gen share one storage option: 64GB. However, the iPad 9th Gen does not have options for 32GB and 16GB, as seen on the iPad 3.

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The 3rd generation iPad is available with 16GB, 32GB, or 64GB of storage space. In comparison, the iPad (9th gen) is available with 64GB or 256GB of storage.