The third-generation iPad's lower left-hand side tends to get warm when you use it, users have discovered, but exactly how warm? About 10°F warmer than the iPad 2, according to Tweakers.net. After seeing reports that the third-gen iPad was running hotter than its predecessor during normal usage, the site decided to run its own tests and measure the temperature changes between both the iPad 2 and iPad 3. Despite this discovery, however, Apple maintains that everything in the iPad 3 is operating as expected, and instructs customers to contact AppleCare with concerns.
We made note of the warmth of the iPad 3 when reviewing the device, but plenty of Ars readers and other users from around the Internet have chimed in on this phenomenon as well. Though none of us at Ars would describe the heat as scalding or painful, others have described it as "uncomfortable," and there's currently a 17-page (and growing) thread in the Apple Discussion Forums full of users discussing their experiences.
When the folks at Tweakers.net tested the problem, they ran GLBenchmark for five straight minutes on both the iPad 2 and iPad 3, then performed a thermal image comparison to see which one was running hotter and by how much. The result was that the iPad 2 measured at 28.3°C while the iPad 3's lower left side measured at 33.6°C—82.9°F and 92.48°F respectively.
92°F isn't enough to hurt your hand but it does definitely dabble on the warm-to-the-touch side. Apple, for its part, has largely remained mum on whether it considers the iPad 3's temperature to be an issue. When asked about the complaints, Apple spokesperson Trudy Muller told The Loop: "The new iPad delivers a stunning Retina display, A5X chip, support for 4G LTE plus 10 hours of battery life, all while operating well within our thermal specifications. If customers have any concerns they should contact AppleCare."
Update: Consumer Reports claims to have measured an iPad running at 116°F while playing Infinity Blade II.
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