'iPad 3' Reviews: Who Felt Apple's New Tablet Heating Up -- And Who Didn't?

When Apple's handpicked stable of gadget critics reviewed the new iPad, they made sure to highlight that it could be used as a wireless hotspot.

But most failed to mention the tablet's other hot spot: the lower lefthand corner of the tablet, to be precise, which according to a growing number of customer complaints, can become hot to the touch, and even "too hot to hold," after use.

Frustrated iPad users have left more than a dozen pages of posts on Apple forums alleging that their new tablets are overheating. Consumer Reports confirmed Tuesday that the new iPad "can run significantly hotter than the earlier iPad 2 model when running an action game," and hit temperatures as high 116 degrees Fahrenheit during tests, or 12 to 13 degrees higher than the second generation iPad during similar use.

For most, the new iPad's hot spot doesn't make the device unusable, (Consumer Reports notes, "When it was at its hottest, it felt very warm but not especially uncomfortable if held for a brief period.") but it's nonetheless aggravated more than a few users (and created enough of a buzz to warrant a response from the usually comment-less Apple).

Most iPad reviewers made no mention of the issue in their reviews of Apple's latest tablet, and TechCrunch's M.G. Siegler, SlashGear's Vincent Nguyen and The Verge's Josh Topolsky were the only gadget reviewers in a group of ten who received the iPad ahead of its official launch to call out the iPad's hot spot.

"One other slight downside which I have to assume is related to either the battery or the LTE functionality is that unlike previous iPad models, the new iPad does get noticeably warm in the lower left corner after prolonged use. It’s never hot, just warm. But again, I never noticed this on other models," Siegler wrote.

Nguyen said he noticed the tablet heating up a bit in the same corner while processing HD video clips, though it was "Nothing anywhere near uncomfortable to hold," he noted.

The Verge's Joshua Topolsky also highlighted the iPad's heat in his review, writing, "I did notice the device getting a bit warm when I was using LTE for extended periods of time, but that's pretty common for most 4G products I've tested." When asked about the issue by a reader, Topolsky responded, "It does warm up a bit, especially on LTE. Nothing crazy. You couldn't cook an egg on it or anything. I did try a number of times, too."

Nothing on the heat from MacWorld, Daring Fireball, Bloomberg, The Loop, the Wall Street Journal, the New York Times or USA Today.

Maybe it's nothing -- just a few sensitive-handed users looking for a crack, any crack, in the iPad's "slinky" facade, and a slight annoyance. Will anyone not buy the new iPad because of it? Already, a record 3 million were sold over the device's first weekend in stores.

When our own Captain Gadget asked Apple to respond to allegations of the device overheating, Apple merely said the iPad "operat[es] well within our thermal specifications."

But is it something you'd like to have heard from a reviewer? Let us know in the comments below.

Take a look through the following slideshow to see what iPad reviewers did complain about.

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• No FaceTime Over 4G

  The Verge's Dieter Bohn found a small but "vexing" problem <a href="http://www.theverge.com/2012/3/14/2873026/new-ipad-facetime-lte" target="_hplink">while attempting to use FaceTime over the new iPad's 4G network.</a> "[A]ttempting to initiate a FaceTime call over LTE fails out with a message exhorting you to connect to a Wi-Fi network," he wrote. While it has always been true that FaceTime only worked on Wi-Fi and not over cellular networks, Bohn points out that this is especially annoying when you can turn your Verizon iPad into an LTE hotspot, which would allow you to FaceTime on other devices <a href="http://www.theverge.com/2012/3/14/2873026/new-ipad-facetime-lte" target="_hplink">but not on the iPad acting as the hotspot.</a> <a href="http://techcrunch.com/2012/03/14/the-new-ipad-review/" target="_hplink">TechCrunch's MG Siegler echoes Bohn's complaint</a> about FaceTime being available only via Wi-Fi, "despite the fact that the LTE networks are so much faster (faster than my WiFi even), Apple says that FaceTime will still be WiFi-only for now."

• HD Content Wows On The Retina Display, Non-HD Doesn't

  Reviewers found that enhanced apps and high-definition movies look amazing on the iPad's mind-blowing Retina display, but they noted with disappointment that non-HD content doesn't quite shine. According to Macworld, <a href="http://www.macworld.com/article/1165849/review_the_third_generation_ipad.html" target="_hplink">un-enhanced apps look super pixelated on the Retina screen</a>: "Non-Retina apps look more or less like they did on previous iPads -- but on the new iPad's Retina display those pixels really stand out." While <a href="http://www.nytimes.com/2012/03/15/technology/personaltech/the-new-ipad-is-much-the-same-only-better.html?_r=2&pagewanted=1&ref=technology" target="_hplink">the New York Time's David Pogue</a> calls the iPad "the world's first tablet that can actually show you hi-def movies in full 1080p high definition,</a>" he also notes that Netflix doesn't currently offer movies in high-def for the iPad, so many average consumers won't be able to enjoy all the new iPad's display has to offer.

• Comparatively Weak Front-Facing Camera

  While The Verge's Joshua Topolsky praised the video and photo capabilities of the rear camera <a href="http://www.theverge.com/2012/3/14/2870533/ipad-review" target="_hplink">he was less enthused about the front-facing module, writing:</a> <blockquote>Around front, you can expect the same basic quality of the last generation iPad -- which means it's nothing to write home about. It would have been nice to see at least a 720p shooter on the flip side of the tablet considering how hard Apple's been trying to push FaceTime, but you're stuck with VGA here.</blockquote>

• No Siri

  Many were surprised that Apple's voice-activated assistant Siri wasn't one of the iPad's upgrades. A new dictation feature allows users to get around some of the problems that the device's virtual keyboard presents, but as Pogue writes for the Times, <a href="http://www.nytimes.com/2012/03/15/technology/personaltech/the-new-ipad-is-much-the-same-only-better.html?pagewanted=2&_r=2&ref=technology" target="_hplink">that's as close to Siri that the new tablet users will get</a>. Users will have to pour one out for the rest of Siri's features, including "the ability to set alarms, send text messages, look up calendar appointments and snag facts from the Web just by asking out loud," Pogue lists. SlashGear also laments the absence of Siri, <a href="http://www.slashgear.com/new-ipad-review-3rd-gen-14218465/" target="_hplink">citing it as the biggest omission in the new iPad. </a>

• Warm Corner

  It's a good indication of how much the reviewers are loving the iPad <a href="http://techcrunch.com/2012/03/14/the-new-ipad-review/" target="_hplink">when one of the main complaints in TechCrunch's review is about a corner of the iPad that heats up after prolonged use.</a> After praising the screen and the speed, MG Siegler seems almost embarrassed complaining about one corner heating up: <blockquote>One other slight downside which I have to assume is related to either the battery or the LTE functionality is that unlike previous iPad models, the new iPad does get noticeably warm in the lower left corner after prolonged use. It's never hot, just warm. But again, I never noticed this on other models.</blockquote>

• Nice Stuff Takes Up Space

  <a href="http://www.macworld.com/article/1165849/review_the_third_generation_ipad.html" target="_hplink">According to tests conducted by Macworld, </a>the enhanced apps consume up to three times as of the iPad's storage space as un-enhanced apps. MG Siegler worried in his review that the enhanced apps and high-definition movies, which "you'll obviously want" <a href="http://techcrunch.com/2012/03/14/the-new-ipad-review/" target="_hplink">will take up precious iPad storage space.</a> "On the iPad I'm testing out, I have three pages of apps, a few hundred photos, one HD movie, and one music album. It's really not that much stuff, but it takes up over 20 GB of storage. The apps alone are over 10 GB of that," he says.

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Comments

[CharlieLim]

03:47 AM on 11/18/2012

wrote to apple customer feedback about the third gen ipad heating up too much. don't know if they will answer me since about 1million other people have the same problem. I have had the same problem with my samsung S2 that heated up and my Hardware broke, the customer service guy could not say anything but the hardware broke we cannot do anything about it.
I am sure that apple will do the same thing.

[Michelle19c]

03:19 PM on 09/28/2012

I had the same problem with my new iPad, the wifi range was really poor. A friend suggested trying the "Forget This Network" reset method, which used to work on the older models, but this didn't improve the wifi range at all. Right when I lost all hope, I came across WIRED magazine and found a review of Pong Research cases. After seeing the great feedback on their products, I bought one and it finally put an end to the problem. Besides that, this also comes with an improved version of the Apple Smart Cover which asides from retaining the sleep/wake function, because of its origami design, you can fold it and stand it in 5 different positions - very cool in my opinion!

[Snehal Shah]

08:51 PM on 03/23/2012

My initital configuration and the iPad 3 heats up! Heating problem is real!

[Belize]

09:42 AM on 04/04/2012

I am a first-time Apple user and yes, immediately noticed the overheating issue.

Really it is not unlike the normal heat you feel from the lower portion of any laptop. But as a handheld device, it is more noticeable - especially if you live in a warm climate or the tropics where we we are located.

I wrote a review of the iPad 3 in Belize that travelers or expats may find useful:

http://belize.com/blog/ipad-in-central-america/

[salkoc]

08:38 PM on 03/23/2012

got the new product and also had ipad 1 . for 600 dollars i expect almost perfect . being annoyed at a heating product or even thinking about it as my kid plays with it is not worth 600 dollars.
i returned my ipad 3 . i will let them fix the problem ....because it is a problem.
i also expect adobe flash , siri and maybe even a docking station in the future.

aapl lost some of its hype with me.

[Ben Evans]

02:53 PM on 03/23/2012

Photographers should be aware that the new iPad (3) with its resolution of 2048x1536 requires moving on from all those 600px high jpegs!

I've just got mine (my first iPad actually) based on the screen. It is THAT good. First impressions and tips for how photographers can optimise their iPad 3 here;

http://www.englishphotographer.com/review-ipad-3-photography/

Thanks,

Ben

[Christos Vladenidis]

04:12 PM on 03/22/2012

nothing bad to try to make yourself happy. the vast majority of the people rushing for ipad don't even remotely think that it's going to make their lives better or that it will solve any real life problems, they just have the money and want to participate in something fun... and ipad will offer them along the road some hours of enjoyment. after all, life no matter what you do is short and full of problems and full of repeatable everyday chores. there is nothing bad in entertaining yourself, "feeling the hype" and even getting excited about something every now and then... now if you get to sell your kidneys to get an ipad (as some dude did last year in china), well then THAT'S a different story.

[justmeblue5ft3]

06:49 PM on 04/02/2012

I really like my new iPad it does not heat up, not once since day one. I saved for a very long time to get one now. I am disabled and at times can't get out of a chair or bed I was put on oxygen when i was 30 years old after a deadly pneumonia left me with massive lung damage so it's VERY nice to be able to read, write, work with my graphics, and not just have to be stuck somewhere like a lump on my bad days. I really do love it. I only have the Wifi model.

[Adrianna Salazar]

03:13 PM on 03/22/2012

The ipod is really cool and awsome :)

[realmichaud]

05:26 PM on 03/21/2012

ipad = joke

[GoldenLife]

10:39 AM on 03/21/2012

For some reason, mine has not had this problem.
Fingers crossed that it remains as such.

[PhillyKing]

09:50 AM on 03/21/2012

that's no surprise... people are sheep and refuse to educate themselves about anything and instead just rush out to buy whatever has the latest hype... most in the tech sector know u have to test run a device before buying it (why do you think stores have usable models on display)... the tech reviewers have been a joke when it comes to apple products... they 'sometimes' list their shortcomings but still manage to give them 5star reviews... go figure... they all go out of their way to heap praise on apple cause it's no secret that apple will cut them off if they piss apple off...

[tainteddr34ms]

01:24 PM on 03/21/2012

If people actually educated themselves, they'd know that any device with the new ipad's specs is going to produce some heat and when a case is so small there's no room for fans or vents, the case itself will heat up. And considering the ipad 3's specs, 116f isn't very hot at all when running an advanced video game.

[PhillyKing]

01:56 PM on 03/21/2012

huh??? which comment are you replying to??? this is an article on the tech reviewers that dont actually 'review' but instead act like star struck fans when it comes to apple reviewing...

but in reference to ur comment... "116f isn't very hot at all when running an advanced video game."... the device is a 'hand held' device... most people would hold it for long times while using it... 116f is not burning but neither is it comfortable for any long period... you can't change facts no matter how hard you try to paint the ipad3 in good light... the fact is apple could release whatever they want with whatever bugs they want and the sheep will still line up to buy... i know most corps would kill for that kind of fandom but sheep are sheep.

[RunNewtRun]

02:03 PM on 03/21/2012

taintedd: yes this makes sense. Mine gets a bit warm, not hot at all. Thanks for the analysis.

[DJL461]

01:33 AM on 03/21/2012

3 MILLION of these suckers sold in 4 days. Those poor Chinese folks literally cannot make these fast enough. I fear there may be some collateral damage for the poor, exhausted factory drones. Ah well...it is surely a small price to pay so that some hipster in Williamsburg can be the first one on the L train with one.

Surely a sign of the imminent apocalypse that, in lemming-like fashion, 3 million people simultaneously decided they just HAD to own the latest $600 piece of electronic gadgetry destined for near-immediate obsolescence. Congratulations.

Tablet computers are a consumer phenomenon just a few years old, yet now everyone MUST have one anyway, and as soon as they roll out of the factory, despite the fact that they only recently learned such a device even existed.

Put down your gadgets, my friends, they are but a fool's paradise. Word.

[PatricktPDX]

02:57 AM on 03/21/2012

Balance

[RunNewtRun]

12:33 PM on 03/21/2012

Having the "latest electronic gadgetry" is actually a lot of fun. And it is not destined for near-immediate obsolescence. You should not buy into any marketing that tries to tell you otherwise.

[cynic532]

02:28 PM on 03/21/2012

Isn't the new iPad replacing the one that came out last year sometime? Yes - I would certainly call that "near-immediate obsolescence." Get a clue.

[cynic532]

02:30 PM on 03/21/2012

P.S. Your boy Newt is toast. And rightly so.

[nightfly4257]

08:33 PM on 03/20/2012

Apple finally has a name for the new iPad, they now call it the Heat Pad

[Pectin]

11:06 PM on 03/21/2012

Come up with that yourself, did you?

[nightfly4257]

07:06 AM on 03/22/2012

No, I had help. We came with it during a group discussion.