The iPad 3G hit stores and customer mailboxes on Friday afternoon, but how does this slightly modified model compare against the original? Is the ability to use 3G worth the extra $130 per model? After spending the weekend using the iPad 3G and comparing it head-to-head with a Wi-Fi-only model, we hope we can help potential buyers figure out what iPad model might be best for them.
For my own comparison, I used a 32 GB Wi-Fi-only unit that was purchased on launch day and a 64 GB Wi-Fi+3G model that arrived Friday. Both units were connected via 802.11n to the same home network and my 3G tests were done in the area of my house that gives the best AT&T 3G s
Just as Apple sells separate iPod touch and iPhone devices, there are now two versions of the iPad: the original model released on April 3, 2010 “with Wi-Fi,” and now the iPad with Wi-Fi + 3G ($629-$829), which appeared in stores on April 30. Unlike the iPod touch and iPhone, which are currently differentiated by several significant features, the two iPad versions share virtually identical form factors and performance characteristics, but differ in three key ways: pricing, small cosmetic changes, and a few hardware tweaks. We discuss each of the differences in separate sections below, preserving the bulk of our original iPad with Wi-Fi review unchanged.
Worth mentioning up front is our belief that the 3G version of the iPad represents the future of the product line, and reflects an even more substantial undertaking by Apple in realizing its vision for mobile computing. The company has indeed negotiated an impressive deal with its U.S. partner AT&T for the iPad, albeit with serious issues that undercut the value of this model for iPhone 3G users, and call the wisdom of one of the pricing options into questions. Yet despite the reasons—primarily the lower cost—some users will surely prefer the iPad with Wi-Fi over the more expensive iPad with Wi-Fi + 3G, the value of anytime access to the Internet is particularly visible on a device with the iPad’s feature set. We’ll have more to say on this point in our final review.
Though the 3G modem is unlocked, Apple’s well-publicized choice of a microSIM rather than the more common GSM miniSIM means swapping the card between your phone and your iPad isn’t as straightforward as it could be. The AT&T microSIM Apple provide is preloaded, but you can trim down a miniSIM from another carrier to fit and slot that in instead. Meanwhile multiple carriers outside of the US have announced that they’ll be offering microSIMs for iPad use, so frequent travelers will likely be able to pick up a local card and use that instead of roaming. That’s useful, since international data is priced at $24.99 for 20MB, $59.99 for 50MB, $119.99 for 100MB or $199.99 for 200MB.
In the US, AT&T offer two packages (though of course you can also use the iPad 3G on WiFi only). $14.99 gets you 250MB of data and $29.99 gets you unlimited data; both plans are contract-free and you can activate and deactivate them as often as you want. For instance, if you wanted to have 3G service while travelling for two months out of the year, you could do so and pay $60 for unlimited data for that period. If you had to call AT&T every time that would quickly become tedious, so we’re glad to see Apple implementing an on-device data setup system which bills a credit card (as long as you have a regular, not PO Box, US mailing address) and gives warnings if your 250MB data allowance is running short. It’s worth noting that the 250MB expires 30 days after activation, so you can’t pay $14.99 for a chunk of data and then ration it out over several months.
