The iPad 2 might look dated when put side by side with the new iPad, but with a lower price tag of only $399, it would be tablet of choice for many, and now Apple seems to have made it even better. A new batch of iPad 2 tablets ships with Apple’s new 32nm A5 chip , an improvement that could bring up to 2 hours of additional battery life. Originally, the iPad 2 shipped with 45nm A5 chip.





The exact saving are 15.8% when browsing the web, 29% for intense gaming, and 18% for video playback, according to tests done by AnandTech.





The problem? There’s no way to tell whether the tablet you’re buying will feature the new 32nm chip or the old one. The new tablets are referred to as “iPad 2,4,” so if you see that number somewhere you could assume that it’s the new one. Officially, though, there’s no mention of it.





Question also remains why did Apple suddenly decide to ship a 32nm iPad 2, and one possible answer is that - apart from the obvious benefit for customers - the company will thus get deeper experience making 32nm chips.





The new chip is 40% smaller than the original one, drains nearly 30% less power, and is much cheaper for Samsung to make, so maintaining those profit margins is a possible explanation. It could further use that expertise for the next iPhone. And that’s already a good prospect, isn’t it?









All images courtesy of Chipworks.







