Apple has played down reports that the new iPad has overheating issues, despite reports that the tablet runs up to 13 degrees hotter than the iPad 2.
US based Consumer Reports has run a detailed thermal imaging scan, which compared the new iPad with the iPad 2.
When running the resource-hungry game Infinity Blade II for 45 minutes, the new iPad was found to reach temperatures of 116F (46.6C) when plugged in. The third-generation iPad was found to be 12F hotter than the iPad 2 when plugged in and 13F (6.5C) higher when unplugged, the consumer watchdog noted.
However, Apple has gone on record as stating that users should not worry about the heat generated by the new iPad.
"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," an Apple spokesperson in a statement.
The cause of the extra heat is likely due to the use of 42.5Wh battery, which is double the size used in the iPad 2. Other reports also suggest that the quad-core GPU, 4G LTE technology and Retina display may also be generating extra heat.
Hundreds of Apple users have taken to the forums to express their concern about the heating issues, with some even joking about frying eggs on the device.
"It's a hot one, I think I will use it to fry my eggs in the morning. Also loves to eat up the battery," noted OzziesMAC in the Apple Forum.
Another user known as Malageno also expressed concerned over his 32GB Wi-Fi only model.
"It's not too hot to hold yet, but it seems to be getting hotter the more it's on. The heat on mine is concentrated on the bottom-left (if you're holding it with the home button at the bottom) although the whole left side seems to be hotter than the right side," the user noted.
IT Pro is in possession of both a 4G new iPad and Wi-Fi only version and so far only the 4G device is prone to heating up, especially at the bottom left-hand corner near the home button. This is considerably hotter than the iPad 2, which did not present any overheating issues.
The heat generated does not render the new iPad unusable, but is certainly noticeable when carrying out intensive tasks such as web browsing, playing videos and games. It remains to be seen whether any damage is done to internal components during prolonged usage. Some users have suggested that turning down the brightness helps cool the device down, but this is not an ideal fix.
Consumer Reports previously refused to recommend the iPhone 4 for purchase, due to the issues with reception. The watchdog stated that the device had a design defect, and Apple subsequently offered a free bumper or refund to every user.
