iPad heat tests, round one: Warmer, but not yet a problem

Numerous reports of new iPads getting unexpectedly toasty have plastered the Web today. CNET Labs ran our own, independent tests, and without too much beating around the bush, here are the results. All measurements were taken on the back of the tablet and all are reported in degrees Fahrenheit.

How we tested
We used Heat Seeker, an infrared gun-style thermometer, useful when measuring heating ducts, car batteries, electrical circuits, etc. We tested both the new iPad and iPad 2, measuring each tablet's temperature at the four back corners, as well as the Apple logo in the middle.
First, we let each tablet cool down for about 20 minutes, then powered them on and took the initial measurements with the screen at full brightness.

Games
Thanks to their high processing power requirements, games are the quickest way to sap your battery and generate heat. After the initial measurement, we played Infinity Blade 2 (arguably, the most graphically impressive iPad game to date) for 15 minutes with Wi-Fi on, before stopping and taking more temperature measurements from the same spots. We then turned off the tablets and let them cool for about 15 minutes before starting them again, adjusting the brightness to 50 percent and playing Infinity Blade 2 for another 15 minutes, taking more measurements after.

Movies
After allowing the iPads to rest for another 15 minutes, we watched a Netflix movie for an additional 15 minutes at full brightness. We used AT&T's 4G network since, in our experience, 4G devices have a tendency to get noticeably warmer than devices running on 3G networks. After 15 minutes of streaming, we took more measurements. After another 15 minutes rest, we started the tablets up again and watched the same movie over Wi-Fi, taking even more measurements after.
So, is your coffee table in danger?!

The higher temperature generated by the new iPad compared with the iPad 2 was noticeable to the touch but not uncomfortably so. The warmest point on the iPad is definitely the corner opposite the speaker. In our initial tests it got up to 94 degrees, but it's important to put that number into perspective.
Ninety-four degrees may sound high, but that's actually less than your normal body temperature. For comparison, the Dell Inspiron 14z's temperature measured 99 degrees after 15 minutes of Netflix streaming.










by Eric Franklin March 20, 2012
http://news.cnet.com/8301-13579_3-57401047-37/ipad-heat-tests-round-one-warmer-but-not-yet-a-problem/

Category: Tablets