Skip to content

How much better, really, is the retina display?

We all know that the new iPad’s retina display, at 2048×1536, is twice as big in each dimension as the previous iPad’s, or four times the total pixels. We also know that, according to Apple, its resolution is so high that your eye can’t distinguish individual pixels at “normal viewing distance.” But how much better, really, is the retina display than the iPad 2’s display?

You’ll have to see it to believe it. That’s the only real answer. Specs and numbers won’t cut it. Best case, put an iPad 2 and an iPad 3 side by side, and compare. But what if you don’t have both? How can we show you the difference here? It’s tricky, since the display you’re looking at probably doesn’t even have as many pixels as a retina display. But we’re going to try.

We of course believe that our Art Authority app, newly tuned for the retina display, is the best basis for comparison. Let’s start in its Renaissance room, where we’ve highlighted the framed representation of Jan van Eyck’s Arnolfini Portrait:

Compare-1-context

Following are pixel-by-pixel images of the highlighted part of that room on both displays. Click on the image to see all the detail (you can also zoom to full screen to see even better, but keep in mind you won’t be viewing pixel-by-pixel in that case). To keep things the way your eye really perceives them, pixels from the iPad 2 display take up 4 pixels in its image. We think you can tell which image is which:

Compare-1

Continuing, here’s the portrait hanging on the wall of the Renaissance Overview room. We’ve highlighted the thumbnails in the key work display that is beside it, along with a bit of its frame.

Compare-2-context

And here are the side-by-side, pixel-by-pixel comparisons:

Compare-2

Mona Lisa looks a little different, doesn’t she? Finally, here’s the whole picture, with the oft-analyzed mirror and other interesting items highlighted:

Compare-3-context

And side-by-side. Check out the artist’s signature and the left portion of the chandelier in particular.

Compare-3

We hope you now get the picture! Let us know what you think, and how our comparison might be improved. Thanks.

4 Comments

  1. Russ on March 27, 2012 at 2:13 am

    Love the paintings that are upgraded for the new iPad. Would love to see an option to download ultra high definition (e.g. 3000×4000 pixel) images. Any idea when we’ll see all the paintings with ultra high-def scans?

  2. MyArtStream on April 1, 2012 at 3:22 pm

    We pixelate into the future…

  3. tablet reviews 7 inch on May 19, 2013 at 8:34 am

    Appreciate the recommendation. Let me try it out.

  4. How Much Better Is The Ipad Retina Display | krijg je iPad nu nederland on September 18, 2014 at 10:40 pm

    […] How much better , really, is the retina display ? // Art … – But how much better, really, is the retina display than the iPad 2′s display? … pixels from the iPad 2 display take up 4 pixels in its image…. […]

Leave a Comment





Categories

Archives

All art prints and images on this website are copyright their respective owners.
All rights reserved. Website ©2020 ArtAuthority LLC
Site Handcrafted in Ashland, Oregon by Project A