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iPad 3 not fast enough to support the Retina display?

Devs lowering resolution for graphically intense titles

iPad 3 not fast enough to support the Retina display?
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A breakdown of some of the top iOS titles by the tech-heads over at Digital Foundry has revealed that a number of the highest-profile Retina display-optimised games for the third-generation iPad are actually running at sub-Retina display resolutions.

Both Infinity Blade II and Mass Effect Infiltrator - two graphically demanding titles released prior to the new iPad going on sale - run at 'just' 1440x1080, significantly lower than the third-generation iPad's full resolution of 2048x1536.

Other power-hungry 3D games like Galaxy on Fire 2 and Riptide GP, on the other hand, run at full resolution but suffer from a lower framerate than their 1024x768 iPad 2-specific counterparts.

Bang for buck?

This news comes shortly after a number of high-profile developers (who wished to remain anonymous to avoid attracting the ire of Apple) spoke to our sister site PocketGamer.biz about the issue, with one saying, "it is a pity that the new iPad is not powered by the PowerVR series 6."

"Devs are in a dilemma situation now as they either have to go back to standard resolution or keep supporting Retina to be featured by Apple while facing unhappy customers and poor ratings."

However, while some believe Apple's latest touchscreen slate is underpowered, another developer believes it's too early to make a judgement call on the tablet's capabilities, saying that it had "a feeling it can really be pushed harder than people think. It just requires a bit more testing".

Will Wilson
Will Wilson
Will's obsession with gaming started off with sketching Laser Squad levels on pads of paper, but recently grew into violently shouting "Tango Down!" at random strangers on the street. He now directs that positive energy into his writing (due in no small part to a binding court order).