So I just bought the ipad3 last Saturday and I'm officially in love, though after about 30 minutes my left side of my iPad starts to get slightly warm, not hot or uncomfortable...but warm, is EVERYONE having this problem or is this something I should return? I don't want my iPad to get warm at all, I want it completely cool. I'm running the battery out now hoping this helps.
But does anyone have a new iPad that stays COMPLETELY cool? Or is this not possible?
1) No, everyone is not having this problem
2) No, this is not something you should return
3) Make sure the screen is not on 100% brightness, as that will cause it to get warm
4) if you want it cool always, you may want to return it and get an iPad 2.
This iPad as a larger capacity battery, a new GPU chip, and 4X the number of pixels that have to be lit to deliver you an image. Its thermal characteristics are that it will get warm under certain conditions (like 10% max bright screen and heavy graphics). I turned my screen on 100% brightness and used a temp probe on the back. After 36 minutes, the back was at 111 deg F. Consumer reports measured 116 deg F under different conditions. These temps are within Apples specs and the parts inside are able to ensure these kinds of temps with no problems (they are not human, so what is hot and/or warm for us is not hot and/or warm for them). Most chips can withstand temps to nearly 100 deg C (212 deg F).
So, the bottom line is if you don't like this, either use your iPad in a way such that you are driving the screen and GPU hard and it will stay cool. Or, if you are not willing to do that, and you can't live with these kinds of temps, you have to go back to an iPad 2. I never saw my iPad 2 get even slightly warm to the touch. The new iPad will get warm.