Earlier today, we mentioned how owners of the new 2012 iPad have been commenting on just how hot their tablets are becoming during operation. We’re well used to gadgets getting warm during periods of heavy use, so the question for the new iPad is just how hot does it really get, and is that ultimately warmer than with what users are comfortable? Consumer Reports wanted to quantify these claims of too-hot iPads with some hard numbers, and rigged up both a new iPad and an iPad 2 in front of thermal imaging cameras.

For its tests, CR ran Infinity Blade II for 45 minutes, with WiFi enabled but LTE off (to permit a more direct comparison against the iPad 2, we assume). Test were conducted with the iPads both plugged-in and when running solely on battery power.

The worst-case scenario was using a new iPad while plugged-in; under these circumstances, a portion of the back of the tablet reached a whopping 116 degrees Fahrenheit. Running on battery power alone drops that figure down to 113F, and both those figures decline about another 12 degrees when testing on an iPad 2. As if the heat wasn’t bad enough, the testers discovered the 2012 iPad wasn’t even charging while plugged-in and running the game.

Apple commented on the issue earlier, explaining that the new iPad is “operating well within our thermal specifications”. That’s a little less than reassuring, and only really tells us that Apple’s decided that its users will put up with 116F tablets. Based on sales figures, we’re inclined to agree with that assessment.

When it comes down to it, would you trade some of your new iPad’s battery life, or maybe its LTE radio, for a tablet that ran no hotter than the iPad 2?

Source: Consumer Reports, The Loop

Via: Consumerist, BGR