iPad’s LED backlight could be source of excess heat, expert claims

Since the release of the new iPad, the Internet has been overrun with concerns that Apple’s flagship tablet was overheating. The complaints led Consumer Reports to conduct a heat test, which determined the device ran 12 degrees warmer than its predecessor during heavy gaming. The Cupertino-based company, however, maintains that the new tablet is “operating well within our thermal specifications.” Raymond Soneira, president of DisplayMate Technologies, spoke with CNET on Tuesday and said that the LED backlight is most likely the reason for the new iPad’s heating issues “The LED power at maximum brightness is 2.5 times that of the iPad 2. They had to jack up the number of LEDs so the peak brightness is the same as on the iPad 2. That absolutely makes it warmer,” Soneira said. “So, not only do the LEDs need two and a half times more power but the battery is going to run warmer.” The display expert continued, “Look at it this way, the [number of] LEDs is 2.5X compared to the iPad 2, and the battery is 1.7X [larger], so what happens is that if you run your new iPad at full brightness, the battery run time is less because you only put in 70 percent more battery but you’re using 150 percent more power.”

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