#68 iPad with Retina Display (March 2012)

(Credit: Sarah Tew/CNET)

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The iPad 2 was nearly a technically perfect device: what could be added to the equation on the next go-around? Apple went ahead and did what some thought would be impossible: cram a previously unheard of 2,048x1,536 resolution into a 9.7-inch screen, with the type of crispness, color and detail that most HD displays only dream of. The Retina Display iPad kicked off a new war in tablet screen resolution much like the Retina Display iPhone did previously, and the technology eventually bled into Apple's MacBooks by midyear. For media such as digital magazines and photos, the impact of the Retina Display has been huge.

You might argue that the trend started in phones, but the Retina Display iPad helped cement a move toward 1080p-and-greater displays in mobile electronics.

For more on this story, see our full review of the third-generation iPad.

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