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For graphics, Anandtech found the A7 to contain a PowerVR G6430 GPU that supports OpenGL ES version 3.0, which Apple is claiming to be twice as fast as the prior generation iPad 4. We'll see when we get the two of them side by side, although we've already done plenty of benchmarking with the iPhone 5s and found it to be a stellar performer. And there's also a companion M7 coprocessor that handles sensor input, which frees up the A7 to do other tasks, or just rest and conserve battery life.

So what's the big deal about 64-bit architecture? For now, on tablets, it's a buzzword. But as new apps optimized for the A7 begin to appear, you'll see the rewards in performance. iOS 7 is already 64-bit-aware, and as a result will run more smoothly, with better multitasking, on the iPad Air and Air mini with Retina display.

Then there's content creation—that thing pundits claim is ill-suited for the tablet form factor, and that yet so many people are already doing on iPads anyway. Today, most creative professionals stick with desktop PCs for processing photos, HD video, 3D modeling, and 24-bit/192kHz audio tracks. But that could very well change, as 64-bit versions of video editing and audio recording apps gain the ability to run dozens of plug-ins and keep greater chunks of content in memory.

But the A7 enables the iPad to run console-quality games in a way no iOS device could before, with Infinity Blade III being the earliest example. And as the iPad's skyrocketing popularity as a gaming platform indicates, not everyone feels the way I do about hardware controls.

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