iFixit

...and here's some more salsa on the other end of the non-A5X side:

• Qualcomm PM8028 Power Management IC
• Qualcomm RTR8600 multi-band/mode RF transceiver for 3G and 4GLTE bands
• Toshiba Y0A0000 Memory MCP
• Triquint TQM7M5013 quad-band linear power amplifier module
• Avago A5904
• Skyworks SKY77468-17 front-end module

Some crafty spudgering reveals the A5X processor in all its glory.

Like the A5, the A5X system features a 1 GHz dual-core CPU. The upgrade that earns it an 'X' is the new GPU, which Apple claims outperforms even Nvidia's Tegra 3 processor.

This particular chip was manufactured in the first week of 2012. Maybe our iPad marks the start of the end of the world.

• Not prepared? There’s an app or two for that...

An entirely-new side of the logic board:

• Apple A5X processor
• Apple 343S0561 - This IC looks like an updated version of the 343S052 that we found in the iPad 2, and is used for power management.
• The NAND, part number THGVX1G7D2GLA08 is a 16 GB 24 nm MLC Flash from Toshiba
• Qualcomm MDM9600 - 3G and 4G wireless modem
• Skyworks 77469
• Avago A7792

A big and hearty thanks to Chipworks for helping us ID these chips!

So here's a bonus for all of you: the A5X cover removed.

Underneath the cover we find the A5X processor flip chip mounted onto the carrier PWB.

It's a safe bet that the A5X cover is a heat sink for the CPU, given there's thermal paste underneath and a thermal pad on top of the cover.

The A5X measures 12.82 mm x 12.71 mm (162 mm^2) which is 36% larger than the A5.

As is the case with most tablets, the iPad 3 is really just a giant battery.

Some help from our spudger allows us to remove the battery from the device for further inspection.

While the iPad 2 housed a formidable 25 watt-hour Li-ion battery, the iPad 3 has upped the ante to the tune of 42.5 watt-hours.

Its 3.7 volts and estimated 10 hours of use (9 with cellular data network) are comparable to that of the iPad 2, but we assume the extra 17.5 watt-hours are put to good use powering the extra RAM and greatly improved GPU.

The battery has three cells, each approximately 12.5 cm x 6.5 cm x 4 mm. The iPad 2's battery cells were 10.8 cm x 6.3 cm x 2.7mm.

Each separate cell lists its rating of 3.78 volts and 14.60 watt-hour. They're graced with some more matrix barcode tags and wonderful inscriptions that read 741-0065-A P11GG9-01-F01TS. Swoon.

Chris Foresman at Ars Technica compared the energy density to the battery in the iPad 2, and it comes out about the same—around 0.0014 watt-hour / mm^3.

Apple physically increased the size of each cell by about 70%, explaining the big jump from 25 to 42 watt-hours.

Apple claims the new iPad is environmentally friendly with a "Recyclable aluminum and glass enclosure." The materials may be recyclable, but the assembled unit is not. We spoke yesterday with Steve Skurnac, president of SIMS Recycling Solutions—one of the largest electronics recyclers in the world. He told us, "Sealed units make it difficult to remove the batteries. From a recycler's point of view, the hazardous components [like batteries] need to be easily separated or removed."

As we progress through the teardown, what remains is just the carcass of a once mighty iPad.

Being the vultures that we are, let's continue picking away at the remains of this aluminum beast...first on our list is the dock connector.

The dock connector seems to have the same pin layout as the iPad 2, we have yet to determine whether or not the dock connectors are swappable.

Pesky, finicky screws! Be gone and let us remove the antenna in peace.

Get out of the way, ribbon cable! Let us get a look at that micro-SIM card slot.

Like the other iPads with micro-SIM cards, the iPad 3 4G has a user-accessible micro-SIM card slot that can be ejected with the help of a handy SIM card eject tool.

Sorry, former Amp'd Mobile users, this iPad can only be used on AT&T and Verizon networks.