With the recent release of Apple's latest iPad this week, many people are left to decide whether or not it's worth it to upgrade, or, if it's their first time buying an iPad, to opt for the discounted previous version.

While both are very high quality tablets, the new iPad does have some additional perks, with the Retina display being one of the biggest advances. The amount of pixels has quadrupled: for every pixel on the iPad 2, there are four in the new iPad.

"The jump from the iPad 2 to the new iPad is the same jump we took from standard definition TV to high-definition television," writes Will Greenwald in a March 20 blog post for PCMag.com. "TV was great years ago, but HDTV has improved the experience so much that the old screens just look fuzzy. The iPad 2 is still a great tablet on its own, but when you compare it to the new iPad it just looks fuzzy."

In addition, the new 4G LTE connection that is possible on the iPad 3 does make it a lot faster to stream videos and images instantly, says ComputerWorld's Sharon Machlis.

When it comes down to it, the difference in image quality depends on how often you are using your iPad and what functions it serves. If it is primarily a reader that you use everyday, the difference in visual clarity may very well be worth the upgrade. If, however, you are looking for a high-quality tablet for a slightly cheaper price, the iPad 2 is still an amazing choice.

Think of it this way: Apple's MacBook Pro is a sleek, fast and efficient laptop, but an Apple MacBook Air is just a little more thin, lightweight and quick. If you can afford one of the best when it comes to computers, laptops, tablets and other laptop accessories, it's usually worth it. But, second best for a discount is a pretty good deal, too.