( CNN ) -- The new iPad may be a hot item in more ways than one . In the five days since the popular tablet went on sale , Apple comment boards have filled with anecdotal reports from owners who say the back of the device grows uncomfortably warm to the touch , especially in the bottom left-hand corner when held in portrait mode . `` Both my wife and I upgraded from iPad 1 to the new iPad , '' wrote a user named dhcwh on Apple 's site . `` Not happy about the uncomfortable warmth of the new iDud . Not hot , just annoyingly warm . Seriously considering returning both . '' `` Mine is also getting pretty hot , '' said another user , malageno , who bought a 32-gigabyte Wi-Fi model . `` It 's not too hot to hold yet , but it seems to be getting hotter the more it 's on . '' A user named Limitin added , `` My new iPad is also overheating , bottom left like everyone else . The screen is great , but the heat is near unbearable at times and makes my hands sweaty while holding it . '' Research by Consumer Reports appears to bear this out . Using a thermal-imaging camera , Consumer Reports engineers recorded temperatures as high as 116 degrees Fahrenheit -- up to 13 degrees higher than the iPad 2 -- on the new iPad while playing a video game , `` Infinity Blade II . '' In a preliminary review last week , Consumer Reports had said the new iPad `` is shaping up to be the best tablet we 've ever tested . '' Many owners of the third-generation iPad have reported no problems , however . And the issue does n't seem to have cooled interest in the tablet , which features a sharper screen and a more powerful processor than previous iPads . Apple announced Monday it has already sold more than 3 million of the new devices . In a statement Tuesday , Apple said , `` The new iPad delivers a stunning Retina display , A5X chip , support for 4G LTE plus 10 hours of battery life , all while operating well within our thermal specifications . If customers have any concerns they should contact AppleCare . '' In its tech specs for the iPad , Apple says the device is not meant to be operated in temperatures greater than 95 degrees Fahrenheit . Some observers , including an unnamed Apple store employee in suburban Los Angeles , have attributed the warmth to the iPad 's new battery , which is larger than in previous models . Others blame the device 's larger graphics chip , which helps it run video games . Some iPad owners said they returned their devices to Apple stores and exchanged them for new ones . Others said the problem went away after they drained the iPad battery completely and then recharged it . Still others suggested reports of the problem were overblown . `` Personally I think a lot of people are blowing the heat problem ... out of proportion , '' a user named DaveBLondon said . `` Yes it gets hot , but is it too hot that it will burn you ? No . '' Another user , jimpal , said , `` Yes , it 's warmer than the previous iPads . But , what would anyone expect with so much going on in there ? It has spectacular graphics , is faster , and has a huge battery . Any form of computer runs hotter when it is doing more . '' It 's not the first time consumers have grumbled about Apple products overheating , especially when used in direct sunlight . Scattered similar complaints surfaced about the original iPad and the iPad 2 , which did little to dent their popularity . Apple has sold more than 55 million iPads since the device went on sale in April 2010 .
Some owners of the new iPad claim the device becomes uncomfortably hot during play . Consumer Reports reports show temperatures as high as 116 degrees Fahrenheit while playing the game . Apple : ` ` The new iPad ( s ) well within our thermal specifications ''