More evidence that iPad 3 will have hi-res Retina display

Rumors have been swirling around that Apple‘s iPad 3 will be outfitted with a coveted high-resolution Retina display.

One of these displays for an iPad 3 unit may have made it into hands outside Apple’s supply chain.

MacRumors allegedly has a Retina display (shown on right) that belongs to the iPad 3, which is still in production. The display measures 9.7 inches, which falls in line with the first and second iPad models.

After inspecting it with a microscope, MacRumors determined that the screen has a resolution twice as good as the current 2048 x 1536-pixel resolution seen on the iPad and iPad 2. The resolution was calculated by looking at pixel swatches taken from the iPad 2 and purported iPad 3 screens. Four pixels from the iPad 2 screen fit inside the swatch, whereas 16 pixels from the new display fit into a swatch of the samesize (shown below).

The iPad 3 is rumored to be released on March 7. It’s also thought to sport a faster processor and graphics chip.

It’s hard to hang your hat on many Apple rumors, particularly after the October iPhone 5 miss, when Apple actually launched the iPhone 4S to many Apple fans’ chagrin. However, the idea that the iPad 3 would have a screen upgrade is not a far-fetched assumption.