Apple’s (NASDAQ:AAPL) new iPad delivers a little more bang for the buck – in terms of its parts and production costs, at least – than its predecessor, the iPad 2, according to an analysis by research firm iSuppli.

After dismantling one of the new machines and assessing the cost of its components, iSuppli determined that a 32GB model with a cellular modem, which retails for $729, costs $364.35 to manufacture – about 9% more than the iPad 2. The increase is driven primarily by the machine’s high-resolution display, with four times the pixels of the iPad 2 screen, and an improved battery, whose superior capacity is required to power the screen without shortening recharging cycles.

The cellular modem, which is compatible with high-speed 4G LTE wireless networks, also boosts the parts-per-unit cost. One of the principal beneficiaries of the new iPad’s development and sales, an article on iSuppli’s findings notes, is Apple’s longtime manufacturing partner Samsung

(PINK:SSNLF), which makes the display and, the research firm suspects, the battery and flash-storage chips used in some versions of the device.

Of course, the relative value of the new iPad’s guts would be nearly meaningless if the machine’s performance ultimately disappoints the people who buy it. “No one buys a gadget, computer or TV because they want to own a specific chipset, hard drive or piece of glass,” writes Peter Rojas, co-founder of gadget site gdtg.com. “We buy gadgets because we want to enjoy a particular experience, and we want a product that can deliver that experience: answering e-mail, getting some work done, playing games, watching a movie, whatever.”