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All iPads iPad 3 vs iPad Mini - Skeptic but now a believer

A

aka777

macrumors 6502a
Original poster
Mar 13, 2012
858
421
Now, I took a lot of heat regarding the technical limitations of the ipad Mini screen. However, I was just at a best buy and looked at the two side by side.

In my honest opinion, the mini actually looked better than the ipad 3. The lack of retina was negligible considering that they have squeezed the pixels in such a small device. I had to keep the mini within inches of my face to really notice the pixel difference. However, the screen and colors just seemed so much richer than the ipad 3 next to it, which seemed dull.

This makes picking between the ipad 4 and the ipad 3 much more difficult. The size and weight of the mini is just awesome. I can without a doubt say that the ipad mini is going to be the new norm. It's the perfect size to take with you - out and about. Cannot wait for the LTE version.

Had apple honestly put retina and the A6 in it too, their competitors might as well have given up and closed down.
 
nfl46

nfl46

macrumors G3
Oct 5, 2008
8,345
8,696
Well, I want that Mini you were looking at. Compared to my iPad 3, my mini colors look dull.
 
A

AzN1337c0d3r

macrumors 6502
Sep 13, 2010
448
2
Observer bias anyone? ;)

The ipad 3 display objectively measures better than the mini in all respects.
 
D

davey1107

macrumors newbie
Sep 27, 2011
28
0
Could tell the difference, but it was negligible

Playing with the iPad Mini in the Apple store, I could definitely tell the difference in the display. Text was visually "fuzzier," but only slightly.

This isn't a slam on the Mini, if you look at my other posts you'll see I've written on why this was exactly what Apple needed this holiday season. I believe retina came down to a question of cost. Apple could make their $329 mini with what 18 months ago we were calling the "7th wonder of the digital world" (the non-retina display), or they could have offered a $400 mini with retina.

Buyers last Christmas spoke loud and clear. The "budget tablet" market is about price or size - this is why they're buying those tablets. Mini offers the smaller form factor for those who needed it, and while $329 isn't $200, Apple has really narrowed the gap. Their thinking is that budget buyers will spring for the cheaper mini, not really caring about retina, while those who want the best in tech will...as they have done by a massive margin...stick with the classic larger iPad.

Only the post-xmas sales figures will tell us if their decision was correct, but based on my USC Business School education, my money is on Apple.
 
A

aka777

macrumors 6502a
Original poster
Mar 13, 2012
858
421
h00ligan said:
Couldn't disagree more. Colors are richer on the three and text is substantially clearer.
Click to expand...

Well yes, obviously the text and icons were not as sharp on the mini, however the differences are not that big either. Maybe it was just the way i was holding them.

The colors for some reason looked much richer on the mini.

----------
davey1107 said:
Buyers last Christmas spoke loud and clear. The "budget tablet" market is about price or size - this is why they're buying those tablets. Mini offers the smaller form factor for those who needed it, and while $329 isn't $200, Apple has really narrowed the gap. Their thinking is that budget buyers will spring for the cheaper mini, not really caring about retina, while those who want the best in tech will...as they have done by a massive margin...stick with the classic larger iPad.

Only the post-xmas sales figures will tell us if their decision was correct, but based on my USC Business School education, my money is on Apple.
Click to expand...

That's pretty much it.

This is also the first of the line, so Apple was not going to spend up buying expensive machinery and developing expensive processes on a product line with no sales figures. Now that they have seen that it too is a hit, they can invest the capital required to develop and produce the custom 7.9" retina.
 
B

BFW122083

macrumors 6502
Sep 17, 2009
373
0
Atl
I returned my mini for an iPad 4 today. I wanted to like the mini, I really did. I spent two days with it and I just couldn't get past the display. I LOVED the size, look, and weight but just couldn't get passed the screen. It's the only apple product I have ever bought that I felt like I was "trying" to like. Very happy typing this on my new ipad 4 :)
 
OTACORB

OTACORB

macrumors 68000
Jun 21, 2009
1,543
1,030
Central, Louisiana
BFW122083 said:
I returned my mini for an iPad 4 today. I wanted to like the mini, I really did. I spent two days with it and I just couldn't get past the display. I LOVED the size, look, and weight but just couldn't get passed the screen. It's the only apple product I have ever bought that I felt like I was "trying" to like. Very happy typing this on my new ipad 4 :)
Click to expand...

People are just spoiled and Apple did this with the retina display... However, I think folks carry this stuff to a ridiculous level sometimes. I had the iPad 3, sold it, got the iPad 4, along with the iPad mini I did this because of my concerns about the display. However, after using it now for well over a week. I am actually using the mini so much more than the 4 I've decided to return the iPad 4 in favor of the iPad Mini.

Its true the display isn't as crisp for text and colors aren't as vivid.. but the portability and the way you can use this thing absolutely made it a keeper hands down.
 
A

AlterZgo

macrumors regular
Mar 17, 2011
112
90
As an owner of an iPad 2 and iPad 3, I love the new mini I bought. Yes, the lower resolution is noticeable, but I still find the mini very usable for reading magazines, surfing the net, playing games, etc. IMO, the size is PERFECT whereas the iPad 2 and 3 always felt large and somewhat heavy.

When I go back to my iPad 3, the text looks astoundingly nice, but I still use the mini about 90% of the time because it is so light, portable, and very easy to hold in 1 hand for extending reading. Weight of the iPad 3 bothers me much more than the lower resolution text when reading for hours.
 
C

Ccrew

macrumors 68020
Feb 28, 2011
2,035
3
aka777 said:
In my honest opinion, the mini actually looked better than the ipad 3.
Click to expand...

Oh, I highly disagree. I own both, not just look at them in a store. I like the mini for it's form factor, but owning an iPad3 and a rMBP that screen on the mini is definitely a step backwards.

An LTE Mini w/retina? All the tablet I would ever need.
 
A

Awakener

macrumors 6502
Mar 28, 2011
345
0
Ccrew said:
Oh, I highly disagree. I own both, not just look at them in a store.
Click to expand...

It is tricky comparing screens in-store. For example many people see little or no difference between iPad 2 and iPad with retina in-store, but take them both home it's like night and day.
 
ixodes

ixodes

macrumors 601
Jan 11, 2012
4,429
3
Pacific Coast, USA
aka777 said:
Now, I took a lot of heat regarding the technical limitations of the ipad Mini screen. However, I was just at a best buy and looked at the two side by side.

In my honest opinion, the mini actually looked better than the ipad 3. The lack of retina was negligible considering that they have squeezed the pixels in such a small device.
Click to expand...
I think the mini is quite good. Yet it's not better than the display on my iPad 3.

But if you think the mini is good, you should see my Nexus 7. With a much higher ppi than Apples basic screen, it's a real winner.
 
B

BFW122083

macrumors 6502
Sep 17, 2009
373
0
Atl
OTACORB said:
People are just spoiled and Apple did this with the retina display... However, I think folks carry this stuff to a ridiculous level sometimes. I had the iPad 3, sold it, got the iPad 4, along with the iPad mini I did this because of my concerns about the display. However, after using it now for well over a week. I am actually using the mini so much more than the 4 I've decided to return the iPad 4 in favor of the iPad Mini.

Its true the display isn't as crisp for text and colors aren't as vivid.. but the portability and the way you can use this thing absolutely made it a keeper hands down.
Click to expand...

You are right. Apple spoiled me with retina displays. I love retina displays, love them. When I swapped my mini for the new 4 I knew for me it was the right decision. My wife thought the display looked fine, but she is coming from a macbook air and an iPad 2. For me it would be taking a step backwards. I mean the display is what you stare at when you use it! Maybe I should have given it longer than a couple days, but I just felt like I shouldn't have to. I shouldn't have to try and like it, you know?
 
B

bigboar

macrumors 6502
Oct 26, 2012
364
0
Ohio
I had the mini but started getting headaches while using it. I loved the form factor but ended up returning it for a 4. Gotta admit, I am glad I did. No more headaches and the screen(whole unit actually)is impressive..
 
urkel

urkel

macrumors 68030
Nov 3, 2008
2,795
917
The Mini is the product ive been begging for and I absolutely love it despite its flaws. But to claim the screen looks better than the iPad 3?!?! Cmon.

I feel the screen is good but the screen complaints are more related to Apple's decision to shrink a 9.7" UI onto a 7.9" tablet with NO customization. Fix that next update and the product is better but the screen will still remain vastly inferior to a true retina display.
 
Last edited:
Q

questioner76

macrumors member
Apr 27, 2011
72
9
Couldn't have said it better myself! If you can afford both, I highly recommend it. The mini is just so usable. Even though the screen isn't retina, it's really only distracting when you're comparing against an iPad 3 or 4.

AlterZgo said:
As an owner of an iPad 2 and iPad 3, I love the new mini I bought. Yes, the lower resolution is noticeable, but I still find the mini very usable for reading magazines, surfing the net, playing games, etc. IMO, the size is PERFECT whereas the iPad 2 and 3 always felt large and somewhat heavy.

When I go back to my iPad 3, the text looks astoundingly nice, but I still use the mini about 90% of the time because it is so light, portable, and very easy to hold in 1 hand for extending reading. Weight of the iPad 3 bothers me much more than the lower resolution text when reading for hours.
Click to expand...
 
K

klover

macrumors 6502a
Jun 7, 2009
799
90
There is simply no way that someone can honestly suggest the mini screen is better than an iPad 3/4.

Contrast, color gamut, resolution are entirely below that of the Retina panels.
 
C

cardfan

macrumors 601
Mar 23, 2012
4,200
5,279
questioner76 said:
Couldn't have said it better myself! If you can afford both, I highly recommend it. The mini is just so usable. Even though the screen isn't retina, it's really only distracting when you're comparing against an iPad 3 or 4.
Click to expand...

I have a hard enough time justifying an ipad along with an iphone 5. I'm not sure when I'd have the time to squeeze a subpar ipad Mini into the mix.
 
M

mfr1340

macrumors regular
Mar 4, 2011
190
1
n. cal
ipad mini

Ccrew said:
Oh, I highly disagree. I own both, not just look at them in a store. I like the mini for it's form factor, but owning an iPad3 and a rMBP that screen on the mini is definitely a step backwards.

An LTE Mini w/retina? All the tablet I would ever need.
Click to expand...
One with ret screen and stand alone GPS like the Nexus7
 
A

aka777

macrumors 6502a
Original poster
Mar 13, 2012
858
421
cardfan said:
I have a hard enough time justifying an ipad along with an iphone 5. I'm not sure when I'd have the time to squeeze a subpar ipad Mini into the mix.
Click to expand...

I found that after I purchased my first tablet a few years ago, I seldom use my iPhone beyond making and receiving calls.

Granted, a data only iNano (e.g samsung note) that is 5.5" and fits in my pocket, would be awesome.
 
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