iPad Mini: A warning to all nitpicky potential iPad Mini Buyers!

[fenjen]

Hey guys. Now first of all, don't get me wrong.. I am totally in love with my mini... Now that I have a good one. It took me 9 iPads.
The first one had a pinkish tint. It wasn't even that bad but I thought, oh well might as well take it back so I can get a new one which is perfect..
I was pretty wrong. The second and third one had pretty big white (dust I presume) particles under the screen. The fourth one had dead pixel. The fifth had a strange grey pixel. The 6th-9th ones had dust under the screen again.
This is my tenth and while there is still a really small dust particle under the screen, it's too small to see when the screen is on and can really only be seen if the screen is black and if enough light from outside gets to the screen. I obviously decided to keep this one as this is the best I've if gotten yet.

So if you're a nit picker like me, think twice before buying an iPad mini. The dust particles were actually pretty clear and even visible for those whose eyes aren't in their prime anymore.

Also, I live in the Netherlands. It could just be that we are the victim of a bad batch.

[phr0ze]

The 3 I bought are fine. Or Maybe I'm just not picky. I am the type to notice things, but not the type to pull out a magnifying glass.

[cheezeit]

Or just swap at apple... You do get 1yr warranty with them

[ActionableMango]

I'm surprised you were still holding out hope by the 5th or 6th one.

You know what they say about the definition of insanity, right?

[Alexutz]

10th iPad??? Ouch!
Dust particles under the screen along with the dents, scratches and co. on the Iphone 5... this is quickly becoming a trend.

[ActionableMango]

OP, I'm just curious, when would you have given up?

I'm picturing you on your 67th iPad thinking, "surely the 68th one will be perfect!"

[boshii]

I've owned every iPhone since the 3G and every iPad since iPad 2 and have never had to exchange any except for a 4S that had a defective earpiece.

I don't understand how someone can return the same product 9 times and still want the product.

[SeanR1]

Originally Posted by ActionableMango

I'm surprised you were still holding out hope by the 5th or 6th one.

You know what they say about the definition of insanity, right?

I think it's great! More refurbs for us hold outs!

[DollaTwentyFive]

I am either lucky or completely ignorant. Out of the 20+ apple products I have purchased in the last 7-8 years, I haven't had a significant problem with any of them. Maybe I just don't know what a bad pixel looks like.

[chrono1081]

9 iPads?

No offence but I don't believe you. We have lots of iPads at work since they're issued to higher ups now and we may get one defect out of 400.

I think if you really returned that many you have unrealistic expectations of consumer electronics or anything manufactured in general.

[fenjen]

Originally Posted by chrono1081

9 iPads?

No offence but I don't believe you. We have lots of iPads at work since they're issued to higher ups now and we may get one defect out of 400.

I think if you really returned that many you have unrealistic expectations of consumer electronics or anything manufactured in general.

Well first I had one, I brought it to repair 4 times and got 4 replacements. I sold the last one to someone who didn't care. Bhought a new one and returned that one the same day till I had a good one.

Why would I make this up?

[fenjen]

Originally Posted by ActionableMango

I'm surprised you were still holding out hope by the 5th or 6th one.

You know what they say about the definition of insanity, right?

Haha great one

[MrGimper]

OP, I'd keep going till you get a device you're happy with. You didn't purchase a defective device at a discount, did you.

To all of you commenting who had a perfect device straight off... Well done. As you haven't had to experience the disappointment of a faulty device, you don't really have any grounds to comment really.

To those who have accepted a faulty device, well done to you too. You're obviously happy with paying a premium for a defective device, or haven't got the balls to do anything about it.

[kodeman53]

Originally Posted by MrGimper

To those who have accepted a faulty device, well done to you too. You're obviously happy with paying a premium for a defective device, or haven't got the balls to do anything about it.

Hilarious how defective and faulty = not perfect, courage = returning a purchase multiple times and the insults have started for anyone who disagrees.

[AppleRobert]

Curious if you got each from the same resource. Unless you had no chioce, why not try elsewhere.

If we did a poll with how many a person had to return to get one they were satisfied with, you easily would have the greatest amount.

If these were brand spanking new, the quality control seems outright terrible to get this many with dust, tint, etc with this batch.

[fenjen]

Originally Posted by AppleRobert

Curious if you got each from the same resource. Unless you had no chioce, why not try elsewhere.

If we did a poll with how many a person had to return to get one they were satisfied with, you easily would have the greatest amount.

If these were brand spanking new, the quality control seems outright terrible to get this many with dust, tint, etc with this batch.

No I bought the first one from one store, brought it to an apple reseller to get it repaired, then brought another one at the same store, but after two faulty iPads they gave me my money back but didn't want me to buy another one cause they didn't want to keep exchanging them, then went to another store where I got this one after 2 faulty iPads.

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Originally Posted by SnowLeopard OSX

Is this problem unique to just iPad minis? Or all iPads in general?

I've heard reports about normal iPads too. But I think the demand on the minis is so high maybe they had to lessen the quality check to get as many as possible out in time or something? I dunno.

[hyteckit]

Bought 1 iPad Mini. Looks perfect.
Bought 1 iPhone 4S. Looks perfect.

Maybe I'm just not picky.

[EthanNixon]

Internet forums and blogs represent less than 5% of all Apple users, most likely. I have absolutely no ground on this. Only the people who actually get defective products voice their opinions on these forums or blogs, which definitely doesn't add up to more than 10% of the entire iPad/iPhone ownership. I would say about 2-5% of users on MacRumors report an issue with their iPhone/iPad, that can't be fixed by software. That is extremely small numbers in the grand scheme of how many units are manufactured. There is no issues with the manufacturing process, bad batches happen...

[batting1000]

My week 51 iPad mini has a very very small scratch on / under the camera lens cover and a "loose" Lightning port (charges fine and stays in, but cable is wobbly). (I'm very OCD.)

[Hello...]

Just wait till you drop it...lol
You might want to see a Dr. About the OCD.

[Defender2010]

Originally Posted by Hello...

Just wait till you drop it...lol
You might want to see a Dr. About the OCD.

As we have seen in many threads, the OCD "thing" is not about scratches or bumps afterwards, the device must be perfect from the box, it doesn't matter what happens afterwards as it is the users fault. The OCD (actually it is not OCD) kicks in from the minute the plastic comes off the box. Everything must be pristine and perfect to begin with, if not....well, we can see what happens by reading this site!

[n8236]

U see what you want to see. U find what you want to find.

[propita]

I have small hands, and my husband put a honkin' big Otterbox Defender case on the iPad 1, so the mini is perfect for me. I've had NO problems with it out of the box. While I read on this board about people not being able to find one, my Apple store had/has at least a dozen of each color just waiting to be bought. I bought a $14 cover for it on Amazon and shove it in my purse, and carry it around with me. Very handy.

[tl01]

I guess it's some sort of a Christmas miracle that all three of our minis are fine. I haven't been able to find anything wrong with them.

What shocks me most here is that someone had time to return 9 iPads. Wow! Impressive lack of anything important to do.

As for the dust... It must be bigger in other parts of the world..bc I've never seen a speck of dust so big that it covered up a letter making it so it couldn't be read.

[Triangle Man]

Wow. I bought just one and mine is fine. I'm pretty pick with electronics too.

Good thing I didn't get it from the batch you were picking from... whew.