All iPads: Would you have bought an iPad mini instead of an iPad 3, if it had launched in March?

[ThatsMeRight]

So, I was wondering: who here would have bought an iPad mini instead of an iPad 3, if the iPad mini had launched along with the iPad 3?

[jabingla2810]

Definitely.

[Anti-Lucifer]

All it took was one hour at the kiosk in the store jumping around from iPad mini to ipad 3 and 4 - I left with a mini.

During the presentation of the mini, I was actually very underwhelmed because being use to a retina ipad 3, I would not of thunk I would choose a mini over a retina ipad.

But guess what, after having extensive use of the mini, my initial decision to get the mini over an ipad (4) is still justified. The size and fit and finish and the way you can hold it and hold it without much effort plus being able to hold it a distance I like (further away), the screen display resolution really doesn't matter to me vs a retina. Sure I would love to see retina in a mini form factor, but I don't make apple gadgets...and no competitor has the same quality package on sale.

My point is I'd have to see both in person to judge. On paper, even retina sounds like nothing more than a resolution figure.

[aross99]

For me the physically bigger screen size is what I need. Even when the Mini has a retina display, it's just too small for me.

I love the lighter weight of the Mini, but for my use, the larger size of the iPad 3 is a major plus...

[ThatsMeRight]

Originally Posted by Anti-Lucifer

All it took was one hour at the kiosk in the store jumping around from iPad mini to ipad 3 and 4 - I left with a mini.

During the presentation of the mini, I was actually very underwhelmed because being use to a retina ipad 3, I would not of thunk I would choose a mini over a retina ipad.

But guess what, after having extensive use of the mini, my initial decision to get the mini over an ipad (4) is still justified. The size and fit and finish and the way you can hold it and hold it without much effort plus being able to hold it a distance I like (further away), the screen display resolution really doesn't matter to me vs a retina. Sure I would love to see retina on a mini form factor, but I don't make apple gadgets...and no competitor has the same quality package on sale.

Well, I bought an iPad 3 in March and I think I would have bought an iPad mini if it had been launched alongside the iPad 3.

I was not particularly impressed with the iPad mini when I saw the presentation, but when I had the chance to use it for a while I absolutely loved it. It was light, thin and it actually felt like a 'real iPad' in a much, much smaller package (the smaller bezels on the side certainly helped with that).

I even feel like like the iPad mini is much better than the iPad 3, except for the display. It's got faster Wi-Fi, it's got more cellular (both improved 2G and 4G LTE over here), it's got the Lightning connector (so future proof), it's got FaceTime HD, it's got stereo speakers, it's got a new design and it's so much smaller, yet not too small.

Heck, I feel that in almost every way the iPad mini is an upgrade except for the display (which is, obviously, a step back). And even than I feel like the display is really not that bad. It is of higher quality than that of the iPad 2. Heck, even animations were slightly smoother. Just think about it: the iPad 3 is twice as powerful as an iPad mini, but it has to push four times as many pixels... so, relatively, the iPad 3's only got 0.5x the GPU power of an iPad mini.

Needless to say, I won't sell my iPad 3 and get an iPad mini. It's too soon and I'm not spending that much money at once. Next year, however, I might settle for the second generation iPad mini which I'll expect to get:

- 2048 x 1536 resolution display, 326 ppi (higher than that of the iPad 3/4)
- A5X, A6 or A6X chip* and 1 GB of RAM

And that's it. At that point, it is already equal with an iPad 4. Some might argue that next year is too soon for an iPad mini with Retina display, but I think it is possible. Starting from this quarter, IGZO technology becomes available. It adds little to no cost for Apple, but it allows Apple to put a Retina display in the iPad mini without any compromises. It doesn't add any thickness, it's more energy-efficient, it only requires 50% of the LED backlighting (so even more energy-efficient) and thus it doesn't require a large battery (like the iPad 3/4). Basically, they could add a Retina display to the iPad mini next year with little extra cost.

* Let's talk about the second generation iPad mini's chip
As I said, I expect either an A5X, A6 or A6X chip. A5X chip is the worst case scenario: it uses a lot of energy, and it is only twice as powerful (while it needs to push four times as many pixels). CPU performance doesn't increase.

A6 chip. Not the worst scenario, but not the best either. We're talking here about a triple-core GPU, but because the GPU runs at higher clock speeds the A6 chip is graphically still as fast as an A5X chip. CPU wise, we'll go forward: at least twice the performance.

A6X chip. This is the best possibility: we'll get a much faster CPU (like we do with the A6 chip) and we get a GPU that is four times as powerful. This means the GPU will be able to run the 2048 x 1536 display just as smoothly, if not better, as the previous generation ran the 1024 x 768 display.

A5X seems unlikely to me: it's only been in production for the iPad 3 and as we all know the iPad 3 has been killed off. It would be much more logical to get some A6 chips or A6X chips (since it's likely that those chips will be in production for at least the next two years).

A6 chip seems like a good compromise, while the A6X chip is just the best option.

-----------------------------------------------------
That was my huge wall of text. Anyway, if they give the iPad mini a Retina display and A6X chip than I'll very likely upgrade from my iPad 3 - and in that case it's going to be a big upgrade:

- FaceTime HD
- Faster Wi-Fi
- Faster Cellular
- Faster GPU
- Faster CPU
- 326 ppi display (up from 264 ppi)
- Stereo speakers
- New design that's also thinner and lighter
- Lightning connector

Any extra features will be a bonus.

[smooth]

I absolutely would have. My iPad serves mainly as my book and photo library. If I had even heard a couple of the early rumors, I would have held off and waited for it.

[dancj]

iPad 3 for me.

I prefer the size and retina display is a deal breaker.

[foiden]

iPad 3. For my uses, the screensize and the resolution is the deal maker. I use it as an electronic music reader on my music stand, during practice and performance. The Retina display is exactly what makes a 9.7" screen of piano music highly readable.

[Appl3FTW]

are you kidding me? hell yea... iPad mini is like the mythical unicorn of apple for the longest.

[imlovinit]

Ipad 3. All the way.

[WesCole]

The retina display won me over. Now, if the Mini would've launched with a retina display, too, it would be hard to resist.

[PracticalMac]

Wanted smaller iPad before the 3 came out.

If I knew the mini was coming out in November, would have waited.

[alphaod]

Seeing I own both now and I like the iPad mini a lot more, I definitely would have gotten the iPad mini over the iPad 3.

[Night Spring]

This poll needs an option for "would have bought both." I'm pretty sure that's what I would have done. I bought the iPad 3 when it came out, then I bought the mini LTE when that came out, and now I'm using both. I like the mini for carrying outside the house, and for reading ebooks and Instapaper. For everything else, including web browsing, Pages, Zite, Flipboard, RSS reader, etc, I prefer the iPad 3. It does feel a bit extravagant to have both, but at this point, I'm reluctant to give up either, though if forced to pick one, I'd go with iPad 3.

Originally Posted by ThatsMeRight

I even feel like like the iPad mini is much better than the iPad 3, except for the display. It's got faster Wi-Fi, it's got more cellular (both improved 2G and 4G LTE over here), it's got the Lightning connector (so future proof), it's got FaceTime HD, it's got stereo speakers, it's got a new design and it's so much smaller, yet not too small.

But if the mini was released in March, it's likely it wouldn't have had a lot of those features. The Lightning connector and the new back design were developed to be released on the iPhone 5, and probably weren't ready to be released in March. And if the new LTE chip and faster wifi had been ready in March, then the iPad 3 would have been released with them, too.

[MrXiro]

Originally Posted by ThatsMeRight

So, I was wondering: who here would have bought an iPad mini instead of an iPad 3, if the iPad mini had launched along with the iPad 3?

Yes. In retrospect I would even go as far as to say I regret my iPad 3 purchase. I had an iPad 2 at the time and it was an unnecessary purchase as it doesn't do anything better than an iPad 2 other than make text look crisper. Which is something I never had an issue with.

The mini on the other hand is fresh, new, fantastically designed and a real "upgrade" to the iPad family. I do wish apple would allow default font size changes in safari though. It would solve the problems of many people who have a problem with it.

[aneftp]

Seeing the iPad mini in the store (I owned iPad 2 and iPad 3).

After seeing iPad mini (I had it delivered to my house that same day via fed ex pre ordered).

It made me want to go and head straight to target and pick up iPad 4 sell my iPad 2 (I am keeping iPad 3).

You look at the screen all day and iPad mini screen was not on par. Weight isn't an issue to me with iPad. I had griffithi military case and that doesn't bother me.

So the answer is no. iPad mini version one is a no go. iPad 3/4 all the way.

[Compile 'em all]

Originally Posted by ThatsMeRight

So, I was wondering: who here would have bought an iPad mini instead of an iPad 3, if the iPad mini had launched along with the iPad 3?

No retina, no sale.

[Max(IT)]

Now or one year ago, the Mini is cute but I need a bigger screen ...

[ThatsMeRight]

Originally Posted by Max(IT)

Now or one year ago, the Mini is cute but I need a bigger screen ...

Haha, I like this. So you wouldn't be interested in an iPad mini at all?

[Max(IT)]

Originally Posted by ThatsMeRight

Haha, I like this. So you wouldn't be interested in an iPad mini at all?

Yep.
For my needs a 7" tablet is too small.
My perfect combination is a 15" notebook, a 9.7" tablet and a 4" smartphone.

Right now I'm stick with an iPhone 4s because the iPhone 5 is definitely too expensive here in Italy, and I've just bought an iPad 4.

[AdonisSMU]

Absolutely!