All iPads My iPad Mini review

I currently have both the mini and iPad 3. I do like how light the mini is, but I find that I prefer the screen size of the iPad 3, first because texts are easier to see, but also because touch targets are larger. I find I make a lot more errors when using the mini -- I'll miss the tap target, or hit something else. I skipped the iPad 4 because it weighs about the same as the 3, but when Apple makes a lighter 9.7 inch iPad, which they no doubt will at some point, I'll be in line t buy it.

Cartaphilus said:

The variability of reaction to non-retina current Apple screens is astonishing. There are people like me and some other posters on this thread who can barely tell any difference between retina and non, and others who say they can hardly bring themselves to even look at non-retina.

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I do see the difference between a retina and non-retina screen, but it doesn't bother me that much. Retina is easier to look at, especially for long periods of time, but it's not like non-retina screens are horrible to look at. I can't quite understand why people say they can't stand non-retina screens. Sometimes I think they are just exaggerating, but occasionary, I find myself being annoyed that the color of my iPad mini isn't as bright as the retina screens of the iPad 3 or my iPhone. So then I find myself sympathizing with people saying they can't stand non-retina screens, but then again, I feel sure they could live with it if they had to...

Cartaphilus said:

The variability of reaction to non-retina current Apple screens is astonishing. There are people like me and some other posters on this thread who can barely tell any difference between retina and non, and others who say they can hardly bring themselves to even look at non-retina.

Somebody on here must know some vision psychologist or other expert who can account for this difference. While I don't deny the existence of just plain snobbery, there are too many who seem quite sincere in their perception of a significant difference, and there are plenty of others who take moderate positions, like the OP who only notices a difference in the rendering of web pages.

Even with wine, which attracts plenty of posers, you seldom see such wide differences of strongly-held opinions.

Anybody have a possible explanation?

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It's simple really.

Those that use it predominantly as an entertainment device (streaming videos, angry birds) will not notice much difference.

Those that use it for a lot of text heavy uses (particularly websites and PDF's), especially in potrait mode, will really be affected by the lack of a higher resolution screen.

syd430 said:

It's simple really.

Those that use it predominantly as an entertainment device (streaming videos, angry birds) will not notice much difference.

Those that use it for a lot of text heavy uses (particularly websites and PDF's), especially in potrait mode, will really be affected by the lack of a higher resolution screen.

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But even that's incorrect. I, for one, use it primarily for reading. It's replaced my Kindle. And I don't mind the non-retina display. The screen is one darn fine screen that just doesn't have the pixel density of other tablets. But, it's still an excellent screen.

Amplelink said:

But even that's incorrect. I, for one, use it primarily for reading. It's replaced my Kindle. And I don't mind the non-retina display. The screen is one darn fine screen that just doesn't have the pixel density of other tablets. But, it's still an excellent screen.

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The jumbo fonts in the kindle app are very different to academic papers/textbook PDF's and many text heavy websites.

Also, your anecdotal evidence with one app =/= someone else being "incorrect"', especially as I was taking about users as a whole.

syd430 said:

The jumbo, user adjustable fonts in the kindle app are very different to academic papers/textbook PDF's and many text heavy websites. Also, your anecdotal evidence with one app =/= someone else being "incorrect"', especially as I was taking about users on the whole.

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Well, side stepping the issue of correnctness, several posters here have stated they use the mini for technical pdfs. I do as well. I always work in landscape with a slight pinch zoom to tighten the magins, I see why users value the retina display, but find 163 dpi workable.

Just a cheaper, bendable, smaller screen Ipad to me.