All iPads Should I trade iPad 3 for iPad Mini?

I swapped a 3 for a mini and haven't looked back.

The superior form factor trumps everything else.

maxosx said:

Not well.

Waiting for a retina equipped mini is best. I have a mini & an iPad 4, there's quite a difference. I will dump my low res mini the moment Apple puts a mini out with retina.

The text on many websites is too small & pixelated on the current model. Lucky to have 20/20 vision I can read anything, but it's not pleasant on my current mini.

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Hmm, dont understand than... Why do you not dump it now, instead of waiting when a new model is on the market and you get less than now for it? This to me indicates you must quite use your mini, since you also state you have the 4. Of course the screen of the mini is different over the 4, but who knows when we will get retina - and then there will always be something new around the corner. It is up to the OP to decide what suits him, but the mini definately has its advantages, such as half the weight & quite less in size is the dealmaker for me...

I'll be first in line for a retina mini, but I agree with Gruber's analysis of the recent results call — the margin in the mini is the lowest of any iOS device Apple sell, and they're unlikely to retina-fy it until the cost of retina screens comes down (cf. the much anticipated, but yet to appear, retina MacBook Air).

I dont have a 3 but I did have a mini before returning it for a 4. This is just my personal opinion but when I looked at the mini in the store I thought it looked pretty good and not much different than a retina screen. Once I got it home......I thought it was pretty bad. I would never even think about trading the 3 for a mini. The viewing experience in my opinion is the most important feature of a tablet and retina is by far a superior experience!!!!

Seamaster said:

I'll be first in line for a retina mini, but I agree with Gruber's analysis of the recent results call — the margin in the mini is the lowest of any iOS device Apple sell, and they're unlikely to retina-fy it until the cost of retina screens comes down (cf. the much anticipated, but yet to appear, retina MacBook Air).

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The only other option is that they raise the price of a retina mini, but I REALLY don't see that happening. I think it's more likely they'll skip the retina if they have to, to maintain the price point (maybe even get it down to $299 where I bet they wanted it in the first place???).

What they COULD do for the mini2 is give it better processing power to better handle gaming requirements. I think they have to keep more product separation between a mini and a full size due to the pricepoint separation, and if the mini has retina, it's just a screen size difference.

Regards,
Tom

TJ61 said:

The only other option is that they raise the price of a retina mini, but I REALLY don't see that happening. I think it's more likely they'll skip the retina if they have to, to maintain the price point (maybe even get it down to $299 where I bet they wanted it in the first place???).

What they COULD do for the mini2 is give it better processing power to better handle gaming requirements. I think they have to keep more product separation between a mini and a full size due to the pricepoint separation, and if the mini has retina, it's just a screen size difference.

Regards,
Tom

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Think about the complaints that reviewers and people have said about the mini. Most often it is the lack of retina. I've never heard complaints that it's too slow. I think apple would be making a big mistake by not putting retina in the mini 2. If they do want to get cost down, they could do retina for 329 and non-retina for 249 or 199.

sbddude said:

Think about the complaints that reviewers and people have said about the mini. Most often it is the lack of retina. I've never heard complaints that it's too slow.

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But you will, once it goes retina.

nebrot said:

Hmm, dont understand than... Why do you not dump it now, instead of waiting when a new model is on the market and you get less than now for it? This to me indicates you must quite use your mini, since you also state you have the 4. Of course the screen of the mini is different over the 4, but who knows when we will get retina - and then there will always be something new around the corner. It is up to the OP to decide what suits him, but the mini definately has its advantages, such as half the weight & quite less in size is the dealmaker for me...

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I'm not an impulse buyer, nor am I so unhappy that I need to do something until the retina is out. My comments were just my honest experience.

I'm a very patient waiter & never take anything for granted. Fully aware it could be quite some time I'm fine with that.

Besides I give my Apple gear away to family members or friends. That's more satisfying to me than selling it.

sbddude said:

Think about the complaints that reviewers and people have said about the mini. Most often it is the lack of retina.

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That would be meaningful if the mini wasn't selling well in its current state, but it is. Everyone would like for the mini to be everything that the iPad is, just a little smaller. But "just a little smaller" does not get mfg costs down to the support the mini's price point. So where else can they differentiate?

sbddude said:

I've never heard complaints that it's too slow.

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Speed increase would just be to keep up -- it shouldn't lag the iPad5 any more than the current mini lags behind the iPad4. It still needs to run the same apps to an acceptable level.

sbddude said:

I think apple would be making a big mistake by not putting retina in the mini 2. If they do want to get cost down, they could do retina for 329 and non-retina for 249 or 199.

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Well, the big question is if they can get the cost of retina for a mini down enough. But "retina" isn't just the display; it's the battery and cpu/gpu. And, given that currently the mini is their lowest margin device at $329, do you really think that in a few months they will sell it for $249? Or $199?

Regards,
Tom

cagcody said:

Hello,

First off, I have a 16GB Verizon LTE iPad 3. I purchased it the day it came out. I have had my eye on the Mini for awhile. I recently found someone on Craigslist who has a 2 month old 64GB iPad Mini for trade.

I mainly use my iPad for media consumption/games and the occasional class notes, as I am a college student. The big thing for me is portability, and I know the iPad Mini is lighter. Does this seem like a good trade? Also, I don't use the LTE, as I have an iPhone 5 and use the personal hotspot feature.

Thanks!

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Be patient and wait for the Retina iPad mini to come out. Plus the current mini has a crap processor.

cagcody said:

Hello,

First off, I have a 16GB Verizon LTE iPad 3. I purchased it the day it came out. I have had my eye on the Mini for awhile. I recently found someone on Craigslist who has a 2 month old 64GB iPad Mini for trade.

I mainly use my iPad for media consumption/games and the occasional class notes, as I am a college student. The big thing for me is portability, and I know the iPad Mini is lighter. Does this seem like a good trade? Also, I don't use the LTE, as I have an iPhone 5 and use the personal hotspot feature.

Thanks!

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If 64GB is all you care about then go for it.

cagcody said:

The person I was supposed to trade with backed out..... Guess I'll just wait for the Retina Mini/iPad 5...

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maybe he's been reading this thread..

I have been pondering this very topic as well. I have an iPad 3 and the only thing I don't like about it is the weight. The iPad 5 was rumored to be 15% thinner and 25% lighter, which, if true, would beat the Mini, in my opinion. I personally don't believe they will be able to make a retina mini that isn't at least somewhat thicker and heavier than the current one. It's all speculation at this point though.

Keep your 3 but buy a mini. That way you've got the best of both worlds.