All iPads: Going from iPad 3 to iPad mini

[Awakener]

Originally Posted by MacRumorUser

Sluggish ? My mini is just as fast as my iPad 3 bar a couple of games that need to be updated because they are reading the identifier correctly.

But as for performance in everything else, there is no difference as evident by it scoring the exact same score in geekbench as the ipad 3.

Yes, sluggish. Some webpages loading instantly on iPad hang or take very long time for mini. Other problems have required restarting mini.

[MacRumorUser]

Originally Posted by Ccwk

Also went from iPad3 to mini. You will definitely notice the pixels and a bit of fuziness but only you will know if it bothers you or not. I can tell you that if you do go from the Retina Ipad to mini, you will absolutely upgrade when the mini gets Retina. Just be prepared for that cost in 6 months or so.

It won't be 6 months. As discussed in a myriad other threads we already know that the suppliers of the retina display 7.9" for a future mini won't have it ready for production till Q4 2013. It will be 12 months.

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Originally Posted by Awakener

Yes, sluggish. Some webpages loading instantly on iPad hang or take very long time for mini. Other problems have required restarting mini.

Not had that issue here, maybe its more iOS 6.0.1 issue / bug with wifi settings?

[MultiFinder17]

I picked up a mini a few days ago and used it alongside my iPad 3, so I could figure out which I liked more. I just sold my iPad 3. I find that the performance between the two is nearly identical, although there is a bit more reloading going on since the mini only has 512MB of RAM as opposed to the 1GB that the iPad 3 has. I much prefer the form factor, and while the screen is of lesser quality than the retina display, it's not terrible enough to outweigh the advantage of its form factor for me.

[potvkettle]

After owning the iPad 1 for two years, I took the plunge to the new form factor with the iPad 3. I tend to upgrade on two year cycles. The Retina display was nice, but it was mostly the thinner form factor and the Smart Cover that I wanted.

My iPad usage is probably 95% reading, mostly ebooks and webpages, general surfing. I do some email and some productivity (Numbers and Pages). It seemed I had a little less eye strain with the iPad 3.

When the iPad Mini launched, I figured I'd pick one up, try out the size, then return it if I didn't like it. I used it one week straight, with no return to the iPad 3 until after that week was up. I wanted to give it an honest chance. Using it the first time, did I notice the screen was not as crisp? Yes. Was it the landsliding detriment everyone is making it out to be? No. If I really concentrated on paying attention to the display, then I cool tell that it was not as clear, especially when viewing text, but mostly my eye adjusted and I don't think about it all that much.

When I went back to the iPad 3 after a week, my first thought wasn't, "Wow! Look how clear all the text is!" It was, "Wow, this thing's freaking HUGE!" I've found that I MUCH prefer the size and weight of the iPad Mini for my needs (again, mostly reading, light surfing, some productivity, minimal gaming). For what it's worth, I read in the pretty much the same spot every night, and my distance from eye to screen was the same for both iPads.

So, after a few weeks' usage of the Mini and some back and forth to the 3, I'm ditching the iPad 3 in favor of the Mini. FWIW, I've also found over the years, through judicious usage of iCloud and other cloud-solutions, I can get away with a 16g unit. I use it for work, as well as personal use. Started with a 64g iPad 1 with ATT 3g. I might opt for the Verizon LTE Mini. Haven't decided yet. Waiting for them to deliver.

Originally Posted by PalacePlayers

I am a student who mostly uses my iPad 3 for reading, surfing, mail and listening to music. I do notuse it to take notes, and I play very few games and it's very rare that I use it for creative stuff like painting and such.

The reason I bought the iPad 3 was because I thought the screen on iPad 2 looked poor. I absolutely love retina displays, and this summer I spent most of my earnings on a retina MacBook Pro, because I absolutely adore the crisp displays. However, during the transition from iPad 2 to 3, the added weight made a huge impact on my satisfactiom with the iPad. I adored the screen, but the weight was and still is its biggest føaw.

While using my iPad 3, I often find myself physically in pain from the sharp edges pressing against the palm of my hand. It's mostly fine for the first 20 minutes, but after a longer session, it's stright down uncomfortable to use my iPad 3.

So, naturally, I am thinking about replacing it with a iPad mini. But as a person that absolutely loves retina displays, I am wondering if I will enjoy my iPad mini without thinking of those goddamn blurry pixels every second i use it.

I also have an iPhone 5, so I will definetly switch from retina to non-retina a lot.

Any thoughts? Experiences? This will probably replace the iPad as soon as the next generation arrives, so keep in mind that I'm looking for the best iPad for my needs only for the next year.

Thanks guys!

EDIT: I have seen the iPad mini in the stores, and to be frank I thought the acreen was better than I expected, but not as good as I'm used too.

[PalacePlayers]

OP here. Went to the store today to play with the iPad mini for an awkwardly long time.
I've decided that the screen simply isn't good enough. It's okay while reading large fonts in iBooks, but visiting sites like macrumors really doesn't look good at all because of the fuzzy, small text. Also the saturation is bad compared to the retina model. I guess it's a great device for anyone who can look past that flaw though. I simply cannot.

[MacRumorUser]

Originally Posted by PalacePlayers

OP here. Went to the store today to play with the iPad mini for an awkwardly long time.
I've decided that the screen simply isn't good enough. It's okay while reading large fonts in iBooks, but visiting sites like macrumors really doesn't look good at all because of the fuzzy, small text. Also the saturation is bad compared to the retina model. I guess it's a great device for anyone who can look past that flaw though. I simply cannot.

Tapatalk HD for viewing forums solves that issue.

Different strokes for different folks, though I did say as the first reply

Originally Posted by MacRumorUser

I went from a 3 to a mini because I prefer the form factor and weight.

Just go to a store, try one out and you will know if it feels better for you.

To me the pro trade offs against the more powerful bigger brother outweigh any cons.

Only you will know, one shoe doesn't fit all. So go try a pair on in store and see for yourself.

Now we can close this thread because there is nothing left to talk about. You have decided that form factor and weight are less important to you than the retina which is perfectly fine and you are making the right choice for you.

So we don't need another 6 pages of why the OP is wrong, how the mini is perfect, how retina is not important, how people should wait for an ipad mini 2, how you should only buy and iPad 4, how the nexus 7 is better value and so on.

OP has made their choice. Let's leave a thread as is and not turn it into every other thread on this forum section peeps.

[ziljan]

Originally Posted by PalacePlayers

While using my iPad 3, I often find myself physically in pain from the sharp edges pressing against the palm of my hand. It's mostly fine for the first 20 minutes, but after a longer session, it's stright down uncomfortable to use my iPad 3.

I agree. The sharp edges of the ipad 2,3, & 4 should a top priority on Apples list for the next iPad. If you need to buy a case just to hold the thing for more than 20 (same issue for me) then it is a design flaw in the iPad.

I'm frankly not going to buy another iPad until they make the edges round like the iPad Mini. Which sucks, because I am just about ready for an upgrade otherwise.