Become a MacRumors Supporter for $50/year with no ads, ability to filter front page stories, and private forums.

Furifo

macrumors 6502
Jun 1, 2010
277
7
Opinions are probably going to vary but I would say the extra screen real estate of the full size iPad would be nice to have when gaming. The A6X chip is also more than capable of powering the 2048x1536 display that the full size iPad has.

If I was debating which one to spend money on for gaming, I would spend a little extra and buy the full size iPad.
 

Garbera

macrumors newbie
Nov 1, 2012
8
0
The Netherlands
It's really a hard choice. The iPad 4 has an really awesome retina screen and when I bought it after coming from an iPad 2 and booted up MC4 I was really amazed. The A6X is awesome too and never had any lagg.

The mini however, is really light, wich is great for games with the accelerometer and long time usage. However, the screen is smaller and the resolution much lower. The processor is fine for the screen btw: ofcourse the iPad 4 processor is better but it has to handle 4 times the pixels and also run effects that some developers like Gameloft are using in their games for retina screens.

You can wait for the iPad 5/Mini retina in order to get retina and better processor on the mini or a lighter iPad 5. You can also go to an Apple Store and play with both choices to see what fits you ;-)
 

darngooddesign

macrumors P6
Jul 4, 2007
17,938
9,481
Atlanta, GA
The mini will lag slightly with graphic intensive games. You won't see this with the 4.

The iPad 4 will be better for gaming longer than the mini because two years from now it will smoothly play games that will lag on the current Mini.

The other side of the coin is that the Mini is better for gaming because being smaller you will be more likely to have it with you so you can play games.
 

jonnyb098

macrumors 68040
Nov 16, 2010
3,981
5,407
Michigan
iPad 4 is a gaming beast. Only a few games really take FULL advantage of the processor/visual capabilities but everything runs really smooth. For casual games like angry birds or other simple games will probably be best suited to the mini. However if you are going to be playing some intense games like Modern Combat or Real Racing, the iPad 4 will be truly stunning. I wish people would stop using Infinity Blade as a benchmark since its capped at 30 FPS anyway.
 

mpayne2k

macrumors 6502a
May 12, 2010
876
63
I've enjoyed some games better on my Mini than the iPad 3 I recently sold. Holding the Mini for long stretces is easier on the hands and it is easier to play some games that require pushes towards the center of the screen (ie. Joe Danger)
 

raccoonboy

macrumors 6502a
Oct 22, 2012
918
5
Mini is obviously a better choice if you play games like Street fighter x tekken, spiderman, dark knight rises.

I can't reach all buttons on my fullsize.
 

flavr

macrumors 6502
Nov 9, 2011
363
40
Hands DOWN the mini...its the right size to hold and game with...my full size is TOO BIG and clunky to game on...it can have all the graphics power in the world, if its not comfortable to use and hold its pointless...

iPad mini
 

Donia330i

macrumors regular
Original poster
Jan 24, 2013
166
7
Yea, that’s what I thought; the mini is a great size but lacks the performance it needs. I know playing on my iPad 2 gets old fast since it’s so big. Maybe the new iPad 5 will be the best of both worlds; light, easy to hold and awesome performance specs.
 

Alith

macrumors 6502
Feb 9, 2008
303
25
London, UK.
It varies from game to game due to graphics and controls but if I had to choose an optimal device then I would say the Mini.

The games that would benefit from the increased CPU/GPU power of an iPad4 are not great games. They are wannabe console/PC games that look like they are running on 15 year old hardware and have terrible virtual controls. You would only scrape that barrel if you are desperate for a mobile version of those genres or if you don't own any other gaming equipment.

The best games on the App Store right now are the ones designed from the ground up for tablets. Super Hexagon, Tiny Wings and Rayman JungleRun for instance, are perfect on the Mini. I have them on all iOS devices and the Mini is by far the best for them.

So your mileage may vary, depending on what type of games you want.
 

Skygunner27

macrumors member
Mar 31, 2012
41
0
Lag or Larger form factor....

If you don't mind lag in the most demanding games for iOS go with the Mini. If you want the best buttery smooth high-resolution experience, go with the iPad 4.


We own both in my home. The mini is perfect for angry birds, temple run etc.....
For Real Racing, Nova 3, MC3, Kingdom Rush(screen real estate), Asphalt 7 etc....the A6X owns.

I know those who have an iPad 3 or 4 will be glad they do, the day Real Racing 3 releases.
 

iThinkergoiMac

macrumors 68030
Jan 20, 2010
2,664
4
Terra
In terms of pure performance, the iPad 4 is clearly the superior gaming device. Between the retina screen and the GPU, the iPad 4 is leaps and bounds faster than the iPad mini. The CPU is significantly better as well. Anyone trying to tell you that you can get just as much performance out of the mini as the 4 is not thinking straight. I will qualify that statement by saying that I assume you're looking into intensive iPad gaming, not stuff like Angry Birds or you wouldn't have asked the question.

The real thing to consider is if you're willing to spend that much on an iPad, since you'll likely need to get one of the higher capacity models to accomodate all your games, and if the size makes a difference.

If size and price aren't a factor, there's no question: iPad 4
 

AppleRobert

macrumors 603
Nov 12, 2012
5,726
1,132
The Mini. Save money so you can buy all the games you like!

Unless of course you are planning to get a larger ipad used or refurbished but you'd still probably save more money spending on the Mini regardless.
 
Register on MacRumors! This sidebar will go away, and you'll see fewer ads.