iPad Mini: Think the mini has a low PPI? Calculate your Desktop here.

[expy]

While contemplating the purchase of a iPad mini the only thing that has been holding me back was the non retina display (163 ppi). I have a iPhone 5 (326 ppi) and iPad 3 (264 ppi) so I am spoiled with their great displays. My desktop computer has two Dell 24" 1080p monitors which I have always thought looked nice but guess what, by going to http://www.thirdculture.com/joel/shu...e/ppicalc.html I found out they were only 91 ppi. I now have renewed interest in the mini. Not saying I'm out the door to buy a mini but I now think its worth my time to go have a look.

[joshwithachance]

My 15-inch MacBook Pro has a PPI of only 110

[supertomtom]

Might also want to consider the viewing distance and the size of the font you'll be frequently viewing as well...

[onthecouchagain]

Please remember this if any of the competition releases non "Retina" displays.

I seem to recall many people criticizing the competition whenever a non Retina display device was released. Where were all these excuses to justify the purchase? I keep reading "you can't see the pixels if you don't look at the iPad Mini up close." Why doesn't' this logic apply and excuse other non-retina displays?

If you want the iPad Mini, no one is stopping you. It's just odd you have to go through such lengths to justify the purchase. Makes you think...

[53x12]

Originally Posted by expy

While contemplating the purchase of a iPad mini the only thing that has been holding me back was the non retina display (163 ppi). I have a iPhone 5 (326 ppi) and iPad 3 (264 ppi) so I am spoiled with their great displays. My desktop computer has two Dell 24" 1080p monitors which I have always thought looked nice but guess what, by going to http://www.thirdculture.com/joel/shu...e/ppicalc.html I found out they were only 91 ppi. I now have renewed interest in the mini. Not saying I'm out the door to buy a mini but I now think its worth my time to go have a look.

Steve Jobs told me I needed retina on my iPhone 4. If he said it, I believe it.

You will be singing praises when the iPad mini 2 with RD comes out. Trust me.

Originally Posted by supertomtom

Might also want to consider the viewing distance and the size of the font you'll be frequently viewing as well...

+100000.

[hyteckit]

My 15.6" HP laptop: 100.45 ppi

[expy]

I did not intend for this thread to be another mini screen resolution debate. I just found it interesting that the typical HD Desktop monitor has such a low ppi and most find them quite acceptable.

Originally Posted by supertomtom
Might also want to consider the viewing distance and the size of the font you'll be frequently viewing as well...

I sit pretty close to my desktop screen but definitely not closer than I would hold the mini so point well made.

[lianlua]

Originally Posted by onthecouchagain

Why doesn't' this logic apply and excuse other non-retina displays?

It does. You keep bringing this up in unrelated threads as some perceived slight by an unidentified group of people.

If you want the iPad Mini, no one is stopping you. It's just odd you have to go through such lengths to justify the purchase. Makes you think...

It makes you think about what the investment is for people who think the purchase needs to be justified in the first place, going to such lengths to point out a known quantity everywhere they can, as though everyone else must be missing something. It shouldn't be hard to accept that one number isn't everything.

Originally Posted by 53x12

You will be singing praises when the iPad mini 2 with RD comes out. Trust me.

No doubt, as I will on that glorious day in the future when I can get a 250ppi display in a 27-32" size. It's not going to prevent me from enjoying anything in the mean time, though.

[Lara F]

Originally Posted by expy

I sit pretty close to my desktop screen but definitely not closer than I would hold the mini so point well made.

Yes, the greater distance is exactly why the lower PPI of laptops is less of an issue than on tablets.

I've always had a bad habit of reading too close, be it paper or screens. No coincidence then that I'm one of those especially disappointed at the lack of retina. I'm wondering now if the Mini would actually help break me of that.

[Nikos]

It still looks terrible in comparison to every other screen I own during real world use.

[a3vr]

220 ppi

[hyteckit]

Originally Posted by Nikos

It still looks terrible in comparison to every other screen I own during real world use.

iPad Mini screen looks much better than my Acer iconia 7" tablet I bought last year. The Acer screen isn't even IPS and has very poor viewing angle.

iPad Mini screen looks much better than my PC laptop screens.
iPad Mini screen looks better than my MacBook Pro screen.

Most of my screens aren't IPS. I have 3 monitors that are IPS. The other 7 monitors I have aren't.

[KBS756]

17 inch Macbook Pro 136 ppi

Man I want a retina 17 ....

Still buying an iPad mini for my mom though she needs it for work since her laptop is killin her (weight/back problems) and what she does can be done from an ipad mini

Honestly my 14 year old brother has an iPad 1 so I dont see why everyone is going nuts over the resolution density since the iPad 1 isnt bad and the Mini is better

[osofast240sx]

Originally Posted by Nikos

It still looks terrible in comparison to every other screen I own during real world use.

Even your 23" cinema display?whats the pip on that display?
The thunderbolt display has a ppi of 109 vs the mini's 163

[rockyroad55]

Originally Posted by a3vr

220 ppi

Same!

[expy]

Originally Posted by a3vr

220 ppi

Nice!

[KBS756]

I have a hard time believing that the Mini will look any worse than most of the God Awful PC screens I have seen. Personally I use a mac exclusively but for business use we buy PCs because they are cost effective and I cant find a decent display with decent pixel density on any of the laptops we end up buying. The mini has to look better than that so for all intents and purposes it should be a good enough display. Should it have been retina probably? sure but does not being retina kill it? the biggest problem should be their refusal to drop the margin between sizes 16 - 32 - 64 to being 50 dollar increments at once

[scupking]

My 27" monitor I'm using right now only has 81.59 PPI and my new 55" TV has 40.05 PPI

[expy]

Originally Posted by scupking

My 27" monitor I'm using right now only has 81.59 PPI and my new 55" TV has 40.05 PPI

I knew better than to calculate my Big Screen TV! Ignorance is bliss (in this case). Of course I don't tend to sit very close to the tube to notice the low ppi.

[hyteckit]

Originally Posted by scupking

My 27" monitor I'm using right now only has 81.59 PPI and my new 55" TV has 40.05 PPI

I can actually see pixels on my 50" TV sitting 10 feet away.

Then again, it's only 720p.

[53x12]

Originally Posted by osofast240sx

Even your 23" cinema display?whats the pip on that display?
The thunderbolt display has a ppi of 109 vs the mini's 163

How close is your face to your computer screen vs. how close is your face to your tablet when being held in your hands. The answer to the conundrum lies there.

[hyteckit]

Originally Posted by 53x12

How close is your face to your computer screen vs. how close is your face to your tablet when being held in your hands. The answer to the conundrum lies there.

Desktop monitor is about arms length.

Tablet about 6" to 8" closer.

Laptop monitor about the same distance as my iPad.
Laptop monitor has worst ppi.

[lianlua]

Originally Posted by 53x12

How close is your face to your computer screen vs. how close is your face to your tablet when being held in your hands. The answer to the conundrum lies there.

Precisely. To nip this whole thing in the bud, here are the distance figures for 20/20 vision:

40ppi: 87"
90ppi: 38"
100ppi: 34"
110ppi: 31"
132ppi: 26"
163ppi: 21"
220ppi: 16"
264ppi: 13"
300ppi: 12"
326ppi: 10"

[hyteckit]

Originally Posted by lianlua

Precisely. To nip this whole thing in the bud, here are the distance figures for 20/20 vision:

40ppi: 87"
90ppi: 38"
100ppi: 34"
110ppi: 31"
132ppi: 26"
163ppi: 21"
220ppi: 16"
264ppi: 13"
300ppi: 12"
326ppi: 10"

You mean I should sit 34" from my HP laptop with its 100ppi?
You mean I should sit 38" from my HP IPS 24" 1080p monitor with its 92 ppi?

Damn. I wish I have longer arms.

[expy]

Originally Posted by hyteckit

You mean I should sit 34" from my HP laptop with its 100ppi?
You mean I should sit 38" from my HP IPS 24" 1080p monitor with its 92 ppi?

Damn. I wish I have longer arms.

Here ya go.........