iPad Mini: Anandtech review of iPad mini

[reputationZed]

Anandtech review of the mini is up
http://www.anandtech.com/show/6429/ipad-mini-review

Haven't read it yet, but knowing Anandtech it's likely to be far more in depth that any of the other sites

[shenan1982]

Originally Posted by reputationZed

Anandtech review of the mini is up
http://www.anandtech.com/show/6429/ipad-mini-review

Haven't read it yet, but knowing Anandtech it's likely to be far more in depth that any of the other sites

To summarize... "Good for the price" still beats it's competition because of build quality and iOS

[kallyq]

I thought it was interesting that they do not think there will be a retina mini!

[jahoys]

he doesn't think there will be a retina version next year, if ever
hopefully apple can make it happen (without sacrificing weight & thinness). if not next year then 2014

[tim100]

good review. i was surprised at how the ipad 4 had better battery life than the 3, i assumed they would be the same.

[CrAkD]

good read.

[reputationZed]

Good analysis of the strengths and weaknesses of the mini. The guys at Anandtech covered the mini in their piscast, #9 IIRC, the podcast preceded the review but their was a good discussion on why retina may not happen anytime soon.

[thadoggfather]

I love how anand reviews always say the black is objectively better haha.

I like black for my 5 and the white mini (to me looks less like a direct response to smaller tablets taking over the market)

[WilliamLondon]

Originally Posted by kallyq

I thought it was interesting that they do not think there will be a retina mini!

Yeah, I read that, and while his argument is logical, what I don't think makes any sense is an update to the mini without better resolution.

What could they possibly put in there that wouldn't be but just a minor bump or improvement (in speed or battery life - doubtful it could be much thinner, at least in a compelling way), that would justify a new generation mini? I'm not a product manager, so I couldn't really imagine more than what I personally want (which is better screen resolution than current mini). While the screen I think is very good *for the time being*, I will sell my current mini the moment the new one is announced, assuming it sports a better screen.

Any ideas what else they could throw in mini gen 2 that would warrant a whole new version?

[thadoggfather]

8MP cam like 4S and 5 and an a6 chip?

Not sure i would jump ship for those alone. Would need a retina to push me into upgrading.

Maybe Igzo and new battery tech? I think between that and apple milking things, it'd be asking too much for 2013. Well see

Still can't see why they'd put a5 in mini except pure greed and to make room for a 2nd gen without retina as buying time

[ThatsMeRight]

Originally Posted by reputationZed

Anandtech review of the mini is up
http://www.anandtech.com/show/6429/ipad-mini-review

Haven't read it yet, but knowing Anandtech it's likely to be far more in depth that any of the other sites

Thanks! I love Anandtech's reviews!

[corvus32]

Once again, as with every iPad review, the section about color gamut, temperature, brightness, and contrast can be thrown out. None of those things are consistent. You might get a fabulous display, while you're friend got one that's washed out looking or has a ugly yellow tint.

[macbook123]

I like the balanced perspective on things, especially also the display resolution. It's not for everybody, but for some people might be just enough.

[Awakener]

It really shows how much better iPad 2 text looks than iPad Mini.
(See the comparator: http://www.anandtech.com/show/6429/ipad-mini-review/4)

[davideotape]

Originally Posted by Awakener

It really shows how much better iPad 2 text looks than iPad Mini.
(See the comparator: http://www.anandtech.com/show/6429/ipad-mini-review/4)

They really should've made the photos the same size.

[Awakener]

Originally Posted by davideotape

They really should've made the photos the same size.

They have the comparator (you have to click on it) which is completely fair.

[davideotape]

... I did click on it. The photos are different sizes. The mini's photo is actually a smaller photo.

The entire blogpost shifts up from underneath the photo when you click the mini choice, you don't notice that?

[afireintonto]

Originally Posted by davideotape

... I did click on it. The photos are different sizes. The mini's photo is actually a smaller photo.

The entire blogpost shifts up from underneath the photo when you click the mini choice, you don't notice that?

How about because the mini has a smaller screen?
It's comparing how the screen looks at a certain distance. (Zoomed way in)
Therefor, the mini will look smaller.
It's just that the photo is smaller, if it were the same size, it would be exactly the same as the iPad 2.

[canyonblue737]

Originally Posted by jahoys

he doesn't think there will be a retina version next year, if ever
hopefully apple can make it happen (without sacrificing weight & thinness). if not next year then 2014

I like Anandtech and this the site has excellent reviews but (and I haven't read it yet) if they really imply the iPad mini won't have a retina screen "if ever" they have gone insane. I don't know if it will get a retina screen next year (I am guessing it will but in the Oct 2013) time frame but I DO KNOW it will get a retina screen someday for sure.

[kodeman53]

Originally Posted by canyonblue737

I like Anandtech and this the site has excellent reviews but (and I haven't read it yet) if they really imply the iPad mini won't have a retina screen "if ever" they have gone insane. I don't know if it will get a retina screen next year (I am guessing it will but in the Oct 2013) time frame but I DO KNOW it will get a retina screen someday for sure.

I love it. You admit to not reading the review, but you are so sure it will get a Retina screen. Anandtech does not imply the Mini won't get a Retina screen, they come out and say it. They also explain why.

[Awakener]

Originally Posted by davideotape

... I did click on it. The photos are different sizes. The mini's photo is actually a smaller photo.

The entire blogpost shifts up from underneath the photo when you click the mini choice, you don't notice that?

It is according to scale, there is no way to match perfectly. Point is still obvious.

[jedolley]

Originally Posted by Awakener

It really shows how much better iPad 2 text looks than iPad Mini.
(See the comparator: http://www.anandtech.com/show/6429/ipad-mini-review/4)

Which comparator are you talking about? The only one I found was the one with the text letter "e" and unless you are blind, the mini is definitely better (due to more PPI). Also the review clearly states, "Compared to the iPad 2 and even Microsoft's Surface, the mini looks pretty good, but if you compare it to the Nexus 7 or newer iPads it's clearly at a disadvantage". If you look at the graphs, the only ones where the mini is "significantly" behind the iPad 2 is contrast and black levels, but even then those numbers don't translate to real world experience.

Regardless, I don't need these graphs to tell me what I can see with my own eyes... Even though the iPad mini is not retina and does not compare well to iPads 3 & 4, it's still a nice screen and everything I have viewed with it (games, comics, web sites, videos, etc.) have looked very good.

[reputationZed]

Originally Posted by canyonblue737

I like Anandtech and this the site has excellent reviews but (and I haven't read it yet) if they really imply the iPad mini won't have a retina screen "if ever" they have gone insane. I don't know if it will get a retina screen next year (I am guessing it will but in the Oct 2013) time frame but I DO KNOW it will get a retina screen someday for sure.

Reminds me all all the people who stated "the iMac will get Blueray someday for sure"

[chleuasme]

Originally Posted by Awakener

It really shows how much better iPad 2 text looks than iPad Mini.
(See the comparator: http://www.anandtech.com/show/6429/ipad-mini-review/4)

On their pictures for the comparison of the letter 'e' and the 'topic of the webcast' text, the RGB components of pixels appear vertically aligned on the mini, and horizontally aligned on the iPad 2. And same thing on the Safari icon comparison on the mini vs the 4.
I'm not sure why, or if it's deliberate or how the screenshots were taken (portrait? landscape? on which model?), but that could be a reason why these zoomed in pictures of the mini screen look bad for you in comparison?
Now, at their real sizes, the pixels are probably small enough to appear the same for any given orientation, and it shouldn't make any real trouble.