iPad Mini: iPad Mini performance as a gaming device

[armitage shanks]

Morning all,

Have a iPad Mini 16GB 4G on its way tomorrow. I know its based on iPad 2 hardware so how will it perform with the latest games such as GTA:Vice City and FIFA 13? Will be most dissapointed if there is a lot of slowdown etc...

Any experiences?

[Menel]

Exactly the same as an iPad 2.

[armitage shanks]

Which in turn will be good enough for Vice City?

[THFourteen]

i was playing FIFA 13 on my way to work this morning.

It felt like it could be a little smoother but it was playable.

i have nothing to compare it to right though, no iphone and no retina ipad

[Random 995K]

Originally Posted by armitage shanks

Which in turn will be good enough for Vice City?

Maybe... expect some stutter though. Or they might have removed some visual effects to keep the FPS high and steady.

[THFourteen]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nBDepyBT1p4

[armitage shanks]

Originally Posted by THFourteen

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nBDepyBT1p4

Well thats cleared up any worries! Looks excellent.

[mattopotamus]

Originally Posted by THFourteen

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nBDepyBT1p4

lol that is a man dedicated

[THFourteen]

it wasn't me!

i just googled the video!

[racoonboy]

Ipad mini as gaming device.

Ummm.

[D1G1T4L]

Originally Posted by racoonboy

Ipad mini as gaming device.

Ummm.

Ummmm?

Are you saying it's not?

[racoonboy]

Originally Posted by D1G1T4L

Ummmm?

Are you saying it's not?

I think ipad mini could be a good device but for gaming i'd prefer Ipod touch. Its portable, beautiful retina screen, similar price it has double the storage. I just think Tablet should be used mainly as substitute to your PCs. Surfing, video, light gaming and those are all better on original Ipad size.

[Jessica Lares]

Have been playing Sonic the Hedgehog 4: Episode II on mine. LOVE IT. No lag whatsoever.

[w00t951]

You won't see much of a difference other than in load times on 2D and simple 3D games, but it'll stutter with more intensive games. They might disable certain visual effects, or they might go with the lower framerate.

[THFourteen]

Originally Posted by racoonboy

I think ipad mini could be a good device but for gaming i'd prefer Ipod touch. Its portable, beautiful retina screen, similar price it has double the storage. I just think Tablet should be used mainly as substitute to your PCs. Surfing, video, light gaming and those are all better on original Ipad size.

for me the ipad mini is perfect for gaming, its light and the screen is bigger and more immersive, and you dont obscure the whole screen with your thumbs like with a phone or ipod touch.

You can also play ipad only games like baldurs gate, and play point and click adventures without repeatedly clicking on the wrong part of the screen because its too small.

ipod touch should be used mainly as a substitute to your mp3 player, or if you can't afford a smartphone

[racoonboy]

Originally Posted by THFourteen

for me the ipad mini is perfect for gaming, its light and the screen is bigger and more immersive, and you dont obscure the whole screen with your thumbs like with a phone or ipod touch.

You can also play ipad only games like baldurs gate, and play point and click adventures without repeatedly clicking on the wrong part of the screen because its too small.

ipod touch should be used mainly as a substitute to your mp3 player, or if you can't afford a smartphone

Ios games is still far from competing with real console like psp or psvita even wii u. Experience are different when you can only control by touch system. If you prefer kids game then it should be okay but for $329, little steep.

Ipod touch is way more than substitute for mp3 player, my friend. Mp3 players do not price themselves at $299 for start even older version at $199 is same price as Android tablet. There are more than many well-selected smart phone at that price point.

Dont get me wrong, i like my Ipad but i would never consider any tablet as a dedicated gaming device. Its rediculous.

[nfl46]

Sorry, but this isn't an Low-End Android device. Gaming is fine on it.

[EMAN19]

I've been playing games like GTA3, FIFA 13, Dead Trigger, Rage HD, ShadowGun, Bladeslinger, MetalStorm, etc. perfectly fine. No hiccups, no lag, nothing. iPad mini works wonderfully as a gaming device.

I'm going to download the new Modern Combat game tomorrow and see it how it runs.

[THFourteen]

Originally Posted by racoonboy

Ios games is still far from competing with real console like psp or psvita even wii u. Experience are different when you can only control by touch system. If you prefer kids game then it should be okay but for $329, little steep.

Ipod touch is way more than substitute for mp3 player, my friend. Mp3 players do not price themselves at $299 for start even older version at $199 is same price as Android tablet. There are more than many well-selected smart phone at that price point.

Dont get me wrong, i like my Ipad but i would never consider any tablet as a dedicated gaming device. Its rediculous.

Ah i see, no i agree with you in that case, it is not a replacement for a 3DS or a Vita at all.

What i was saying was that out of the 3, full size ipad, mini ipad or ipod touch, ipad mini provides the best gaming experience IMO.

Having said that, i bought a Vita when it first came out, loved the console but was dissapointed in the quality of the games, and sold it. Also i found that the device was too limited, if i was taking a bag i'll take my gaming notebook or ipad and leave it at home anyway

[yegon]

The attraction of the mini as a gaming device is that I'll always have it with me. I rarely took my iPad 3 anywhere, and with the very rare exception I'm never going to sit down at home playing iPad games when I've got access to consoles & pc's.

Plus, I find the mini the perfect size for touchscreen gaming. Much better than an iPod/iPhone imo, plus I never have to worry about battery life, main reason I gave up on phone gaming ages ago.

Vita, which I own, trounces it in a lot of ways in pure gaming terms - I honestly don't know how people stomach GTA & racing games on a touchscreen - but I can rarely be arsed taking it out with me when the mini offers a tonne more functionality.

[ActionableMango]

Originally Posted by Menel

Exactly the same as an iPad 2.

I used to think that. And it's a solid theory. But so far I've found one iPhone game and one iPad game that won't work on the Mini.

[CandyNJ66]

Originally Posted by Menel

Exactly the same as an iPad 2.

Wrong. Vice City crashes and lags on an iPad 2 but does not on my iPad Mini.

Games are fantastic on the Mini, GTA VC is very smooth, Graphic intensive games work perfectly fine. It's absolutely great from simple puzzle games to games like the newest Shadowgun.

I play more games on my iPad Mini than on my full sized iPad!

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Originally Posted by w00t951

You won't see much of a difference other than in load times on 2D and simple 3D games, but it'll stutter with more intensive games. They might disable certain visual effects, or they might go with the lower framerate.

Actually own one?

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Originally Posted by racoonboy

I think ipad mini could be a good device but for gaming i'd prefer Ipod touch. Its portable, beautiful retina screen, similar price it has double the storage. I just think Tablet should be used mainly as substitute to your PCs. Surfing, video, light gaming and those are all better on original Ipad size.

I feel the opposite. The iPod touch 5G is way too small for my needs. I would use it for music but I gotta have a much a bigger screen for apps and gaming.

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Originally Posted by ActionableMango

I used to think that. And it's a solid theory. But so far I've found one iPhone game and one iPad game that won't work on the Mini.

Which ones are they? I would like to test them on my Mini

[Durious]

Originally Posted by ActionableMango

I used to think that. And it's a solid theory. But so far I've found one iPhone game and one iPad game that won't work on the Mini.

What ones?

[AlvinNguyen]

Originally Posted by EMAN19

I've been playing games like GTA3, FIFA 13, Dead Trigger, Rage HD, ShadowGun, Bladeslinger, MetalStorm, etc. perfectly fine. No hiccups, no lag, nothing. iPad mini works wonderfully as a gaming device.

I'm going to download the new Modern Combat game tomorrow and see it how it runs.

I played on it and while it was playable and very easy to play on the mini (light weight), I turned on my iPad 4 and the game SCREAMS. I love my mini so much but the 4 definitely is the superior one for high end games. I think the ultimate iPad is coming next year in the form of an all new 5 at under 1 lb.

[ActionableMango]

Originally Posted by CandyNJ66

Which ones are they? I would like to test them on my Mini

Originally Posted by Durious

What ones?

The iPhone app is Blockade by One Day Beard, and the iPad app (actually, universal app) is Cat Physics by Donut Games.

Blockade has graphics corruption and Cat Physics just locks up.

I hope you guys try these; I will be curious to see if it's "just me" or others as well. On the other hand, I don't expect you to spend money on something I don't think will work on your iPad Minis!