iPad mini iPad Mini 2 or 4 for Mum?

[masands]

Hello,

I'm getting an iPad for my Mum for her birthday. She will only really use it for basic tasks such as viewing photos and browsing the web. Lots of AirPlay will be involved.

The Mini 2 32gb costs $350 AUD and the Mini 4 64gb costs $650. I'm not sure if it's worth all that extra money to get the Mini 4. I know it will be more future proof with the A8 chip and extra RAM but is it worth the $300 difference? How does the Mini 2 run these days?

Cheers

 

[997440]

Getting a refurb mini 4 brings the price a bit closer -- http://www.apple.com/au/shop/browse/home/specialdeals/ipad/ipad_mini_4/wi_fi

 

[ColdShadow]

I'd go for Mini 4 at this point of time.
Mini 2 had it's days,maybe still useable now but won't be fast enough..very soon.

I had the Mini 2 and used it for 1.5 years sold it few months aho because I felt its struggling with web browsing,constantly re-loading websites when 2 tabs where open,felt slow to use.and bought a Mini 4 64GB,definitely faster and fresher experience.

 

[rui no onna]

Something to consider, might an Air 2 be better? My mom and aunts all opted for 9.7" iPads because those were easier on their eyes than the Mini but not as bulky as the 12.9" Pro.

 

[iOSpecialist]

The air 2 would be a good choice, but if you have to get a mini, get the mini 4. The extra ram makes a big difference. I've used both the mini 2 and mini 4, and the A8 chip is a nice improvement over the A7. Plus you get Touch ID as an extra bonus. The display also feels much nicer.

Will your mum be taking pictures with her new iPad? If so, the mini 4 is a much better choice.

 

[PortableLover]

Mini 4 but if you can wait til sep/oct then grab the mini 4 for cheaper or the mini 5.

The mini 2 uses tech from 2013. It is slower then the mini 4

 

[joeblow7777]

Unless cash is really an issue, the Mini 4 is the better choice. The Mini 2 is still a capable tablet, but the 4 has a better processor, more ram, a better camera, a better display, and is thinner and lighter.
[doublepost=1471129473][/doublepost]

Mini 4 but if you can wait til sep/oct then grab the mini 4 for cheaper or the mini 5.

The mini 2 uses tech from 2013. It is slower then the mini 4

There's no guarantee that there will be a mini 5 this year, but it is possible that the mini 4 will see a price cut this fall, so waiting might not be a bad idea.

 

[iOSpecialist]

Mini 4 but if you can wait til sep/oct then grab the mini 4 for cheaper or the mini 5.

The mini 2 uses tech from 2013. It is slower then the mini 4

I don't think there will be a mini 5 until 2017, there haven't been any leaks or many rumours.

 

[Skika]

Mini 2 uses the same chip as the iPhone 5S. Think about that.

Get her the Mini 4 or Air 2.

 

[nordique]

Biggest drawback to mini 2 is its got 1 GB of ram which makes multitasking a chore and can really slow down the safari experience

The actual chips involved (a7 vs a8) aren't hugely different, in fact they are very similar chips, though the a8 in the mini 4 is a bit faster

The mini 4 also has a better screen and is slightly lighter.

I say go with the mini 4. The 2gb of ram is the best upgrade from a user experience perspective

 

[masands]

Thanks for the suggestions guys. I realise that the general consensus was the Mini 4 but at double the price it was hard to swallow. I just got her the brand new iPhone SE a few months ago and now I am running low on cash.

Went for the Mini 2 instead. She'll just use to edit her photos, watch some YouTube and browse the occasional website and Facebook. The rest she does on her iPhone SE and her desktop with a much bigger monitor. I checked out some YouTube videos and it looked fairly speedy. It seems to be running pretty well on the newest iOS 10 beta too. The 2gb of RAM would be nice but she probably won't be tell the difference because she hardly touches Safari.
Her birthday was this week and I had to make the decision today.

I'll be buying a Mini for myself but I'll listen to your suggestions and wait for a couple of months (and save up some cash). Hopefully there is Mini 5.

 

[nordique]

Thanks for the suggestions guys. I realise that the general consensus was the Mini 4 but at double the price it was hard to swallow. I just got her the brand new iPhone SE a few months ago and now I am running low on cash.

Went for the Mini 2 instead. She'll just use to edit her photos, watch some YouTube and browse the occasional website and Facebook. The rest she does on her iPhone SE and her desktop with a much bigger monitor. I checked out some YouTube videos and it looked fairly speedy. It seems to be running pretty well on the newest iOS 10 beta too. The 2gb of RAM would be nice but she probably won't be tell the difference because she hardly touches Safari.
Her birthday was this week and I had to make the decision today.

I'll be buying a Mini for myself but I'll listen to your suggestions and wait for a couple of months (and save up some cash). Hopefully there is Mini 5.

That's totally cool man. Happy to hear you found the best option for yourself.

Relatively speaking, the mini 4 isn't much more powerful than the mini 2 (a7 to a8 was one of apple's most minor generation-to-generation chipset upgrades) so it will still be a pretty competent device.

The ram however was the main thing that separates the two, and it creates a different user experience I found.

Sounds like for your mom's needs though, that you found the best match and hopefully this thread helps others out with a similar conundrum.

 

[Abazigal]

My dad is also using my older iPad mini 2 and it suffices for his needs. Watches YouTube, some light gaming and web browsing.

I suppose one could argue that split-screen multitasking isn't as useful on a smaller iPad screen. It's definitely showing its age under iOS 9, but should still have a few good years going for it, especially if you don't use it for anything heavy.

 

[masands]

The ram however was the main thing that separates the two, and it creates a different user experience I found.

Sounds like for your mom's needs though, that you found the best match and hopefully this thread helps others out with a similar conundrum.

Yeah, I can understand the RAM issue. I used to own the iPad Air 1 at one point and it barely keep a couple of Safari tabs open. So people who care about that should definately get the Mini 4 (or wait for Mini 5). My Mum really won't notice it though. I'll install content blockers that'll make Safari speedier and disable Background App Refresh. Hopefully that'll keep things pretty good for her. Let's hope she likes it!

 

[XTheLancerX]

Get her an Air 2!! It costs the same as a mini 4, and it is the absolute most future proof of all, plus it's nice and big so easier on the eyes.

iPad mini 2 is suffering. iPad mini 4 isn't much more powerful than the mini 2, but it has more RAM and a better screen.

 

[JamesMike]

Does your Mom plan on watching videos on Netflix, etc? If she does I would go with Mini 4.

 

[masands]

Just a quick update. She loves her new iPad. I set it up with a few basic apps she uses.

In terms of performance, yes there is a lot of jank. It's not a smooth experience unless I turn on Reduce Transparency. However, that seems to break the keyboard. The keys don't get highlighted and it becomes a confusing mess to type on.

However, in terms of pure performances, it's pretty good. Did a speed test with my iPhone 6S Plus and it's only fractionally slower in loading apps.

I hope iOS 10 makes it a bit smoother. Speed tests on YouTube look promising.

 

[XTheLancerX]

Just a quick update. She loves her new iPad. I set it up with a few basic apps she uses.

In terms of performance, yes there is a lot of jank. It's not a smooth experience unless I turn on Reduce Transparency. However, that seems to break the keyboard. The keys don't get highlighted and it becomes a confusing mess to type on.

However, in terms of pure performances, it's pretty good. Did a speed test with my iPhone 6S Plus and it's only fractionally slower in loading apps.

I hope iOS 10 makes it a bit smoother. Speed tests on YouTube look promising.

iPad mini 2 I'm guessing? How much did you spend for it? I still would have recommended the Air 2 because it's the same price as the mini 4 but what's done is done.. Rather than having to buy another iPad in 2 years you likely wouldn't have had to buy another for 3-5 years.

Also iOS 10 did smooth out some stuff on my iPad mini 2 when I ran the betas 1-4. It also fixed the keyboard bug where turning on reduce transparency breaks it. However, my iPad was overall a bit slower at loading stuff from what I remember.

 

[gregrose]

My mini 2 runs great on 9.3.3. I would get that

 

[rui no onna]

In terms of performance, yes there is a lot of jank. It's not a smooth experience unless I turn on Reduce Transparency. However, that seems to break the keyboard. The keys don't get highlighted and it becomes a confusing mess to type on.

Have you tried enabling Reduce Motion? I've had that enabled ever since iOS 7 on my iPhone 5s and Air to minimize stutters. Honestly, as fast as the iPad Pro with A9X is, I still feel that the smoothest UI experience I've had on iOS is with the A6 (iPad 4, iPhone 5) and iOS 6 (just don't use Maps).

 

[DcGamer05]

I must say oddly enough I've found iOS 10 has made my new iPad mini 2 usable especially safari performance is improved. I almost returned it but iOS 10 made it very nice to use. Plus I got it for a steal at $180 at Walmart new. Very pleased so far especially with iOS 10 PB 4> so if your mum complains it's slow try out iOS 10 Pb5 for a few days and if you feel it's not better just DFU and go back to iOS 9.3.4 good luck cheers dude!

 

[masands]

Yeah got the Mini 2. It's good to know that iOS 10 fixes the jank and the keyboard bugs. I'll wait for the official update since I can't pry it out my Mum's hand. I did just realise that it was downloading a lot of iCloud Photos in the background. Now that's done, it seems to be a fair bit smoother.

I'll just let my Mum use it now. She thinks it's the best thing ever, so light and portable. So that's all good. Thanks for the help everyone!

 

[XTheLancerX]

Yeah got the Mini 2. It's good to know that iOS 10 fixes the jank and the keyboard bugs. I'll wait for the official update since I can't pry it out my Mum's hand. I did just realise that it was downloading a lot of iCloud Photos in the background. Now that's done, it seems to be a fair bit smoother.

I'll just let my Mum use it now. She thinks it's the best thing ever, so light and portable. So that's all good. Thanks for the help everyone!

That's great to hear!! I guess as more of a picky person/somewhat of a tech snob, I have a hard time just getting over the fact that the average person doesn't need perfect animations, perfect performance, etc..

 

[MultiFinder17]

The mini 2 is still a great little performer. I have a mini 2 and an Air 2, both of which I use on a daily. Asia. The Air gets used more while I'm out and about, while the mini lives in the bedroom. As a bedtime, reading, light gaming iPad, the mini works amazingly well. iOS 10 honestly has given it a new lease on life, and is remarkably snappier than 9 ever was.

 

[buzz620]

I am still rocking the original mini with very few issues.....but I have not updated the OS in a few years....not sure if that is why or not. Its probably slow but I have nothing to compare to so I am used to it.