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All iPads Anyone sell their full size and now regret it?

thadoggfather

thadoggfather

macrumors P6
Original poster
Oct 1, 2007
16,341
17,457
Considering off loading my ipad 3 in favor of just ipad mini but I want to give ipad mini use for a while to make sure it's going to be a safe and smart decision instead of hasty.

Chime in on your experience!
 
While I still have my iPad 3, I haven't used it since the Mini launched. The last time I even just picked it up to move it, I felt it was just too big and heavy. It's crazy that before Nov 2nd, I didn't think that. It seems I've drunk the Mini Kool-aid.
 
Personally, I feel the mini is too small for most tasks other than ereading. I'm most likely keeping mine, because the smaller size IS convenient for carrying around outside the house, but the smaller touch targets mean that I make a lot more errors on the mini from tapping the wrong thing or the mini not registering a tap I'm trying to make. So I take the mini when I'm going to be running around a lot outside, but at home I mostly use my iPad 3.
 
The mini really has nothing going for it besides size and weight, and size is or isn't a detriment depending on who you ask. Personally I wouldn't want to read forums or anything else on anything shy of a 9.7" screen for extended periods of time.

I would keep the full size iPad and unload the mini.
 
I just wonder if the 1gb in ipad 3 makes a big difference vs 512 in a non retina mini and ipad 2. Is most of that extra ram needed for powering the screen or is ipad 3 truly more future proof with most of that 1gb up for grabs?

Because a5 to a5x doesn't matter, that x-boost is to power the display

If I can get used to non-retina I'm seriously considering just doing mini.

I haven't touched my full size pad much either. But I guess the few times you do it's worth it?
 
thadoggfather said:
I just wonder if the 1gb in ipad 3 makes a big difference vs 512 in a non retina mini and ipad 2. Is most of that extra ram needed for powering the screen or is ipad 3 truly more future proof with most of that 1gb up for grabs?

Because a5 to a5x doesn't matter, that x-boost is to power the display

If I can get used to non-retina I'm seriously considering just doing mini.

I haven't touched my full size pad much either. But I guess the few times you do it's worth it?
Click to expand...

Your not going to really feel a speed difference. The main thing to consider is what someone else said, do you feel you can comfortably use the mini for everything. I personally only use the mini for outside of the house use. The 9.7" screen is way better for browsing IMO.
 
thadoggfather said:
I just wonder if the 1gb in ipad 3 makes a big difference vs 512 in a non retina mini and ipad 2. Is most of that extra ram needed for powering the screen or is ipad 3 truly more future proof with most of that 1gb up for grabs?

Because a5 to a5x doesn't matter, that x-boost is to power the display

If I can get used to non-retina I'm seriously considering just doing mini.

I haven't touched my full size pad much either. But I guess the few times you do it's worth it?
Click to expand...

As someone who used an iPad 3 up until the Mini came out, I honestly haven't even noticed a difference in speed between the two. I use it daily to browse MacRumors, read email, play some games and watch Netflix and it has been just fine. The small form factor is perfect.
 
I think mini hiccups less since its not working overtime to get the display running.

But I'm comparing my 3 on 5.1.1 to mini on 6.0.1 so it's hard to say.

Still... That's just my suspicion.

Browsing is nice on full size but its not bad like I initially had thought on 7.9"

Performance is at least a side ways step in most real world usage. Min things I'm torn whether I'd look back for or not is
-screen real estate
-retina

And having a spare pad when mini is charging, for when friends come over one pad for each person, and an additional charger that of all my chargers works the quickest!

And xbmc, reference monitor for photographs. Argh!

Weight, design, 30-pin I'm willing to give up.
 
Last edited:
True but I would think for people who had theirs since launch should be making some sort of informed decision by now.
 
thadoggfather said:
I think mini hiccups less since its not working overtime to get the display running.

But I'm comparing my 3 on 5.1.1 to mini on 6.0.1 so it's hard to say.

Still... That's just my suspicion.

Browsing is nice on full size but its not bad like I initially had thought on 7.9"

Performance is at least a side ways step in most real world usage. Min things I'm torn whether I'd look back for or not is
-screen real estate
-retina

And having a spare pad when mini is charging, for when friends come over one pad for each person, and an additional charger that of all my chargers works the quickest!

And xbmc, reference monitor for photographs. Argh!

Weight, design, 30-pin I'm willing to give up.
Click to expand...

You going to miss the real estate for movies, games, and browsing?

You going to miss retina display? How are you doing with browsing in portrait mode?

With the mini you have portability, size and weight comfort. But you cannot flip a switch and get what I listed above if you miss those with how bigger brothers handle it.
 
Night Spring said:
Personally, I feel the mini is too small for most tasks other than ereading. I'm most likely keeping mine, because the smaller size IS convenient for carrying around outside the house, but the smaller touch targets mean that I make a lot more errors on the mini from tapping the wrong thing or the mini not registering a tap I'm trying to make. So I take the mini when I'm going to be running around a lot outside, but at home I mostly use my iPad 3.
Click to expand...

Definitely this. I had the option of either going with an iPad mini or the new iPad this year for black Friday - I chose the latter. While the mini is portable, I feel that it's too small for the tasks I use my iPad for, yet too big for the tasks I use my iPhone 4S for.

But to each their own! I toyed around with the iPad mini for a while last night in an Apple retail location in downtown Chicago last night and it's one hell of a device - just not for me, though.
 
I definitely do not regret exchanging my iPad 4 for the Mini. The size is perfect for me and the screen real estate is too.

I watch movies on it almost every day and browse on it many times a time on the Mercury Pro browser with no problems. The Mercury pro allows you to enlarge the font if you want. I read the text just fine though.

I love my Mini and think I made the best decision for myself
 
thadoggfather said:
I just wonder if the 1gb in ipad 3 makes a big difference vs 512 in a non retina mini and ipad 2. Is most of that extra ram needed for powering the screen or is ipad 3 truly more future proof with most of that 1gb up for grabs?

Because a5 to a5x doesn't matter, that x-boost is to power the display

If I can get used to non-retina I'm seriously considering just doing mini.

I haven't touched my full size pad much either. But I guess the few times you do it's worth it?
Click to expand...
The thing is: the A5X is only twice as powerful (GPU) compared to the A5 chip, while the A5X has to run four times as many pixels. So effectively, an A5 chip in combination with a 1024 x 768 display runs smoother than a 2048 x 1536 display ran by the A5X chip.

I also believe, but I'm not certain, that the iPad 3 (and 4) needs more than 512 MB of RAM. That's because it has to load and save images with four times as many pixels.

Effectively, the iPad 3 or iPad 4 have little to no advantage on the RAM side at all. If you look at the CPU there is no difference, and if you look at the GPU one could argue that the iPad mini is in fact more powerful.
 
At first, I was really enjoying the mini, and the screen resolution didnt bother me one bit. However, lately, I've been using it with low brightness, and the non-retina is really starting to irk me, especially with web surfing.
 
i returned my previously bought iPad4 to the apple store and ordered another one from Best Buy to save $60. I'm gonna try to keep that one wrapped and under the tree, and if I don't get tempted enough to use it before Christmas I'll probably return my own gift after the holidays.
 
thadoggfather said:
Considering off loading my ipad 3 in favor of just ipad mini but I want to give ipad mini use for a while to make sure it's going to be a safe and smart decision instead of hasty.

Chime in on your experience!
Click to expand...

I would not get rid of your iPad 3 for a mini. You're far better off to keep it, save up some money and buy the mini later. That way you'll have both and be able to make the best decision for you.

Working from others opinions is a very risky way to make a decision. Only you know, once you've owned them both, which is the right one for you.

I kept my existing iPads, bought a mini, and found out exactly what I was expecting would be true... they are just different enough that for my usage having both is necessary.

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ritmomundo said:
At first, I was really enjoying the mini, and the screen resolution didnt bother me one bit. However, lately, I've been using it with low brightness, and the non-retina is really starting to irk me, especially with web surfing.
Click to expand...

You've brought up a very good point. With significant higher resolution than my mini, I find my Nexus 7 far better for surfing the web.
 
thadoggfather said:
Considering off loading my ipad 3 in favor of just ipad mini but I want to give ipad mini use for a while to make sure it's going to be a safe and smart decision instead of hasty.

Chime in on your experience!
Click to expand...

The Mini is somewhere in between the iPad and the iPhone. In bed the iPhone is still easier to hold/handle. For outside, the Mini is still too big. I'll stick with the original full size iPad and the iPhone.
 
I have an ipad 3 and a mini. I tested a few pages on both devices at the same time. I found that the mini loaded faster sometimes and sometimes the 3 won out. I think they are about equal. I still have my 3, and I was all set to sell it. But with the prices dropping so fast I decided to just keep it. I'll use the mini when I'm out, and at home I'll use whichever depending on what I'm doing. Ha, I know that isn't very helpful but that is what I plan to do. :D
 
I haven't sold my 3 yet (or, the more likely act--handing it down to my wife, who then sell hers), but probably will after a few more weeks. I've had the mini for about a week, and I haven't touched the 3 since. But I want to make sure it's not just the newness of the mini and that I won't regret it later. So, I think 3 weeks is about right.
 
I sold my 3 and bought a mini. Then Best Buy had their sale and I bought a 4 again. I am torn as to which one to keep.
 
Don't bestbuy have good return policy? Id suggest to buy one and try it out for the full duration. That's the only way to know
 
Gone to mini and ain't going back. I still have my 3 as my son is using it. I went to use it yesterday and it felt like something that was built ten years ago. Absolutely love the mini!

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puma1552 said:
The mini really has nothing going for it besides size and weight, and size is or isn't a detriment depending on who you ask. Personally I wouldn't want to read forums or anything else on anything shy of a 9.7" screen for extended periods of time.

I would keep the full size iPad and unload the mini.
Click to expand...

I read this forum on the Tapatalk app with the text size "larger" and it's perfect.
 
Returned the Mini today as I purchased the 4th gen with the Best Buy sale.

I'll live with my better specs 7" android tablets for size, weight and comfort factor if I feel the 4th gen is too heavy or uncomfortable. I doubt it though or I wouldn't have bought it. Everything else on the 4th gen is well worth it regardless of its extra weight and size of the Mini.
 
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