Deciding between ipad air 2 and ipad mini 4

[zazie]

Hi,

I currently have 2 refurbished ipads on hold at the Apple Store and am trying to decide which one to pick.

It will be my first ipad. I have a 13 inch rMBP that I use for most things when at home but I find it too bulky to take out and about with me and even at home something smaller would sometimes be nice as I often end up using my phone to check things online etc. My phone is a Nexus 5 so not massive and I don't really want a bigger phone screen as like to be able to just fit it in my pocket easily. I want the ipad primarily for use at home e.g. on sofa, in bed, but would also like the option to be able to take it with me when travelling and have it be something lightweight and portable enough to comfortably watch films on on planes etc.

I'm really torn between the air 2 and mini 4, I'm in Canada where the air 2 is slightly more expensive but only $40 so not much in the scheme of things. I can't decide if I would prefer the bigger screen and slighly increased power of the air 2 or the easier portability of the mini 4. One-handed use, the lightweight and being able to fit it in even small handbags would be a plus but for watching netflix or any productivity I feel like the air would be a better size. Would welcome any views.

Also the prices for the refurbished ipads are $439 CAD for the mini 4 or $479 CAD for the air 2 (+tax). Do you think there will be better offers around if I wait until Blavk Friday? Both are 64gb which I think would be the ideal size for me but if the 32gb are likely to have some good discounts that would probably be enough storage.

 

[JamesMike]

I travel with my mini 4 and it works very well including good Netfix viewing.

 

[joeblow7777]

There's been some other threads about this exact question. Some people will tell you to go for the Air 2 simply for its more powerful processor, but I say go with whatever size you prefer. The performance difference won't matter that much in most scenarios.

 

[gobikerider]

It depends, yes the Air 2 is more powerful. The ultimate question is if you want to be productive outside your house, if so the Air 2 is your best choice as a Mini 4 is just too small to do any meaningful work on.

 

[emembee]

For portability it must be the Mini I think even if performance not quite as good. I was considering the 9.7 Pro but after playing in the store along with the Mini, the latter feels just right for taking out, and with a light case is ideal.

 

[xb2003]

Id go with the air 2.

I'd love to have a mini to go along with my 9.7, but for my usuage, the times that the large screen is a benefit outweigh the times that it is an inconvenience.

 

[Whoakapi]

I went from an Air 1 to a mini 4. I think the size is great for literally anything you would do on a tablet. I find e-book reading to be exceptional on the mini 4. Text size is a bit smaller compared to Air2/Pro 9.7 but the increased PPI makes up for it. It's just a damn sharp display on the mini.

Then there's the super low weight and slightly smaller price tag. You see where I'm going...

 

[Kumiko]

I say it's up to and what your going to use it for. Around the time I got my air 2 only the mini 2 and 3 were out. Even though I did want the smaller model I decided to get the air 2 caz it was better hardware wise. But if the mini 4 had been at that time i definitely would have got it. I do alot of traveling and although I love my air 2, sometimes it can be a bit big and cumbersome. Where as the mini is so discreet and little its the ideal for traveling.

 

[craig1024]

I don't know why everyone makes it seem like the Air 2 is really big, I have one and I take it everywhere with me the bigger screen makes it nicer for web browsing and media consumption as well as the bigger keyboard is much nicer for typing essays I do school work on mine.

I think you should get the Air 2.

 

[RickTaylor]

The Air 2 and the mini 4 are both great machines. Which is better is mostly a subjective decision; no one is going to be able to tell you which one is best for you.

Listing out the pros and cons of both only gets you so far. My advice would be to try out both, either at a store, or trying out a friend's. And then pay attention to your gut reaction. Is there something about the mini's small form factor that makes you spontaneously smile (as it did for me)? Or is does the full screen and still modest size of the Air make you say, ooooh, I want that? If you have a gut reaction one way or the other, I think you're most likely to be happiest going with that.

 

[Channan]

There's been some other threads about this exact question. Some people will tell you to go for the Air 2 simply for its more powerful processor, but I say go with whatever size you prefer. The performance difference won't matter that much in most scenarios.

I was actually going to say go for the mini 4, especially if you plan on taking it out with you a lot, but I've really started to be disappointed in the mini's battery life compared to my iPad Air 2, so I'd recommend that if you need all the battery life you can get.

 

[Badrottie]

Just upgraded to iPad Pro 12.9 last week from iPad Air 2, I really enjoyed my iPad Air 2 because of portable and did you know that it has Tri-core CPU and bigger 2GB ram? It is fast and run iOS 10 like a buttery. Mini 4 I don't know much but it has dual core CPU just like iPad Pro 12.9 except fastest CPU. I think you better go with Air 2.