iPad Mini 2 users, upgrading to Mini 4?

[rkuo]

I plan to wait right now. At the very least we have a situation where the mini 4 is going to experience massive depreciation soon, since the higher spec iPad Air 2 is going on sale used and in promotions for less than the mini 4! When supply and a few months correct this situation, the mini 4 will be a lot cheaper on the used market.

Even with that being said, the mini 2 is holding up very well in terms of web browsing and gaming. I see no real reason to upgrade aside from my own OCD'ness. An A9 processor might convince me to upgrade, but the A8 was not a big boost in performance.

 

[pacorob]

The Mini2 was on par with the frontline iPad of the day (Air 1). As such the Mini2 is no slouch today. I think I will holdout until a future Mini is on par with the latest Apple SoC used in the Pro; not wanting to be stuck using 1 year old technology right from the gate.

I plan to wait right now.

Even with that being said, the mini 2 is holding up very well in terms of web browsing and gaming. I see no real reason to upgrade aside from my own OCD'ness. An A9 processor might convince me to upgrade, but the A8 was not a big boost in performance.

I'm also waiting. But i think the A8 processor and the 2GB RAM memory is a very nice upgrade. I also love the Split view mode which is not available on my current iPad mini2 (Slide over and PiP are nice but..).

I visited a local Apple store yesterday and they said that I could get approximately 170 euros for my iPad mini2 32GB WIFI model if i bought a iPad mini4 64GB WIFI (499 euros) = 329 euro.

 

[nino040]

I'm also waiting. But i think the A8 processor and the 2GB RAM memory is a very nice upgrade. I also love the Split view mode which is not available on my current iPad mini2 (Slide over and PiP are nice but..).

I visited a local Apple store yesterday and they said that I could get approximately 170 euros for my iPad mini2 32GB WIFI model if i bought a iPad mini4 64GB WIFI (499 euros) = 329 euro.

I don't know where you live, but I can tell you that I sold my iPad Mini 2 (16GB / WiFi-only) yesterday on eBay for 200 euros. I live in Hamburg, Germany.

Edit: I just saw you are from the Netherlands. So I guess you could get more money than Apple has told you. Especially because you have 32GB.

 

[pacorob]

I don't know where you live, but I can tell you that I sold my iPad Mini 2 (16GB / WiFi-only) yesterday on eBay for 200 euros. I live in Hamburg, Germany.

Edit: I just saw you are from the Netherlands. So I guess you could get more money than Apple has told you. Especially because you have 32GB.

I know i can get more if i sell it via ebay or other website but was wondering what an Apple (in this case retailer iCentre) would offer me for the iPad mini2 32GB. It's not much indeed.

 

[RickTaylor]

I plan to wait right now. At the very least we have a situation where the mini 4 is going to experience massive depreciation soon, since the higher spec iPad Air 2 is going on sale used and in promotions for less than the mini 4!

Or failing that, Black Friday is coming.

 

[RickTaylor]

I changed my vote above from no to undecided as I'm wavering. My primary use of the mini 2 is for reading, and while the full color gamut isn't a big deal to me, the mini 4's low-reflectivity screen is tempting. And now I'm having trouble with a particular book I've been reading in Kindle on my mini 2; I've put in a lot of highlights, and it's become uncomfortably sluggish. I wonder if it would work better on the mini 4. . .

 

[Left4DeadBoy]

I know i can get more if i sell it via ebay or other website but was wondering what an Apple (in this case retailer iCentre) would offer me for the iPad mini2 32GB. It's not much indeed.

Im almost certain iCentre is for repairing products. You could sell the little thing online at... I dont know if I can say this site... I probably can gazelle.com.

 

[pacorob]

Im almost certain iCentre is for repairing products. You could sell the little thing online at... I dont know if I can say this site... I probably can gazelle.com.

I just looked at Gazelle and the offer was only 115 dollar for my 32GB WIFI only iPad Mini2 that is less then the 170+ euros iCentre offered me. I think i will sell it via a local website (e.g. Tweakers.net) to a user directly instead and get maybe 225/250 euros for it.

 

[bevsb2]

I recycled my mini 2 (16GB LTE) at Apple for $115 when I purchased the mini 4. Not the best price, but for me it was easier than dealing with the potential problems of eBay sales, not to mention all their fees.

 

[CosmicRichy]

I'm still using the iPad 2 for my tablets needs. I was going to get the iPad mini 2 but the no Touch ID was the deal breaker. With iPad mini 3 everyone was saying don't buy it blah blah blah so I waited again. I could of got an iPad Air 2 but I feel like I need something smaller.

I'm very tempted to go out and buy the iPad mini 4 right now.

iPad Pro is amazing but it's just way to big for my personal needs. Although I've talked my boss into investing in some models when it comes out since we use iPads at work and could really use the extra screen size.

 

[RickTaylor]

I'm still using the iPad 2 for my tablets needs. I was going to get the iPad mini 2 but the no Touch ID was the deal breaker. With iPad mini 3 everyone was saying don't buy it blah blah blah so I waited again. I could of got an iPad Air 2 but I feel like I need something smaller.

I'm very tempted to go out and buy the iPad mini 4 right now.

Sounds like a good idea to me. You've been patient, the iPad mini 4 is a fantastic upgrade, it will probably be a while before we see a similar upgrade, and I would guess the mini 4 will have a long life.

 

[DesertSilver]

I purchased an iPad mini 4 to "try out" and I was hooked as soon as I saw the screen. Something as relatively minor as the icons popped in color compared to the mini 2. And I have a ton of pictures and it was night and day difference in the color gamut increase.

However, one big deterrent for me to keep the mini 4 is the lack of an official Apple Smart Case (the one that covers the front and back). I like to stay with first party accessories when I can and Apple offering the front and back covers separately, for a pretty high price of $100, was a big turn off.

But I decided to keep it for the fact that the increased RAM really made a difference when switching applications, the speed boost was nice, and color gamut increase really made a difference.

I ended up selling my iPad mini 2 128GB Verizon model on Craigslist today for $400, which I feel I got good money out of.

For those on the fence, just pick one up to try out. There's always going to be "better" ones coming out so anyone can argue to wait another year. The mini 2 is more than enough for a lot of uses, so only you yourself can decide whether it's worth the upgrade.

 

[CosmicRichy]

However, one big deterrent for me to keep the mini 4 is the lack of an official Apple Smart Case (the one that covers the front and back). I like to stay with first party accessories when I can and Apple offering the front and back covers separately, for a pretty high price of $100, was a big turn off.

This also has me thinking. Seems as though they are now selling the "smart case" in separate parts although I do admit I like the idea of now being able to remove the screen cover and still have the back of the iPad protected.

I've always removed the screen cover when I use my iPad 2. Having it attached permanently via the case would drive me nuts. Although this is just my opinion.

 

[DesertSilver]

This also has me thinking. Seems as though they are now selling the "smart case" in separate parts although I do admit I like the idea of now being able to remove the screen cover and still have the back of the iPad protected.

I've always removed the screen cover when I use my iPad 2. Having it attached permanently via the case would drive me nuts. Although this is just my opinion.

Yeah, having them be separate can be a positive. However, using the back cover alone leaves the left side, and a little of the back, of the iPad exposed since that's where the front cover attaches with the magnets.

I think the smart case was around $60 which is still a good amount of money so having the "equivalent" be close to double is a big letdown.

 

[jev425]

I think that if you get the back case you almost have to get the front cover to get the "full" case. The fact that I can remove the cover and use the iPad without it and only the case is what sold me on it, although an expensive option. On my old iPad I had a back cover with a cutout for the Smart Cover but with a "lip" that would cover the magnet part of the Smart Cover, so I couldn't take the cover off without taking the back case off

 

[pacorob]

I think the smart case was around $60 which is still a good amount of money so having the "equivalent" be close to double is a big letdown.

I bought the smart case for 38 euros when it was on sale and i love it with my Mini2. I already read that the iPad mini4 is a different size and i therefore can no longer use my existing smartcase cover from Apple which i love to use.

 

[newellj]

I purchased an iPad mini 4 to "try out" and I was hooked as soon as I saw the screen. Something as relatively minor as the icons popped in color compared to the mini 2. And I have a ton of pictures and it was night and day difference in the color gamut increase.

However, one big deterrent for me to keep the mini 4 is the lack of an official Apple Smart Case (the one that covers the front and back). I like to stay with first party accessories when I can and Apple offering the front and back covers separately, for a pretty high price of $100, was a big turn off.

But I decided to keep it for the fact that the increased RAM really made a difference when switching applications, the speed boost was nice, and color gamut increase really made a difference.

I ended up selling my iPad mini 2 128GB Verizon model on Craigslist today for $400, which I feel I got good money out of.

For those on the fence, just pick one up to try out. There's always going to be "better" ones coming out so anyone can argue to wait another year. The mini 2 is more than enough for a lot of uses, so only you yourself can decide whether it's worth the upgrade.

I completely agree. The relatively high cost of the current Apple solutions is an issue, but so is the lack of a leather case. YMMV, but the Mini is made to be held in the hand, and there's a big tactile difference between silicone and leather.

 

[MrGuder]

I wonder when Moshi will make the Versa cover for the mini 4? I have it for the mini 2 and love it but they haven't make one yet for the mini 4.

 

[roncron]

Had a Mini 2 and enjoyed it a lot. I'd recommend it to anyone who wants an iPad but doesn't need the newest, most expensive models.

That said, I was longing for a Mini that had the iPad Air 2's better screen and performance. Rumors in the spring and summer pointed to a new Mini that would be in most respects an iPad Air 2 in the Mini form factor, and the rumors were mostly spot-on.

I would have been thrilled to upgrade to the Mini 4 and would have really appreciated all the differences: better screen, faster processor, more RAM, touch ID. But I decided the 10" form factor was better for my needs, so I ended up buying a loaded iPad Air 2 from the Apple Refurbished store for $120 off the regular price.

I still am attracted to the Mini 4. It's the Mini Apple should have given us last year, but they were stretched pretty thin between the iPad Air 2 and the Apple Watch and new, bigger-screen iPhones.

If I didn't need the larger screen size, I'd definitely have upgraded from Mini 2 to Mini 4.

Apple's iPad lineup is really quite good: we can choose from the 10" or 8" form factor. And we can choose from a high-performing flagship model (Air 2 or Mini 4) or a more affordable yet still capable Air 1 or Mini 2.

 

[MrGuder]

Also we can choose from the iPad Pro at 13 inches so yeah lots of choices in iPads sizes. Who said iPad sales were down? lol

 

[Jeff R]

I'm undecided, got my mini 2 from the apple refurbished store and works great but I really hate the hollow sound it makes when taping the screen. I wished I had waited, the mini 4 has some great features, touch id, more ram and better laminated display but for the 64GB model it would cost as much as the ipad air 2 which is currently having some great deals. I'm thinking of just keeping the mini 2 and getting an ipad air 2. Still not sure. I think the ipad pro will be a bit too big.

Same here. My iPad mini 2 is doing alright. Might get an iPad air 2 instead to add to the fleet of my devices lol.

 

[5684697]

so are you gonna do it?

i'm undecided but color gamut and higher ppi than air2, but with laminated display, and touch id is tempting.

I'm thinking about it for the RAM.

Anyone have any reports on how loud the speakers are compared to the Mini 2? Battery life about the same? Probably a small sample at this point, but any feedback would be appreciated.

 

[RickTaylor]

Anyone have any reports on how loud the speakers are compared to the Mini 2? Battery life about the same? Probably a small sample at this point, but any feedback would be appreciated.

There was a thread on the topic of the mini 4 speakers. The person who started it didn't like the speakers, but most of the people who responded thought they were an improvement.

https://forums.macrumors.com/threads/speakers-much-worse-than-mini-2.1917478/

At least one review claimed the mini 4 had better battery life than the mini 3, by about an hour.

http://www.expertreviews.co.uk/tablets/1403965/apple-ipad-mini-4-review



I'm considering upgrading for the non-reflective screen, the improved processor/RAM, and improved speakers.

 

[5684697]

Thank you sir!

 

[Skyhawk21]

Find my thread with a review and descriptive comparisons to a mini 2 and Air 1 for the mini 4 on macrumors.

I am just not getting the best battery life like I do on my Mini 2 and Magic Air 1. with minimum usage on my Air 1 from most recent full charge, I got over 10 hours usage and its now at 50 percent. I am looking at another 8 to 10 hours usage time with screen on and only web browsing, some music, all loading and closing apps, speed tests, and YouTube video here and there.

All of a sudden I am getting mystical battery life on my mini 2 and Air 1 because the only reason I have used them at all now was to compare everything side by side to the mini 4. I game a lot but since getting the mini 4 and trying to tweak it for the best battery life and cloning settings to match my other iPads, I have been using it 24/7 and not the other ones except for testing.

Usually Mini 2 IOS 8.4.1 = 11 - 13 hours and 15 minutes screen on time with 50-75% gaming and 25-50% safari web browsing
Usually Air 1 IOS 8.2 = 13 - 14 hours and 50 minutes screen on time with 50-75% gaming and 25-50% safari web browsing
Unusual Mini 4 IOS9 (maybe the culprit) = 10 hours 37 minutes screen on time with 25% gaming and 50-75% safari and 25% misc like music, YouTube, photos, speed tests and so forth.

Mini 4 has new auto brightness sensor and software mode for it in IOS9. I got the Gold 16gb wifi version and the brightness does some crazy stuff. With auto brightness on any ambient light change in environment you use tablet in the auto brightness on mini 4 and IOS9 instantly brightens the screen some times too much compared to how the mini 2 worked with auto brightness and IOS 8. If light dims in environment IOS9/Mini 4/sensor dims screen which I like that it does this now compared to older IPADS and IOS 8 and below, EXCEPT its doing it all the time, instantly not gradually.

Do not know if I got a dud or all new mini 4's do this. ALSO with that in mind, I disabled auto brightness and set brightness to a specific level. I do not know if its a BUG/GLITCH/IOS9 or hardware issue but the brightness will stay where I have it set but still will dim lower or back to where its set with auto brightness off in certain IOS9 stock apps. Like Safari I was replying to a thread today on the mini 4 with auto brightness disabled and setted it a little over low brightness. Well clouds came in where I live and darkened room, so the set brightness I had it on while typing in a forum thread in Safari dropped the dam brightness on me, then when room brightened back up, brightness went back to where I specifically set it at with auto brightness disabled. ITS SO DAM WEIRD!!!!!!!!!!!!!

This has to be hurting battery life and performance. Also I think touch ID sensor always enabled and on hurts battery life since Air 1 and Mini 2 do not have it, Also mini 4 has a barometer which no app uses built into IOS9 that I know of and it probably always enabled and being used for who knows what reason.

Whole reason I jumped ship from Android was for 1. Performance 2. Battery life 3. Screen resolution and quality 4. Sound & Audio 5. Wifi performance 6. Lightning accessories 7. Overall smoother and lag free experience and better app optimization to include performance and eye candy compared to android counter parts. AND in IOS8 no dam battery life draining due to stupid 3rd party apps doing what they want without your permission.

MY AIR 1 gets 15 hours GAMING and browsing before I got to charge it again. No android device from any company can out do that. IT also beats it in web browsing performance bar none even out doing laptops. A7 and 64bit architecture does help apple IOS fly. That is of course 8.x versions. They got a long way to go to get IOS9 to not only run as smooth as IOS8 but to optimize battery life and fix all the weird bugs and glitches and crappy coding they left hanging.

IOS9 keyboard on mini 4 is always doing stuff when I get going typing on it very quickly, touch response is there but keyboard in IOS9 wants to do its own dam thing like its got a mind of its own....

IOS8.x keyboard does not do that and keeps up with me going bananas typing so dam fast on it! Of course my Air 1 and Mini 2 have older touch response and air gap and layers between everything in screen.

Mini 4 does not, and some times I think there are some touch issues when I am sliding back and forth to different web pages in memory in safari for navigation. My MINI 2 and AIR 1 do not do this. Once again is it hardware, glitch, bug or just crappy IOS9. who knows?

I had mini 4 for almost now a week, I got another week before I'm allowed to return it.

I do love the screen, the performance and the smoothness and refresh rate of screen during games with high fps or videos. ALSO SAFARI flies browsing heavy websites scrolling through long ones instantaneously. (Maybe new version of Safari using the Metal API as Apple claims for better browsing drains the battery more compared to older models and IOS9; because that is what I have been using/doing most of the time on the new Mini 4)

I just do not have the time to figure out if it is hardware issues and defective on the model I got, if I do not return it then I am stuck with it. But if its IOS9 then of course I can wait on Apple to hopefully fix it. Although not many others on these message boards have shared in depth reviews or comparisons that are technical and analytical in detail to help me figure out if I got a lemon or not!

Link to mine: https://forums.macrumors.com/thread...-with-idea-of-downgrade-to-ios-8-4-1.1918669/

Link to battery life: https://forums.macrumors.com/threads/mini-4-battery-life-ios9-build-340-results.1919763/