Sidebar Sidebar
Become a MacRumors Supporter for $50/year with no ads, ability to filter front page stories, and private forums.

iPad mini 4 lag

Gibson88

Gibson88

macrumors 6502a
Original poster
Sep 25, 2006
960
148
United Kingdom
Hey all.

When I got my iPad mini 4 at launch it suffered from quite a bit of lag. For example the app switcher stuttered. Safari also lagged when you touched the search field and the keyboard popped up. There were also a few instances but I can't remember off the top of my head.

I returned it a few days later but have the opportunity to buy one at a really good price and was wondering if the lag had been fixed with software updates? If it still has the same issues I won't bother but I'd like to hope it runs like butter now because the hardware is pretty solid in it.

Thanks.
 
I don't have a mini 4 but instead the original iPad Air which has worse specs and there is still lag in parts but the situation is improving. iOS 9.3 is expected to make even more performance improvements so id say go for the deal on the mini 4.
 
Caris said:
Hey all.

When I got my iPad mini 4 at launch it suffered from quite a bit of lag. For example the app switcher stuttered. Safari also lagged when you touched the search field and the keyboard popped up. There were also a few instances but I can't remember off the top of my head.

I returned it a few days later but have the opportunity to buy one at a really good price and was wondering if the lag had been fixed with software updates? If it still has the same issues I won't bother but I'd like to hope it runs like butter now because the hardware is pretty solid in it.

Thanks.
Click to expand...

I'm using an iPad mini 4 to type this, had it since Monday night. I haven't seen any of the problems you've mentioned. I upgraded from iPad 3 (bought it just before iPad 4 came out but it was too late to return..)

I love this iPad! So much faster, feels good, even like the size. However, the day after I ordered this, the rumour of the 9" iPad pro popped up on macrumours, at least where I could see it.
If the new iPad gets released this month and it has pencil support I'm returning this iPad and upgrading.(hurray for Costco) I'll miss the small size for portability and reading one handed but It's not like I hadn't gotten used to the large size before. My iPad 3 got me to carry a man bag everywhere.
 
I've had an iPad mini 4 since launch and have not encountered any lag (128 GB 4G LTE on Verizon). The closest thing I have come to lag is an issue with Cellular speeds (going down to 3G) but it turned out to be a Verizon issue.
 
I was just at the Apple Store yesterday considering an iPad Mini 4 and trading in my Air 2 because of the portability. I did a side by side and there were slight stutters all over like multitasking, swiping up control center and zooming in and out of stories in Apple News.

Of course those of you coming from much older iPads (especially the hilariously bad iPad 3) will think everything is rainbows and unicorn tears. But direct comparisons show the Air 2 is just butter smooth.
 
Had an Air2 for 15 months until I got a Mini4 last month. Sold the Air2.

I don't play graphic intensive games (not that there is much to begin with on iOS). But in my use case over the past month I have seen no perceptible performance difference, except the colours are more accurate, it's even less reflective, and the weight and feel is perfect. I can hold the mini for an hour in one hand and not notice the weight (I don't use a case). And he battery lasts over 12hrs instead of the 9hrs my air2 would get (auto brightness on) on a full charge.

Both are fantastic tabs though, and I will probably look to buy the Air 3 or whatever it's called.

The settings are identical as I used an iCloud restore from my air2. All background crap turned off, spotlight off, ad blocker installed, etc.

The animation stutters were also present on my Air 2, but that improved significantly after 9.2. That leads me to believe that it's an iOS optimization issue.

So no additional lag that I can perceive on the mini compared to the air 2, or none that has any impact on my enjoyment and use of it. Makes me realize the 2gb ram was a much bigger deal than the 3rd core of the Air2 which doesn't seem to be utilized by many apps
 
  • Like
Reactions: bensisko
Moyapilot said:
And he battery lasts over 12hrs instead of the 9hrs my air2 would get (auto brightness on) on a full charge.
Click to expand...
I wonder if the battery is improved on the mini 4 over the mini 2. My iPad Air 2's battery is noticeably better than my iPad mini 2.
 
I'm using a Mini 4 , 64 Gb, since last Christmas and I didn't notice any lag.
There are sporadic stuttering in some UI animations from time to time, but nothing worthing a complain.
A great device overall
 
Channan said:
I wonder if the battery is improved on the mini 4 over the mini 2. My iPad Air 2's battery is noticeably better than my iPad mini 2.
Click to expand...

Actually I would say the opposite. My mini 2 runs circles around my air 2 with the same usage and both on 9.2.1.
 
jonnyb098 said:
I was just at the Apple Store yesterday considering an iPad Mini 4 and trading in my Air 2 because of the portability. I did a side by side and there were slight stutters all over like multitasking, swiping up control center and zooming in and out of stories in Apple News.

Of course those of you coming from much older iPads (especially the hilariously bad iPad 3) will think everything is rainbows and unicorn tears. But direct comparisons show the Air 2 is just butter smooth.
Click to expand...

I wouldn't trust display units for the best comparison. I've noticed that they're often laggier than normal, then you open the app switcher and see that apparently no one has ever closed an app on the thing and there's Safari with like 100 tabs open.
 
  • Like
Reactions: bensisko
9.3 has helped my iPad mini 2 a ton. App switcher is smoother, not perfect. Control center is great, spotlight is very very good now, keyboard pops up perfectly smooth where before it was horrendous.

I just want to add more on the app switcher. It still stutters if there are any blurred apps in the background. If you keep it limited to 3 apps you are switching between (no blurring) it is EXTREMELY smooth and fast. I've reported this to Apple, it's directly related to that blurred app.

But yeah. 9.3 is the biggest improvement yet. 9.1 was a tiny improvement, 9.2 a little more.. But 9.3 is night and day in my opinion.

Now, I don't think your safari keyboard pop up thing is ever going to be fixed. It's been around ever since iOS 8, and the iPad mini 4 is quite close to iPad Air/Mini 2/3 in terms of performance, it's just got more RAM. I've reported the issue a lot, never been touched.
 
XTheLancerX said:
9.3 has helped my iPad mini 2 a ton. App switcher is smoother, not perfect. Control center is great, spotlight is very very good now, keyboard pops up perfectly smooth where before it was horrendous.

I just want to add more on the app switcher. It still stutters if there are any blurred apps in the background. If you keep it limited to 3 apps you are switching between (no blurring) it is EXTREMELY smooth and fast. I've reported this to Apple, it's directly related to that blurred app.

But yeah. 9.3 is the biggest improvement yet. 9.1 was a tiny improvement, 9.2 a little more.. But 9.3 is night and day in my opinion.

Now, I don't think your safari keyboard pop up thing is ever going to be fixed. It's been around ever since iOS 8, and the iPad mini 4 is quite close to iPad Air/Mini 2/3 in terms of performance, it's just got more RAM. I've reported the issue a lot, never been touched.
Click to expand...

Actually, in terms of benchmarks and performance, I think the Mini 4 is closer to the Air 2, or at least right around the middle between it and those other devices.
 
XTheLancerX said:
9.3 has helped my iPad mini 2 a ton. App switcher is smoother, not perfect. Control center is great, spotlight is very very good now, keyboard pops up perfectly smooth where before it was horrendous.

I just want to add more on the app switcher. It still stutters if there are any blurred apps in the background. If you keep it limited to 3 apps you are switching between (no blurring) it is EXTREMELY smooth and fast. I've reported this to Apple, it's directly related to that blurred app.

But yeah. 9.3 is the biggest improvement yet. 9.1 was a tiny improvement, 9.2 a little more.. But 9.3 is night and day in my opinion.

Now, I don't think your safari keyboard pop up thing is ever going to be fixed. It's been around ever since iOS 8, and the iPad mini 4 is quite close to iPad Air/Mini 2/3 in terms of performance, it's just got more RAM. I've reported the issue a lot, never been touched.
Click to expand...


Really good to hear that. The last release of an iOS version is usually the gold standard. Looking forward to 9.3!

My Air 2 had animation stuttering all the way until 9.2. My mini 4 came with 9.2 and was smooth from the get go. Not saying it's perfect, but as far as user experience is concerned it is dead equal to the Air 2. I use my iPads very heavily as well. Lots of split screen, notability, pages, PDF annotation, Remote Desktop, basically everything iOS is capable of. It matches it's bigger brother step for step.

Really happy with the display calibration and the AR filter. I use my iPad in a bright classroom environment and reflections used to be headache inducing before the Air 2. The Mini 4 is even better in this regard.
 
Channan said:
I wonder if the battery is improved on the mini 4 over the mini 2. My iPad Air 2's battery is noticeably better than my iPad mini 2.
Click to expand...

On average I would say it's the same trending toward better. I found it was on par with the Air 2 except it charges MUCH faster.
 
bensisko said:
On average I would say it's the same trending toward better. I found it was on par with the Air 2 except it charges MUCH faster.
Click to expand...
Well, the batter is a lot smaller. But yeah, it's definitely better on the Air 2 than the mini 2 for me, though not by much, but it is noticeable.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Register on MacRumors! This sidebar will go away, and you'll see fewer ads.
Top Bottom
Back