I don't see the issue with this.
iOS devices are extremely efficient when it comes to software and operating.
Apple tends to pairs various devices based on the CPU too recently, in case you haven't noticed.
A6 = 1Gb
A5 = 512Mb
A4 = 256Mb
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iPad mini iPad mini = back to 512MB of RAM
- Thread starter klover
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I don't see the issue with this.
iOS devices are extremely efficient when it comes to software and operating.
Apple tends to pairs various devices based on the CPU too recently, in case you haven't noticed.
A6 = 1Gb
A5 = 512Mb
A4 = 256Mb
I'm well aware of that and my not expressly indicating that has no impact on my argument. Thus I'm "up" with things.
In reality the point of the thread is to complain about Apple using the A5 and 512MB of RAM on the iPad mini. The consequence is every self-proclaimed engineer and genius stating how bad a move it is, and how bad the device is; Not to mention the continuous comparisons to the Nexus 7 which does not compare to any iPad, regardless of the useless specs being thrown around. I would like to reiterate that specs do not make the device - the whole user experience does. As such, making these pre-judgments on a yet to be shipped device is quite ignorant.
It is software, not hardware, that demands memory.
As iOS gets more features, it needs more RAM.
Especially if with complex interactive iBooks.
Geeks like to enter into battles of minutia.
A 1280 x 720 screen is better than a 1024 x 768 because of a couple hundred extra pixels? Sure.
Having an over-reliance on specs means you don't understand the balancing of technology. A point an shoot camera with a 12MP sensor sounds better than that 3 year old DSLR with a 8MP sensor doesn't it? Which one is going to likely take a nicer picture?
So eventually the refrain from spech whores becomes "more more more".
Of course one needs to be educated on the matter, but that does not make specs irrelevant.
I think $329 for an A5X powered device with 1GB RAM would be perfectly reasonable. People still would've been annoyed that it was 1 generation behind its big brother, but a compelling argument could've been made nonetheless. There's really no justification for crippling the Mini with hardware that's now 2 generations behind, however. That's just greed on Apple's part.
It's certainly not irrelevant when it comes to RAM. Wish I knew more about it when I started buying computers. It would have saved me a ton of money and aggravation. I'd be wary of anything less than 1GB in a tablet these days. You don't have to be a spec whore but you shouldn't be naive either.
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+1 to that.
I like the N7 because it's genuinely a good product, not because of its spec sheet.
g.c. and nuckinfutz are good examples of why I usually don't comment on forums. Weak arguments and bad attitudes.
I'm still using a secondhand ipad1. Lagging, checkboards, apps crashing. No iOS6. Irritated? Well, no. Wish it didn't lagg and had iOS6 but it's a 2 year old device, I'm using it a lot every day and it still works. It gives me lots of pleasure. So I'm quite pleased. Value for money so far. Upgrading means to me no lagging, no checkboards, no apps crashing and iOS6, 7 and 8. If that's possible with 512 ram it's ok for me, if not: no upgrade. So I'll just have to wait a few more days and than we all know how it performs.
512 is fine for casual use, but it's nice to have your apps right where you left them when you had to go look something up in the web or check an email, that's where 1gb helps.
Please bare in mind the ram is shared with video, so the reason the ipad3 had 1gb is he gpu used a chunk of it, only had 640mb free, which would mean 512 insufficient. I think if Samsung can cram 2gig in a smartphone, apple can do better for a tablet. Especially since you are more likely to appreciate the difference in a tablet.
Trust me if the iPad mini had 1gig, you would know and appreciate the difference.
Please bare in mind the ram is shared with video, so the reason the ipad3 had 1gb is he gpu used a chunk of it, only had 640mb free, which would mean 512 insufficient. I think if Samsung can cram 2gig in a smartphone, apple can do better for a tablet. Especially since you are more likely to appreciate the difference in a tablet.
Trust me if the iPad mini had 1gig, you would know and appreciate the difference.
Weak arguments or just arguments you don't particularly like? I don't understand how you can make a judgement on that or on my attitude. The essence of my argument is that people shouldn't judge the iPad mini by its spec sheet. Pointing out deficiencies in the N7 was merely used to show that the so-called competition people are discussing is not so great. I'm glad you like it and it fits your needs, but the reality is that it lacks many things that the iPad will have like tons of made-for-iPad apps, iCloud, etc.
I apologize if you dislike my posts, but my arguments are sound, and I don't mean to offend anyone with my attitude.
This makes no sense..at all. Your analogy is flawed. The under-reliance of specs is the problem with the point and shoot vs DSLR camera analogy. No one factors in the sensor size specification. They only rely on one spec, megapixels. If you would dig deeper into the specs, more of a clearer view opens up. The same can be said with the iPad Mini.
Sorry, Please Try again.
1280 x 720 screen vs 1024 x 768?
Big difference in DPI as the Nexus 7 screen is smaller, and has more pixels. Apple praised how big of a screen they gave the mini, but it has less resolution than the Nexus.
DPI is very important for clarity, especially when reading text i.e. books.
But it's not the sale determiner of the quality of the display. There's 8-bit vs 10-bit panels, TN vs IPS, wider color gamuts and more.
When someone attempts to denote superiority of one display over another based on a single metric they've lost the point.
I don`t disagree, but what does the iPad Mini really have over the competition in terms of screen quality?
Nothing.
People are buying the iPad because it offers a better user experience through software. The competition can throw specs around all they want but if they're selling the same crappy operating system their results are going to be poor.
iPad Mini has 512MB of RAM because it is EXACTLY a shrunken iPad 2. EXACTLY.
The key point is that developers who properly designed their apps (no super small touch targets) should not have to distinguish between the iPad 2 and the iPad Mini. Adding extra RAM gives the temptation to axe the iPad Mini faster.
Also, it should be noted that since the iPad 3 has to deal with 2x images which take up to 4x space, a doubling in the amount of RAM to 1GB isn't the benefit you might think it is on first glance.
The key point is that developers who properly designed their apps (no super small touch targets) should not have to distinguish between the iPad 2 and the iPad Mini. Adding extra RAM gives the temptation to axe the iPad Mini faster.
Also, it should be noted that since the iPad 3 has to deal with 2x images which take up to 4x space, a doubling in the amount of RAM to 1GB isn't the benefit you might think it is on first glance.
As has been mentioned by others, the specs and pricing of the Mini are typical Apple. Why anyone is remotely surprised by this is baffling.
They sell you somewhat overpriced underspec'd pretty designs for the first gen. Then for the next gen, they predictably bump the specs to what the previous gen *could* have been, to entice not only the constant flow of newcomers, but also to attract upgraders. The price remains the same for the upgraded model, giving the illusion of a good value, when in fact, the 2nd gens have been partly subsidized by the early adopters of the previous gen. But Apple doesn't make less profit on the 2nd gens...the prices of the components go down each year, by virtue of technological advances, and by Apple's ever increasing bulk discounts for said components.
Is 512mb RAM a bit paltry? To be sure. Will the mini run ok for most people with 512? Yes. Could Apple have included 1GB and kept the price the same? Definitely. But why should they? They've never fully kitted a first gen product before, but everything they make these days sells like gangbusters. Why start now?
They sell you somewhat overpriced underspec'd pretty designs for the first gen. Then for the next gen, they predictably bump the specs to what the previous gen *could* have been, to entice not only the constant flow of newcomers, but also to attract upgraders. The price remains the same for the upgraded model, giving the illusion of a good value, when in fact, the 2nd gens have been partly subsidized by the early adopters of the previous gen. But Apple doesn't make less profit on the 2nd gens...the prices of the components go down each year, by virtue of technological advances, and by Apple's ever increasing bulk discounts for said components.
Is 512mb RAM a bit paltry? To be sure. Will the mini run ok for most people with 512? Yes. Could Apple have included 1GB and kept the price the same? Definitely. But why should they? They've never fully kitted a first gen product before, but everything they make these days sells like gangbusters. Why start now?
Will 512mb of ram be good enough to prevent lagging, checkboards, rebuilding websites in Safari, stop apps from crashing, run apps like imovie smoothly and run iOS6, 7 and 8 in the future? We'll see within a few days. If not I'll just have to wait for the upgrade to 1gb.
There's no need to complain. We're not forced to buy the Mini. It's up to everyone of us to decide whether it fits our 'needs' or is value for money. If it's not, well don't buy and be happy...
There's no need to complain. We're not forced to buy the Mini. It's up to everyone of us to decide whether it fits our 'needs' or is value for money. If it's not, well don't buy and be happy...
yes, we'll definitely see, and I'll see next week as I've pre-ordered the iPad Mini. But again, what Apple stresses is not the specs, but rather the overall user experience. If that user experience is still great at 512MB of RAM, then so be it.
Less RAM = product becomes obsolete faster, since apps, games and software evolve. Buy new. Apple profit. You think Apple ever would give you 2 GB RAM, so that the lifespan of the product is longer? No.
And it's not about the price. It's the usual Apple strategy to empty your wallet. Wait for the 3rd generation of iPad mini, and you get what you should have got the the first time.
So which apps, exactly, of the 275,000 that run on iPad, won't run on 512MB? You are applying very outdated concepts to the iPad ecosystem...
A5X is power hungry, old 45nm die process, power wasted on unnecessary GPU for the 1024 resolution screen. Would have made no sense.
A5 and A5X of the iPad 3 share the same CPU and number crunching power. Pixel pushing graphics power is all that changed.
For Apple to cut cost. It makes sense to use the exact same die shrunk 32nm, lower cost, lower power, A5 512MB SOC found in the refreshed iPad 2.