The only reason I'm asking is because I sold my 3 for 500 and bought a Mini.
I needed a smaller device and this was perfect. I just hope the screen doesn't burn me.
Got a tip for us?
Let us know
Become a MacRumors Supporter for $50/year with no ads, ability to filter front page stories, and private forums.
iPad Mini Display vs Retina Display
- Thread starter ghsDUDE
- Start date
- Sort by reaction score
The only reason I'm asking is because I sold my 3 for 500 and bought a Mini.
I needed a smaller device and this was perfect. I just hope the screen doesn't burn me.
ZBoater
macrumors G3
Don't worry. If you don't like it, return it for a full refund and put that towards an iPad 4. Easy. No worries. 🙂
First post, hi all.
This is exactly what I want to know too.
I'm in the market for a tablet and I'm really tempted by the mini but worried the screen quality is not good enough.
My girlfriend owns the iPod Touch 3G and I hate the non retina display so I'm now thinking the mini is going to look the same. I used to own the 4th gen Touch and enjoyed the retina display on that.
I know it's difficult to answer but I'm hoping someone can reassure me that the mini won't look as bad as I fear.
Are you getting a Mini from the iPad 3 you have?
----------
Here's the best picture I can see of the pixels...Picture 12 in the White Gallery.
ZBoater
macrumors G3
Yup. Sold my 3 on EBay instant sale and preordered a mini. If I don't like it, I'm getting a 4.
----------
That's just a camera angle. The other pictures are not as pronounced. You'll need to hold one in your hand to make a definitive judgement that works for you.
It's certainly a downgrade in terms of specs (memory, processor, etc.), although for some the size will make up for it. I wouldn't say the iPad 1 or 2 had bad screens, just not nearly as appealing as retina.
ZBoater
macrumors G3
I'm keeping/using this regardless of if I like it...and when the iPad 5 or whatever it is gets the same form factor and is lighter/skinnier I may upgrade again...but if the next Mini gets Retina then who know.
Regardless, I'll be using this thing for the time being.
The verge did say the screen is of better quality than the kindle fire and nexus 7, but the verge also did say that when you compare pixels, the ipad mini's pixels are more visible than that of the nexus 7/kindle fire.
ZBoater
macrumors G3
That's true... but most people are spoiled by the retina display since the iphone 4 and ipad 3. I could never go back the ipad 2 after using the ipad 3, the pixels are so apparent.
I will be trying out the ipad mini in store before buying to see how the screen quality is compared to the ipad 4, if it's not too bad i'll get it.
Does pixel density affect video quality? Or does it just affect texts? Since i'll be using the ipad mostly for movies.
You're in luck. It's way harder for the eyes to discern pixel density in video. And besides that, most video is 720p, so you'll get just as much detail on the mini as you would on the regular.
Aside from that, I'm in the same boat as everyone else. It is indeed exactly the same ppi as the 3GS, but the effect will be different because you're focusing on a wider array of pixels overall.
Here's a pretty good article about it:
http://www.tuaw.com/2012/03/01/retina-display-macs-ipads-and-hidpi-doing-the-math/
And as a nice bonus, there's a spreadsheet link in that article that has a row dedicated to the iPad mini.
What's the "closeness to retina display" for the mini?
At a distance of 16 inches away, 76%. This is compared to 61% for the ipad 2, and 123% for the ipad 3/4.
So I have some hope this this thing will be acceptable given the advantages in portability.
----------
oops, here's the spreadsheet link.
https://docs.google.com/spreadsheet...MFRfYW5VbThORXc&single=true&gid=0&output=html
----------
So accounting for average viewing distance, the ipad mini sits squarely between the 3GS and the 4/4S/5 for perceived sharpness.
I went to my local Apple Store today and put the iPad 2 and iPad 3 side by side and looked at the same photo's on them to compare the screens. The Retina display was noticeably sharper than the iPad 2. So I will definitely wait for an iPad Mini with a Retina display.
hahah good post!
Depends on the quality of the movie. the mini cannot support 1080p if that is the quality of your movei.
MrXiro
macrumors 68040
That's not entirely true. Your 1080p video will play only your screen won't display 1080p resolution. iPad 2 plays 1080p just fine any my 720p tv plays back 1080p bluray. But visually it is only 720p
iHeartsteve
macrumors 68000
This. Trying to find a justification to get the mini but I feel its so overboard having 2 tablets. A mbp and an ip5. but theres a lot of people on here doing that so I guess I shouldn't feel bad!
The people with iPad 3's downgrading to iPad mini's are nuts. Ask yourselves; would you downgrade from a iPhone 5 to a iPhone 3GS just for the smaller screen? Plus this iPad mini is still not pocketable like smaller 7 inch devices. You still have to protect it in a case or bag. Why ruin the experience when Apple already has the best display on the market (as of 10/27/2012).
The iPad mini should have been a larger iPhone 5, not a smaller iPad 2.
The iPad mini should have been a larger iPhone 5, not a smaller iPad 2.
ZBoater
macrumors G3
Ummmmmm, no. The comparison is extremely flawed.
The Mini not only has a smaller screen but weighs HALF.
From an iOS perspective, there's a big difference between an iPad an an iPhone. Looks at the apps that have two versions - the iPad versions are designed to take advantage of the extra screen real estate. The iPhone is too small for many things, like web browsing or book reading. It will do in a pinch, but can't compete with an iPad, 8 or 9".
1BadMac
macrumors 6502
I went from iPad 1 to 3 when it launched. I was impressed with the retina display, but not necessarily with the apps. I'm not a gamer (the occasional Monopoly or Tiger Woods golf while on plane rides) - but not a hardcore gamer. The crispness was there for Flipboard, but other apps just didn't seem to be taking advantage of retina.
I decided to sell the 3 and try the mini, because one of the apps I use the most I use while at work. The weight alone may make this something that I can carry to and from meetings and just stick in my pad folio. I guess we'll see. As long as it doesn't do the checkerboard like the iPad 1, I think I'll like it just fine.
The CPU is the same as the iPad 2 and 3, just not the graphics portion. So I'm thinking responsiveness will be great.
And if I don't like it, since I got a good price for my 3, I can simply return the mini and get the 4. 🙂
I decided to sell the 3 and try the mini, because one of the apps I use the most I use while at work. The weight alone may make this something that I can carry to and from meetings and just stick in my pad folio. I guess we'll see. As long as it doesn't do the checkerboard like the iPad 1, I think I'll like it just fine.
The CPU is the same as the iPad 2 and 3, just not the graphics portion. So I'm thinking responsiveness will be great.
And if I don't like it, since I got a good price for my 3, I can simply return the mini and get the 4. 🙂
That's awesome! I really wanted an ipad 4 but it's just way too heavy. Might just pick up a mini to tide me over until the ipad 5 (hopefully redesigned and lighter) comes out.
Take an iPad 2, move it 5" further away than your usual distance. That is how mini will look like. The mini's display becomes retina at 21".
christophermdia
macrumors 6502a
its not nuts...the Mini is much more portable....this is not about screen....in the end, you can read a Macrumors post on the mini just as good as you can on a 3......oh so its just a bit sharper you say? Wow...could you not read it? I would much rather a tablet I could take with me (point of the tablet by the way) vs a tablet that I need a bag for to carry around.....
By the way, I have a 3....I plan on using it while home, however, on the go....Mini is gonna be my go to....
Smileyboy
macrumors 65816
Sowelu
macrumors 6502a
I would really like a lighter and smaller iPad (yes, the iPad 3 is too heavy to hold for long periods of time), but I think I need to see it in person first to check out the quality of the display.
I would also like to know if Apple got cheap on the iPad Mini memory. I don't care about spec sheets - but if I see checkerboard scrolling and pages/tabs constantly reloading in Safari, I'll know they skimped out on memory when clearly more was needed. But, I remain hopeful.
Back on topic, I am totally spoiled with Retina. Having a Retina iPad and iPhone would probably make it more difficult switching to a non-retina iPad Mini. But, like others have said, let's hold judgment until we have them in our hands.
The one thing that bothers me is that the DPI isn't that much higher than the iPad 2, and I always hated the iPad 2 display. Aside from weak color saturation and contrast, images and some text were always noticeably fuzzy and rough around the edges. I felt this way about the iPad 2's display before the iPad 3 was released (and the iPad 3 made it more noticeable, of course).
So, DPI aside, let's hope that the iPad Mini display doesn't look anything like the iPad 2 display. Maybe it will have better color saturation, contrast, viewing angles and just enough crispness.
Those who say that they don't notice a difference between retina and non-retina displays either have less than perfect vision, or they do not have an eye for detail. Many people don't. Or, they simply aren't bothered by displays that aren't crisp or vibrant. To me, the differences are night and day and they hit me instantly without trying to look for them.
I am also wondering if users will hold the smaller and lighter iPad Mini closer to their face (like a book) without even realizing it since it will be so light and there is no longer a need to 'rest it down' somewhere, like on your chest. 😉
I would also like to know if Apple got cheap on the iPad Mini memory. I don't care about spec sheets - but if I see checkerboard scrolling and pages/tabs constantly reloading in Safari, I'll know they skimped out on memory when clearly more was needed. But, I remain hopeful.
Back on topic, I am totally spoiled with Retina. Having a Retina iPad and iPhone would probably make it more difficult switching to a non-retina iPad Mini. But, like others have said, let's hold judgment until we have them in our hands.
The one thing that bothers me is that the DPI isn't that much higher than the iPad 2, and I always hated the iPad 2 display. Aside from weak color saturation and contrast, images and some text were always noticeably fuzzy and rough around the edges. I felt this way about the iPad 2's display before the iPad 3 was released (and the iPad 3 made it more noticeable, of course).
So, DPI aside, let's hope that the iPad Mini display doesn't look anything like the iPad 2 display. Maybe it will have better color saturation, contrast, viewing angles and just enough crispness.
Those who say that they don't notice a difference between retina and non-retina displays either have less than perfect vision, or they do not have an eye for detail. Many people don't. Or, they simply aren't bothered by displays that aren't crisp or vibrant. To me, the differences are night and day and they hit me instantly without trying to look for them.
I am also wondering if users will hold the smaller and lighter iPad Mini closer to their face (like a book) without even realizing it since it will be so light and there is no longer a need to 'rest it down' somewhere, like on your chest. 😉