Carrier iPad mini first gen cellular worth buying

[bc0508]

I am considering buying a 1st gen ipad mini 64gb I can get it from sprint for 249 with a 2 year contract. Is it really that great of a deal. I been using a android tablet but I prefer to use my iphone more often.
I keep reading how much better the 2nd gen is.
I most watch movies, read the web, and forums.

 

[CEmajr]

I am considering buying a 1st gen ipad mini 64gb I can get it from sprint for 249 with a 2 year contract. Is it really that great of a deal. I been using a android tablet but I prefer to use my iphone more often.
I keep reading how much better the 2nd gen is.
I most watch movies, read the web, and forums.

It's fine for those purposes. I have a 1st Gen Mini w/ Cellular and it works pretty well for all of those tasks. $249 is a decent price but I'm not sure it's worth signing a 2 year contract for. How much does Sprint charge for the Retina Mini w/ Contract?

 

[bc0508]

My data charge is 15 per month.. i could have paid 349 and not done a contract.
The ipad mini retina was 629 well out of my price point.

 

[BGBUXA]

I am considering buying a 1st gen ipad mini 64gb I can get it from sprint for 249 with a 2 year contract. Is it really that great of a deal. I been using a android tablet but I prefer to use my iphone more often.
I keep reading how much better the 2nd gen is.
I most watch movies, read the web, and forums.

You know Best Buy is doing a promo right now that if you buy a cellular embed tablet such as iPad mini with retina you get $100 off. Also a $100 bill credit within the next 3 months from Verizon and AT&T.

Just a food for thought this may interest you incase you may consider the latest iPad mini with retina.

 

[wrinkster22]

How much data for $15?

 

[bc0508]

2gb I rarely hit it thou

 

[nickdylan]

Don't do it. The hardware is over three years old. For resale value and your browsing pleasure, it's a much better idea to get the retina mini. The old mini is not a modern device.

 

[maflynn]

Don't do it. The hardware is over three years old. For resale value and your browsing pleasure, it's a much better idea to get the retina mini. The old mini is not a modern device.

I disagree, my wife and kids use the first generation mini and it works fine. Sure resale value will be less then the rMini but people shouldn't buy a tablet to sell it but to use it. for usage sake its a fine tablet

 

[bc0508]

I am torn i ordered it but I think i will send it back. I have a ipad 1 and we have a ipad air also and I just see the differences between. I do believe the mini would work well I would much rather have second gen but too high for my blood right now.

 

[nickdylan]

I disagree, my wife and kids use the first generation mini and it works fine. Sure resale value will be less then the rMini but people shouldn't buy a tablet to sell it but to use it. for usage sake its a fine tablet

You've had it for a while, I imagine, which makes a difference. Usage is only going to worse.. Advising someone to buy an old mini would be like advising them to buy an iPhone 4, which I also wouldn't do, unless it was at an extremely low price and they were broke.

 

[herdnerfer]

Now that Apple has stopped selling the iPad 2, I have serious doubts that the 2 or the first mini will get iOS 8. You'd be better off spending an extra Hundo and getting the retina mini.

 

[maflynn]

Advising someone to buy an old mini would be like advising them to buy an iPhone 4, which I also wouldn't do, unless it was at an extremely low price and they were broke.

Budget is always a concern, and tablets are a luxury item. Why over-spend on a tablet if the mini will fit the need of the buyer?

Its like throwing money out the window. Yes sometimes an iPhone 4 will meet the need of someone just as much as a 5s.

 

[T5BRICK]

Don't do it. The hardware is over three years old. For resale value and your browsing pleasure, it's a much better idea to get the retina mini. The old mini is not a modern device.

The Mini came out in November 2012. It hasn't even been 2 years yet.

It's still a decently fast unit, the A5 is plenty of power since the original mini doesn't have a retina display. A 64GB Cellular unit for $250 isn't a bad deal. Going with Apples pricing scheme, that unit should cost about $629(which would obviously be too much).

 

[darngooddesign]

Now that Apple has stopped selling the iPad 2, I have serious doubts that the 2 or the first mini will get iOS 8. You'd be better off spending an extra Hundo and getting the retina mini.

Apple spent a lot of effort optimizing iOS7.1 for the iPhone 4, which currently four generations old. The Mini 1 is one generation old, it will get iOS8.

 

[bc0508]

Budget is always a concern, and tablets are a luxury item. Why over-spend on a tablet if the mini will fit the need of the buyer?

Its like throwing money out the window. Yes sometimes an iPhone 4 will meet the need of someone just as much as a 5s.

Yep I looked at both at the apple store last night first gen and second gen playing the same movie. A little difference but not that much. I think the first gen will suit my needs but I might still send it back and keep using my android tablet and do a ipad air for the fam. I dont use the small one enough to spend the money on myself.

 

[east85]

Yep I looked at both at the apple store last night first gen and second gen playing the same movie. A little difference but not that much. I think the first gen will suit my needs but I might still send it back and keep using my android tablet and do a ipad air for the fam. I dont use the small one enough to spend the money on myself.

I have the first generation and it suits my needs so far, I really think you'll be alright with it as long as you don't set your expectations really high on the display. It really has no problem running apps I throw at it, even while multitasking. I think at least at this point in time it doesn't feel very outdated in terms of hardware. Though it's impossible to refute that it will lose value and support more quickly than the retina model. Like you, finance is a concern of mine so I made the best choice for me. I really doubt you'll regret your purchase if you understand what the screen should look like. I just looked at the PPI on my old Mac and the PPI for the mini and decided that the difference wouldn't bother me, and it hasn't yet.

Went off contract though, bought a refurbished 16gb cellular model directly from apple for about $380 USD with tax. You got a pretty good deal on data though going on contract, definitely worth it.

 

[Breaking Good]

Went off contract though, bought a refurbished 16gb cellular model directly from apple for about $380 USD with tax. You got a pretty good deal on data though going on contract, definitely worth it.

$15/mo is Sprint's off-contract price for 1GB of data as well. Apple has it posted on its Web site.

 

[Max(IT)]

I am considering buying a 1st gen ipad mini 64gb I can get it from sprint for 249 with a 2 year contract. Is it really that great of a deal. I been using a android tablet but I prefer to use my iphone more often.
I keep reading how much better the 2nd gen is.
I most watch movies, read the web, and forums.

I strongly recommend to save a little more money for a retina mini, since the first gen is heavily underpowered.

 

[nickdylan]

The Mini came out in November 2012. It hasn't even been 2 years yet.

It's still a decently fast unit, the A5 is plenty of power since the original mini doesn't have a retina display. A 64GB Cellular unit for $250 isn't a bad deal. Going with Apples pricing scheme, that unit should cost about $629(which would obviously be too much).

It uses iPad 2 hardware - early 2011. I wouldn't advise anyone to buy an iPad 2 or Mini 1 unless it was at a truly huge discount.