iPad mini iPad mini vs iPad Air 2 in practice

[PalacePlayers]

I'm currently using an iPad Air 2 and I love how fast and fluid it runs. However, soon I will start my hospital internship as a medical student , and I'm considering switching to a smaller form factor. I previously owned the iPad mini 1, and I loved how it fitted perfectly in the lab coat.

Before I replace my Air 2, I wanted to know how well the A8 chip runs iOS 9 on an iPad display. I use my iPad a lot, from surfing the web, playing graphics intensive games like Hearthstone, editing photos and rendering 3D anatomy models. I will probably use both the multitasking and picture in picture features.

I get limited value from Geeckbench scores, so I was wondering if anyone with hands on experience with the mini 4 could tell me how well it performs the tasks I mentioned above.

Thanks!

 

[ron7624]

Sorry I can't answer your question specifically, but having used the iPad Mini for for several weeks I would say it will be perfectly acceptable. It will do everything your Air will do. Opening a large app will take a tiny bit more time, but that's about it. There are several videos posted with people starting apps at the same time side by side. On some you don't see a winner on others it's like 30% slower....and that isn't much difference. I love the form factor. It just fits. iOS 9 ships on the Mini. To me it's fine, to others they post videos saying see the jitter? And I don't see it. I guess if you want to find a stutter you could, but you can do the same thing on an Air 2. I don't play many games, my favorite is Smash Hit. It does drop a frame every now and then. This bad boy is plenty fast. Editing photos is no problem and using 3rd party photo editing apps are all very smooth and fast for me.
Go for it is my advice since you asked.

 

[newellj]

Ha, puns will get you nowhere, doc... With that out of the way... I have an Air 2, currently on 8.4.1 but it was on the various 9 and 9.1 betas until Apple got ready to close the window on 8.4.1, so I have a feeling for how it runs. I have a Mini 2 (not listed below) and a Mini 4. I can't answer your gaming question because I don't game, but in every other respect I can say that I honestly don't notice a difference in daily use between the Mini 4 and the Air 2. Hopefully others can give you their perspectives on gaming, where the faster GPU and trip-core CPU might make a difference that you'd notice.