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

iPad mini iPad Mini with retina - buy or wait?

J

james341

macrumors regular
Original poster
Jul 23, 2007
125
3
Hello
I have a big crave to buy a new iPad mini with retina display after my son gain control of my iPad 3.
I want to know what you think....should I go and buy a new iPad mini with retina display with 128Gb or wait for the next version that rumors saying it will come in the Apple event in October 2014.

Thanks
 
It's too close to launch. I'd wait.
I usually say to go ahead and get one now cause a bus could hit you next week lol, but it is getting seriously close to launch and I've seen the dev's saying that ios 8 is so demanding on current hardware that it will be worth the wait to fully realize the potential of the new os.
But if you really want one ... Go for it. Its a great device. I use mine all the time.
 
Ok , I think I will wait - I find my self thinking a lot of to go with Air or with the Mini but I think that the size wins
 
I would seriously consider getting a iPad mini with retina display now because I just did a couple weeks ago and was able to get it for 350 bucks. If you go to best buy they will price match an ad on the internet for Walmart. And iOS 8 is not going to over power the A7 it's going to be the first os to take full advantage of it. That 50 dollars you can save yourself pays for a really nice case.
 
Last edited:
Definitely wait. In just a few months, a new one will be out at the same price, presumably with Touch ID, A8 processor, possibly 2GB of RAM. Also, it may have an even better screen. As of now, the iPad mini with retina has a lower color gamut than the iPhone/iPod 5+, and even iPad 3, 4, and air. It isn't really noticeable unless you are comparing side by side, or you switch a lot between the retina mini and one of the devices I listed earlier, that have a more saturated screen. I switch between an iPod 5 and my retina mini a lot, I notice the difference but personally, it doesn't bother me.

KingKen1986 said:
I would seriously consider getting a iPad mini with retina display now because I just did a couple weeks ago and was able to get it for 350 bucks. If you go to best buy they will price match an ad on the internet for Walmart. And iOS 8 is not going to over power the A7 it's going to be the first os to take full advantage of it. That 50 dollars you can save yourself pays for a really nice case.
Click to expand...

Just because iOS 8 isn't going to slow down the A7, doesn't mean iOS 9/10 will continue to run perfectly at full speed... I think waiting a bit and spending an extra 50 bucks is definitely worth getting TOUCH ID, and a lot more time out of the device being supported (presumably a whole extra year, that's how these things usually go)
 
If you don't need one now, then just wait till the October announcement. However, if you really need an ipad, then just buy one now.
 
I'd say wait, which is exactly what I'm doing. I just sold my mini for 325 bucks and am already missing it. Great little device. The next two months without Bubblewitch 2 and Words With Friends are going to be hard, but I felt like selling now would maximize what I got for it.
 
You people do realize that the next gen mini prolly is not coming out until 2015, the next air is rumored to be coming out in 2014. The current mini with its a7 is already overpowered and no apps or games take advantage of its power or of its 64 bit architecture. So why not save 50 bucks. The current mini will be supported for many more years I mean the iPhone 4s is getting the iOS 8 upgrade for crying out loud.
 
I think I will wait to see what Apple will announce in October and than decide .

Many many thanks for your great advices.
 
I'm also debating this same matter and leaning towards purchasing the refurbished iPad mini with Retina display Wi-Fi + Cellular for AT&T 128GB for $699.

Waiting until early 2015 seems like a long time to hang for the next iteration and I could always sell the current model and purchase the new one if warranted.
 
james341 said:
By the way - is it unlocked? Can I use it outside of the U.S. ?
Click to expand...

I believe that it comes unlocked out of the box. I have the ipad mini with retina display wifi + cellular Verizon Model and I was able to use it when I was in Korea using their network with their sim card.
 
KingKen1986 said:
You people do realize that the next gen mini prolly is not coming out until 2015, the next air is rumored to be coming out in 2014. The current mini with its a7 is already overpowered and no apps or games take advantage of its power or of its 64 bit architecture. So why not save 50 bucks. The current mini will be supported for many more years I mean the iPhone 4s is getting the iOS 8 upgrade for crying out loud.
Click to expand...

Not a chance in hell will Apple miss the holidays with a new iPad Mini.
 
You should wait. It's probably only going to be about 6 weeks.

KingKen1986 said:
You people do realize that the next gen mini prolly is not coming out until 2015, the next air is rumored to be coming out in 2014. The current mini with its a7 is already overpowered and no apps or games take advantage of its power or of its 64 bit architecture. So why not save 50 bucks. The current mini will be supported for many more years I mean the iPhone 4s is getting the iOS 8 upgrade for crying out loud.
Click to expand...

I doubt that. Even last year, when Apple delayed the launch of the Mini a month after the Air, they were still announced at the same time. If the Mini and Air continue to be basically the same device, there is no reason why they should not be launched together.

Considering the A8 will likely be 50-100% faster than the A7, it would be silly not to wait, even if no present app uses the full potential of the A7 (and I would love to see the proof of this). Eventually, (I expect soon after launch) there will be apps optimised for A8, especially games. Even if that isn't true, an A8 will still be able to do what an A7 can, but will use much less power while doing it.
 
KingKen1986 said:
You people do realize that the next gen mini prolly is not coming out until 2015, the next air is rumored to be coming out in 2014. The current mini with its a7 is already overpowered and no apps or games take advantage of its power or of its 64 bit architecture. So why not save 50 bucks. The current mini will be supported for many more years I mean the iPhone 4s is getting the iOS 8 upgrade for crying out loud.
Click to expand...

I would imagine that both iPad models would be released at the same time. It will be a year this fall since the last release, so it would make sense that new ones would be coming out in a couple months.

If the current models handle iOS 8 with absolutely no problem, I could see the new iPads being released in the spring. However they do it, I think the new iPads will be released together......
 
If it was me, I would wait. Even if you don't end up getting the newer model, there will be a lot of deals on the current generation that I think would be worth waiting for.

Now if you can get $100 off a current gen now, I would say go for it.
 
Wait. I'm waiting for the next generation before I buy one. I'm sure the current gen one is fine, but I'd rather wait a few months to get Touch ID and the A8 chip.
 
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