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iPad mini Is it late to buy an iPad Mini?

ventuss

ventuss

macrumors 6502
Original poster
Is it late to buy an iPad Mini? Any chance apple decide to upgrade Mini every two years like an iPod?
 
No, I believe the Mini being an iPad will be produced yearly as the full size iPad and iPhone are. If you can, I would wait another 3 months and see what the Mini 2 has to offer. There are rumors of it having a retina display and faster processor which will be a nice update to the current Mini.


Sent from my iPad Mini using Tapatalk 2
 
With the way the iPad mini has been selling...I just can't imagine them putting a retina into it yet.
/edit: I HOPE I'm wrong.
 
Being "retinized" would drive the prices up lol. You get used to it after a while anyway, I can hardly tell it's not retina.
 
I don't think it's to late. I just opened my refurb 32GB mini yesterday. I returned the 16GB I bought a week or two ago. I love this tablet. Battery life is insane. The lower resolution only bothers me slightly on text, and even then it's really not a big deal. I read on my Macbook Pro all the time, and that has a lower PPI. On pictures, video, games, or music creation I don't even notice.
 
I live in Brazil and Apple just release it here, eight months after US launch, so that is what I am afraid of.. iPad mini costs btw 600 and 1000 dollars.

I have an iPad 2 and my niece sort of claimed it. The iPad Mini is basically an iPad 2 when it comes to hardware, right? iPad 4 is far superior, too heavy though.
 
I gave my old iPad 2 to my wife as an excuse to pick up a Mini, and I have really enjoyed its size and portability. I do believe the two are the same hardware. (Someone correct me please if I am mistaken.). And no, I don't think it is too late at all to purchase one.
 
ventuss said:
I have an iPad 2 and my niece sort of claimed it. The iPad Mini is basically an iPad 2 when it comes to hardware, right? iPad 4 is far superior, too heavy though.
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The iPad Mini and the iPad 2 share the same processor and graphics architecture but it seems that the wireless controller is different. If Apple is going to make a Mini with a retina display then the processor (graphics processing) will need an upgrade. The big issue for Apple is most likely providing that power while still maintaining the claim of 10+ hours of battery life with the relatively tiny Mini battery. If anything holds Apple back from making the second-generation Mini with a retina display, that will probably be it.

That said, if you have a use for the Mini then go ahead and buy one now. Whether the new Mini has a retina display or not, it will be faster. That's a given with technology. I was holding out for a retina Mini but ended up buying a Mini last week because its usefulness for my business purposes was too good to pass up.

I have an iPhone 4S and an iPad 3, so I'm accustomed to retina displays. I will say that the Mini's lack of retina is noticeable, but it doesn't bother me as much as I had thought that it would. By comparison, the lack of retina on an iPad 2 is very noticeable to me, but this makes sense: the pixel density on the Mini is higher than on the iPad 2 (163 pixels per inch vs. 132; the retina iPads have 264). It is "bad enough" that I'm strongly considering selling my Mini and purchasing a second-generation Mini if the second-gen has a retina display, even though I usually hold on to my devices and use them until they break. Yet it's decent enough that I'll need to go in to an Apple store to see the retina display for myself, and determine whether the difference is truly as great as I think it will be.

The buying advice is pretty standard though: if you can wait, then wait, because we're only a few months away from the release of the new Mini. Even if it wouldn't be available in Brazil for a few months after, the new release would help to drive prices down, right? Alternately, if you need the device now and/or could make very good use of it right now, then buy what's currently available. The new Mini will be better than the current Mini, but that doesn't mean that the current Mini will become functionless or unusable! Retina issues aside, it's a very decent performer (although I should note that I don't use it for games; gamers should probably hold out for the update).
 
tymaster50 said:
Because they're already overpriced lol.
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How are they overpriced?

Most smartphones are $199 16GB, $299 32GB, $399 64GB.

Tablets have been at $499, I know the Nexus 10 is cheaper than then the iPad 4 . It has pretty good specs but it lacks tablet app support and quality.
 
Thank you guys for the helpful comments. I decided go check it in person (be able to use it for a few minutes) and I may probably buy it, though not today.

Most stores do not let you return a product or even replace it unless there is some really bigger concern, so I plan on buying on Apple Online Store, since its policy is the same all over the world.

I'll be back to tell you what you already know. 🙂
 
ventuss said:
I live in Brazil and Apple just release it here, eight months after US launch, so that is what I am afraid of.. iPad mini costs btw 600 and 1000 dollars.

I have an iPad 2 and my niece sort of claimed it. The iPad Mini is basically an iPad 2 when it comes to hardware, right? iPad 4 is far superior, too heavy though.
Click to expand...

I would "sort of" claim it back from your niece and use it until either a new 9.7inch iPad or iPad Mini comes out. Then she can claim it all she wants. Having been to Brazil and noted the prices of electronics....wait and get this years models, then use it for a good few years, this is especially true since you have an iPad already!
 
irDigital0l said:
How are they overpriced?

Most smartphones are $199 16GB, $299 32GB, $399 64GB.

Tablets have been at $499, I know the Nexus 10 is cheaper than then the iPad 4 . It has pretty good specs but it lacks tablet app support and quality.
Click to expand...
$700 for a phone with ok specs off contract. It's only matched by the iPad 4's high prices. If you don't think apple products are overpriced then you must be rich
 
tymaster50 said:
$700 for a phone with ok specs off contract. It's only matched by the iPad 4's high prices. If you don't think apple products are overpriced then you must be rich
Click to expand...

I don't get my phone for off contract.

Also they're not really overpriced.

Like I said Verizon just got the Galaxy S4 32GB with 2 year contract for $299 that's the same as iPhone 5 32GB with 2 year contract.

iPad mini might be a little more expensive than other 7-inch tablets.

Also your great at assuming things... Apple products aren't overpriced and I'm not rich.
 
Also, there is the quality of the apps available for iPad as compared to the same apps on android. Too many tablet apps on android are just scaled up phone apps. I know this because I have a Nexus 7 and an iPad. The difference is so disappointing on android. I love my iPad. 🙂
 
tymaster50 said:
$700 for a phone with ok specs off contract. It's only matched by the iPad 4's high prices. If you don't think apple products are overpriced then you must be rich
Click to expand...

My iPad 4, 32GB with WiFi, is costing me £430.

I don't think that's unreasonable in the slightest.
 
irDigital0l said:
I don't get my phone for off contract.

Also they're not really overpriced.

Like I said Verizon just got the Galaxy S4 32GB with 2 year contract for $299 that's the same as iPhone 5 32GB with 2 year contract.

iPad mini might be a little more expensive than other 7-inch tablets.

Also your great at assuming things... Apple products aren't overpriced and I'm not rich.
Click to expand...
I agree it's mostly Apple's computers that are noticeably overpriced. The Ipods, ipads, and iphones are pretty comparable to everyone else's prices.
 
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