All iPads Mini 2 or Mini 3

[DaCurmudgen]

Over the last few years, I've become more of an Apple nut and started to appreciate buying the latest and greatest from Cupertino. However, doing that led me to buy the iPad 3 and upgrade to iOS 7 on their respective release days.

For the iPad, it looks like that purchase was a bit fool-hearty since the iPad 3 was replaced with the iPad 4 in less that a year, and with better hardware specs that can support functionality like AirDrop - something the iPad 3 can't do.

As for iOS 7, while I think it is fine, there are a few regrets I have from upgrading the day of release. In the future, I think I will wait a bit longer before upgrading.

All of this has me thinking about my desire for an iPad mini. I love my iPad 3, and until iOS 7, the tablet operated really well. For reading over long intervals, the form factor and weight of the iPad mini is better, except for the screen which is killer on my iPad 3.

So if the iPad mini 2 comes with a Retina, I want to buy it, but my experience says that I should wait a generation to avoid a repeat of my iPad 3 purchase. What do you think? Will the mini 2 require enough engineering novelty that might make it a riskier purchase than waiting for the mini 3?

 

[CNeufeld]

Over the last few years, I've become more of an Apple nut and started to appreciate buying the latest and greatest from Cupertino. However, doing that led me to buy the iPad 3 and upgrade to iOS 7 on their respective release days.

For the iPad, it looks like that purchase was a bit fool-hearty since the iPad 3 was replaced with the iPad 4 in less that a year, and with better hardware specs that can support functionality like AirDrop - something the iPad 3 can't do.

As for iOS 7, while I think it is fine, there are a few regrets I have from upgrading the day of release. In the future, I think I will wait a bit longer before upgrading.

All of this has me thinking about my desire for an iPad mini. I love my iPad 3, and until iOS 7, the tablet operated really well. For reading over long intervals, the form factor and weight of the iPad mini is better, except for the screen which is killer on my iPad 3.

So if the iPad mini 2 comes with a Retina, I want to buy it, but my experience says that I should wait a generation to avoid a repeat of my iPad 3 purchase. What do you think? Will the mini 2 require enough engineering novelty that might make it a riskier purchase than waiting for the mini 3?

I think you need to hold off on deciding until the iPad Mini 2 is announced...

Clint

 

[vmaniqui]

Over the last few years, I've become more of an Apple nut and started to appreciate buying the latest and greatest from Cupertino. However, doing that led me to buy the iPad 3 and upgrade to iOS 7 on their respective release days.

For the iPad, it looks like that purchase was a bit fool-hearty since the iPad 3 was replaced with the iPad 4 in less that a year, and with better hardware specs that can support functionality like AirDrop - something the iPad 3 can't do.

As for iOS 7, while I think it is fine, there are a few regrets I have from upgrading the day of release. In the future, I think I will wait a bit longer before upgrading.

All of this has me thinking about my desire for an iPad mini. I love my iPad 3, and until iOS 7, the tablet operated really well. For reading over long intervals, the form factor and weight of the iPad mini is better, except for the screen which is killer on my iPad 3.

So if the iPad mini 2 comes with a Retina, I want to buy it, but my experience says that I should wait a generation to avoid a repeat of my iPad 3 purchase. What do you think? Will the mini 2 require enough engineering novelty that might make it a riskier purchase than waiting for the mini 3?

if you keep on waiting for the next generation mini, you will end up buying nothing. assuming mini will come out this october 2013, you're saying that you can wait a year to get ahold of one? i say just buy it if you really want it. technology changes so fast and often. you can't say hmmm maybe mini 3 will be better, hmmm maybe mini 4 will be way better, hmmmm maybe the mini 5 is the ultimate one. before you know it t3 years has passed already and you haven't gotten a mini yet.

 

[Badrottie]

I think an iPad Mini 2 will use same technology from full size iPad 4 I could be wrong but I don't know if this is what you want?

 

[MauerFan]

If the mini 2 fits your needs go with it. Seriously though you'll just keep waiting and waiting if you don't eventually pick something up.

 

[MartinAppleGuy]

Over the last few years, I've become more of an Apple nut and started to appreciate buying the latest and greatest from Cupertino. However, doing that led me to buy the iPad 3 and upgrade to iOS 7 on their respective release days.

For the iPad, it looks like that purchase was a bit fool-hearty since the iPad 3 was replaced with the iPad 4 in less that a year, and with better hardware specs that can support functionality like AirDrop - something the iPad 3 can't do.

As for iOS 7, while I think it is fine, there are a few regrets I have from upgrading the day of release. In the future, I think I will wait a bit longer before upgrading.

All of this has me thinking about my desire for an iPad mini. I love my iPad 3, and until iOS 7, the tablet operated really well. For reading over long intervals, the form factor and weight of the iPad mini is better, except for the screen which is killer on my iPad 3.

So if the iPad mini 2 comes with a Retina, I want to buy it, but my experience says that I should wait a generation to avoid a repeat of my iPad 3 purchase. What do you think? Will the mini 2 require enough engineering novelty that might make it a riskier purchase than waiting for the mini 3?

I really would just get the 2. You could argue and wait for the 3 but when it comes out you will wait for the 4 and so on. Then you never get...

 

[ElectronGuru]

From a buyers remorse standpoint, the question is why apple shorted the iPad 3 and how likely they are to do it again. This is still a new apple, but the 4 announcement was way out of character for the apple I know. I would be quite surprised if it happens again with any iPad model.

Watch the mini 2 reaction and see if apple has a reason to short release a replacement. The 3 you bought, for example, had form factor issues.

 

[lewdvig]

First point I'd like to make is that Apples hold their value incredibly well. If you find an iPad mini at a good price chances are you will hardly lose any money at all when you go to sell it. An example would be the recent sale at Staples where people were able to get the mini for $250.

Second I would like to dispel the notion that the lower resolution screen on the mini is terrible. I've used both the retina and the regular screen and I find that it's very easy to switch back-and-forth between the two. Especially on the smaller form factor of the mini.

If a retina display iPad mini were to come out I suspect that Apple would use premium pricing to manage demand versus supply. That means that you will be paying a premium for that nice screen. If it does come out.

I think that there would be a lot of value to a iPad mini with the newer a7 processor and the same resolution screen as last years model. That would offer outstanding performance and a very good price point. Frankly as a gamer I would be very intrigued by the possibility of playing games on that incredible little processor inside a form factor like the mini with 10 or 11 hour battery life.

 

[Klae17]

Over the last few years, I've become more of an Apple nut and started to appreciate buying the latest and greatest from Cupertino. However, doing that led me to buy the iPad 3 and upgrade to iOS 7 on their respective release days.

For the iPad, it looks like that purchase was a bit fool-hearty since the iPad 3 was replaced with the iPad 4 in less that a year, and with better hardware specs that can support functionality like AirDrop - something the iPad 3 can't do.

As for iOS 7, while I think it is fine, there are a few regrets I have from upgrading the day of release. In the future, I think I will wait a bit longer before upgrading.

All of this has me thinking about my desire for an iPad mini. I love my iPad 3, and until iOS 7, the tablet operated really well. For reading over long intervals, the form factor and weight of the iPad mini is better, except for the screen which is killer on my iPad 3.

So if the iPad mini 2 comes with a Retina, I want to buy it, but my experience says that I should wait a generation to avoid a repeat of my iPad 3 purchase. What do you think? Will the mini 2 require enough engineering novelty that might make it a riskier purchase than waiting for the mini 3?

The ipad mini 2 will be the second generation. Don't feel like you were burned, you got a machine that at that time worked for you. Something better is always on the way.

 

[DaCurmudgen]

From a buyers remorse standpoint, the question is why apple shorted the iPad 3 and how likely they are to do it again. This is still a new apple, but the 4 announcement was way out of character for the apple I know. I would be quite surprised if it happens again with any iPad model.

Watch the mini 2 reaction and see if apple has a reason to short release a replacement. The 3 you bought, for example, had form factor issues.

This is totally what I mean, and when I bought my 3, I had no idea that form factor would be an issue. I was a bit nervous about the Retina display, but it was just too gorgeous to pass up.

Of course, when I saw the lightning cable and A6 at the iPhone 5 announcement 6 months later, I knew it wasn't good. And then when I saw the iPad mini and iPad 4 with lightning and A6X announced just five weeks later, I was peeved. As ElectronGuru said, this was definitely not something Apple has done before, so watching the mini 2 reaction is probably the best advice.

I know it is a silly, speculative question, but I had to ask just in case anyone had some keen insights. When I give Apple another chunk of my hard-earned cash, I want both of us to be delighted.

 

[Ledgem]

I know it is a silly, speculative question, but I had to ask just in case anyone had some keen insights. When I give Apple another chunk of my hard-earned cash, I want both of us to be delighted.

People buy things for different reasons, but my advice with technology purchases (and purchases in general) is to examine why you're making the purchase and if the product will meet your needs. Unfortunately, buying technology "to have it," "to be fashionable," or "to have the best" will lead you to unhappiness or poverty because there's always something new on the horizon. (Not that DaCurmudgen is buying for those reasons, but they're some common ones that come up and are easy to pick on )

As a personal example, I bought an iPad Mini earlier this summer. I knew that an updated iPad Mini would be released soon, but it would have been a tremendous help to me to have the Mini at work. Sure enough, the Mini is now my most-used computing device, getting far more active time than even my iPhone and computer combined. It was a worthwhile purchase. If the next iPad Mini has features that can help or accelerate my workflow (retina display, possibly TouchID) then I'll upgrade, because the features are worth it. If the improvements aren't worthwhile to me, then I won't upgrade.

(For what it's worth, I also have an iPad 3 with iOS 7, and I'm quite happy with it. That's more of a personal usage thing, though.)

I know it sounds obvious to say, but we can all do with a bit of grounding and hear it again: buy it if you need it (or if you have spare money and it would make you happy). Should you get an iPad Mini 2, or wait for the 3? That depends on whether the device will have features that are useful to you. The connector type and feature compatibility might change with time, but that shouldn't matter to you. You're buying for the here and now. If it'll help you now then the far future be damned, get it now. If it's just a novelty or if it won't be particularly useful to you then save your money.

 

[Night Spring]

I don't understand this feeling of being short charged by Apple because it released the iPad 4 earlier than expected. I was surprised as anyone else when they did that, but my reaction was more of, why did they bother releasing the 4, instead of waiting and releasing the next iPad in the Spring, with the form factor of the mini? Now I have to wait an extra half year to get my hands on the tablet I really want. To me, it is 4 that is the stop gap release, created just so they could adjust the release cycle and have a product with the new lightning port. I like it that I got to hold on to the iPad 3 for a half a year more rather than if they hadn't released it when they did because they thought that the battery support for retina screen wasn't working out, so they skipped releasing it in March. Then we would have been stuck with iPad 2 for a half a year longer. I'm glad it is the iPad 3 that I got to use a half a year longer!

 

[eastamherstbias]

Over the last few years, I've become more of an Apple nut and started to appreciate buying the latest and greatest from Cupertino. However, doing that led me to buy the iPad 3 and upgrade to iOS 7 on their respective release days.

For the iPad, it looks like that purchase was a bit fool-hearty since the iPad 3 was replaced with the iPad 4 in less that a year, and with better hardware specs that can support functionality like AirDrop - something the iPad 3 can't do.

As for iOS 7, while I think it is fine, there are a few regrets I have from upgrading the day of release. In the future, I think I will wait a bit longer before upgrading.

All of this has me thinking about my desire for an iPad mini. I love my iPad 3, and until iOS 7, the tablet operated really well. For reading over long intervals, the form factor and weight of the iPad mini is better, except for the screen which is killer on my iPad 3.

So if the iPad mini 2 comes with a Retina, I want to buy it, but my experience says that I should wait a generation to avoid a repeat of my iPad 3 purchase. What do you think? Will the mini 2 require enough engineering novelty that might make it a riskier purchase than waiting for the mini 3?

You should hold out for Mini 4 but then I heard Mini 5 will be way faster and thinner.

 

[vmaniqui]

You should hold out for Mini 4 but then I heard Mini 5 will be way faster and thinner.

not a wise advise after all. you should wait for mini 6 as it will be the ultimate mini.

----------

people buy things for different reasons, but my advice with technology purchases (and purchases in general) is to examine why you're making the purchase and if the product will meet your needs. Unfortunately, buying technology "to have it," "to be fashionable," or "to have the best" will lead you to unhappiness or poverty because there's always something new on the horizon. (not that dacurmudgen is buying for those reasons, but they're some common ones that come up and are easy to pick on )

as a personal example, i bought an ipad mini earlier this summer. I knew that an updated ipad mini would be released soon, but it would have been a tremendous help to me to have the mini at work. Sure enough, the mini is now my most-used computing device, getting far more active time than even my iphone and computer combined. It was a worthwhile purchase. If the next ipad mini has features that can help or accelerate my workflow (retina display, possibly touchid) then i'll upgrade, because the features are worth it. If the improvements aren't worthwhile to me, then i won't upgrade.

(for what it's worth, i also have an ipad 3 with ios 7, and i'm quite happy with it. That's more of a personal usage thing, though.)

i know it sounds obvious to say, but we can all do with a bit of grounding and hear it again: Buy it if you need it (or if you have spare money and it would make you happy). Should you get an ipad mini 2, or wait for the 3? That depends on whether the device will have features that are useful to you. The connector type and feature compatibility might change with time, but that shouldn't matter to you. You're buying for the here and now. If it'll help you now then the far future be damned, get it now. If it's just a novelty or if it won't be particularly useful to you then save your money.

+1.

 

[Vanilla35]

Yeah you're definitely better off waiting for the iPad Mini 3, for your situation. If the Mini 2 comes with an A7 or A7x chip, you'll be okay. If it comes with an A6 chip then hold off. Also, it is speculated that Retina comes early 2014, and non-retina gets a bump in a couple weeks. So if you don't see retina this month, then you can expect a retina, A7x chip early 2014 - which is the very safest product to buy atm, in terms of being future proof.

In another situation, if they do throw retina into the mini this month, and it comes with an A6x, and not an A7/A7x, then be skeptical - but determine whether you want to buy only after going to the apple store within the next couple weeks to test out the iPad 4 (current iPad) and determine whether iOS7 runs well enough on there. That should give you a godo idea of what the iPad mini 2 will be like, if they give it an A6x.

 

[Gemütlichkeit]

People buy things for different reasons, but my advice with technology purchases (and purchases in general) is to examine why you're making the purchase and if the product will meet your needs. Unfortunately, buying technology "to have it," "to be fashionable," or "to have the best" will lead you to unhappiness or poverty because there's always something new on the horizon. (Not that DaCurmudgen is buying for those reasons, but they're some common ones that come up and are easy to pick on )

This is dead on. Buying something to have the latest and greatest for the longest amount of time is the worst way to be a tech consumer. Buy something because you see value in it, not because you're worried about what said company is going to do a year from now.

Change the way you look at the tech world and you'll be a happier consumer.

 

[Vanilla35]

This is dead on. Buying something to have the latest and greatest for the longest amount of time is the worst way to be a tech consumer. Buy something because you see value in it, not because you're worried about what said company is going to do a year from now.

Change the way you look at the tech world and you'll be a happier consumer.

You guys are responding all wrong. The guy knows this, and he doesn't really care. You, and everyone else (most of the other posts on here) can say "there will always be newer tech around the corner" blah blah blah. It's just a reason to either justify the decision to buy now or not to buy now/at all. Some people choose to think beyond that simple concept. There is a lot of truth to buying a second gen product versus a first gen. It cannot be explained simply by saying "well there's always going to be a newer product around the corner so why not buy now?". The same goes with cars (a major purchase) and many other things.

In this particular situation, he is aware of this. And the situation is exacerbated even more with the iPad mini. Because not only did it launch with very medicore specs, but now they are throwing the retina into the mix of speculation (which adds another level of complexity - because you need a much stronger chip [better] in order to run the retina screen [better]) so choosing the right product now is almost essential imo. To add to the fire, it is also speculated that they will simply do a non-retina refresh next week, and the retina will be coming out early 2014. So that is another thing to think about.

Oh not to mention iOS7 running like crap on certain iPads. For that alone though, I'm almost certain that anything coming out Fall 2013 and onward would run just fine with it. But for those who are thinking about iOS8 and 9 - do you really think the iPad mini's A5 chip is going to handle that well??

No disrespect meant good sir - Just a rebuttal in the OP's favor.

Ich bin auch Deutsch, guten Tag.

 

[Ledgem]

You guys are responding all wrong. The guy knows this, and he doesn't really care.

I disagree:

For the iPad, it looks like that purchase was a bit fool-hearty since the iPad 3 was replaced with the iPad 4 in less that a year, and with better hardware specs that can support functionality like AirDrop - something the iPad 3 can't do.

He's unhappy because the iPad 3 was replaced with the iPad 4 fairly quickly after, and the iPad 4 had a number of features that the iPad 3 didn't. That's what leads to all of the replies that "there's always something newer coming."

How quickly will the iPad Mini 2 be made obsolete? Will the iPad Mini 3 represent a revolution, while the Mini 2 will just be a step up? There's no way to know, just as there was no way to know that the iPad 4 would be released less than one year after the iPad 3.

So again, there's the advice: the iPad Mini 3 is guaranteed to be better than the iPad Mini 2. We don't know the timing between the two. If the iPad Mini 2 has features that match your needs then buy it, use it, and don't worry about what will come after. If it doesn't, then don't spend the money.

 

[Night Spring]

So again, there's the advice: the iPad Mini 3 is guaranteed to be better than the iPad Mini 2. We don't know the timing between the two. If the iPad Mini 2 has features that match your needs then buy it, use it, and don't worry about what will come after. If it doesn't, then don't spend the money.

I agree with this. If there is a specific feature you want, like retina, and the iPad Mini 2 doesn't have it, then skip it and wait. If it does have retina, then there's no reason to wait for whatever imaginary features the Mini 3 might have or not have. Finally, if you want retina but feel you can live with non-retina, then buy it, and be prepared to upgrade when the retina comes out, whenever that is. If the retina comes out early and you can't afford to upgrade then, then hey, you lived for however long with non retina, you can wait however long until you can afford the upgrade. By which time the shiny new Mini 4 might be around the corner.

 

[Gix1k]

Mini 3 talk and the 2 isn't even announced.....gotta love people.

 

[cmichaelb]

Over the last few years, I've become more of an Apple nut and started to appreciate buying the latest and greatest from Cupertino. However, doing that led me to buy the iPad 3 and upgrade to iOS 7 on their respective release days.

For the iPad, it looks like that purchase was a bit fool-hearty since the iPad 3 was replaced with the iPad 4 in less that a year, and with better hardware specs that can support functionality like AirDrop - something the iPad 3 can't do.

As for iOS 7, while I think it is fine, there are a few regrets I have from upgrading the day of release. In the future, I think I will wait a bit longer before upgrading.

All of this has me thinking about my desire for an iPad mini. I love my iPad 3, and until iOS 7, the tablet operated really well. For reading over long intervals, the form factor and weight of the iPad mini is better, except for the screen which is killer on my iPad 3.

So if the iPad mini 2 comes with a Retina, I want to buy it, but my experience says that I should wait a generation to avoid a repeat of my iPad 3 purchase. What do you think? Will the mini 2 require enough engineering novelty that might make it a riskier purchase than waiting for the mini 3?

From a buyers remorse standpoint, the question is why apple shorted the iPad 3 and how likely they are to do it again. This is still a new apple, but the 4 announcement was way out of character for the apple I know. I would be quite surprised if it happens again with any iPad model.

Watch the mini 2 reaction and see if apple has a reason to short release a replacement. The 3 you bought, for example, had form factor issues.

Not to mention, it was the first generation of iPad with 'retina' screen - it was pushing the GPU hard.

I totally agree with the Guru. Wait and see. If the iPad mini 2nd gen isn't retina, hold off. If it is and runs any generation chip before the A6X, stay away, etc.

 

[Kurso]

If iPad Mini 2 = 64-bit CPU and Retina display then buy it!

Anything else, skip it.

 

[Vanilla35]

If iPad Mini 2 = 64-bit CPU and Retina display then buy it!

Anything else, skip it.

Yep

 

[DaCurmudgen]

Not to mention, it was the first generation of iPad with 'retina' screen - it was pushing the GPU hard.

I totally agree with the Guru. Wait and see. If the iPad mini 2nd gen isn't retina, hold off. If it is and runs any generation chip before the A6X, stay away, etc.

If iPad Mini 2 = 64-bit CPU and Retina display then buy it!

Anything else, skip it.

Just to close the loop here -- this advice was very helpful, and one of the reasons I did end up buying the retina Mini. And you know what? It is awesome and I love it. And now my wife and son have the iPad 3, and my mini is just that -- mine.

 

[Whoakapi]

Wait until Mini 4. It will be the best iPad when it's out.