iPad mini My personal experience with RMini in Apple Store today

[patseguin]

I stopped by the Apple Store to check out the Rmini and my reaction on picking it up was "meh". It's allure originally was how thin and light it was compared to the 3rd/4th gen iPad's. While the new mini sure is beautiful, I could tell off the bat that it felt a little thicker. Now that the full sized iPad is thin and light, it is less compelling to get a mini unless you truly need that small size. I put it down literally 30 seconds after picking it up and was very happy I bought an Air. I certainly don't think many users should consider having both (like I was) because now it is just a smaller version of the Air. If you prefer smaller tablets though, you can't go wrong with the Rmini. I forgot to check the store models for image retention but I'd bet that's an issue in a small percentage of sales.

 

[darngooddesign]

I stopped by the Apple Store to check out the Rmini and my reaction on picking it up was "meh". It's allure originally was how thin and light it was compared to the 3rd/4th gen iPad's. While the new mini sure is beautiful, I could tell off the bat that it felt a little thicker. Now that the full sized iPad is thin and light, it is less compelling to get a mini unless you truly need that small size. I put it down literally 30 seconds after picking it up and was very happy I bought an Air. I certainly don't think many users should consider having both (like I was) because now it is just a smaller version of the Air. If you prefer smaller tablets though, you can't go wrong with the Rmini. I forgot to check the store models for image retention but I'd bet that's an issue in a small percentage of sales.

Could you really tell it was a hundredth of an inch thicker?

 

[crowbar77]

You held it for 30 seconds and somehow got enough of a feel for it? Glad you're happy with the air, but this seems like more of a post seeking self assurance more than anything. Funny you didn't mention the screen though, the Air's still is noticeably better to me.

 

[comatose81]

Wow... just by holding it you could tell it was a few hundredths of a millimeter thicker and 0.12lbs heavier. Amazing.

 

[JGWolven]

You held it for 30 seconds and somehow got enough of a feel for it? Glad you're happy with the air, but this seems like more of a post seeking self assurance more than anything.

Or it could be a genuine opinion that just differs from yours.

 

[crowbar77]

Or it could be a genuine opinion that just differs from yours.

Actually I share his opinion, merely pointing out 30 seconds with a device isn't nearly enough time to properly experience any device...

 

[v0lume4]

This sounds a bit like my reaction. Now that the Air is so thin and light, while still offering more screen real estate, it took some allure away from the rMini for me.

 

[lolwatpear]

nah ipad mini is basically the golden ratio of tablets. the weight is still a factor and likely will always be a factor with a larger device like that. even if some magical development in weight reduction came along, the ipad would still be unwieldy. it's like trying to carry a massive empty box. even if it weighed little, it is still difficult to carry due to its largeness.

 

[darngooddesign]

nah ipad mini is basically the golden ratio of tablets. the weight is still a factor and likely will always be a factor with a larger device like that. even if some magical development in weight reduction came along, the ipad would still be unwieldy. it's like trying to carry a massive empty box. even if it weighed little, it is still difficult to carry due to its largeness.

Empty boxes must work differently where you come from.

 

[Gix1k]

Your eyes are playing tricks on you. My rMini fits in the very cases that snap around it that my OGmini did. You cannot notice such a small diff.

 

[briankeith513]

I own both the retina mini, and the Air. Regardless, of the Air getting thinner and lighter, there is absolutely no comparison in size and feel. The IPad mini is much smaller and lighter, and easier to hold one-handed.

 

[scupking]

I just got my rMini in today and pulled the case off my old mini and put it on the new rMini with no issues. So trust me you can't tell its any thicker. If Apple never said anything know-one would think its any heavier or thicker then the original mini....

 

[patseguin]

As far as 30 seconds that's all the time I needed to decide it wasn't for me. I picked it up and messed with it but just wanted to feel weight and thickness. As for the half a millimeter, I knew people would react to that and I'm sure it's because I already knew it was thicker and it was a false perception. It just felt like a slightly thicker and smaller version of the Air. Interestingly enough, it seemed like it was the same weight as my Air. If the iPad 5 was the same form factor as the 4, I'd buy the mini no question. Again, this is just my opinion. Apple makes great devices and I'm sure the mini is perfect for a lot of users. I remember when I had my 3rd gen and I went into the store to browse and picked up a mini and bought it in about 2 minutes. The thinness and lightness had me sold immediately. I think the choice now comes down to what size screen you want.

 

[Night Spring]

Empty boxes must work differently where you come from.

Imagine an empty box small enough to fit in your hand, vs an empty box of the same weight but as large as, say, an iMac. Please don't tell me the iMac box is as easy to carry as a box that fits in your hand.

 

[MacManTexas56]

I think the choice now comes down to what size screen you want.

that's been the case since the mini came out a year ago lol

 

[darngooddesign]

Imagine an empty box small enough to fit in your hand, vs an empty box of the same weight but as large as, say, an iMac. Please don't tell me the iMac box is as easy to carry as a box that fits in your hand.

I'd prefer the iMac box as it would be easier to push people out of the way of me and my big-ass empty box.

The difference between an Mini box and an Air box would be negligible.

 

[ZBoater]

that's been the case since the mini came out a year ago lol

Well, last year it was a 1024x768 screen, 512MB of RAM and a 2 year old processor. They still sold 55 million iPad Minis, one estimate saying they sold more Minis than iPad 4s (Apple doesn't divulge this, so some people made some educated guesses based on web trafffic, LCD panel sales, etc.). Regardless, despite its several significant feature deficiencies, the Mini sold very well.

This year's rMini is a beast. It could use 2GB of RAM though...

 

[patseguin]

Your eyes are playing tricks on you. My rMini fits in the very cases that snap around it that my OGmini did. You cannot notice such a small diff.

I had a feeling that was the case. If i was told the mini dimensions were identical I probably wouldn't have noticed a thing. I only posted my OP because I was originally thinking of buying a mini to go along with the Air. It's only my opinion but I can't see a reason to have both.

 

[MacManTexas56]

Well, last year it was a 1024x768 screen, 512MB of RAM and a 2 year old processor. They still sold 55 million iPad Minis, one estimate saying they sold more Minis than iPad 4s (Apple doesn't divulge this, so some people made some educated guesses based on web trafffic, LCD panel sales, etc.). Regardless, despite its several significant feature deficiencies, the Mini sold very well.

This year's rMini is a beast. It could use 2GB of RAM though...

i know the differences....i've got both. the thing is a beast now!

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I had a feeling that was the case. If i was told the mini dimensions were identical I probably wouldn't have noticed a thing. I only posted my OP because I was originally thinking of buying a mini to go along with the Air. It's only my opinion but I can't see a reason to have both.

and if it wasn't as thick with a weight increase would you have bought it?

 

[Night Spring]

I'd prefer the iMac box as it would be easier to push people out of the way of me and my big-ass empty box.

The difference between an Mini box and an Air box would be negligible.

Lol about pushing people out of way with the iMac box!

As for difference between Mini box and Air box, we can argue if the difference is significant, but there IS a difference, for instance in air resistance, even if the two boxes weighed the same.

For what it's worth, the day I received my Air, I had the original mini with me, and my first reaction on taking out the Air and comparing its weight with the mini, was that the Air felt substantially more weighty than the mini, despite the weight reduction in comparison to the 3/4. For me, the key was that the Air IS a lot lighter than the 3 while having the same screen size. But if weight was the most important factor, I'd have gone with the rMiini.

 

[patseguin]

i know the differences....i've got both. the thing is a beast now!

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and if it wasn't as thick with a weight increase would you have bought it?

The mini you mean? No, I think they hit a home run with the Air.

 

[C. Robert]

I stopped by the Apple Store to check out the Rmini and my reaction on picking it up was "meh". It's allure originally was how thin and light it was compared to the 3rd/4th gen iPad's. While the new mini sure is beautiful, I could tell off the bat that it felt a little thicker. Now that the full sized iPad is thin and light, it is less compelling to get a mini unless you truly need that small size. I put it down literally 30 seconds after picking it up and was very happy I bought an Air. I certainly don't think many users should consider having both (like I was) because now it is just a smaller version of the Air. If you prefer smaller tablets though, you can't go wrong with the Rmini. I forgot to check the store models for image retention but I'd bet that's an issue in a small percentage of sales.

That .3 millimeters of thickness almost broke my fingers off. A pencil tip is 1mm. .3 millimeters is about a 1/3 of that.

 

[GoCubsGo]

Well jesus christ, thanks for posting. Here I was, sitting around thinking it was time to splurge and get a mini but man, you can feel the thickness? This is a no brainer for me. I have to get the Air. Even the name suggests it is lighter.

As a long time Apple customer I can't believe the blanket of wool they're trying to pull over our eyes. For shame Apple, for Shame.

 

[patseguin]

I didn't mean to offend so many people with my post. I admittedly felt like it was thicker because I knew it was thicker. Had I not known, I have no doubt I would have noticed anything. I guess I just was trying to convey my opinion that since the Air had a new thinner and lighter for factor, the mini doesn't have as much relevance to me. I previously had a mini because it was so thin and light compared to my 3rd gen and I had a lot of use for it in bed, etc. I can't see the need firv2 tablets anymore but I can certainly understand those that want a smaller device.

 

[Clix Pix]

I was in the Apple store today with my iPad Mini (first-generation) in hand and I played with the new iPad Minis with retina screen. I was interested, of course, primarily in what I was seeing on the screen and also how fast the new Mini was compared to my old one......Never occurred to me to compare weights and when I lifted and handled the new retina iPad Mini, to be honest, I did not notice any difference even when I immediately picked up my own iPad Mini right after that. Yes, I knew from reading the specs and from reading posts on here that the new one is slightly thicker and slightly heavier. No big deal to me. I'm not worrying about any minimal weight increase; to me the important thing is the images on the screen and the increased speed in going from website to website, etc. I'm ready to buy a new iPad Mini Retina as soon as one with the right capacity and the AT&T cellular connection comes into my local store.....

Since the very first iPad, I have always had two -- and to me now the combination of the iPad Air and the iPad Mini with very similar specs and yet different sizes, weights and dimensions is most appealing.