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Mini screen too mini. Text is outrageously small when browsing, requiring a lot of zooming. Gets annoying. Screen is also not as high contrast as the Air, despite having higher PPI.

I prefer the Air's screen. Still a very portable tablet.

Yep. The extra screen real estate makes a huge difference with the user experience. Air, baby.
 
The consensus is that you need to buy what you need for your particular usage and stop thinking that one is "better" than the other.

R
 
Mini screen too mini. Text is outrageously small when browsing, requiring a lot of zooming. Gets annoying. Screen is also not as high contrast as the Air, despite having higher PPI.

I prefer the Air's screen. Still a very portable tablet.

Using the mobile version of the website whenever possible now when I am browsing. No choice really if one prefers the rMini's size and weight versus the Air even though the latter is more portable than before.

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the consensus is that you need to buy what you need for your particular usage and stop thinking that one is "better" than the other.

R

+1000.
 
....
But they're both fine devices with different strengths that naturally appeal to different people; I don't think one could sensibly say one of them was somehow objectively better overall than the other.

well-said. excellent post.
 
I had an iPad for years but always thought it would be better if it were smaller. The first Mini came out but seemed like a compromise so I figured I'd wait for the next generation. Sure enough the next generation addressed all the shortcomings of the original, so I got one. I'm quite satisfied with it and find it more comfortable to use. For me a tablet ought to be a one-handed device.
 
I had an iPad for years but always thought it would be better if it were smaller. The first Mini came out but seemed like a compromise so I figured I'd wait for the next generation. Sure enough the next generation addressed all the shortcomings of the original, so I got one. I'm quite satisfied with it and find it more comfortable to use. For me a tablet ought to be a one-handed device.

I feel similar, although not initially. I bought and used iPads 1-3, and at first the immersive nature was nice. After a few years I began to wish it was a little smaller, something that was confirmed when I first picked up a Mini. Just couldn't deal with the original screen. Couldn't be happier now.
 
I have the iPad mini Retina.

I love it for what I do with it.

But sometimes I wonder how much more enjoyable the web and movies would be with the larger screened Air.
 
I Have both and they are for different purposes. It really depends on what you do with your iOS devices. The Air is much lighter than last gem full sized iPads so if you want a larger screen tablet that's still pretty portable, the Air is great. The larger screen is easy to read and is more natural for people wanting to replicate an A4 sheet of paper. The rmini is more a a lighter weight unit that is a huge upgrade from the first mini. Even though it is heavier, it is still lighter than the Air by a little bit and is better for people reading novel type things with more text. It's more portable and fits in a purse for women that use it. The units are essentially the same thing in different sizes. Yeah, there are small things such as the gamut of the rmini and the weight difference but overall, that stuff really don't matter that much. The only issue that will only affect a small percentage of power users will be the 1GB of RAM which is really not that big of a deal. It's a compromise for having a better OS and a lighter weight system than a Mac. The 128GB versions are huge on storage space which is really nice. I enjoy having more stuff or just more space for photos since I'm a photographer.
 
Have both and returning the mini retina today. Prefer the bigger screen if iPad Air and it is not that much heavier. Apple did a great job of the design of the new Air.

Ditto. I am in the process of returning my mini because I did not see that much difference side by side with my original mini. The cost of the mini was 850.00 and I could not justify that amount for so little improvement IMHO.

I went to the Apple Store and picked up the Air and I was immediately sold. It feels great in your hands......so lightweight compared to my ipad 3.
 
I guess I like extremes. I wanted the largest iMac so I went with the 27". When I needed to buy a laptop I wanted to get the smallest so I went with an 11". MB Air. And with an iPad I wanted the smaller more portable one so rMini it was. Also the iPad Air is closer in size to my MB Air so that played a large part in my decision to go with the smaller device.
 
I think the rMini is great. I think the Air is great. So my choice would be rMini. So of course, my choice is the Air. But if I had to choose between the two, it would either be the rMini or the Air.
 
I guess I like extremes. I wanted the largest iMac so I went with the 27". When I needed to buy a laptop I wanted to get the smallest so I went with an 11". MB Air. And with an iPad I wanted the smaller more portable one so rMini it was. Also the iPad Air is closer in size to my MB Air so that played a large part in my decision to go with the smaller device.

Judging by that logic, you should have an iPhone 4S instead :D

dL
 
I was having a hard time deciding between the two. I ended up getting the rMini because I really needed the 64GB version and cannot see myself paying $740 for an ipad.

The gamut issue and screen size are not that important to me. Although I like smaller form factor of the rMini is tiny bit better because it's more convenient to carry around (I hate doing stuff on my phone, usually I just make call or text on the phone).
 
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Been using the Mini for a day now after owning the Air for a few weeks. I think I prefer the Air. Browsing the web is easier and better and the colors are far superior.

If I constantly used my iPad out and about, I'd prefer the Mini. But even now, the difference is negligible in portability since the Mini still most likely requires a bag unless you're a woman and can put it in your bag you carry anyway.
 
For me it's 5" phone, 10" tablet, 13" laptop.

An 8" tablet, for my needs/uses, just makes no sense. I have the phone for out and about. I mainly use tablets for browsing the internet and occasionally watching youtube videos so a smaller screen doesn't make sense..I never take my current tablet out of the house, but I will use the new Air for school so I don't have to carry my MBA. An iPad may be overkill (price-wise) for my tablet needs, but now that I have a MBA, I'm going with an iPad Air very soon.
 
I sold an iPad 3 for an iPad mini as I found the mini a lot more useable due to the size. For me, it is actually harder to choose between the Retina Mini and the iPad Air. IMO it is difficult to really figure out which device you will like more without using them over a week. The best plan may be to buy both and return the one you use the least. I want to upgrade from my mini, but I continue to be undecided between the Air and mini. It may come down to cost as $829 for a fully loaded 128G mini seems like a good deal.
 
Air all the way baby. The screen is absolutely gorgeous and honestly when I need to type it's small enough to thumb type like on a bigger phone.

And Space Grey is stunningly gorgeous. Matches my 5s perfectly. ;)
 
It would be nice to have both but not everyone can afford it.

Between having a work phone, a personal phone, and an iPad Air... I couldn't imagine carrying around ANOTHER tablet... There's absolutely no point in my realm. And it's not even about the money. Like having an iPad Air and a PS4 was perfect for my needs. :)
 
On gamut: I had the retina mini for a while, right up until I started loading my photos on it (disclaimer: I work on calibrated displays). The greens and reds were a bit disappointing, especially in photos where it mattered like food (I document the things I cook). If your usage is mostly text-based, the color is fine and you probably won't see the difference.

Honestly, if it weren't for the discounts on the iPad Air, namely the quill.com sale posted somewhere around the forum, I'd have been more than happy to keep the retina mini.
 
looked at both in store yesterday before i decided going with the Air.

And, decided the rMini was to small.

I have large hands and can hold the air easily in 1 hand.
 
looked at both in store yesterday before i decided going with the Air.

And, decided the rMini was to small.

I have large hands and can hold the air easily in 1 hand.

Ultimately that's the best piece of advise, if you're not sure what size to get, check both out.

I had a kindle, and so the mini is just a tad bigger, so for me it was a no brainer :)
 
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