Retina iPad Mini's Display Criticized Over Poor Color Gamut and Accuracy

[joewillmott]

I have been using my iPad mini a lot since it arrived on Friday and not really noticed this until today, when I installed an app I have been working on and noticed the colours look crap compared to my iPhone and on the Mac I am developing it on. If it had just been different to the Mac I would've understood, but it's really quite bad when you have another iOS device to compare with.

I had *just* convinced myself to keep it, but this is something that makes quite a difference to me, Buggering hell, back to Apple it goes

 

[dampfnudel]

Maybe Apple will quietly upgrade the display with a larger color gamut in the coming months? Either that or next October Phil will be able to say that the screen on the new third generation iPad mini is even better than last year's beautiful retina display.

 

[quamsi]

The option is to not reward Apple with your money for a mediocre product.

I agree with you in theory, but until another company (or apple) makes a device with an OS that I enjoy, a form factor that works for me, complete with an an excellent display, I have to take what is there. I use my tablet for a lot of things, especially productivity with work and I simply need this tablet. I don't feel cheated or slighted in the least. It is what it is.

 

[koban4max]

Quite true, and it's not cheap.

yup. People from different background had different ways to get that money to buy it.

 

[dampfnudel]

they have right to be picky...they did pay for it.

Exactly.

 

[KPOM]

guys, apple has become a company of "good enough" versus a company that's superior. just look at the comments in this thread. WHY ARE YOU COMPLAINING IT'S GOOD ENOUGH!

Not really. The A6 would have been "good enough," but Apple gave it an A7. Making it a little thicker and heavier to accommodate a cheaper, lower density battery would have been "good enough."

There's never been a "perfect" device ever from any company. The Nexus 7 and Kindle Fire HDX have better color gamut, but are inferior in other respects (processor and GPU for the Nexus 7, OS for the Kindle Fire HDX).

 

[AppleScruff1]

yup. People from different background had different ways to get that money to buy it.

I haven't seen any side by side comparisons with the Air, so I can't personally say how much of a difference there is in the displays. I looked at the mini Retinal in the Apple store and thought it looked good and the the text was much clearer than it was on the original mini. That being said, we bought the Air.

 

[KPOM]

I have been using my iPad mini a lot since it arrived on Friday and not really noticed this until today, when I installed an app I have been working on and noticed the colours look crap compared to my iPhone and on the Mac I am developing it on. If it had just been different to the Mac I would've understood, but it's really quite bad when you have another iOS device to compare with.

I had *just* convinced myself to keep it, but this is something that makes quite a difference to me, Buggering hell, back to Apple it goes

Are you going to get the iPad Air? Color gamut is not an issue on that device.

Maybe Apple will quietly upgrade the display with a larger color gamut in the coming months? Either that or next October Phil will be able to say that the screen on the new third generation iPad mini is even better than last year's beautiful retina display.

I don't believe Apple has ever publicized the color gamut, even on the devices that were close to 100% sRGB such as the iPhone, iPad Air, and MacBook Pros. It is probably something they'd upgrade quietly.

 

[dampfnudel]

Are you going to get the iPad Air? Color gamut is not an issue on that device.



I don't believe Apple has ever publicized the color gamut, even on the devices that were close to 100% sRGB such as the iPhone, iPad Air, and MacBook Pros. It is probably something they'd upgrade quietly.

I'm not completely sure, but I think I recall something from the 15" rMBP reveal where that was mentioned.

 

[rGiskard]

Unless you have an inside man at apple I think its all speculation anyways.
You have your opinion on why apple chose IGZO (Apple is cheap and doesn't really care about quality), and I have mine (Apple was not convinced that mass production of LTPS at 7.9" and 326ppi on the scale needed for the rMini was possible)

No, my opinion was about why Apple gimped the gamma. IGZO has little to do with gamma, it is a type of semiconductor material.

 

[mcdj]

reposted:

-"Hi Honey! I'm home!"

-"Hey! Have you seen my iMini Pad?"

-"It's called an iPad dear. And I took it back to Apple because the Internet said it had a low Gambit. Here is your replacement iPad, the iPad Air! Much more Gambit."

-"Where's the MyFace icon? What happened to my Angry Words With Friends game?"

-"Oh you just have to restore those from the AppCloud."

---1 hour later---

-"OK sweetie, everything's been restored. Here you go!"

-"Wait a sec. This Pad isn't iMini! It's iHuge! This thing isn't going to fit in my purse, or on the nightstand. Why did you trade the good one for this beast?"

-"It's the AIR honey. Much more Gambit like I told you!"

-"Well it doesn't feel like AIR to me. It feels like LEAD. Take it back. I want my iMini."

-"But honey, the GAMBIT!"

-"What the hell is GAMBIT??"

**pulls out color space graph**

-"Well, see here, the little triangle shows the rainbow made by the Mini. The big triangle shows the rainbow made by the Air. Do you see how much bigger the Air rainbow is?"

-"Do YOU see how much bigger THE AIR is?"

-"Umm. Yes. But wouldn't you rather have a bigger rainbow?"

-"Go. Get my iMini Pad back here. Take the iSlab with you. And never say the word GAMBIT in this house again."

-"Yes dear."

 

[citi]

reposted:

-"Hi Honey! I'm home!"

-"Hey! Have you seen my iMini Pad?"

-"It's called an iPad dear. And I took it back to Apple because the Internet said it had a low Gambit. Here is your replacement iPad, the iPad Air! Much more Gambit."

-"Where's the MyFace icon? What happened to my Angry Words With Friends game?"

-"Oh you just have to restore those from the AppCloud."

---1 hour later---

-"OK sweetie, everything's been restored. Here you go!"

-"Wait a sec. This Pad isn't iMini! It's iHuge! This thing isn't going to fit in my purse, or on the nightstand. Why did you trade the good one for this beast?"

-"It's the AIR honey. Much more Gambit like I told you!"

-"Well it doesn't feel like AIR to me. It feels like LEAD. Take it back. I want my iMini."

-"But honey, the GAMBIT!"

-"What the hell is GAMBIT??"

**pulls out color space graph**

-"Well, see here, the little triangle shows the rainbow made by the Mini. The big triangle shows the rainbow made by the Air. Do you see how much bigger the Air rainbow is?"

-"Do YOU see how much bigger THE AIR is?"

-"Umm. Yes. But wouldn't you rather have a bigger rainbow?"

-"Go. Get my iMini Pad back here. Take the iSlab with you. And never say the word GAMBIT in this house again."

-"Yes dear."

OMG...I love this post. Thank you for ending my work day on a high note.

 

[rGiskard]

No, but you can adjust many characteristics of the image within the hardware limits, so at least you can adjust the picture much more to your taste.

No, not really. If a panel can display 67% of sRGB space, no amount of firmware or software tweaking will increase it even a tiny bit. However if it displays more than needed, say 120% of sRGB, then it can be tweaked to simulate 100% sRGB.

It's like trying to use an EQ to make iPad speakers sound like a set of B&W tower speakers, or tweaking the carb on your lawnmower to match the performance of your BMW.

 

[kcamfork]

I just returned my iPad mini because of the ghosting issues (yes it was happening on my screen). Such issues are unacceptable for a $800 device. Disappointed.

 

[koban4max]

I haven't seen any side by side comparisons with the Air, so I can't personally say how much of a difference there is in the displays. I looked at the mini Retinal in the Apple store and thought it looked good and the the text was much clearer than it was on the original mini. That being said, we bought the Air.

I haven't comparison either...but i heard air was good...mainly because of lightness.

 

[Renzatic]

Snip

So what are you saying? Only uneducated idiots buy Apple products?

I'll say this: the quality of the screen is poor enough that someone coming to a Retina Mini from an iPad 3 or 4 WILL notice a difference. It's not just a spec number to brag about.

 

[mcdj]

So what are you saying? Only uneducated idiots buy Apple products?

So what are you saying? That you have never heard of parody?

 

[rgarjr]

Maybe Apple will quietly upgrade the display with a larger color gamut in the coming months? Either that or next October Phil will be able to say that the screen on the new third generation iPad mini is even better than last year's beautiful retina display.

I'm also wondering if they might change screen manufacturers as they always do and have better color range. Would not be fair of course to early buyers.

 

[Renzatic]

So what are you saying? That you have never heard of parody?

I have. But I assume everyone else is pretty humorless and completely serious at all times around here.

 

[Daalseth]

The screen real estate is the same. Everything is just smaller, but the air and the mini show exactly the same things.

But with my 50+ year old eyes bigger is better

----------

here's a guy who has no idea what he's talking about:

On the contrary I know EXACTLY what I'm talking about. I didn't say their were more pixels. the screen is in fact larger as is everything on the screen. As I said in my earlier post when you're over 50 size does matter.

 

[chrisbru]

On the contrary I know EXACTLY what I'm talking about. I didn't say their were more pixels. the screen is in fact larger as is everything on the screen. As I said in my earlier post when you're over 50 size does matter.

Except, technically, you don't. You said you enjoyed the extra "screen real estate" which isn't accurate. The iPad Mini Retina and iPad Air have the same exact screen real estate, only the iPad Air has a BIGGER screen so the same real estate appears in a larger size. So, yes, it is better for what you are looking for, but saying the Air has more "screen real estate" is incorrect.

 

[LaidBack]

It's disappointing to see apple shipping a screen that isn't as good at reproducing colors. I'm sure the retina mini would be most people's first choice if they compared the last gen with this new one.

 

[dumastudetto]

Do people still read anandtech? I grew tired of the Apple bashing over there and I no longer trust them with the reviews.

Seriously read a real site like Jim Dalrymple's Loop Insight or John Gruber's Daring Fireball for a real take on technology. Both of them posted glowing reviews of the iPad Mini with Retina Display and there was no mention of the gamut in either review. Both Jim and John have impeccable standards and demand the best from their devices and they highly recommended the Retina Mini. That was good enough for me to make the purchase of an iPad Mini with Retina Display and i could not be happier.

 

[Gudi]

Exactly. I would have never went to Apple if I didn´t feel that I get something worth my money. I bought the iPad 3 for this exact reason.

Of course! Why would anybody pay more for something that isn't worth more to them personally? It doesn't make any sense. You may not understand what makes somebody pay more for an Mercedes, but there must be something. And different people may value different things. It is perfectly okay, to prefer form factor over screen quality. But these people already bought the first iPad mini. And since they didn't mind the A5 back then, they might ignore the A7 as well. The second iPad mini was supposed to be the device of choice (for the rest of us)™, who don't want to sacrifice screen quality in favor of form factor. And it sounded all good in the keynote and failed in review tests.

 

[Dustman]

With a price tag this high people should be picky.

It's 399. It runs some of the fastest chips in the industry. They have to compromise somewhere. It has a PPI higher than the Nexus 10 at the same price with a faster processor. At 399 its great value. I wish people would stop talking about iPads like they're $1.5M yachts.

The amount of Colour produced was never an issue on the iPad 2, nor was it on the iPad Mini 1. Suddenly, it doesn't match the quality of a higher priced item, (but doesn't downgrade either) and everyone loses their minds. The Mini 2 is in every way an upgrade.