Would it be smart to buy an iPad mini 2?

[Shirasaki]

With 1GB of RAM, you don't even have half that for your apps and games. The most I ever saw free on my iPad 2 Mini was 350mb if I manually went in and closed every app that was running...

Yes. Even with 1 GB of ram, my game still quit after playing it for quite a while (say 30 minutes).
I don't think 2GB of ram could improve it a lot, though I may encounter less safari tab reloading (which is annoying). And in this iOS 9 beta 1, unlike previous version, you may only realise it is reloading when you see progress line filling up the bottom line of address bar, while page content will display on the screen, letting you think this tab was not reloaded. This becomes even more annoying.
However, since Apple always push hardware just behind the software requirements bar, I doubt even 4GB of ram could bring us better performance than what we are using with only 1GB or 2GB of ram.

 

[SquireSCA]

Yes. Even with 1 GB of ram, my game still quit after playing it for quite a while (say 30 minutes).
I don't think 2GB of ram could improve it a lot, though I may encounter less safari tab reloading (which is annoying). And in this iOS 9 beta 1, unlike previous version, you may only realise it is reloading when you see progress line filling up the bottom line of address bar, while page content will display on the screen, letting you think this tab was not reloaded. This becomes even more annoying.
However, since Apple always push hardware just behind the software requirements bar, I doubt even 4GB of ram could bring us better performance than what we are using with only 1GB or 2GB of ram.

I have the Airpad 2 and it has 2GB of RAM and I still get page reloads all the time... WHich just proves my point that either 2GB is not enough RAM in 2015, or Apples software is nowhere near as efficient as people pretend it is...

 

[Shirasaki]

I have the Airpad 2 and it has 2GB of RAM and I still get page reloads all the time... WHich just proves my point that either 2GB is not enough RAM in 2015, or Apples software is nowhere near as efficient as people pretend it is...

I would prefer the latter assumption, although apple product prime price is also the cause of such bad user experience - I mean, users don't get the hardware this value should deliver. For pc, high end pc is definitely expensive, but at least they may deliver the hardware this price tag should deliver. For mac, either the price does not worth the hardware, or the appropriate hardware asks you the double price to get it.

I understand that working on environmental friendly to build products could raise the cost, and this is one of my guess of the premium price of all apple products.

 

[SquireSCA]

I would prefer the latter assumption, although apple product prime price is also the cause of such bad user experience - I mean, users don't get the hardware this value should deliver. For pc, high end pc is definitely expensive, but at least they may deliver the hardware this price tag should deliver. For mac, either the price does not worth the hardware, or the appropriate hardware asks you the double price to get it.

I understand that working on environmental friendly to build products could raise the cost, and this is one of my guess of the premium price of all apple products.

Well, their quality is among the best. As far as construction, the feel, the fit and finish, etc...

But internally, they are not all that... The Mac laptops, while they look very nice, are not much different than a Dell, and in many cases are not even as powerful... What you pay the premium for is the materials and the OS.

Apple puts form over function and there is a good market for that. It's no different than Harley Davidson. It's a lifestyle brand. You don't buy one because you just want a bike. You buy one because you want to own a Harley, and you want to be seen on a Harley, etc... So you spend a lot more money, for 1980's technology and it isn't as good, fast or reliable as the competition, but plenty of people line up with wads of cash to get into their products.

Apple is very similar. They are brilliant at marketing. Their products are good, but in many ways they are not up to where the competition is at. But people love Apple, so they are willing to pay more money for their products, even if they are not as good.

 

[Shirasaki]

Well, their quality is among the best. As far as construction, the feel, the fit and finish, etc...

But internally, they are not all that... The Mac laptops, while they look very nice, are not much different than a Dell, and in many cases are not even as powerful... What you pay the premium for is the materials and the OS.

Apple puts form over function and there is a good market for that. It's no different than Harley Davidson. It's a lifestyle brand. You don't buy one because you just want a bike. You buy one because you want to own a Harley, and you want to be seen on a Harley, etc... So you spend a lot more money, for 1980's technology and it isn't as good, fast or reliable as the competition, but plenty of people line up with wads of cash to get into their products.

Apple is very similar. They are brilliant at marketing. Their products are good, but in many ways they are not up to where the competition is at. But people love Apple, so they are willing to pay more money for their products, even if they are not as good.

Years ago I told to others apple was a great brand to show your stand.
Now I cannot agree even more.
I am a practical first guy more than a guy with lifestyle. Apple is great, however I more often want to own a product capable of handling heavy duty.

 

[Shanghaichica]

I've got an air 2 and a mini 3 which has the same internals as the mini 3. Yes the air 2 performs better. However the mini 3 is still a perfectly capable tablet. I use it mainly for watching videos, web browsing and playing games. It handles all of that like a champ. I'm not interested in having 10 million tabs open in safari. The most I ever have open is 3, maybe it's ocd but I tend the like to keep things neat and tidy. I have a habit of closing unused tabs. I'd prefer to only have 1 open if feasible. I'm the same on a computer.