The iPad mini with Retina was released on November 13th and by now lots of people have been buying them and trying them out. If you’re lucky enough to already have one, you probably won’t need to read this editorial. If, however, you’re on the fence and trying to decide if you’d rather buy a mini with Retina, a regular mini, or a full-sized iPad, then this commentary might help you make your decision.
Details
- A7 Processor
- 7.9-inch display
- 326 pixels per inch
- 2048 x 1536 resolution
- Up to 10 hours of battery life depending on usage
- Two WiFi antennas
- MIMO technology
- Optional WiFi + Cellular models
- Space Gray or Silver
- 16GB, 32GB, 64GB, or 128GB with WiFi or WiFi + Cellular
- Starts at $399 for the 16GB WiFi model and goes up to $829.00 for the 128GB WiFi + Cellular model
The black version has been replaced with the Space Gray version, which might upset some people who prefer basic black. The dimensions have changed slightly, too, but not so much that you would notice unless you compare an earlier generation with a new one side-by-side. Only 0.3 mm was added to the thickness and only 29 grams of weight was added.
There’s also a second microphone that has been added that you will probably notice helps deal with background noise, makes Siri work better, and improves FaceTime calls.
Apple makes two cases that will fit this new iPad mini: the Smart Case and the Smart Cover. If you go with one of these, the one you choose will depend on how much protection you want. The Smart Case protects the back as well as the screen while the Smart Cover protects only the screen. Personally I prefer a more robust case, like something from Otterbox, but that’s completely up to you.
The Pros
The big thing about this little tablet is now with the Retina, it’s exactly what people wanted when the first iPad mini came out. It’s small, it’s thin, and now it has great image resolution. There’s not much given up in the way of battery life, and it’s just as small and portable as ever…just with better rendering of images and text.
There’s also a second microphone that has been added that you will probably notice helps deal with background noise, makes Siri work better, and improves FaceTime calls.
Another benefit is the addition of the A7 chip, which means you can do pretty much anything you want on the new iPad mini with Retina display and you won’t experience any lags.
The Cons
Some people are complaining about image retention, although not everyone is having that problem. The nice thing is, if your screen is indeed “ghosting” then you can take the iPad mini back for a free replacement.
Other than that, the only other possible downside is that your old iPad mini’s cover/case might not fit due to the slight changes to dimensions.
Final Verdict
All in all, if you’re looking for an iPad mini, you can’t go wrong with this new version. It may cost you more, but you get a whole lot more features (like the A7 chip, an extra WiFi antenna, an extra microphone, and, of course, the Retina display).
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