Ipad v ipad mini

So how much faster is the fourth-generation iPad than the iPad Mini? Raw benchmarks show a yawning gap between Apple's newest tablets.

Though benchmarks are typically more theoretical than real-world (that is, you won't necessarily feel a big speed boost using everyday apps), they're instructive because they show the potential of the underlying silicon.

... iPad Mini: The new Mini and the older iPad 2 test at 752 and 755 on Geekbench, respectively, according to CNET.

Both devices test similarly because they use Apple's older A5 chip. And by comparison, the iPhone 4S -- which also uses an A5 chip -- scored 629.

Similar scores have been published elsewhere for the Mini.

... So the tradeoff for a smaller, thinner, cheaper device is that you get old Apple silicon -- not unlike what's happened to the MacBook in the past.

... The take-away is that consumers have a pretty stark choice between a smaller, less-expensive, lower-performance iPad Mini and a heavier, more-expensive, high-performance 4th gen iPad.


Excerpted from here:

iPad Mini vs. iPad 4: A glance at raw benchmarks | Apple - CNET News

I saw an ipad Mini at Best Buy, and the screen looked better than I thought it would. No, its not as impressive as the screen on the 3 or 4, but fine for most purposes.

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Originally Posted by Kaykaykay

... The take-away is that consumers have a pretty stark choice between a smaller, less-expensive, lower-performance iPad Mini and a heavier, more-expensive, high-performance 4th gen iPad.

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Except that in the real world, you never experience lower performance on the mini because it runs all software the same as the 4th gen. What you do experience is lessor visuals. This is the main impact all around. It seems the reviewers are doing a poor job getting this point across.

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Originally Posted by AQ_OC

Except that in the real world, you never experience lower performance on the mini because it runs all software the same as the 4th gen. What you do experience is lessor visuals. This is the main impact all around. It seems the reviewers are doing a poor job getting this point across.

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I think that's mostly the case now, but will change as the balance tips toward ownership of iPad 3, 4 and beyond. None of us knows when that will be, and we can't tell which developers will continue to support a variety of apps.

Best to buy knowing what you're getting now, and what could be in store for your device. Personally, I've already noticed my iPad 2 showing its limitations in apps crashing, and slowness and crashes on graphic-rich websites. That's because of its limited RAM, which is the same in iPad mini. YMMV, of course.

I recently read some articles claiming that retina screens are already being produced or designed or something for an iPad mini 2. I may just wait for a mini 2 if its coming out soon.... We'll see...

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Kaykaykay

I think that's mostly the case now, but will change as the balance tips toward ownership of iPad 3, 4 and beyond. None of us knows when that will be, and we can't tell which developers will continue to support a variety of apps.

Best to buy knowing what you're getting now, and what could be in store for your device. Personally, I've already noticed my iPad 2 showing its limitations in apps crashing, and slowness and crashes on graphic-rich websites. That's because of its limited RAM, which is the same in iPad mini. YMMV, of course.

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Haven't notice it yet. I thought I had with gran thief auto crashing on load....it crashed on the mini and the 3. FAQ said to unload apps...did that, still crashed on mini but started working on the 3. Thought it was due to less ram...but then the 3 started crashing regardless.

Maybe I don't do to as many websites as some, though, but I have not noticed any crashing on the mini yet.

The weight difference is a biggie, though. The iPad 3 in as case is just heavy....I think the mini opens up more usage modes for me. Still, whenever I put the mini down and pick up the 3, I marvel at the retina screen.

I may end up getting two new iPads come march, it all depends on what the feature sets are. I think a retina mini will be instant buy for me. For the full size iPad, I want it lighter with more storage, and a different body design. Give me 128 GB on both and I'll be totally happy, I think. Apple needs to find new ways to deliver a premium device without all the cold metal (on an issue in winter).

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Originally Posted by AQ_OC

Haven't notice it yet. I thought I had with gran thief auto crashing on load....it crashed on the mini and the 3. FAQ said to unload apps...did that, still crashed on mini but started working on the 3. Thought it was due to less ram...but then the 3 started crashing regardless.

Maybe I don't do to as many websites as some, though, but I have not noticed any crashing on the mini yet.

The weight difference is a biggie, though. The iPad 3 in as case is just heavy....I think the mini opens up more usage modes for me. Still, whenever I put the mini down and pick up the 3, I marvel at the retina screen.

I may end up getting two new iPads come march, it all depends on what the feature sets are. I think a retina mini will be instant buy for me. For the full size iPad, I want it lighter with more storage, and a different body design. Give me 128 GB on both and I'll be totally happy, I think. Apple needs to find new ways to deliver a premium device without all the cold metal (on an issue in winter).

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I'd love a 128 GB iPad, no matter the size or the screen. Lighter weight would be a bonus. I don't want to sacrifice battery life, though.

I handled both the iPad 2 and 4 and the Mini, and chose the Mini because of it is so light and slim, and much more portable. The full size iPad, especially the Gen. 4 was tempting, but after holding the Mini, I found it too heavy and cumbersome for my needs.

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Originally Posted by samita

I own an iPad 3, and an iPhone 4S, so that's why I think that an iPad mini is perfect for some people that only want to use just one option. What's your opinion?

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I agree with you. I have an iPhone 4s (soon to upgrade to iPhone 5), so I bought the iPad mini to go with it. I did not need to spend an extra $130 for cellular + the added cost of using cellular with Verizon because if I need to access the Internet without a WiFi hotspot, I can just use my iPhone for that.

I think it's just the bigger screen. ;)