First Look: Apple's iPad mini with Retina display
Apple surprised on Tuesday when it launched online and in-store sales of the iPad mini with Retina display, and now AppleInsider has a first look at the hotly anticipated device.
While Apple's second-generation iPad mini shares an overall design and form-factor identical to its predecessor, the inclusion of a Retina quality display requires larger battery cells to maintain reasonable operating times. This makes the Retina iPad mini 0.01 inches (0.3 millimeters) thicker and 0.05 pounds (23 grams) heavier.
The added heft is unnoticeable, however, with only a careful side-by-side inspection revealing the minute changes.
Retina iPad mini (top) is a tad thicker than the first-gen tablet.
What is readily apparent, even without a comparison to the older first-generation tablet, is the screen's incredibly high resolution. For the Retina iPad mini, Apple shoehorned a 7.9-inch IPS panel with 2,048-by-1,536 pixel resolution into the thin chassis. The specification is the same as the iPad Air, but the mini's smaller display equates to a pixel density of 326 ppi, much higher than the Air's 264 ppi.
The second-gen iPad mini's Retina display (left) is noticeably sharper than last year's model.
By comparison, the first-gen mini managed half as many pixels with a density of 163 ppi. As seen above, the difference is huge.
For the first time ever, Apple is using the same A-series processor in the Retina mini as it does for the larger 9.7-inch tablet, as well as the substantially smaller iPhone 5s. The A7 system on a chip boasts a 64-bit architecture and has proved powerful enough to competently handle demanding tasks on the iPad Air.
The new silicon's power-efficient design should yield good battery life, though a more thorough test is needed to determine the exact gains.
Retina iPad mini (left) compared to its predecessor.
Prices for Apple's new iPad mini with Retina display start at $399 for a 16GB Wi-Fi model, $499 for 32GB, $599 for 64GB and $699 for the new 128GB option. Wi-Fi + Cellular versions start at $529 for 16GB, then move up in $100 increments, topping out at $829 for 128GB of storage.
AppleInsider will be publishing a review of the new iPad mini in the coming days, but those looking to get their hands on one immediately can trade in their old iPad and iPad mini now to lock in high cash values.
While Apple's second-generation iPad mini shares an overall design and form-factor identical to its predecessor, the inclusion of a Retina quality display requires larger battery cells to maintain reasonable operating times. This makes the Retina iPad mini 0.01 inches (0.3 millimeters) thicker and 0.05 pounds (23 grams) heavier.
The added heft is unnoticeable, however, with only a careful side-by-side inspection revealing the minute changes.
Retina iPad mini (top) is a tad thicker than the first-gen tablet.
What is readily apparent, even without a comparison to the older first-generation tablet, is the screen's incredibly high resolution. For the Retina iPad mini, Apple shoehorned a 7.9-inch IPS panel with 2,048-by-1,536 pixel resolution into the thin chassis. The specification is the same as the iPad Air, but the mini's smaller display equates to a pixel density of 326 ppi, much higher than the Air's 264 ppi.
The second-gen iPad mini's Retina display (left) is noticeably sharper than last year's model.
By comparison, the first-gen mini managed half as many pixels with a density of 163 ppi. As seen above, the difference is huge.
For the first time ever, Apple is using the same A-series processor in the Retina mini as it does for the larger 9.7-inch tablet, as well as the substantially smaller iPhone 5s. The A7 system on a chip boasts a 64-bit architecture and has proved powerful enough to competently handle demanding tasks on the iPad Air.
The new silicon's power-efficient design should yield good battery life, though a more thorough test is needed to determine the exact gains.
Retina iPad mini (left) compared to its predecessor.
Prices for Apple's new iPad mini with Retina display start at $399 for a 16GB Wi-Fi model, $499 for 32GB, $599 for 64GB and $699 for the new 128GB option. Wi-Fi + Cellular versions start at $529 for 16GB, then move up in $100 increments, topping out at $829 for 128GB of storage.
AppleInsider will be publishing a review of the new iPad mini in the coming days, but those looking to get their hands on one immediately can trade in their old iPad and iPad mini now to lock in high cash values.
Comments
Thanks Apple!
What a marvel of engineering and design!
My goal is only to have an Rmini, 5s, iCloud and an ATV (+ one flat screen TV) as the only tech in my life!
Looks damn good to me. I know what I'm getting for christmas!
Thanks Apple!
Positive statement!
Thanks, also, Apple!
Sigh.
Maybe at some point for portability but for the moment I'll settle for my iPad Air which is a huge jump in performance and portability over my previous iPad 3 and absent an in person check the smaller overall size of the Air looks to push it a lot towards the "mini" side of things in terms of bulk.
I'm splurging on the 128 gig retina mini for christmas. Hell the f**** yeah!!!!!!
Great choice! What with the same pixel total as the iPad Air I figure that's the way to go. And that's the total I went for with my Air choice…. take full advantage of all those display pixels….
On a related note: is there a setting for how photo's are loaded into the pads like with music? I shoot some rather large files off my Nikon D800 and it would be fun to have all 32 mega-pixels to play with on my pad.
The second-gen iPad mini's Retina display (left) is noticeably sharper than last year's model.
Has anyone come across a similar comparison photo between the Air's screen density and the Retina Mini yet? I tried holding my 5S against the Air in the Apple store, but it didn't sit with me as a comparable test.
Still trying to decide which one I want to replace my first gen Mini... I'm leaning towards the Air for ease of typing, but the lower pixel density makes me want to have a closer look first!
Great site BTW.
Looks wise, I got space grey and it's nice...went straight into a smart case though
The mini is easier to type on than the air in portrait mode. The iPads are really slow compared to a keyboard or even iPhone. So if you type a lot- a keyboard is almost a necessity.
I have both the air and original mini (new mini coming in tomorrow). Can't go wrong either way.
The day I look at a Porsche Boxster and say to myself I can get a Toyota Matrix for one-third the price that's just as good, I'm thinking of shooting myself.
How about three Toyota 86's for the price of a Boxster?
Still trying to decide which one I want to replace my first gen Mini... I'm leaning towards the Air for ease of typing, but the lower pixel density makes me want to have a closer look first!
I just bought the iPad Air over the weekend. I was torn between the retina Mini and the Air. In the end, I chose the Air because I do more reading (it stores all my technical manuals) and while both models have the same resolution, the slightly larger text (albeit lower ppi) was the better match for my eyes which are beginning to show their age.
I think the lower pixel density of the Air compared to the rMini is irrelevant when considering the quality of both displays. I can't distinguish the PPI difference between the two models. I'm sure others can if they put it under a magnifying glass, but even the PPI resolution of the Air makes the mini's an almost overkill.
Keeping them both the same resolution though was smart planning on Apple's part. It certainly makes for easier app development instead of having to create yet another format size to develop for.