- The amount of available space is less than stated and depends on various factors. The default configuration (including iPadOS and pre-installed apps) is approximately 10 to 13 GB depending on device model and settings. Preinstalled Applications occupy about 4 GB; they can be deleted and downloaded again. The amount of available space may vary depending on the device and software version.
- Size and weight may vary depending on device configuration and manufacturing process.
- Both users must have a FaceTime-enabled device and be connected to a Wi-Fi network to use FaceTime. Availability of FaceTime over cellular is subject to carrier conditions; data charges may apply.
- Data plan required. Gigabit Class LTE networks and Wi‑Fi calling are not available in all regions or with all carriers. Speed calculated based on theoretical bandwidth and depends on local conditions. For details on LTE network support, contact your carrier or visit the page.
- Tariff plan cellular communication purchased separately. The model you purchase is configured for a specific cellular network technology. Contact your carrier for information on cellular plan availability and compatibility.
- Not all carriers support apple cards SIM and eSIM. Behind additional information contact your carrier. Not available in mainland China.
- Voice assistant Siri may not be available in all languages or all regions. Siri capabilities may also vary. Internet access required. Cellular data charges may apply.
- Testing conducted by Apple in February 2019 using preproduction iPad mini (5th generation) units with pre-release software. Testing included fully draining the battery while performing the following tasks: video playback, audio playback, and web browsing while connected to Wi‑Fi or cellular data. The video was a 2hr 23min recurring film purchased from iTunes Store. The audio content playlist consisted of 358 unique audio tracks purchased from the iTunes Store. Testing work on the Internet via Wi‑Fi and cellular network data transfer was carried out using a dedicated web server and mail server with simulated browsing of 20 popular web pages and hourly mail checks. The default settings were used, except for the following: Wi-Fi connection (enabled, except for browsing the Internet over a cellular data network); request to connect to WiFi networks(disabled); auto tuning brightness (disabled); brightness (set to 50%); WPA2 encryption (enabled). Battery life may vary depending on device settings, usage conditions, and many other factors. Battery testing was conducted on specific preproduction iPad units; actual results may vary.
- Broadband Recommended wireless connection; fees may apply.
- Some features may not be available in all countries and regions. Click
The first iPad mini was introduced in the fall of 2012 and has become a very popular device. You can blame Apple for following the market, but no one will deny the success of the iPad mini. Millions of buyers have made their choice in favor of the iPad mini with their wallet, which only confirmed the correctness of the path chosen by Apple.
In the fall of 2013, Apple updated its line of tablets, including the iPad mini. The compact tablet received updated hardware and the long-awaited Retina-screen, the absence of which in the first generation mini kept many from buying (including me). Now iPad mini with Retina screen is available for sale and I just couldn't help but buy it for myself. Did the iPad mini with Retina live up to my expectations and should you buy one for yourself?
Model selection
I already had experience using the "big" iPad 2, but I was not satisfied with its dimensions. It cannot be said that full-sized iPads are very bulky and heavy, but I was uncomfortable typing with a landscape orientation of the screen, and carrying a piece of iron weighing 700 grams in my bag, with which you can’t even fully work with text in some kind of just tired of the moment. And I sold the iPad 2.
Then I clearly understood that full-size tablets are not my format. The gadget that you carry with you all the time should be compact, light and easy to use. I perceive the full-sized iPad more as a tablet for the home.
I did not buy the first iPad mini due to the lack of a Retina screen, and the hardware on it was already far from the freshest at that time. Therefore, I waited for the iPad mini of the second generation, which, from the point of view of hardware and screen, “on paper” completely suited me.
I chose an iPad mini with a Space Gray Retina display and 16 GB of storage without cellular. Still, while there is no 4G in most of our country (including my city), I don’t see much point in taking an iPad mini with a cellular module. A WiFi hotspots now more than enough, and in extreme cases, an iPhone or even a Mac can act as a router.
The 16 GB version is more than enough for me, because I don't have as many apps and games on the iPad as I do on the iPhone, I don't have a huge photo library, music and movies. If you want to watch or listen to something, I prefer to do it using online services.
Purchase
Still, it's good that Apple has come to grips with the Russian market. Now you don't have to wait six months for new devices to officially go on sale. The iPad mini Retina, for example, was available for order in the Apple Online Store on November 15, that is, just a few weeks after the start of sales in the West.
Of course, the iPad mini got to other stores later. I took my iPad mini Retina at the end of December and I could not find it in the windows for an acceptable (read - officially set) price. It's good that there are online stores, in one of which I ordered a 16 GB iPad mini Retina for an acceptable 16 thousand rubles. After 3 days, the order has already arrived and I took my long-awaited tablet.
Box and accessories
You should not expect any revelations from the box and equipment of the iPad mini Retina. Standard box, standard package: tablet itself, lightning cable, Russian plug, documents and stickers. Nothing else, including headphones.
Housing and screen
iPad mini Retina in physical dimensions and appearance has remained almost the same as the original iPad mini. Rounded corners, small bezel around the screen, screen diagonal - 7.9 inches. Only slightly increased the weight of the device. Holding the tablet in both hands is comfortable enough, but when you work with it with one hand, it still feels a bit heavy. I hope that in the future Apple will put its compact tablet on a "diet", especially since its competitors weigh less.
The location of the connectors and speakers on the case remains the same. The case itself is also made of aluminum, its front part is covered with glass.
The iPad mini in Space Gray looks great. After the "faceless" black in previous models, "Space Gray" looks much more interesting. It is also worth noting that the paint does not peel off, as in the iPhone 5, while I use the tablet, no problems arose. It still looks like new.
The diagonal of the screen has not changed - 7.9 inches, but the resolution has grown to "retina" 2048 × 1536 pixels. The pixel density is 326 dpi, just like the iPhone, which is more than iPad Air(264 ppi). We have to admit that you will not notice the difference between Air and Mini in terms of pixels - they are not visible on both mini and Air. However, the screen on the iPad mini is worse than on the iPad Air due to relatively pale colors, brightness, and contrast. Generally speaking, the screen is quite good, but there are not enough stars from the sky.
The screen gets dirty with a bang, you have to constantly wipe it from dust particles and fingerprints. But it's hard to call it a feature specifically of the iPad mini with a Retina screen. This is the problem with most modern mobile devices.
Another point that catches your eye is that the screen is “deeply” recessed into the case. Apple did not use any special technologies here (a screen without an air gap, for example) and the “depth” between the glass and the display itself is quite noticeable. This does not affect much in everyday use, but still I would like this point to be corrected.
Iron filling and performance
The new iPad mini has 1 GB installed random access memory and the latest A7 processor, the same as the iPhone 5s and iPad Air. True, unlike its older brother iPad Air, its clock frequency is 100 MHz less. There's no difference between the Mini and Air when working with the iOS interface and most apps, but Apple wouldn't be Apple if there wasn't any difference between the two at all. And she is.
In the GeekBench 3 test, the iPad mini scores about 2500, which is slightly lower than the iPad Air, but this is not about synthetic numbers. When working with resource-intensive games, such as GTA: San Andreas, Real Racing 3, the frame rate sags unpleasantly, which was not observed before. Apparently this is also due to the fact that most applications are not optimized for the 64-bit architecture of the A7 processor. Or maybe those same 100 MHz frequencies played their fatal role?
It is worth noting that many applications on the iPad mini Retina work the same or even worse (!) than on the iPhone 5, which has an A6 processor. Here the high screen resolution and the unoptimized software make themselves felt (especially for the iPad).
iOS 7 on an iPad mini Retina with a 64-bit processor works… far from perfect. The animation often twitches, changing the screen orientation is not always smooth. I hope that with the release of iOS 7.1, Apple will cover up this shame, because there is absolutely no desire to endure constant resprings and freezes. It's not Android, it's iOS - a system that has made a name for itself thanks to stable operation. And with this very stable work, iOS 7 has big problems.
Camera
The iPad mini Retina has a camera, it can take pictures of very average quality, but for a tablet this can be considered a good indicator. Video is recorded in good quality, slo-mo mode, as in the iPhone 5s, is not here, of course.
Photo taken with the main camera. Quality is very average But the front camera made me happy. In good lighting conditions, the pictures are quite good (as far as they can be on the front camera). For selfshots and video calls, Skype is more than enough.
Vitality
Traditionally, Apple promises 10 hours battery life for your tablets. With the iPad mini Retina, in practice it turns out a little less. With active use (browser (half an hour a day), mail (an hour a day), social networks (an hour a day), games (2-3 hours a day), video (half an hour a day), books (an hour a day). day)) the tablet is enough for 1-1.5 days or 8-9 hours of continuous work. If you moderate your ardor, then you can achieve 2-2.5 days. Again, everyone's usage patterns are different and these numbers may vary depending on your preference.
In any case, the iPad mini Retina remains a very tenacious device - you will not worry about the battery and keep looking at the battery charge indicator all the time. You can charge iPad mini and take it with you for the whole work day - you will definitely have enough battery. The iPad mini Retina takes about 4-5 hours to charge from the mains. With my usage pattern, I charge it about 4 times a week - quite a good result.
How I have been using the iPad all this time
Reading articles from the web
iPad mini is a great reading gadget. Books, articles from the Web, RSS - iPad mini Retina can easily cope with all these tasks. Applications for this App Store- a great many. Let me tell you what I use.
As an RSS reader I use Digg Reader. I used to prefer Feedly, but Digg seemed more convenient to me. Actually, its functionality is standard - you can subscribe to streams directly in the application, distribute subscriptions into folders, quickly share articles on social networks or postpone them “for later”. This is enough for me.
To keep track of news on topics of interest to me, I use Zite. Unlike the same Flipboard, it guesses my preferences much better, although, of course, it loses in design. You add all the topics you are interested in once to Zite and enjoy the news that comes quickly.
For delayed reading of articles, I use Pocket. Still, nothing better for iOS has yet been invented, despite the fact that Readability and Instapaper are also very good services. But Pocket has 3 fat pluses: it is supported by hundreds of applications, it is possible to “postpone for later” not only text articles, but also videos and links. And third, of course, tags. They help to categorize all the articles and keep the repository organized.
Books and magazines
On the iPad, you can read e-books and magazines without any problems. I will especially note that for the iPad there are many interactive magazines that are made specifically for the tablet. For example, this is how I read Slon.ru and Esquire magazines. Unlike paper versions, they have all sorts of interactive elements: graphics, animations, videos, and in some places even mini-games. This, if not turning everything upside down, but definitely transforms the experience of reading periodicals.
iPad mini Retina is quite suitable for reading PDF-magazines and books. In the vast majority of cases, the font size is quite optimal so as not to squint or zoom in.
But with ordinary e-books, not everything is so simple. I confess that when I bought the iPad mini Retina, I even thought that it could replace my Kindle reader. But this did not happen. E-ink remains the best screen format for reading large books for me. But here who likes it more.
I can't help but remember the dimensions of the iPad mini Retina. On the one hand, the display diagonal is higher than on the Kindle, which means that more content fits on the screen. But here this difference is not so critical.
But holding a Kindle reader in one hand is much more convenient, and this played a decisive role for me. Amazon was able to find optimal ratio between the amount of text on the screen and usability. Not surprising, because for the iPad mini - reading books is only one of the tasks, and for the Kindle - in fact, the only one. But for small editions and iPad mini Retina is quite suitable.
As an e-book reader I use Marvin. It has everything you need to read books comfortably.
Working with text and notes
iPad mini Retina is good for writing short text notes and viewing documents. And don't forget that there are plenty of handwritten note-taking apps for the iPad, such as INKredible or Skitch, that can help you jot down ideas at a work meeting or educational event.
I use Pages, iAWriter, and SimpleNote to work with text. Despite the difference in functionality, the essence of using these programs on the iPad is absolutely the same for me - write a small text. To fully work with text on the iPad, I don’t have enough nerves, which I’ll talk about below :-)
Fun is time
I took the iPad mini Retina in many respects with the expectation that this would be my main gadget for games. I must say right away that I made the right choice in my choice, despite the problems with some games.
As I said, the same GTA: San Andreas on the iPad mini Retina behaves strangely: the frame rate is low, everything slows down unpleasantly. At the same time, on the iPhone 5, the game practically did not freeze for me.
But my favorite Modern Combat 4 behaves very well in 95% of cases. Even when playing online with a large number of players, MD4 practically does not slow down, only occasionally there are small “lags”. At the same time, the tablet practically does not heat up.
Simple games like Flappy Bird, Dungeon Highway, Angry Birds iPad mini Retina "eats" with a bang, which, in general, is quite expected.
Cause - hour
I don't see tablets as full-time devices, but despite that, it was still interesting to see the iPad mini Retina in action. At work, I fiddle a lot with texts, I constantly look through e-mail, social media I work with the WordPress admin.
The miracle did not happen - iPad mini Retina, in my opinion, is completely unsuitable for permanent work. But in order to quickly write a post, correct the text or sketch out a post plan, it is quite suitable.
Firstly, there is a real lack of a physical keyboard, with which typing is much more convenient. Second, there is no normal WordPress iOS app that won't confuse post times and accidentally post articles to the site (which has happened to me many times). And thirdly, iOS itself is simply not adapted for such things. On the MacBook, you can write text and look at its English original at the same time, while on the iPad you constantly switch between applications, and this, again, is discomfort.
This idea was said by all and sundry, it is banal and obvious, but it is worth noting once again: iPad mini is an ideal device for consuming content, not for creating it. Although, if you really want to, you can dodge by buying an external keyboard. But this will not solve the software problem.
iPad mini is the perfect device for consuming content, not creating it
Air or mini?
Despite some difference in performance, the only significant difference between Air and mini Retina is the size of the tablet. IN You must clearly answer the question - what size is more preferable for you? Because there is practically no difference in the rest of the capabilities of the tablets. If you like full-sized tablets - take the iPad Air, if compact - iPad mini Retina. Our infographic will help you make the right choice.
conclusions
Despite all the minuses and shortcomings of the iPad mini Retina, I was more than satisfied with my purchase. The iPad mini Retina is a pleasant and easy-to-use tablet that in the vast majority of cases copes with its tasks with a bang. Many of the shortcomings are associated with the unstable operation of iOS 7 itself, which will be corrected very soon in the final iOS version 7.1.
The iPad is still a great device for consuming content, but not a great device for creating content. But as I said above, he is able to solve simple work tasks.
Leader in compact tablets
With a slight delay after the start of worldwide sales of the iPad Air, the second novelty of Apple presented on October 22, the iPad mini with a Retina display, became available to customers. Perhaps one of the most anticipated devices of this year, the iPad mini went on sale in Russia at the same time as the rest of the world, which is a rarity. True, the official online store indicates the delivery time of 2-3 weeks, but this did not prevent us from quickly getting a new product for testing.
Since all the general information about the iPad mini with Retina display has already been given in the report from Apple's presentation, we will not repeat ourselves. We only note that this is the first update of the iPad mini, and it is all the more important that Apple has not only updated the "insides" of the device, but also equipped it with a screen of a fundamentally higher level.
- SoC Apple A7 @1.3 GHz (2 cores, 64-bit Cyclone architecture based on ARMv8)
- PowerVR G6430 GPU
- Apple M7 motion co-processor including accelerometer, gyroscope and compass
- RAM 1 GB
- Flash memory from 16 to 128 GB
- No memory card support
- Operating system iOS 7.0
- Touch display IPS, 7.9″, 2048 × 1536 (326 ppi), capacitive, multi-touch
- Cameras: front (1.2 MP, 720p FaceTime video) and rear (5 MP, 1080p video)
- Wi-Fi 802.11b/g/n (2.4 and 5 GHz; MIMO support)
- Cellular (optional): UMTS/HSPA/HSPA+/DC-HSDPA (850, 900, 1700/2100, 1900, 2100 MHz); GSM/EDGE (850, 900, 1800, 1900 MHz), LTE Bands 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 7, 8, 13, 17, 18, 19, 20, 25, 26
- Bluetooth 4.0
- 3.5mm stereo headset jack, Lightning dock connector
- Lithium polymer battery 24.3 Wh
- A-GPS (in version with cellular module)
- Dimensions 200×134.7×7.5 mm
- Weight 331 g (our measurement)
Let's compare the iPad mini Retina to its main competitor, the 2013 Google Nexus 7, as well as the first-generation iPad mini and iPad Air.
| iPad mini with Retina display | iPad Air | iPad mini first generation | Google Nexus 7 2013 | |
| Screen | IPS, 7.9″, 2048×1536 (326 ppi) | IPS, 9.7″, 2048×1536 (264 ppi) | IPS, 7.9″, 1024×768 (163 ppi) | IPS, 7″, 1920×1200 (323 ppi) |
| SoC (processor) | Apple A7 @1.3 GHz (2 cores, 64-bit Cyclone architecture based on ARMv8) + M7 coprocessor | Apple A7 @1.4 GHz (2 cores, 64-bit Cyclone architecture based on ARMv8) + M7 coprocessor | Apple A5 @1GHz (2 cores, ARM Cortex-A9) | Qualcomm Snapdragon S4 Pro @1.5 GHz (4 Krait cores) |
| GPU | PowerVR G6430 | PowerVR G6430 | PowerVR SGX543MP2 (2 cores, 200 MHz each) | Adreno 320 |
| Flash memory | 16 to 128 GB | 16 to 128 GB | 16 to 64 GB | 16/32 GB |
| Connectors | Lightning dock connector, 3.5mm headphone jack | Lightning dock connector, 3.5mm headphone jack | Micro-USB, 3.5mm headphone jack | |
| Memory card support | No | No | No | No |
| RAM | 1 GB | 1 GB | 512 MB | 2 GB |
| cameras | front (1.2 MP, 720p FaceTime video) and rear (5 MP, 1080p video) | front (1.2 MP, 720p video support) and rear (5 MP, 1080p video recording) | front (1.2 MP) and rear (5 MP, 1080p video shooting) | |
| Internet | Wi-Fi (optional - 3G, also 4G/LTE) | Wi-Fi (optional - 3G and LTE) | ||
| Battery capacity (mAh) | 6471 | 8820 | 4440 | 3950 |
| operating system | Apple iOS 7.0 | Apple iOS 7.0 | Apple iOS 6.0 (upgrade to iOS 7.0 available) | Google Android 4.3 |
| Dimensions (mm)* | 200×134×7.5 | 240×170×7.5 | 200×138×7.2 | 200×114×8.7 |
| Weight (g) | 339** | 480 | 311*** | 294 |
| average price | T-10546224 | T-10548616 | T-8485573 | T-10451398 |
*according to the manufacturer
** the weight of the version with a cellular module is indicated
*** the mass of the version without the cellular module is indicated
**** for version with 16 GB flash and without cellular module
It is clearly seen that the iPad mini Retina is identical to the iPad Air in almost all characteristics (except dimensions). And it's incredibly cool, because the first generation iPad mini, which was released at the same time as the iPad 4, matched the characteristics of the iPad 2 in terms of characteristics. So now the iPad mini line has made a leap through two generations!
As for the comparison with Google Nexus 7, it is difficult to draw unambiguous conclusions from the data in the table. However, it is significant that google tablet slightly lighter and more compact than the iPad mini Retina. But at the same time, it has a smaller screen and a plastic case.
Interestingly, despite the appearance of the new iPad mini, the previous model also remains in the company's lineup, and its cost is from 12 thousand rubles (which is 4 thousand less than the iPad mini Retina). In our article, we will also try to answer the question of how much the difference between the two iPad mini is adequate to the amount of 4,000 rubles and how relevant the first iPad mini is today.
Packaging and equipment
The packaging of the iPad mini Retina is almost the same as the packaging of the previous generation tablet.
As for the equipment, everything here is also similar to the first iPad mini: leaflets, Charger(5.1 V 2.1 A), Lightning cable, stickers and a key to remove the SIM card cradle (in the version with a cellular module).
Design
If the update of the large iPad affected, first of all, the design, then the iPad mini just the appearance remained practically unchanged.
Full metal body (made of anodized aluminum) pleases and appearance, and functionality, and the frames around the screen even today, a year after the release of the first iPad mini, seem quite thin.
All buttons are metal, they are pressed with little effort. Their location is similar to the previous model. Top right - Power button, top left - 3.5 mm headphone jack. Top center - built-in microphone hole. On the right side there is a screen auto-rotate lock lever and a volume rocker.
On the model with a cellular module, there is a plastic insert in the upper part that hides the antenna. She, of course, spoils a little general form, but it does not turn off the signal.
The main difference between the new iPad mini and the old one is the increased weight (by more than 20 grams) and thickness (by 0.3 mm). Visually they are the same. The photo above shows two iPad minis from different generations. But if the difference in thickness is really not visible, then the changed mass is already palpable. However, it is quite possible to put up with this, and these changes do not have a fundamental impact on user qualities.
Screen
The main feature of the new iPad mini is the Retina display with a resolution of 2048×1536. When testing the first iPad mini, which had a resolution of 1024×768, we noted the lack of a Retina display as its main disadvantage. And now Apple has solved the problem. True, today you won’t surprise anyone with screens with such a density of dots per inch, so other characteristics come to the fore, as a rule, are not indicated in official technical specifications and are revealed only through thorough testing.
Alexey Kudryavtsev, editor of the Projectors and TV section, conducted a detailed examination of the new Retina screen.
The front surface of the screen is made in the form of a glass plate with a mirror-smooth surface, resistant to scratches. Judging by the reflection of objects, there is a very effective anti-glare filter, in terms of reducing the brightness of the reflection, it is approximately equal to the Google Nexus 7 2013 screen filter (further we compare it with it). For clarity, here are photos in which a white surface is reflected in the off screens of tablets (from left to right: Nexus 7, iPad mini with Retina display and old iPad mini):
Visually, the brightness of the reflection is difficult to assess due to the difference in color tone and color of the frames, but statistics from graphic editor shows that the screen on the new iPad mini is slightly lighter (average brightness is 95) than the Nexus 7 (83) and darker than the old iPad mini (108).
Reflection in the screen is tripled, which suggests the presence of an air gap between the surface of the matrix and the outer glass. From the point of view of image perception, this is a minus, but a screen with a separate outer glass (it Touchpad) is easier and cheaper to repair. On the outer surface of the screen there is a special oleophobic (grease-repellent) coating (effective, but still worse than Nexus 7), so fingerprints are removed much easier, and appear at a slower rate than in the case of ordinary glass.
With manual brightness control, its maximum value was about 410 cd / m², and the minimum - 8 cd / m². The maximum value is quite high, and, given the good anti-reflective properties of the screen, in bright daylight, the image on the screen should be clearly distinguishable. In complete darkness, the brightness can be lowered to a comfortable level. Automatic brightness control works according to the light sensor (it is located to the left of the front camera eye). At the same time, the brightness can only automatically increase - with a decrease in the level of ambient light, we did not wait for a corresponding decrease in the brightness of the screen. However, if you put the tablet into sleep mode and turn it back on, the brightness will be set in accordance with external conditions. The minimum and average levels in Auto mode depend on the initial position of the brightness slider. So, when the slider is set to maximum, automatic adjustment does not work - the brightness remains maximum regardless of external conditions. If the slider is approximately in the middle of the scale, then in bright light (corresponding to illumination on a clear day outdoors, but without direct sunlight - 20,000 lux or a little more), the maximum brightness is 410 cd / m², in an office lit by artificial light (approximately 400 lux ) - 200 cd / m² (normal), in the dark - 150 cd / m² (too much). If the slider is at its minimum, then under the above conditions, the values are: 410, 70, 8 cd/m². Thus, this function works adequately at some average and slightly below average brightness adjustment positions. At the extreme initial positions of the slider, the brightness is either always maximum, or it decreases too much in the dark. At any brightness level, there is practically no backlight modulation, so there is no screen flicker.
This tablet uses an IPS type matrix. Micrographs show a typical IPS sub-pixel structure:
The screen has good viewing angles without hue inversion and without significant color shift even at large deviations of the gaze from the perpendicular to the screen. For comparison, here are photos in which the screens of the Nexus 7 (pictured above) and the new iPad mini (bottom) display the same images, while the brightness of both screens is set to about 200 cd / m². Picture perpendicular to the screens:
And a white field in the same conditions:
Now at an angle of about 45 degrees to the plane and to the side of the screen:
It can be seen that the colors did not “float” on both tablets.
And a white box at an angle:
The brightness at an angle for both tablets decreased equally (about four times, based on the difference in shutter speed), but Color tone changed insignificantly.
The black field, when deviated diagonally, is lightened weakly and acquires a red-violet hue or remains almost neutral gray. A photo from the Nexus 7 for comparison shows this (the brightness of both tablets is the same!):
And along the other diagonal:
It can be seen that the new iPad mini has a different color tone of the black field depending on the diagonal, but its brightness is the same or slightly lower than the black brightness of the Nexus 7 at the same angle.
When viewed perpendicularly, the uniformity of the black box is very good, since in fact only along one edge you can see some hints of areas with increased black box brightness:
The black uniformity of the Google Nexus 7 is worse, but it has better black depth in the center of the screen. Indeed, the contrast (approximately in the center of the screen) of the new iPad mini is not the greatest - about 790:1. The response time for the black-white-black transition is 22 ms (13 ms on + 9 ms off). The transition between 25% and 75% grayscale (according to the numerical value of the color) and back takes a total of 34 ms. The gamma curve constructed from 32 points did not reveal a blockage either in the highlights or in the shadows, and the approximating exponential function turned out to be 2.22, which is slightly higher than the standard value of 2.2, while the real gamma curve deviates little from the power dependence:
The color gamut is noticeably narrower than sRGB:
Apparently, the matrix filters mix the components to each other, and the spectra confirm this. This technique allows you to increase the brightness of the screen with the same energy consumption for backlighting. As a result, the colors of images - drawings, photographs and films - oriented to the sRGB space (and the vast majority of them) have slightly reduced saturation. You can’t tell from the above photos, as the camera slightly increases the color saturation.
The balance of shades on the gray scale is very good, since the color temperature is close to the standard 6500 K and the deviation from the blackbody spectrum (delta E) is significantly less than 10, which is considered an acceptable indicator for a consumer device. At the same time, the variation in color temperature and delta E is small, which also has a positive effect on the visual perception of color balance. (The dark areas of the gray scale can be ignored, since the color balance does not matter much there, and the measurement error of color characteristics at low brightness is large.)
Brightness adjustment range iPad screen mini Retina is quite wide, and the anti-glare filter is very effective, which allows you to comfortably use the tablet both on a sunny summer day outside and in complete darkness. There is automatic brightness adjustment, and it works more or less adequately, but only to increase, which will force the user to either set the brightness manually, or force the brightness to go down anyway, putting the tablet into sleep mode and turning it back on. However, for sure, all Apple tablet users are already accustomed to this feature. The screen's strengths include an effective oleophobic coating, a standard gamma curve, very good color balance and excellent black stability when viewed from perpendicular to the screen surface, as well as excellent black field uniformity. It was strange to find that the color gamut is still less than sRGB, but this tablet must have at least one drawback! ..
Part by part software The iPad mini Retina has nothing fundamentally new except for the fact that it comes with iOS 7 pre-installed, while the previous model leaves the factory with iOS 6. But it can also be upgraded to iOS 7. Note also that iPad mini Retina users have access to for free popular apps Apple - Pages, Numbers, Keynote and GarageBand.
Performance
Like the iPhone 5s and iPad Air, the iPad mini Retina runs on Apple's new SoC, the A7. In the articles on the links provided, we talked in detail about this SoC, so we will not repeat ourselves and go straight to the tests. In them, we were also interested in what is the difference between two iPad mini with iOS 7.0.4 installed on both devices. That is why the test results below may differ from the results that were published in the article about the first iPad mini, because since then the benchmarks have been updated and a new version of the OS has been released.
Let's start with browser tests: SunSpider 1.0, Octane Benchmark and Kraken Benchmark. In all cases, we used the Safari browser from iOS 7 on Apple devices, and Google Chrome on Android.
The results are interesting. The new iPad mini is about four (!!!) times faster than the first generation iPad mini, but it is slightly behind the iPad Air, although it runs on the same SoC. It can be assumed that the SoC in the iPad mini Retina regulates the power saving process a little differently and slightly reduces the CPU frequency for certain tasks. But, we emphasize, this is only an assumption. But the main Android competitors were far behind the iPad mini Retina (although, of course, they overtook the first iPad mini).
In Geekbench 3 - a multi-platform benchmark that measures CPU and RAM performance - the situation repeated itself.
The layout is the same as in the browser tests. And this indicates that the results are indeed correct.
Now let's look at GPU performance. Two multi-platform benchmarks are available here: GFXBench (former GLBenchmark 2.7) and 3DMark. Let's start with the GFXBench results.
| Apple iPad mini second generation (Apple A7) | Apple iPad mini first generation (Apple A5) | Apple iPad Air (Apple A7) | Google Nexus 7 2013 (Qualcomm Snapdragon S4 Pro) | LG GPad 8.3 (Qualcomm Snapdragon 600) |
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| GFXBench 2.7.2 T-Rex HD (C24Z16 Offscreen) | 27 fps | 3.4 fps | 27 fps | 15 fps | 14 fps |
| GFXBench 2.7.2 T-Rex HD (C24Z16 Onscreen) | 21 fps | 6.4 fps | 21 fps | 15 fps | 13 fps |
| GFXBench 2.7.2 T-Rex HD (C24Z16 Offscreen Fixed Timestep) | 25 fps | 3.5 fps | 25 fps | 14 fps | 13 fps |
| GFXBench 2.7.2 T-Rex HD (C24Z16 Onscreen Fixed Timestep) | 20 fps | 6.9 fps | 20 fps | 14 fps | 13 fps |
| GFXBench 2.7.2 Egypt HD (C24Z16) | 63 fps | 15 fps | 63 fps | 39 fps | 35 fps |
| GFXBench 2.7.2 Egypt HD (C24Z16 Offscreen) | 49 fps | 22 fps | 49 fps | 30 fps | 35 fps |
And again we see the same picture, with the only difference that now the results of both devices on the Apple A7 are exactly the same.
Here again you can see a slight loss of the iPad mini Retina to its older friend. But more striking is the difference between the two generations of the iPad mini. I can't believe that only one year separates these devices! However, the gap from Android tablets is also significant.
Thus, iPad mini with Retina display is the most productive modern tablet in the middle price segment. If you like to play 3D games and want to get a device that can be updated to the new version of the operating system at least twice, you can safely buy the iPad mini Retina. But the iPad mini of the previous generation is no longer relevant today, because for the same money (about 12 thousand rubles) you can buy a much more productive Android tablet with a Full HD screen.
Offline work
If we knew the approximate level of performance in advance (since we had already tested solutions on the Apple A7 SoC), then the situation with battery life created real intrigue. After all, now the device needs to display a picture of twice the resolution, and the dimensions of the case remain the same, so the battery cannot be greatly increased. This caused legitimate fears that the new iPad mini would be inferior to its predecessor in terms of battery life.
However, as the tests showed, these fears were in vain. The battery life not only did not decrease, but even slightly increased. Here, however, it is worth making a reservation that we tested the iPad mini of the first generation for this comparison on latest version operating system - iOS 7.0.4. It is possible that on the original iOS 6 with which it is released, the result would have been a little better. But even in the current version, this is a decent duration of work - for both iPad mini.
The results are listed in the table.
Interestingly, the sensational result of the 2013 Google Nexus 7, obtained in reading mode, could not be surpassed by the new iPad mini. Before him, in general, to all other devices as to the moon. But in the other two modes, iPad mini Retina just overtakes both Android competitors.
We also note that under load, the new iPad mini heats up more than its predecessor, in which heat is almost not felt.
Camera
iPad Air is equipped with two cameras - front with a resolution of 1.2 megapixels and rear with a resolution of 5 megapixels, similar to the cameras of the first iPad mini and iPad Air. Since the iPad mini is much more capable of shooting than the larger iPad, we decided to do a full test using our smartphone camera test methodology, while also comparing the new camera quality with the first generation iPad mini and iPad Air. Filming and commentary were made by Anton Solovyov.
iPad mini Retina | |
 |  |
Good dynamic range and well processed noise. |
|
 |  |
Sharpness is not bad, but the lack of any stabilization is noticeable. |
|
 |  |
The sharpness is quite good, if desired, you can make out the number of the nearest car. |
|
 |  |
Blurring is noticeable in the corners of the frame, although the upper central part is quite sharp. |
|
 |  |
The number of the nearest car is clearly distinguishable. |
|
 |  |
At shorter shutter speeds, the situation improves markedly. Sharpness is uniform across almost the entire field of the frame. |
|
 |  |
In such scenes, the camera chooses the exposure well. |
|
 |  |
Macro photography in low light is quite good for the camera. |
|
We can say that the image quality of the iPad mini Retina camera has not noticeably changed compared to the iPad mini. Minor improvements have only affected noise processing: the noise reduction algorithm has not changed much, but visually its work has become softer, and due to this, small details are better worked out in the pictures. However, the camera is still afraid of noise and tries to work on minimum values sensitivity, compensating the exposure due to shutter speed, therefore, in low light, there is a high probability of blurring due to relatively slow shutter speeds. As it turns out, relatively slow shutter speeds in this case are values from 1/40 second and above, since the iPad mini Retina camera does not have any kind of stabilization system. For example, almost all of the above shots were taken under the same conditions, each in triplicate, and in almost all cases two out of three shots were blurred.
Lighting
As you can see from the graph, in terms of relative resolution, the iPad mini Retina camera is not that far behind the iPad mini camera and almost caught up with the iPad Air camera. However, after a detailed examination of the images of the booth, it becomes clear that the iPad mini Retina is still a significant step forward compared to the iPad mini. It is also worth noting that the camera's angle of view has become slightly smaller, despite the same nominal focal length value specified in EXIF. Despite the fact that the camera has not changed much, now it looks modified. There are still some points that I would like to improve, but these are rather exclusively software limitations.
Of the characteristic features of the camera, one can single out good noise reduction, good and fairly uniform sharpness in terms of plans and across the field, and a reasonable choice of exposure.
In general, the quality of the camera shots is decent, especially for a tablet, despite the low resolution. There are probably no obvious shortcomings in the camera, however, the lack of a flash significantly limits its scope. However, it is quite suitable for artistic or documentary shooting in appropriate lighting conditions.
conclusions
The last iPad mini evoked mixed emotions: the form factor seems to be interesting (the screen is more than 7 inches, but the case can be wrapped around with one hand in a vertical orientation), but the low resolution of the display spoiled the whole impression. This was especially noticeable if you used a large iPad with a Retina screen. After it, working with the iPad mini was just physically uncomfortable.
And now Apple has released the second version of the iPad mini - and here it has not only corrected the situation with the screen resolution, but also radically increased the performance of the device. At the same time, the price remained quite attractive, and the battery life and dimensions remained practically unchanged.
Thus, the choice is no longer between "big and modern device' and 'compact but outdated'. Now you have to choose exclusively between the two diagonals of the screen and, accordingly, the dimensions of the tablet (which, however, do not affect the thickness). If you prefer a more compact format, plan to regularly take the tablet with you on trips, use it in transport, then you can safely take the iPad mini Retina. It's a bit more expensive than Android tablets of the same form factor, but it's significantly better in terms of performance.
In our opinion, the more likely competitors of the iPad mini Retina are not even tablets of a compact form factor, but tablet phones - Sony Xperia Z Ultra, Samsung Galaxy Note 3, etc. In terms of performance, they are approximately on the same level with the iPad mini Retina, in terms of screen quality are not inferior (and even surpass them in terms of pixel density per inch), but they can be used both as a tablet and as a smartphone. True, the cost of top-end tablet phones is significantly higher than that of the iPad mini, but the screen is still smaller. Therefore, the Apple product has its own specific niche, which is different from both tablet phones and compact Android tablets.
All in all, the iPad mini with Retina display is definitely recommended unless you already have an iPad Air (or are planning to). But the iPad mini of the first generation seems to us an acceptable option only on the condition that the buyer wants to get an Apple tablet as cheaply as possible, and the rest does not matter. If possible, then, of course, it is worth paying 4,000 rubles extra and getting a fundamentally more modern device. And by the way, owners of the first generation iPad mini can also safely go to stores for a new iPad mini, if financial opportunities allow. An update won't hurt at all.
At the end of the article, we bring to your attention our video review Apple tablet iPad mini with Retina display:
| 16 GB (+3G) | 32 GB (+3G) | 64 GB (+3G) | 128 GB (+3G) |
| Average price according to Yandex.Market | |||
| T-10546224 (T-10546225 ) | T-10546226 (T-10546227 ) | T-10546228 (T-10546229 ) | T-10548766 (T-10548769 ) |
| Offers iPad mini Retina 16 GB (+3G) according to Yandex.Market | |||
| L-10546224-5 | L-10546225-5 | ||
| Offers iPad mini Retina 32 GB (+3G) according to Yandex.Market | |||
| L-10546226-5 | L-10546227-5 | ||
| Offers iPad mini Retina 64 GB (+3G) according to Yandex.Market | |||
| L-10546228-5 | L-10546229-5 | ||
| Offers iPad mini Retina 128 GB (+3G) according to Yandex.Market | |||
| L-10548766-5 | L-10548769-5 | ||
Many reviews have been made of the capabilities of the iPad with Retina. The low resolution display and slow SoC, which were the only two real complaints about the first iPad mini, received enough attention. A bunch of options were listed that Apple could use to promote mini:
“Apple opted for a blatant 4x increase in the number of pixels (2x in each dimension) to create Retina. With a mini display, using a resolution of 1024x768, this would give it a 7.85-inch 2048x1536 panel. This would be the same resolution as the iPad 3/4, but with a much smaller display, giving it a pixel density of 326dpi (versus ~263 for the iPad 3/4). Apple could do that, but it would be the same changes it made to the iPad with Retina. First of all, the introduction of a larger battery and a much larger SoC. A larger battery is needed to run a more powerful backlight, and an X-series SoC is needed to keep the UI up to date and play on such high resolution. Both of these things would increase the size and cost of the mini, making it a true un-mini."
This quote is from one last year's review and it looks like Apple decided to fix everything this year. The review further concluded:
“None of these options are particularly enticing for Apple, especially given the low (for Apple) iPad mini starting price. If you're expecting a Retina mini next year, don't hold your breath."
That's why I don't like to make predictions.
I didn't expect the display power to drop that much. I didn't think the battery density would be so improved. And I definitely didn't expect Apple to integrate a large 4MB cache on the chip, thereby reducing the need for a super memory interface. The combination of these three things gave the iPad mini a Retina display, which is probably what Apple did this year after all.
The iPad mini with Retina, unlike the iPad Air, is very similar to its predecessor. You can't even see the 4.1% increase in thickness (+0.3mm) or the 7.5% increase in weight (+23g).
From top to bottom: iPad mini, iPad mini with Retina, iPad Air
Retina mini now has a 44% larger battery (23.8Wh). This is almost the same battery capacity as the original iPad (25Wh), but takes up only 1/3 of the space in the chassis. It's also the highest battery capacity we've ever seen in a tablet of this size. The slight impact on weight and thickness is impressive.
The battery powers two features of the new mini: basically Apple's A7 SoC and of course the 7.85-inch 2048x1536 Retina display. Effective solution The main problem with the original iPad mini is that the new mini is much faster and comes with a much better display. Mind you, the original mini debuted with the n-1 SoC, making the move to the A7 this year an even more significant upgrade. While regular users will find it hard to tell the difference between the A6 and A7, anyone who actively uses last year's iPad mini will appreciate how much faster the new one is (especially if you've upgraded to iOS 7).
According to the source - http://www.anandtech.com/, the display itself does not need much explanation. The first generation iPad mini had a screen resolution of 1024×768, which was acceptable but not perfect. I had no problem recommending the mini given how good the rest of the experience was, but it's clear it could have been better. The move to a 2048x1536 panel gives mini not only the right to use the term Retina Display, but also the title of display with the most high density display in the Apple lineup.
The rest of the body doesn't look much different than the original mini. Apple likes to keep the design of its mobile devices not too different for at least two generations, and the mini is no exception. This is by no means a complaint. I'm just fascinated high quality mini chassis, same as last year.
The front side of the tablet is characterized by an asymmetrical rim, identical to the iPad Air. The bezels on the sides are narrow, while the top and bottom are wider to physically accommodate the home button and FaceTime HD camera. As before, Apple gives a bit of extra work by rejecting thumbnails placed on either edge of the mini to make up for the missing part of the bezel before the "hold".
The solid aluminum backplate comes in Light Silver or Space (Dark) Gray. As with the iPhone, the silver model gets a white beveled bezel, while the Space Gray one has black trim and bronze beveled edges. Models with a cellular modem have plastic RF windows along the top edge of the tablet. 
Around the edges you'll find: a power on/off button on the top, a volume up/down slider, and a rotation lock/mute volume up/down slider on the right side. If you have a cellular model, you will find a nano-SIM tray - along right side mini.
The bottom edge is home to Apple's light connector, on either side of the speakers. Mini sounds good, although you'll get better playback low frequencies on larger iPad Airs.
iPad mini with Retina features the same 5MP iSight camera (back) and 1.2MP FaceTime HD camera (front) as iPad Air. The addition is the installation of a dual microphone to remove background noise, again, as in the iPad Air.
The Mini is available in exactly the same configuration as the iPad Air. It starts at $399 with 16GB of storage and is available in 32GB and 64/128GB (+$100 for each memory upgrade). Cellular connectivity also adds $130. Like the iPad Air, the Retina mini is only available with LTE support and comes unlocked.
The old mini is still around $299, although like the iPad 2 that's still on sale, you're unlikely to get a recommendation to buy it. Perhaps if you really don't mind a low resolution display, a much slower SoC, and want to save some money, don't give up on iOS. For most people, a mini iPad with Retina is the device they need. If you're using a heavy tablet, the experience is truly like heaven and earth. While the form factor of the iPad Air is something that is defined by its experiential improvement, the mini iPad with Retina relies on the display and crystal to do the same.
Weight and usability
Much of the tablet experience has to do with weight and the distribution of that weight. The iPad Air is proof that this is true. Whereas the iPad Air occupies a position between one-handed and two-handed comfortable use, the mini sits squarely in one-handed territory. Picking up the mini after using the Air for a couple of weeks, it feels like you have nothing in your hands. The Mini is the much more comfortable of the two tablets for lying down. When you're sitting upright, the Air's weight feels like a huge advantage over the mini, but if you're relaxed, the mini feels a lot nicer to hold. You can read more about the comparison of Air and mini tablets in the article “Which tablet do you need? »
The case is quite narrow, it can be held with only one hand and used as a giant smartphone. If you hold the mini with two hands and use it like a smartphone, you can actually do it super fast using just your fingers. While the iPad Air is too big to hold in portrait mode and comfortably wrap your fingers around, the minis are too small to hold in landscape mode and use like a regular keyboard. When typing long letters iPad Air is better, assuming that I can come to the table or I can sit down. But if I can't do either, then the iPad mini is the best companion.
Apple introduced the LTE model, which, in fact, duplicates most of the functions of a smartphone. With mini LTE, the smartphone stays in your pocket more often, although there are many combinations of small/large, phone/tablet that you can list while trying to figure out the best ratio for today. In many ways, this is similar to the comparison between a small laptop and a PC, a large laptop and a docking station.
The mini's smaller display makes reading content a little harder than the larger iPads. But, given the new Retina display, reading on the mini is pretty good. Small text is always easier to read when it's on a larger display, but as long as you're looking at content that's properly formatted for a tablet, you'll love the mini. The impression of reading comics on mini is also very pleasant. The bubbles text was certainly not as easy to read as it was on the iPad Air, but overall the experience was still good. Ultimately, you won't sacrifice much functionality if you choose mini over Air. What you lose, you will certainly gain in portability. The main question is where you are going to use the tablet, this will determine which one to choose.
Cases
Like the iPad Air, the iPad mini is fairly light, and any kind of case adds a decent amount of weight to the device (percentage).
Since the mini hasn't changed much in form factor, the first two batches of cases are pretty similar to what we got last year. Like its older sibling, the mini comes with an optional Smart Cover ($39) or Smart Case ($69) depending on how much protection you need.
Apple offered me a black Smart Cover and a red Smart Case for iPad mini. Both looked great on the Space Gray mini. It is worth noting that the red Smart Case has a less saturated color than the red iPad Air Smart Cover. 
The Smart Cover attaches to the left side of the mini with a magnetic loop. If you line up the magnets correctly, the force of attraction is strong enough to support the weight of the mini if you grab it by the lid (although I don't recommend doing that). The magnets on the edge of the lid are away from the sleep/wake signal loop on the tablet itself.
The Smart Case has the same sleep/wake functionality, but instead of connecting with magnets, the mini tablet sits inside a case that protects it from both sides. The Smart Case is preferable for travel, although it is much more difficult to get and stow the tablet, and obviously adds more weight to the device. 
Both screen protectors have the same tri-fold design and can be used as a tablet stand. Since the previous mini used the same type of protective cover, the angle of the stand did not change, as was the case with the Air. 
The inner surfaces of the protective covers are lined with microfiber, while the outside is covered with either soft polyurethane (Smart Cover) or leather (Smart Cover). Both protect the mini well and show no signs of excessive wear.
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Retina screen, 64-bit A7 processor, Silver and Space Gray color... I've heard this somewhere before. And not even once. Frantically thinking about what to write about the second generation iPad Mini, I realized clearly and clearly that apart from an endless string of comparisons with last year's eight-inch iPad, with the recently reviewed iPad Air, with the iPhone 5s, with all other iPads, I have nothing much to say. what personal impressions. Yes, even those are smeared with too short a period of use. With the realization of this fact, sadness covered me. How so? An excellent device on the review, but there is nothing to write about it. Maybe it's not the new iPad, but late autumn? Nevertheless Since Apple doesn't care about bored reviewers, bored reviewers will take care of themselves. short review essentially.
Specifications iPad Mini 2 Retina
| Apple iPad mini 2 Retina | |
|---|---|
| operating system | Apple iOS 7 |
| Display | 7.9 inches, IPS, Retina (2048x1536 pixels), 16 million colors, 10 simultaneous touches |
| CPU | Apple A7, two Apple Cyclon cores (ARMv8 A32/A64), clocked at 1.3 GHz; M7 coprocessor one ARM Cortex-M3 core, PowerVR G6430 video accelerator |
| RAM | 1 GB |
| Flash memory | 16, 32, 64 or 128 GB |
| Camera | 5 MP, autofocus, 1080p video recording; front camera for video calls (1.2 MP) |
| Wireless technologies | Wi-Fi a/b/g/n (2.4/5 GHz), Bluetooth 4.0, 3G (optional) |
| Battery | fixed, lithium polymer, 23.8 Wh |
| Navigation | GPS, A-GPS, GLONASS |
| Interfaces | Apple Lightning, 3.5 mm headphone output |
| Dimensions and weight | 200x135x7.5 mm, 331 grams |
Box
No surprises. She is white. With a photo of the device, indicating which version we have: Black, no 4G / LTE, 32 gigabytes of memory. Sometimes less: 16. But sometimes more: 64 and 128 GB.
There is an envelope with papers and stickers, but no iPaper, because our version does not have a 3G card slot. There's a Lightning-to-USB cable and an unimaginable foldable plug, perhaps the least fancy piece of kit I've ever seen. We probably got the assembly for Hong Kong. An adapter for a European outlet, of course, will have to be purchased separately.
Design
Here he is, beautiful-faced, in front of me. Black (black) turned out to be the same Space Gray (“space gray” or “wet asphalt”) from the back. Black color is concentrated in a frame around the screen. Here it is exactly the same thickness as the first generation iPad Mini, and the same proportions as the iPad Air. Let me remind you that before the Air in the ten-inch iPad, the frame was thicker, especially on the “long” sides. Our Mini did not have a plastic strip at the top, it is typical only for 3G models.
The iPad Mini Retina is good-looking, thin, light, elegant… Only the Wow-effect from communicating with it did not happen. Let's say Air, impressed more. Like last year's Mini, being the first of its kind, it got tons of adorable reviews like laquo;look what a nice little ipe#ik!.. In the second generation, the eight-inch iPad is 23 grams heavier than the "nice little iPad" and as much as 0.3 millimeters thicker. That is, its mass is 331 grams. Not bad for an eight-inch tablet - a little, but it's not 478 grams of a ten-inch Air.
Nevertheless, worse than iPad Mini 2 did not, and the new one - dark gray - I like the color more than others: it is discreet and noble. Although, perhaps, the novelty factor is triggered.
This is the bottom line. There are stereo speakers and a Lightning connector.
The left side is empty, on the right side there are volume buttons and a toggle switch for turning the sound on / off. At the top are an audio jack and a power button, and more - microphone holes.
Actually, here are photos of two generations of small iPads lying side by side. The design and layout of the connectors and buttons are exactly the same (as with the Air).
Most readers already know the main differences: hardware and screen. Let's move on to the last one.
Display
First, a person rejoices in good things. Then he takes it as the norm. After - begins to look for flaws. So it was with my perception of the iPad Mini 2 screen. In principle, no one doubted that the second generation Mini would be equipped with a Retina display. There was no surprise. Nevertheless, the pixel density of 326 ppi is amazing (will it really become hopelessly archaic in a couple of years, and our trained eyes will meticulously peer into individual pixels on a 7.9-inch screen with a resolution of 2048x1536 pixels?). Although, to be honest, I didn’t notice the increased smoothness of the picture compared to the iPad Air, which shocked me a little earlier (the Air has the same resolution, but the pixel density due to the larger screen size is less: 264 ppi). But here's what I noticed even by eye, so it's a little less color, confirmed by the colorimeter: it does not reach sRGB. Dark and light shades practically do not differ in temperature and are only slightly above the norm of 65K. But for some reason the image feels warm. Maximum brightness white color was 343 cd/m2 (against 364 for Air). The difference is felt at the maximum: in the case of the Air, the screen seemed too bright (although this is not a record), and I mostly worked at about 60%, in the case of the Mini 2 - somewhere around 80%.
Together with some other eight-inch tablet, with a first-generation iPad Mini reject screen
Screen aspect ratio 3:4 - a topic that caused controversy in the comments to iPad review Air. I repeat in this review: I really like these proportions, they are well perceived when performing the vast majority of tasks performed on the tablet. In my opinion, it's not at all scary if, when watching a 16:9 movie, the screen frame at the top and bottom visually increases slightly due to black bars. But websites, most toys and books look great (the difference is especially visible if you compare the fonts).
System and performance
About the operating room iOS system We read 7 in the iPhone 5c review, about the architecture - in the iPhone 5s review. Here are the differences and features. “Only” (according to many Android OS fans) a dual-core 64-bit A7 processor and 1 GB of RAM, an M7 co-processor and PowerVR G6430 quad-core graphics. The filling is the same as that of Air or iPhone 5s with the only difference that the first core operates at a frequency of 1.4 GHz, the second - 1 GHz, but the hero of this review has a frequency of each of the cores is 1.3 GHz. Thus, it is a little slower than the iPad Air. Benchmarks see it, but not people. I didn't notice any difference in speed.
You can briefly describe the operation of the iPad Mini 2 without numbers: it is smooth, fast, and for all the games that are in the AppStore - more than enough, no matter what the apple-haters say, those who do not believe in benchmarks and software optimization, but reveres four cores and 2 GB of RAM. I would also like to draw attention to one nice feature: when you first launched the AppStore, the store kindly offered to download a number of free apps, among which were products for creating, viewing and editing office documents Numbers, Pages and Keynote, designed, respectively, for working with spreadsheets, texts and presentations. To be honest, I don’t know if this has happened on other iPads.
Camera
No one doubts that a camera for shooting in a tablet is not the main thing. However, if shooting on a ten-inch is completely inconvenient, then with an eight-inch version, everything is not so scary. However, Apple decided not to take tablet photography further for the time being, and put in the Mini 2 the same five-megapixel autofocus, no-flash sensor that we see in the Air and the first small iPad. In which case, capture good lighting something is possible. But not more. Front-camera at 1.2 megapixels, designed primarily for Skype-communication, perfectly copes with its function.
Autonomy, sound, heating
Claimed autonomy is 10 hours, as in the iPad Air. Two days of our communication with the iPad Mini 2 after a full charge passed without communion to the outlet. These days I played games on it for about an hour, watched a movie (the same amount), climbed the Internet, listened to music, ran tests. In a word, loaded decently. It seemed to me that the Mini gets slightly warmer than the Air: during games or running tests, the entire right half of the tablet was warm. The sound of the speakers is cleaner than the first generation Mini and about the same in volume. Only here, with a landscape grip, the dynamics are much easier to block with your hand than with the larger Air. I will say more: they are hard not to block.
In the dry matter
Last year, some Apple fans regretted that the new small iPad was equipped with somewhat outdated hardware from the iPad 2 and the same as it, only a small display. Nevertheless, the experiment with the transition to a compact form factor was a success. This is confirmed not only by the successful sales of the first, but the emergence of a new device. A device that no longer plays the role of a catch-up, but is on par with its older brother iPad Air, having almost the same hardware stuffing and screen resolution. Actually, it is the Air that is the competitor of the Mini 2. On the side of the older one, there is a slightly better screen, while the younger one takes compactness. As with the iPad Air, there will always be people who will consider the changes to the iPad Mini Retina to be insignificant and unworthy of the premium segment. However, it can hardly be considered as such a six-fold acceleration of work graphics system between generations and a fourfold increase in processing power. And, of course, the screen resolution: it also has four times more dots than the 2012 iPad Mini. And all this without a drop in battery life and virtually no increase in weight and size characteristics. In short, things have gotten a lot better for the generation, and in our opinion, this tablet is the best in its form factor. That's the verdict gg .
8 reasons to buy iPad Mini 2 Retina
- Excellent screen;
- compact size, light weight;
- good design;
- high speed of work;
- battery life;
- you love Apple and don't have an iPad;
- you love Apple and have an old iPad;
- you love Apple and want an iPad, but Air is too big for you;
3 reasons not to buy an iPad Mini 2 Retina
- You don't like Apple and/or prefer Android;
- you love Apple but want Air;
- you don't need a tablet.
