iPad with retina display. Review of Apple iPad mini with Retina screen

iPad mini is an amazing device. When in 2012, rumors began to creep around the network that a smaller version of the familiar and beloved ten-inch iPad was being prepared in the depths of Apple's headquarters, fans of Cupertino technology rudely expressed their opinion, arguing the negative with fragmentation, imitation of the Android camp, impracticality, meaninglessness, and so on. more... Few of them would have thought then that literally in a year people would begin to abandon the classic iPad in favor of the iPad mini.

With a good aspect ratio, the iPad is better suited for web surfing than widescreen tablets. The smaller version of the iPad turned out to be even more convenient for everyday use, and all thanks to its excellent weight and size characteristics, and the first iPad mini had only two significant drawbacks - a low resolution and a relatively weak A5 processor at the time of release. iPad mini 2 was deprived of these disadvantages and now it is, in my subjective opinion, the best tablet on the market.

Before us is the same practical device, the design of which has not changed. The only visual difference between the iPad Mini Retina and the first generation iPad Mini is color. The silver-white model remained unchanged, and the black became gray, the color was officially called Space Gray, which sounds like “milky gray” in Russian localization.

What's inside the second generation iPad Mini? Let's talk about everything in order...

What's new in iPad mini 2 (Retina)

First, let's look at the differences between the iPad mini 2 and the previous model.

1. First and foremost, a 2048 x 1536 Retina display.
This is exactly the same screen resolution as the 10-inch iPad, so the iPad mini has exactly the same dpi as the iPhone - 326 dpi! For a tablet, this is an impressive figure, the image is simply amazing. The display has become brighter, more contrast, and the colors are even more saturated, the viewing angles are beyond praise, however, as always. It is infinitely pleasant to look, both at the elements of the iOS interface and programs, and at games, there is no need to talk about fonts at all. Reading the text is a pleasure.

326 pixels per inch. Pixels can't be seen with the eye

2. Powerful stuffing.
The new iPad mini is significantly more powerful than the first model. The obsolete dual-core processor A5 (the same was in the iPad 2 and iPhone 4S) was replaced by a 64-bit A7, with a frequency of 1.3 GHz. Judging by synthetic tests, the performance increase is over 400%, and the graphics processing speed has increased to 800%! The iPad mini Retina is almost the same power as the iPad Air, the only difference in the filling is the lowered frequency of the A7 processor by 100 MHz. The tablet also has an M7 coprocessor, its task is to process data about the position of the device in space - a gyroscope, an accelerometer, GPS.

3. Other changes:

the new iPad mini 2 received a quad-core graphics processor g6430;
the amount of RAM has been increased from 512 Mb DDR2 to 1024 Mb DDR3;
the tablet has become thicker by 0.3 millimeters;
Wi-Fi version weight increased from 308g to 331g, Cellular version weight increased from 312g to 341g;
battery capacity has been increased.

Specifications iPad Mini 2 (Retina)

Display	IPS 7.9" (4:3), oleophobic coating Resolution 2048 × 1536 px (326 ppi)
CPU	Apple A7 64-bit (2 cores, 28nm) + M7 Frequency 1.3 GHz
GPU	PowerVR G6430 (4-core)
Memory	1GB DRAM DDR3
Drive capacity	16/32/64/128 Gb
Camera	iSight 5 Mpx Full HD video recording 1080p/30fps, stabilization
Front-camera	1.2 Mpx HD video recording 720p/30fps
Sensors, modules	GPS, Glonass, light sensor, gyroscope, accelerometer Micro-SIM, digital compass, 1 microphone, hotspot, wireless printing, AirPlay Mirroring (mirroring)	Battery (hours)
		Music Video Internet 3G* Internet LTE* Internet WiFi Expectation	up to 140 to 10 up to 9 up to 9 to 10 up to 744	6471 mAh
iOS version Sales	iOS 7.0 11/12/2013 - Present	Dimensions (mm)
		Length Width Thickness	200 134.7 7.5	331 (341*) grams
Communication standards	GSM/GPRS/EDGE, UMTS/HSUPA/HSDPA (3G), CDMA, LTE (4G), Wi-Fi (802.11 a/b/g/n), Bluetooth 4.0
* - Cellular model

But what about the iPad Mini 2 in use?

The iPad Mini Retina, like the previous generation tablet, is ergonomic to infinity. I will add that, being Apple technology lovers for more than a year, I have always been not very fond of the classic 9.7-inch iPad. I never liked him in many respects, ranging from weight and size characteristics to the visual component. Huge weight, inconvenient dimensions, the widest bezel around the display - everything prevented me from using the large iPad as a portable and practical tablet, and it increasingly turned into a device for home, and the tasks that I assigned to it were increasingly compensated by a computer and phones, in As a result, the “toy” has practically ceased to be used by me.

In the case of the iPad Mini, the situation is diametrically opposite. Tablet light and the most practical for portable use, it fits into the inner pocket of most jackets, jackets and down jackets even in a case, taking it with you on the road is a pleasure, it can be held with one hand for a long time, and playing is a special pleasure. Given the powerful stuffing, I can advise you to choose the iPad Mini Retina for games rather than the iPad Air, it is really very convenient to play, and primarily due to its small size.

As for time autonomous work, everything is great here, however, as always with Apple. The iPad Mini Retina is capable of surviving heavy use of modern games (eg ) for up to 7 hours. Of course, this figure depends on individual settings brightness and included modules, but I managed to squeeze out 10 hours in everyday use, where there was mainly web surfing, light games, and mail. There are screenshots on the network that someone managed to torture their iPad Mini 2 at low brightness for 13 hours without recharging. Agree, impressive numbers.

And what, the iPad Mini Retina has no minuses?

There is, where without them, there are no ideal gadgets. But the cons of the second-generation iPad Mini are really few.

1. Apple completed last line iOS devices one gigabyte random access memory. Memory has become not only more, it has also become faster, but by today's standards, this is still not so much. In the Android camp, 2Gb of RAM is already the norm, if the iPad Mini 2 and iPad Air were equipped with the same amount, not many people would want to change the gadget in a year, but Apple will happily announce at the end of the year that now the next iPads have twice the RAM more and many of us with a smile on our face will run to the store. Although, on the other hand, the existing filling will be enough for modern games for another couple of years, and this is more than enough not to think about the pieces of iron inside the device.

2. Retina display. “How so, because this is his main advantage!” you say. Quite right, but this display is a bit worse than that the same as the iPad Air. The iPad Mini 2 display is inferior in contrast, brightness and color quality, but wins in image clarity and this can be seen with the naked eye. However, this small flaw should not be a reason for doubting the purchase, in practice you will notice the difference only with direct iPad comparison Mini 2 and iPad Air, but higher definition and pixel density can be seen in Mini 2 without comparison.

3. The iPad Mini Retina comes with a 10-watt power supply, when a 12-watt one has been on sale for almost a year and a half. Due to this, the charging of the tablet takes a really long time.

4. When playing "heavy" toys for a long time, the body of the Mini 2 heats up significantly, the large iPad Air is less prone to this problem, thanks to the large aluminum case. In fact, this is a heatsink for a tablet, so it turns out that a smaller heatsink takes less heat from the processor. Moreover, at some point, games can start to slow down, this happens because the frequency of the processor, when it reaches a certain temperature, starts to decrease in order to prevent overheating.

5. Perhaps the last drawback, which can be called temporary. It concerns modern games, on the iPad Mini Retina you can observe some jamming in them, I won’t say that they are very noticeable, but they are. This is due to the fact that not all developers have yet updated their applications for the 64-bit processor architecture, hence the corresponding problems.

It is also worth noting that some users have encountered the problem of a poor-quality display, which allegedly distorts the color reproduction for the next second after a long display of a black image. I have not encountered this problem, but even if you are “unlucky”, you should not get hung up, this is a trifle.

The first generation iPad Mini is still on sale, is it worth saving or is it better to buy the iPad Mini Retina?

You can save a lot and buy the first generation iPad Mini, but you must realize that you are buying obsolete hardware that will not last for several years and soon brakes will await you, both in games and in iOS. If possible, compare the iPad Mini screen of the first and second generation, you will understand that the choice is obvious in favor of the second.

And what to choose, iPad Mini 2 (Retina) or iPad Air?

Actually the question is quite simple. Both tablets are almost identical in power, you will not notice the difference. The 9.7-inch iPad is significantly lighter at 469 and 478 grams of Wi-Fi and Cellular versions, respectively. Its frame around the edges has become thinner. In general, the iPad Mini 2 and iPad Air are almost the same tablets, which are distinguished by only three things:

price - each iPad Air model is exactly 4000 more expensive than the similar iPad Mini 2;
size - iPad Air is significantly larger than Mini 2;
weight – iPad Air is heavier than iPad Mini 2 by about 140 grams.

iPad performance (single core performance)

iPad performance (multi-core performance)
Source http://www.primatelabs.com/geekbench/

It's simple, if you want a mobile, convenient, productive tablet, then take the iPad Mini 2 (Retina) without hesitation, if you want a larger screen, then iPad Air. For everyday iPad usage Mini 2 will be more convenient, play more pleasant, image clarity is higher. iPad Air loses a little in mobility and image clarity, but the screen is brighter and has better color reproduction, but still, it is more suitable for home use. The Mini is easier to carry around, even if the Air were the same weight as the iPad Mini, it would still be big and bulky, and the Mini compact and as practical as possible.

If we go to Wikipedia and look at the meaning of the word "Convenience", we will see a detailed definition:

“Convenience is fitness for use, the presence of conditions, opportunities for easy, pleasant, easy use of something or satisfaction of any needs, requirements.”

And for the iPad Mini 2, these words are more applicable than for the iPad Air. Air is the same, only bigger, hence its cons, if this is a plus for you, take the iPad Air.

Join us on

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. Pre-installed applications take up 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 transfer 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 purchased separately. The model you purchase is configured for a specific cellular network technology. For information on availability tariff plan cellular connection and its compatibility, please contact your service provider.
Not all carriers support Apple SIM and eSIM cards. Per additional information contact your carrier. Not available in mainland China.
Voice assistant Siri may not be available in all languages or all regions. Siri Features may also differ. 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 complete discharge battery when 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 Wi-Fi networks (disabled); automatic setting 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 / regions. Click on

Seems like another update. Apple tablets It was supposed to go smoothly, but the company did the impossible: they returned the slightly fading interest in large 10-inch tablets again. The iPad Air is the smallest, lightest device in its category, while the iPad mini is exactly the same.

Now you can choose one or another diagonal without sacrificing functionality, screen quality, processor power or memory size - the two models are the same. In this article I will talk about a miniature tablet, which has been seriously updated compared to its predecessor.

Main characteristics

Operating system: iOS 7.0.3
Screen: 7.85-inch IPS display with a resolution of 2048 x 1536, 324 ppi
Processor: Apple A7, 2-core Cortex-A9, ARM-v8, 1.3 GHz. PowerVR G6430 Graphics
Memory: RAM 1 GB, Built-in 16, 32, 64 or 128 GB
Camera: Front 1.3 MP FaceTime, main iSight F/2.4, 5 MP autofocus, 1080p video recording, face detection
Data transmission: Bluetooth 4.0, Wi-Fi 802.11 b/g/n (2.4 GHz and 5 GHz). There are models with support for GSM/EDGE/UMTS/LTE and CDMA/GSM/EDGE/UMTS. GPS/GLONASS (LTE version only).
Connection: Lightning connector
Battery: 23.8 Wh, up to 10 hours of surfing the Internet via Wi-Fi, watching videos
Optional: gyroscope, light sensor
Dimensions: 200 x 134.7 x 7.5mm
Weight: 331g (341g for LTE versions)
Price: from 399 euros in Europe, from 399 dollars in the US, from 15,990 in Russia (Wi-Fi model)
Complete set: cable, Charger, short instruction

Design, convenience

In most cases, when describing Apple devices, this point can be reduced to a couple of words: “nothing has changed.” Indeed, why change something that is already perfect: no one has come close to the exterior and tactile sensations of all-metal, matte cases of Apple tablets. Let me remind you that the new Google Nexus, Samsung GALAXY note, Nokia Lumia 2520 - all plastic.

The only thing you can notice is that the SIM card slot has moved a third of a centimeter, and another small hole for the microphone has appeared on the insert for the antenna, which the first iPad mini does not have.

In the iPad mini Retina, the color has changed: black has become asphalt gray (Space Grey), similar to the iPhone 5s. This color looks better, fingerprints are not visible on it, the metal texture is clearer. In a word, the change is positive.

As for the dimensions, they are also indistinguishable from the first generation. The length and width match up to tenths of a millimeter - 200 x 134.7, while the thickness has increased by an imperceptible 0.3 mm - up to 7.5 mm. Weight increased by 20 grams (up to 331 g). With these parameters, the tablet remained one of the thinnest in the world, it is the dimensions that attract many buyers to the iPad mini: the share of 10-inch models continues to decline.

Connectors and elements are in place: lightning and stereo speakers at the bottom, the lock button is at the top, and on the right is volume control and silent mode.

Screen

After the introduction of 7-inch Android tablets with Full HD screens, it became clear that Apple would also upgrade its 8-inch tablet to Retina resolution (2048 x 1536 pixels), just like the older iPad Air model. Rumors came true, iPad mini acquired a Retina screen and the main limitation of the previous generation was removed - in the first iPad mini, the dot density was 163 ppi - less than all competitors.

Now at this resolution the picture turned out to be very smooth, the density is similar to the iPhone - 324 ppi, the pixels are not noticeable at all. In short, a wonderful tablet screen. Brightness, maximum viewing angles and natural colors are all there. For anyone who wanted a lightweight and miniature Apple tablet, but was stopped by the low screen resolution, the new version is highly recommended for consideration.

Detailed testing iPad screen mini Retina was conducted by our expert Mikhail Kuznetsov.

Screen Apple iPad mini got a Retina screen. With a diagonal of 7.85 inches, the resolution reaches 2048 x 1536, which gives a pixel density of 324 ppi. Fans of counting pixels will be satisfied - with such a density, one can hardly see hints of "pixelization" of the image, the resolution is more than enough.
The margin of brightness is up to 407 cd / m 2 at maximum. The lack of brightness can be felt only in the bright sun, in other cases the stock is enough. The contrast ratio was around 900:1, an improvement over the previous iPad mini (where we measured a ratio of 687:1). The anti-glare screen filter copes well with ambient light and does not allow it to fade or fade in direct light. The viewing angles are quite wide, the shades are slightly distorted, the image remains legible at any reasonable viewing angles.

Gamma has optimal value 2.23, and the stability of the indicator is high. All midtones are displayed with the correct brightness, dark and light areas of the image have good detail - this is certainly a plus.

The average color temperature is about 6800K, the image tone is only a bit colder than the reference one. It is worth noting that at maximum brightness, the image shade becomes even colder - the color temperature tends to 7000K.

There is a slight excess of the blue component in the color balance, but the admixture is not so strong. The average Delta E error is about 5.41 units, which indicates a good quality of the factory settings. The main thing is that there is no obvious imbalance - which means that it is easy to get used to the extra shade.

The color gamut of the screen is disappointing. Like the previous version, the Retina screen of the new iPad mini falls short of the sRGB standard. Primary colors are shifted in hue and lack depth. This makes images look washed out and less believable than on sRGB screens such as the Google Nexus 7. And the tint is only half the trouble, as the blues are too bright (+104%, Delta E=17.6). In general, there is an imbalance with individual colors. Hence the rather high Delta E color errors - an average of 7.73 units. Color rendition comes out sloppy, you can usually expect more from Apple devices.

Overall, the Apple iPad mini's screen has received one obvious improvement - the high Retina resolution. A small increase in contrast is also pleasing. At the same time, one of the key drawbacks of the previous generation of iPad mini remained in place - this is a stripped-down color depth, which does not reach sRGB and somewhat distorts the shades. Apparently, in terms of screen, the iPad mini Retina is still one of the weaker devices in Apple's range. The screen is well suited for casual use (surfing and the like), but it will be more pleasant to watch photos or videos on a “full-size” iPad, and not only because of the screen diagonal.

Hardware platform and battery

Prior to the October 22 announcement, many believed that the mini tablet would have a weaker hardware platform than the 10-inch iPad Air. But Apple took a different path: iPad mini is completely similar to its large brother in the line. The most advanced Apple A7 processor (1.3GHz dual-core 64-bit processor, latest ARM v8 architecture). Let me remind you that the new cores are called Cyclone, and the entire Apple A7 chip is manufactured by Samsung using the new 28-nanometer High-K Metal Gate (HKMG) process.

A few words about the 64-bit architecture. Apple chose not the path of thoughtlessly increasing the number of cores, which creates inconvenience for application developers, but the path of unification with other devices - Macbook, iPhone. Everything Apple devices now have a 64-bit architecture, it has become much easier to create cross-platform applications for them. In the Android world, developers focus on averages so that the program works on the maximum number of devices. As a result, in most cases, additional cores in 4- and 8-core devices are simply unused. In the case of Apple, you can create programs for all devices without focusing on differences between them in terms of the number of cores, which saves both time and resources.

In addition, the new platform turned out to be not only faster than multi-core competitors, but also more economical in terms of power consumption: new Apple smartphones and tablets work as long as their predecessors worked.

In the case of the iPad mini Retina, the figures are exactly the same: 10 hours of work when watching videos, browsing the Internet via Wi-Fi. Due to the high resolution of the screen, the battery capacity has increased: 23.8 Wh versus 16.3 Wh in the predecessor iPad mini. The thickness of the tablet itself, let me remind you, has increased by only 0.3 mm: from 7.2 to 7.5 mm. I have always wondered how Apple, with the growth of quantitative indicators, maintains its usual dimensions within the same framework, but the fact remains.

graphics accelerator in new iPad mini also excels with a quad-core PowerVR (Series 6) G6430 that supports OpenGL 3.0, DirectX 10 and OpenCL 1.x. It is one of the most powerful mobile graphics chips on the market in this moment. The amount of RAM in the iPad mini Retina has doubled compared to its predecessor - there is 1 GB, as in the older iPad Air. In addition, more than fast option LPDDR3 instead of LPDDR2.

So the mini-tablet is not inferior to the 10-inch iPad Air in terms of memory and processor power. If last year the first iPad mini was rather weak, now the new generation has taken 2 steps forward. And not only compared to Apple gadgets, but also Android competitors: at the moment, none of the Android manufacturers uses ARM v8 cores (devices with Cortex A53 and Cortex A57 will obviously not appear until next year) or Imagination PowerVR Series 6 graphics. Apple is ahead here.

This fact will once again push many to think about what is better - a standard 10-inch tablet or a miniature 8-inch one. Apple made them identical in terms of hardware platform and screen resolution, camera quality, memory size (built-in and RAM), battery life, so you can only choose the size. A very interesting step choosing an iPad mini doesn't have to sacrifice quality or performance. For example, I prefer a miniature tablet, as it is so compact that it fits in any bag. The arrival of a 128 GB option is also a plus for a miniature device.

Camera

The iSight camera did not change: 5 megapixels, autofocus and spot focus. Despite the rumors, the new Apple tablets did not get 8 megapixel cameras from the iPhone 5, apparently, this is due to the fact that the resolution was not increased in the iPhone 5s either, there are the usual 8 megapixels (albeit with a large pixel size - 1.5 microns). So the quality of shooting remained at the level of its predecessor - quite an adequate level. There is also a module in the front, this is an HD camera, which will be useful for communication sessions via FaceTime. It will also allow you to take a self-portrait.

Software platform

The tablet is running the latest iOS version 7.0.3. If on the iPad mini the software slowed down a little, now the tablet does not differ in speed from the iPhone 5s, all built-in applications, like third-party ones, “fly”. Also in version 7.0.3, it was possible to turn off animations in most menus, so you can make your tablet or smartphone even faster.

The main change in iOS 7 compared to the 6th version is the control center - a panel where data, network and wireless connections, autonomous and night modes, player control buttons, as well as several fast apps(like a calculator and a flashlight). The control panel is called in the same way as the notification panel, only from the bottom of the screen. Personally, I have been waiting for its appearance for a long time, it was wrong to constantly enter the settings menu to enable the simplest functions, but better late than never.

The panel is not customizable, that is, you can’t remove unnecessary shortcuts (such as a timer) and add new ones, but you can choose whether it will be possible to call the panel on the locked screen or in open applications. There are AirDrop and AirPlay icons in the control center - wireless transmission information, multimedia on compatible devices. For example, if there is another user with iOS 7 nearby, you can transfer a file, contact, with one touch.

The notification center (the panel at the top of the screen) has received expanded functionality: it is divided into 3 parts, you can watch either all notifications or missed ones, or the Today screen, where the weather can also be displayed. The weather app has also been updated, with much more weather animations.

Multitasking was brought to a remarkable form: now there are not only program icons, but also window thumbnails, the information in which is updated in real time. Approximately the same principle as in MeeGo or Blackberry 10. Swipe up to close applications. Branded features have been improved, with Find My iPhone now requiring authorization with an Apple ID and password to disable it. Additional protection of your data, in general. V new version FaceTime has the ability to use it for voice calls without video.

Well, one of the most important innovations is the browser. Removed incomprehensible restriction on 8 open tabs, now you can open an unlimited number of them. The appearance of the windows has also changed, the miniatures have become more visual, larger.

Opinion

iPad mini with Retina screen is completely similar to the older model iPad Air - software, hardware, screen and operating time. You can choose the screen size you are interested in, and that's it - now you don't have to sacrifice anything. Let me remind you that the first generation iPad mini had only 512 MB of RAM, and the screen had a modest resolution of 1024 x 768 pixels. The price at the same time increased slightly, from 329 to 399 dollars for the initial configuration. As I said, the tablet will officially appear in Russia at a price of 15,990 rubles for a Wi-Fi configuration (the predecessor started at 13,000). The LTE version will cost 20,990 rubles for 16 GB. This will happen tomorrow, November 15th.

The new iPad mini retains the key virtues of its predecessor: a record-breaking thinness, the same design with narrow bezels and an all-aluminum body, loud stereo speakers, a huge software base and the same battery life. It was a little disappointing that the tablet decided not to use a fingerprint scanner, as in the iPhone 5s (this would have increased the cost), as well as the previous camera, although an 8 megapixel module would have been more appropriate. Otherwise, the tablet left the most pleasant impression, the Android competitors do not have the same combination of dimensions, quality of materials, speed and operating time, for which we can safely recommend the model for purchase.

We thank the company for the provided Apple iPad mini Retina First-Store.ru

Want to be the first to hear about Apple news? Click the subscribe button

Unsubscribe

Tablet
Power Supply
USB cable
Documentation
SIM eject tool (for 4G models)

Updated iPad mini: Retina display, A7 processor, slightly thicker, dark gray body instead of black, version with 128 GB of memory, but otherwise it's still the same familiar mini.

Design

The design is practically no different from the first mini, which is good - I personally really liked the device, although I never became a user of a small iPad. Closer to Air, it is more convenient to watch movies, websites and do other things on it, the screen size decides. But when I look at those people with whom I often communicate, the situation there is completely different. For one large iPad, there are a dozen small ones. And everyone has a very simple explanation: mini is much more convenient to carry with you, but in the cold season it is generally easy to put it in a jacket pocket. And I, remembering last winter, can confirm these words. I often left the house without a bag at all, taking only a mini with me - it just fit into the inner pocket of a down jacket. With his help, he worked, if you can call it that, checking mail, correspondence on Facebook, calls to Facetime. In any case, this will not work with Air, it will not fit into your pocket.

In general, this story with a pocket still works, as it worked before. Many advanced people can be easily hooked and caught by saying that this gadget, which is traditionally large, now, after our improvements, easily fits in your pocket. You don't believe in it? Okay, remember Sony VAIO P. It would seem, well, who needs a pocket laptop with such weak characteristics? Well, who will buy it? And then there were a lot of buyers, it was the winter of 2009, sales began at the end of March, and P became one of the most sought-after new products from Sony. Just a year later, the iPad appeared, and the second version of P was unclaimed. The pocket theme in Sony's work surfaced a little later, when an Android-based tablet appeared with the corresponding abbreviation, P - but only this P turned out to be of no use to anyone (almost no one, meager sales). To some extent and Sony Xperia Z Ultra can be attributed to pocket tablets, but it is hardly worth comparing with iPad mini, each of these gadgets has its own purpose - by the way, I still like Z Ultra, one of the best devices in the company's line (in general, among all other devices) . Apple, it seems to me, also followed thin ice introducing the iPad mini. Why don't consumers try it? Well, how can they not understand why they should pay a little less and lose the diagonal? But consumers got it right, and it turned out that the iPad mini outsold the big iPad. And many of my colleagues who are connected with retail say so in general: iPad mini killed sales of regular Apple tablets. At least, before the release of Air, the situation was interesting, many stores even stopped ordering cases for the iPad 2/3/4 - there was no demand for either accessories or the models mentioned. But mini was sold and is being sold, as if it were the only tablet in the company line. Why? The answer is simple, it's all about the more than once mentioned "pocket", compactness while maintaining an acceptable display diagonal for a tablet. The regular iPad is only smaller, and that's what captivates consumers. By the way, here's another interesting fact: I'm always interested in seeing what my fellow journalists use, we periodically meet at presentations, exhibitions and similar events. Say, when you see several editors of publications about Sony RX-100 gadgets, this is a sure sign that the camera is worth buying. When I was at IFA, I noticed that almost every second iPad mini (and I also had it in my bag, then there was no Air), everyone says one thing: it is compact. Therefore attractive. The secret of success is very simple. And therefore, no one expected cardinal changes from the presentation of the updated model.

The dimensions of the first iPad mini were 200x134.7x7.2 mm, weight - 308 grams (312 grams for wifi models+ Cellular). The thickness of the novelty has slightly changed, 200 x 134.7 x 7.5 mm, weight - 331 grams (the 4G version weighs 341 grams). Your old mini case may not be suitable for a new tablet, we tried several cases with colleagues, we managed to somehow attach only Vaja models.

The case is the same as the first mini, made of aluminum, made with love, it's nice to hold in your hands. The product, despite its size, is not perceived as some kind of toy, it is a pebble in the garden of plastic Galaxy - they can be good in terms of characteristics, but outwardly they look like tablets for children. You can’t say the same about mini, it’s a thing with a capital letter. The model with 4G has a plastic antenna cap on the back, with a microphone hole on it, and a camera lens next to it. On the upper end there is a power button, on the right is the usual set: mute lever, volume control buttons. Below is the Lightning connector, next to the perforation. By the way, mini with Retina is very loud, you can watch a movie without using speakers, it literally yells - you can listen to music in the bathroom while you take a shower, and you can hear quite well. The 4G model has a SIM tray on the right side, nanoSIM is used. The 3.5 mm jack is on the top left, in the center is another microphone hole.

The color has changed, instead of black it is now branded dark gray, it looks great. Girls will like the silvery tablet, the frame around the display is white, while dark gray has a black one. I hope nothing will happen to the coating, on my black mini the paint peeled off in some places, although the tablet was exploited mercilessly.

Display

Diagonal IPS-display - 7.9 inches, LED-backlit, resolution - 2048x1536 pixels, oleophobic coating on the display protection. The first mini had a resolution of 1024x768 pixels. If you expect that you will immediately see the difference, I hasten to disappoint you: thanks to iOS 7, the chances have evened out, and not everyone can understand where Retina is and where the regular display is at a glance at the tablet desktop. And some even think that the display of a simple mini is better. If you look closely, you can see that the icons, signatures are clearer, the image is more contrasting. But the difference, nevertheless, is not too noticeable, not striking.

As soon as you open Safari and any site, you immediately understand why you should choose mini with Retina. Accustomed to other such products, the clarity of the image, like cut out letters, wonderful colors, the picture is dense - a feast for the eyes. The same can be said about games and programs, it all looks much better on the Retina display.

But the difference is not striking, as in the case of laptops or large iPads, I personally expected more, but it turned out just fine. Apparently, it's all about the display diagonal and thin iOS7 fonts. They say that the display is a little yellow, at first I didn’t notice, now I see it. Just look at the white reminder or calendar icons - there is a slight, very slight tinge, but until someone tells you about it, you will not pay attention.

Performance

An A7 processor with a 64-bit architecture is used plus an M7 coprocessor, this bundle has already been talked about more than once - read iPhone reviews 5S, iPad Air. The results of testing in the Geekbench 3 program can be seen in the photographs. The tablet works faster than a simple mini, this is especially noticeable when running familiar programs, such as a browser, camera, Google Maps and others. Yes, even Facebook is faster.

The case heats up noticeably from the back while running serious applications like Infinity Blade - in winter you can use the mini as a small stove. Doesn't burn, but heats up seriously.

The traditional set of wireless interfaces, Wi-Fi (802.11 a / b / g / n), support for two bands 2.4 GHz and 5 GHz, Bluetooth 4.0. By default, Bluetooth is enabled, this is due to the appearance of the AirDrop function in iOS7 - I note once again that with Apple computers We will not be able to exchange information, sorry.

Used by iOS7, with overview operating system can be found on the website.

Memory, modifications

As with the iPad Air, there are four versions: 16, 32, 64 and 128 GB, and there are versions with Wi-Fi, Wi-Fi + 4G, and there are also two colors. I do not advise employees of online stores, there are a lot of versions, there is a lot of work to be done. In the case of tablets, it’s hard to say which series to choose, they brought me a 64 GB modification, Wi-Fi + 4G for testing, in a sense, this is the best option if there are a lot of applications, music, if you like to watch movies on a tablet. In AVplayer, you can immediately download several seasons of the series or many, many films. If for you the iPad mini is just a laptop replacement device for meetings, then 16 GB is enough. It's great that Apple still gives you that choice.

LTE

In Moscow, LTE works, this applies to both Air and iPad mini with Retina. Checked with the help of my colleague's card - by the way, I recently had a curious incident with the purchase of a 4G SIM card in Euroset, I will tell you separately. If you often work where you have to, do not sit in the office, then you should buy a mini with 4G support, the speed is impressive.

Working hours

The claimed operating time is about 10 hours of video playback, in fact, these figures are approximately true. Simply put, even if you use the tablet to the fullest during the day, it will sit down only in the evening. It is optimal to use the power supply from the kit for charging, via USB it takes a very, very long time. In general, food is in order here.

Camera

Not best device for photography, but if you don’t have a smartphone or camera at hand, it will do, especially if you are going to upload photos to Instagram later. Filters will help to disguise not the most the best quality. Camera resolution - 5 MP, front - 1.2 MP, video recording is supported in HD, there is autofocus and focus by pressing, face detection, geotargeting, HDR. I really want to believe that the next iPad will have a camera at least like the iPhone 5.

conclusions

What will happen to iPad mini with Retina next year? I think you can guess yourself. Firstly, they will work on reducing the weight and size of the device, this body has already worked its way. Secondly, they will add TouchID, as in the iPhone 5S, the smartphone, as always, acts as a kind of testing ground new technology. Thirdly, they will improve the camera, we can expect at least the same characteristics as the iPhone 5. A new processor (A8?), Well, and one more thing. For some, such changes will not be enough - I personally do not think so.

Even seemingly minimal changes to the iPad mini with Retina have revived interest in this product. Yes, such a shortage as with the iPhone 5S is not observed, but the demand is stable, new minis are stocked in retail, in November-December this will be one of the most sought-after gifts.

You can see the prices in the official Apple store in the screenshot, the cheapest tablet costs 15,990 rubles, the most expensive - 32,990 rubles. For myself, I chose a version with 64 GB of memory and 4G support, such a mini costs 28,990 rubles. If you don't need 4G, you can save five thousand, not bad. The most popular will be tablets with Wi-Fi 16/32 GB, already now we can assume a shortage in the coming months.

In general, about the device. Has it become better iPad mini? Yes, instead of a simple Retina screen, a different processor (and the difference in speed is noticeable), there is a version with 128 GB of memory. Should I upgrade my mini to a new one? Before that, I recommend that you go to the store and evaluate the display yourself. Only those who have already used mini will notice the difference, the rest will be satisfied with the first generation tablet.

In any case, this is one of best tablets on the market by the combination of characteristics, and if you are not satisfied with the size iPad cases Air, then feel free to buy an iPad mini with Retina.

P.S. We will add a video to the review tomorrow or the day after tomorrow, before the end of the year we will try to publish the operating experience - if Artem has time, he will write this material. I know that Artem loves iPad mini and can tell you a lot of interesting things.

The author expresses gratitude to the store "Computer Plaza" for the device provided for the test.

Related links

Sergey Kuzmin ()

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 for actual display user interface and games 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 original iPad(25Wh), but in the chassis it takes up only 1/3 of the volume. 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. An effective solution to the main problem of the original iPad mini - new mini significantly faster and comes with significantly the best 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 the mini not only the right to use the term Retina Display, but also the highest density display in Apple's lineup.

The rest of the body doesn't look much different than the original mini. Apple loves to design it mobile devices hasn't changed too much in at least two generations, and the mini is no exception. This is by no means a complaint. I am simply fascinated by the high quality of the mini chassis, just like 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 little additional work, overriding previews placed on either edge of the mini to make up for the missing part of the bezel before the "keep".

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 cell model, you will find the 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 is 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 around with your fingers, 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 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 optimal 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 the display bigger size, but if you look at content that's properly formatted for a tablet, you'll be delighted with 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.

Covers

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 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.