iPad Air 2 vs iPad Mini 4?

[Cakefish]

I am having trouble deciding between the Air 2 and Mini 4. This would be my first tablet.

On the one hand the Air 2 has a larger display and is faster in multithreaded CPU workloads and GPU related stuff. On the other hand the Mini 4 has a higher pixel density and is lighter. Price difference is £80 (US$122) between them. Doesn't sound like much, but I'm already cringing at the Mini's sky-high price tag.

I currently have a 5" Nexus 5, soon to be replaced by a 4.6" Sony Xperia Z5 Compact. My brother has an iPad Air and my mother has a Nexus 7 (2013). Videos (on BBC iPlayer for example) look noticeably sharper, clearer and more eye catching on the Nexus device, making me worry about the relatively low PPI of the full-size iPads (little bit lower than even my 15.6" laptop). On the other hand, the iPad Air's A7 seems to noticeably struggle with the fancy new GPU-intensive iOS 9 multitasking animation, making me worry about the A8, whilst the A8X could presumably handle it with ease.

 

[Artdeco]

I have a Mini 2, and an Air 1 & 2, I use them all interchangeably. If $ is a consideration, I'd grab an Air 2 on sale. The Mini 4 is a very versatile tablet, but you may as well use your phone if size is a concern.

 

[IndyColtsFan]

I grabbed two Air 2s (a 64 GB for myself and a 128 GB for my wife) on sale at Staples a couple of weeks ago ($150 off!) and we love them. I was using an iPad 4 and my wife had a 16 GB Air 1 prior to getting these new tablets.

 

[Eug]

I find the minis too small for use at home, but they're nicely portable. However, on the road, I would use my phone instead most of the time.

So for me, the best combo is the phone + iPad Air 2. The A8X with 2 GB RAM is great.

And actually, to be honest, if I'm going to take an iPad on the road with me, I'd probably take the Air 2 anyway.

 

[mmntech]

The A8 is still a relatively powerful CPU and Apple does say the Mini 4 supports split screen multitasking. Potential lag has more to do with RAM than graphics. Both have 2GB. However, the Air 2 is certainly the more powerful of the two by virtue of its tri-core processor. So it may be a wiser investment for the long run.

I think it all boils down to what you're using it for. The Mini's high PPI display and small size makes it ideal if you read a lot of eBooks. The Air 2's larger size is better suited to watching videos, browsing, and productivity. That's just my opinion though.

 

[Red Storm]

If you're going to be holding your tablet a lot, the difference in size and weight definitely favors the Mini.

 

[KeithP]

Videos (on BBC iPlayer for example) look noticeably sharper, clearer and more eye catching on the Nexus device

Then something else is going, it isn't the iPad hardware. Forget everything else, which size is more appealing to you...then pick the size you prefer. It really is that simple.

-KeithP

 

[Midwayman]

Mini 4 if you mainly use it to read books or plan on dragging it around with you everyday. Air 2 for everything else.

 

[poofyhairguy]

Do they have refurbished iPads where you live? The benefit of the iPad Air 2 is that is a year old so there are some great refurbished deals.

 

[mmntech]

Do they have refurbished iPads where you live? The benefit of the iPad Air 2 is that is a year old so there are some great refurbished deals.

They also come with the same warranty as a brand new device.

 

[Cakefish]

Do they have refurbished iPads where you live? The benefit of the iPad Air 2 is that is a year old so there are some great refurbished deals.

Yeah, there currently is a 128GB Gold one going for £479 which is the same price as the 64GB if bought brand new. Not bad! I've read that the refurbished ones are as good as new, no cosmetic flaws, I hope that's true. I have bookmarked the page and will keep an eye out for Space Grey WiFi only deals on 64GB+ Airs and Minis. Definitely considering it as an option.

Reading through Anandtech's review, these sentences in particular trouble me slightly;

"On the simpler side, the display resolution where I can see a noticeable difference when compared to the iPhone 6 Plus and similarly high resolution devices. The 2048x1536 resolution is nothing to be ashamed of, but when stretched to a 9.7 inch display this means that it’s relatively easy to notice pixelated areas on various curves."

 

[poofyhairguy]

Reading through Anandtech's review, these sentences in particular trouble me slightly;

"On the simpler side, the display resolution where I can see a noticeable difference when compared to the iPhone 6 Plus and similarly high resolution devices. The 2048x1536 resolution is nothing to be ashamed of, but when stretched to a 9.7 inch display this means that it’s relatively easy to notice pixelated areas on various curves."

I am pretty picky about text and it doesn't bug me really. I mean my M8 does have sharper text but it isn't night and day. An iPhone not plus bugs me more than the iPad and many find it fine.

 

[mmntech]

Yeah, there currently is a 128GB Gold one going for £479 which is the same price as the 64GB if bought brand new. Not bad! I've read that the refurbished ones are as good as new, no cosmetic flaws, I hope that's true. I have bookmarked the page and will keep an eye out for Space Grey WiFi only deals on 64GB+ Airs and Minis. Definitely considering it as an option.

I bought my iPad 1 and my parents' Apple TV as refurbs. There's no way you'd be able to tell they weren't brand new. I think a lot of refurbished items are things customers returned because they changed their minds.

 

[frumply]

I got a Air 2 and Mini 2 last year during BF. Kept Mini 2, returned Air 2.

It's all going to be about size and usability -- for tablet gaming, Mini wins hands down. Air looks beautiful but it's pretty much impossible to play games w/o cramping after a little bit. I was hooked on the tablet MOBA they showcased during the iOS8 reveal for a while and the Mini felt like the definitive device for it.

The other concern will be the display. Mini displays are not 100% correct, and while you'll get used to it, if it irks you it will irk you to no end. Especially noticeable on red/violet coloring, some things will look washed out if you switch between color correct devices.

 

[Midwayman]

Do they have refurbished iPads where you live? The benefit of the iPad Air 2 is that is a year old so there are some great refurbished deals.

Depends on where you live. If you have sales tax, buying a refurb generally means paying tax. Best deal is usually ebay. New ones are on sale there frequently for less than the refurbs and you rarely have to pay tax. $100 off an air 2 is easy with no tax. mini 4 will be harder for quite awhile.

 

[Artdeco]

DisplayMate is impressed with the Mini 4 screen:
displaymate

 

[lopri]

iOS does a very good job antialiasing text so it is not jaggies but hollowness of text that can be annoying at low PPI. You really have to see it for yourself if it bothers you. Usage scenario is another factor to consider. As frumply says, smaller iPad might be better for games, but larger iPads are better for formatted documents (e.g. PDF).

 

[Cakefish]

Well I've just spent half hour fiddling around with both in the store. Still undecided. I'm hopeless!

I love the big display on the Air 2, however I find the Mini 4 more comfortable to actually hold in the hand.

The Air 2 does seem to be a bit more smooth with the animations but even it bogs down here and there (I guess the generally accepted common knowledge that iOS is butter smooth 60fps all the time is a load of nonsense after all).

Damn, I haven't had a decision this though in a long while.

 

[midwestfisherman]

I recently picked up the Mini 4 and sold my Air 2. I like the smaller size for portability reasons. It's quite a nice little tablet. It does everything that my Air 2 did with no issues what so ever.

 

[JimmiG]

I started with a 7" Asus tablet and then moved on to an 8". Now I'm starting to feel like I should have gone with a 10". Spouse has a Mini 4. It's nice enough but I feel it's a bit small too.

I guess it depends on what you use it for. My tablets stay in the house 99% of the time. When I go somewhere I usually just bring my 5.5" phone. If you take your tablet with you, a smaller device might be preferable.

 

[saratoga172]

Personally I'd go for the Air 2. The mini size is nice but if I'm going with a tablet the Air 2 would be more useful for my personal uses and for my preferences. I guess the question is what suites your needs more?