Ipad mini w/ Retina Display review is up

[Ravynmagi]

I've been comparing my iPad Mini Retina and Nexus 7 2013 screens and Anandtech's review confirmed everything I was seeing.

The iPad mini has less accurate colors, saturation, contrast, and brightness. The iPad Mini display still looks great, but ASUS and Google really nailed it on the Nexus 7 2013.

And wow, 583 nits of brightness on the Nexus 7 vs 370 on the iPad Mini. I might get a LCD tan with my Nexus at full brightness.

The Nexus 7 also seems to have less reflections and looks better at angles, I think because the iPad Mini still has a gap between the LCD and glass where the Nexus 7 LCD is laminated to the glass or has no gap at least.

Main problem with the Nexus 7 display is light bleeding is much more noticeable on black backgrounds, like when I'm reading Kindle with the dark theme. My iPad Mini has very little visible backlight bleeding, it's something that Apple seems to be better than most at, as I've never had issues with backlight bleeding on any of my iPads.

 

[Joe1987]

That is simply the way it works with Apple products + marketing + rabid fans. Every year's product is the greatest thing ever made which renders the previous year's model as complete garbage that should never have been purchased, or at the very least makes the continued user a complete idiot.

Every company does it, not just Apple.

 

[ControlD]

Every company does it, not just Apple.

You are exactly right. That is how they sell the products. Perhaps I am just more sensitive to the Apple products because I own several and once a year get to hear how crappy they just became! I also think Apple plays the game better. The live events, etc. really get the fervor roaring for the new products.

 

[Joe1987]

You are exactly right. That is how they sell the products. Perhaps I am just more sensitive to the Apple products because I own several and once a year get to hear how crappy they just became! I also think Apple plays the game better. The live events, etc. really get the fervor roaring for the new products.

And Apple stuff holds it's resale value pretty well too, helps justify upgrades. I have an iPad 2, and bought a 3, wasn't impressed, sold it, and have used the 2 for several years, just upgraded to the Air, and have a couple of rMinis ordered from a company on the East coast, no taxes, free shipping. I suspect I'll use the Air and the Mini for several years at least. (I picked up an extra 16GB WiFi rMini just in case the resale market is good if the supplies are as short as Apple says they are)

 

[jiffylube1024]

And Apple stuff holds it's resale value pretty well too, helps justify upgrades. I have an iPad 2, and bought a 3, wasn't impressed, sold it, and have used the 2 for several years, just upgraded to the Air, and have a couple of rMinis ordered from a company on the East coast, no taxes, free shipping. I suspect I'll use the Air and the Mini for several years at least. (I picked up an extra 16GB WiFi rMini just in case the resale market is good if the supplies are as short as Apple says they are)

That's the key and if you play your cards right you don't have to pay the "Apple tax" very often once you're onboard. I bought a used iPad 3 for $420, flipped it for $400 2 months later when I got an ipad 4 on sale from Staples with a coupon - $475 tax in. Now, a year later, I'm flipping my iPad 4 for a mini w/ retina and net cost to me is ~$50-70.

 

[Wolfovich]

The iPad Mini with Retina is a good upgrade from the iPad 2/3, but it's not absolutely necessary if you have the first generation Mini. If it's in your budget, than go ahead and buy it. But don't be one of those people who buy the newest Apple and still have to pay an outstanding iPhone bill.