What's different about iPad 2 mini? How to distinguish iPad models: external differences and numbers

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

Having 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, all thanks to its excellent weight and size characteristics. The first iPad mini had only two significant drawbacks - its low resolution and the 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.

We still have 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, but the black one became gray; the color was officially named Space Gray, which in Russian localization sounds like “milky gray.”

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 is the Retina display with a resolution of 2048 x 1536.
This is exactly the same screen resolution as a ten-inch iPad, as a result of which the number of dots per inch of the iPad mini is exactly the same as the iPhone - 326 pieces! For a tablet, this is an impressive figure, the image is simply stunning. The display has become brighter, more contrasty, and the colors are even more saturated; the viewing angles are beyond praise, however, as always. It’s endlessly pleasant to look at both the elements of the iOS interface and programs, as well as games; there’s no need to talk about fonts at all. The text is a pleasure to read.

326 pixels per inch. Pixels cannot be seen with the eye

2. Powerful filling.
The new iPad mini is significantly more powerful than the first model. The outdated dual-core A5 processor (the same one 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 graphics processing speed has increased to 800%! The iPad mini Retina is almost the same in 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 - gyroscope, accelerometer, GPS.

3. Other changes:

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

Specifications iPad Mini 2 (Retina)

Display	IPS 7.9 inches (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	1 GB DRAM DDR3
Storage 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	Battery (hours of operation)
		Music Video Internet 3G* Internet LTE* Internet Wi-Fi Expectation	up to 140 to 10 until 9 until 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?

iPad Mini Retina, like the previous generation tablet, is ergonomic to infinity. I’ll add that I, being a fan of Apple technology for many years now, have always not had a very good attitude towards the classic 9.7-inch iPad. I never liked it for many reasons, from weight and size characteristics to the visual component. Huge weight, inconvenient dimensions, a wide frame 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 the home, and the tasks that I assigned to it were increasingly compensated by computers and phones, in As a result, I practically stopped using the “toy”.

In the case of the iPad Mini, the situation is diametrically opposite. The tablet is lightweight and extremely 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; you can hold it with one hand for a long time, and playing is a special pleasure. Considering the powerful hardware, I can recommend choosing the iPad Mini Retina for games rather than the iPad Air; it’s really very convenient to play, primarily due to its small dimensions.

As for battery life, everything is great here, however, as always with Apple. iPad Mini Retina can survive heavy use with modern games (for example) for up to 7 hours. Of course, this indicator depends on the individual brightness settings and the included modules, but I managed to squeeze out 10 hours in everyday use, which was mainly web surfing, light games, and email. There are screenshots online that someone managed to torture their iPad Mini 2 for 13 hours without recharging at low brightness. Agree, impressive numbers.

So, does the iPad Mini Retina have any downsides?

There are, where would we be without them, there are no ideal gadgets. But the second generation iPad Mini really has few downsides.

1. Apple has equipped its latest line of iOS devices with one gigabyte of RAM. Not only has there been more memory, it has also become faster, but by today's standards this is still not that 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 would want to change the gadget in a year, but at the end of the year Apple will happily announce that the next iPad will now have twice the RAM more and many of us will run to the store with a smile on our faces. Although, on the other hand, the existing hardware will be enough for modern games for another couple of years and this is more than enough not to think about the hardware inside the device.

2. Retina display. “How can this be, because this is its most important advantage!” - you say. Absolutely true, but this display is a little worse than the one on the iPad Air. The iPad Mini 2 display is inferior in contrast, brightness and color quality, but gains in picture clarity and this is visible to the naked eye. However, this small drawback should not be a reason to doubt the purchase; in practice, you will notice the difference only when directly comparing the iPad Mini 2 and iPad Air, but you can notice the higher clarity and pixel density of the Mini 2 without comparison.

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

4. When playing “heavy” toys for a long time, the Mini 2 case heats up significantly; the large iPad Air is less susceptible to this problem, thanks to the large aluminum case. Essentially, this is a radiator for a tablet, so it turns out that a smaller radiator takes less heat from the processor. Moreover, at some point games may begin to slow down, this happens because the processor frequency, upon reaching a certain temperature, begins 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 see some stuttering in them, I won’t say that they are very noticeable, but they are there. 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 low-quality display, which allegedly distorts the color rendition the next second after a long display of a black image. I haven’t encountered this problem, but even if you are “unlucky”, you shouldn’t get hung up on it, it’s a trifle.

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

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

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

Actually the question is quite simple. Both tablets are almost the same in power, you won’t notice the difference. The 9.7-inch iPad has become significantly lighter at 469 and 478 grams for the 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 identical tablets, which differ in only three things:

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

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 don’t hesitate to take the iPad Mini 2 (Retina), if you want a larger screen, then the iPad Air. For everyday use, the iPad Mini 2 will be more convenient, more enjoyable to play, and higher image clarity. The iPad Air loses a little in portability 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, even if the Air were the same weight as the iPad Mini, it would still be large and bulky, while the Mini is compact and as practical as possible.

If we go to Wikipedia and look up the meaning of the word “Convenience”, we will see a detailed definition:

“Convenience is suitability for use, the presence of conditions, opportunities for easy, pleasant, unburdensome use of something or the satisfaction of any needs or 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 disadvantages, if this is a plus for you, take the iPad Air.

Join us on

As a rule, it is customary to compare models of Apple devices from different lines. But today's review will be completely different. We will try to compare different versions of the iPad mini model, since many are interested in this issue. On online forums you can often come across the question of what are the similarities between the iPads of this line and what are their different characteristics.

Comparing mini iPads will show which one is better. It will also be clear whether each new device has brought something exclusive. But let’s immediately make a reservation that the design of all the gadgets that will be considered is very similar.

But as far as the functionality of the models is concerned, you can see a lot of changes here. The technical characteristics of mini-tablets have also changed over time. The Apple iPad mini 16 Gb has been replaced by gadgets with much larger amounts of memory. Or the appearance of versions with an innovative Retina display, which caused great excitement.

The second option has a more powerful “filling” inside than a simple mini. The same can be said about devices 2 and 3 and so on.

But it should be noted that even the tablet released in 2012 is still popular among users. Models 2 and 3 also remain at the peak of popularity.

It is known that there is a category of users who update their gadgets immediately as soon as a new product comes out. Such people are called by the English term “Mac nazi”. This console characterizes the user as a big fan of Apple products.

Comparative characteristics of iPad models of different versions will help this kind of buyer answer the question of whether such frequent equipment updates are necessary. After all, Apple releases new products almost every year. Based on the analysis, we will try to draw objective conclusions about how relevant devices released 2-3 years ago are in modern conditions. Most likely, they perform their functions no worse than the latest models. So is it worth spending money on them or making do with your good old tablet for now? You will learn about this and much more from this article.

The first small iPad and version 2 are identical in appearance. To the untrained eye it will be difficult to distinguish one device from another. But despite almost 100% similarity, there are still differences. Model number two is slightly thicker than its predecessor. In other dimensions the dimensions are almost the same. When visually examining the devices, this difference is not felt at all.

The mini model with a Retina display – that is, the second iPad mini – is almost 30 grams heavier than the first generation device. But this also had no effect on the differences. When you hold two devices in different hands, their weight seems the same.

The placement of buttons on the second iPad remains the same. The elements are made of high quality metal. To press them you will need to apply a little force.

The manufacturer, as before, made the case from aluminum. The frames look stylish and thin.

The connectors haven't moved anywhere either. On the top left side there is a hole for headphones. In the very center at the top is a microphone. The Power button is still at the top right. On the side on the right side there is a button for auto-locking display rotation, which is very convenient for the user. Near it are sound control elements.

The color schemes of both devices are the same. The gadgets came in silver and dark gray shades.

The most significant difference between these tablets is the new display that appeared in the second model. So the absence of this innovative detail in a simple mini can be considered a disadvantage.

In fact, while the new display is really good, it's more marketing than technical improvements. This screen is a liquid crystal element with increased pixel density. Such characteristics make it possible to make the picture very impressive, since it is simply impossible to see the pixels, even when peering into the image.

The display resolution in the first mini is 2 times lower than in the second. The latest model is also equipped with an anti-glare coating. This is very important when working in bright light. The manufacturer equipped both gadgets with an IPS matrix.

iPad mini and mini 2 camera

Visually, the cameras of both models have no differences either. The resolution of the main elements of both versions is 5 MP. It is possible to shoot videos with video formats over 1000p.

At the same time, selfie cameras have a modest resolution of 1.2 MP. But in a more modern tablet model, this element is equipped with a sensor and backlight. All this allows you to take high-quality photographs even in poor light.

Tests of the rear part of the second tablet showed that the quality of the finished photos is only slightly better than those taken on the previous gadget. However, a comparison of mini versions with other tablets using this criterion showed that, for example, the Air model has even better camera quality than the second generation tablet. By the way, Air came out at the same time.

If we compare all other characteristics of devices, then the newer device will also have superiority. But if we return to the cameras again, in the Pad mini 2 it absorbs noise better and allows you to take beautiful, clear photographs, despite such a low resolution. The main disadvantage is the lack of flash.

Comparison of tablet versions 3 and 4

The developer presented the fourth tablet no less pretentiously than all its products. But the Apple iPad Pro received much more attention at the same event. Despite this, many experts considered the four to be the best. If we talk about version 3 of the tablet, then the comparison, as always, will be in favor of the newer model.

The design of the four, as in the previous case considered, is similar to the previous model. But this does not mean that the manufacturer cheated and introduced almost the same model to the market. As always, there are differences and we will talk about them further.

Pad mini 3 and 4 design

Let us emphasize once again that the Apple company does not practice changing the design of its gadgets. This also applies to tablets, as can be seen from the mini line. Externally, three and four are practically indistinguishable. To add individuality to his gadget, the user can choose an interesting case and other accessories.

Both tablets have 8-inch displays. The back of them is made of metal. The front part is made of glass, and has several button elements/ports.

Digging further, we see that the similarities between the compared tablets are even more striking. So, the “Home” button has not gone away. This item can be found in its usual place, but there is a hidden fingerprint inside it. The only difference is the absence of a mute button on the fourth gadget. Also, the microphone began to be located instead of the central part - closer to the main camera. The speaker grille at the bottom has also changed a little; there are more circles by one row.

Both devices have a Lightning port and it is located at the very bottom of the device. The element is surrounded by 2 speaker grilles. The sound control buttons for both tablets are on the right. But the earlier model also has a “Hold” switch, which can be used to completely turn off the device. The manufacturer removed it from the four. The power supply is located in the upper part, and the headphone jack is located in the same place, only on the left side.

The only significant difference between the three and four is the dimensions and weight. The newest model has lost about 10% of its weight compared to the previous version of the tablet. This happened due to the reduction in the size of the outer frame. Because of this, the device became thinner.

To summarize, we will say that the comparison of the hardware parts of the devices is again in favor of the latest tablet. Even though the differences here are not so significant, but thanks to small improvements, the four works faster.

It must be said that the appearance of mini tablets caused a revival in this market. Various companies - not only major competitors of Apple, but also small Chinese companies offered their alternatives, since there was an increased demand for the small device. Thus, the Xiaomi mipad model has become very popular. What immediately catches your eye when studying the tablets of this brand is the variety of color palette of the cases. Xiaomi mipad is made in bright youth colors, which many liked.

What's the difference between iPad and Cellular?

Another thing I would like to talk about is the term Cellular. Many people have heard about it, but do not know what it means. So, usually tablets with Wi-Fi, and Apple also released models with Wi-Fi and with Cellular.

The first type of device has access only to wireless networks, while the second also has 3 and 4 G networks. Thus, a user who has a gadget with Cellular can always and everywhere access the network, without being tied to Wi-Fi.

How to recognize the model of a Cellular device? It's very easy to do. A tablet with this technology has an additional black or white cap on the back cover at the top. It is designed to protect the antenna, which both transmits and receives data from the 3 and 4 G networks.

Will appear before the end of the month. Making a choice is very difficult, because the characteristics of the tablets are almost the same.

Apple's latest development, its newest tablet iPad Air has finally become available to everyone - from November 1, it appeared on store shelves in 42 countries and in numerous retail outlets on the Internet. But don’t rush to buy, because there are other newcomers worthy of attention in the iPad family. In just a few weeks, by the end of November, it should go on sale. It is its release that puts fans of Apple products, and everyone else, at a dead end - which tablet to choose? Innovative Air or updated Mini? The choice is not easy, but it will be all the more interesting to understand this issue.

Compared to iPad 2

Released in 2011, the iPad 2 currently costs $399 for the 16GB version - new iPad mini 2 with Retina display will be sold at the same price. Apple's pricing policy remains unclear, because... clear superiority iPad mini 2 on the face.

iPad Air and iPad mini Retina – one device, different sizes

These tablet models are not just similar, they are 90% identical, if not more. Both feature the latest high-definition Retina displays, 5-megapixel cameras on the back and are sold with a minimum storage capacity of 16GB. Neither received a new proprietary fingerprint scanner, but Apple claims that the battery life of both tablets reaches 10 hours. And one more thing - they even have the same body color variations.

The difference, as is easy to see, is only in the length of the diagonal - 9.7 inches iPad Air versus 7.9 inches iPad mini 2. Moreover, the maximum resolution for both is also identical, 2048 × 1536 pixels, so in fact the whole difference is described by such a parameter as the density of pixels per square inch. U iPad Air it is equal to 264 ppi, its opponent has 326 ppi - for comparison, last year’s model iPad mini this figure is only 163 ppi. For the vast majority of users, such a difference is invisible and has no practical application.

Main differences: dimensions, weight and price

iPad Air has a diagonal of 9.7 inches, weighs 469 g and costs $499. Characteristics iPad mini 2 with Retina display– 7.9 inches, 331 g and $399, $100 cheaper. And this is the difference between the two tablet models that is clear to everyone and is of decisive importance. Of course, there's some doubt that the Mini's batteries won't be as good as the Air's, which has already lasted more than 12 hours in independent testing. But they also won’t work for less than 10 hours declared by the manufacturer, so with a difference of $100, this factor will confuse few people. Those wishing to purchase a device with a larger screen can safely opt for iPad Air, supporters of compact gadgets will prefer the very lightweight iPad mini 2- that's the whole choice.

Performance

Tablets are not workstations in the direct sense, so the assessment is made using indirect parameters. For example, working with a virtual keyboard is clearly more convenient on iPad Air, due to the large size of the latter. If you often have to type text, write program code, etc., then the choice is not difficult to make. On the other hand, for managers in their work, a convenient mobile communicator and a small iPad mini 2 more attractive in this regard.

Thinking about $100

In the minimum configuration with 16 GB of memory, the price difference between iPad Air And iPad mini 2 with Retina display is $100 towards the latest model. And this is a good reason, for example, to still shell out $499, but buy an iPad mini with 32 GB of memory. Or pay another $30 and get a version not only with Wi-Fi, but also with cellular support for $529. You can also buy a cute and useful accessory, even several. In extreme cases, there will simply be 100 dollars left in your wallet - I think it won’t be difficult to find a use for this amount.

About the keyboard

Smaller screen area iPad mini 2 forces application developers to reduce the size of keys on virtual keyboards so that they somehow fit into the space allocated for them. This is an unpleasant fact that owners of future iPad minis will simply have to come to terms with, despite the presence of Retina displays. Naturally, the owners iPad Air will be deprived of such discomfort, so the choice is not difficult to make - for those who do not spend a day without a keyboard. Moreover, the constant use of separate Bluetooth keyboards completely deprives the iPad mini of its basic advantage - mobility.

When size is everything

There's no need to wait until the end of November to see how comfortable it is for everyday use iPad mini 2 with Retina display. Just come to the store and look at the 7.9-inch tablets on display - and everything will become clear. Especially in comparison with the large ones located nearby iPad Air, which are so inconvenient to stuff into a travel bag, but very pleasant to use for working with multimedia. And you don’t have to be a rocket scientist to understand when a compact iPad mini is appropriate, and when a MacBook Air with its 13-inch screen can be used.

And there is still a risk of a stupid mistake

The difference between the old 600g iPad 4 and the 300g iPad mini is obvious - a year ago the choice was easy to make. But now the weight and size characteristics of the two new tablets merge, not to mention their filling, so the decision has to be made based on subjective criteria. Ask 13-inch MacBook owners what they think about the 11-inch model they've never used. It is unlikely that their assessment will be objective and reasoned - the same is true when comparing iPad Air And iPad mini 2 with Retina display. Alas, until the latter physically appear in stores, it is impossible to work with both models and make a choice based on personal experience. All you have to do is wait, suffer from doubts and remember the difference of $100.

At the moment we can distinguish as many as 10 different iPads (iPad 1, iPad 2, iPad 2 new, iPad 3, iPad 4, iPad Air, iPad Air 2, iPad Mini, iPad Mini 2 and iPad Mini 3). On the used tablet market, you can accordingly find any of these models. How to distinguish them from each other? This is what we will talk about now.

How to distinguish an iPad tablet from a fake?

The first question that a beginner faces. Now the Chinese have learned to copy any technology so accurately that a scenario is quite likely in which an ignorant person can allegedly buy an iPad, but in reality it will turn out to be some kind of aPad on Android.

A sealed iPad can be identified by its branded box, which looks something like this. Naturally, the box of a completely new device will be sealed in film.

On one of the edges it will say either iPad or iPad mini. On the other there is a branded bitten apple or a cloud icon - iCloud.

If you hold the tablet in your hands, then it’s even easier to distinguish. Turn it backside down. There should also be an apple there in the very center. And below is information about the iPad. Below is the serial number of the device.

Turn on your tablet. You won't confuse the iOS operating system with anything else.

And like this (note the outdated icon design):

How to distinguish the first iPad (1st generation)

The first iPad is very easy to distinguish externally, even by feel, in comparison with iPads of other generations. It looks more massive and the edges are straighter. But what to do if there are no other models at hand? Turn the iPad backwards. Only the first iPad model did not have a camera. Only the iPad 1 has speakers located at the bottom rather than on the back.

Also worth a special mention is the black plastic insert on the back of the iPad. If it is at the top, then you have an iPad with 3G; if it is not there, then you have a regular iPad with Wi-Fi in your hands.

How to distinguish iPad 2

The iPad has more rounded edges on the body. It becomes thinner and lighter. There is no speaker below now. The speaker is located on the back wall of the tablet.

The different variations can be distinguished from each other by the model code. This code can be found on the back of the iPad at the very bottom, where all the small print is engraved. Find lines like “Model A1396”:

A1395 – iPad 2 Wi-Fi model
A1396 – GSM model iPad 2
A1397 – CDMA model iPad 2

But the problem with the iPad 2 is different. In the spring of 2012, another version of the iPad 2 was released, which features a newer processor and slightly more economical power consumption. Moreover, you should remember that this new version of iPad 2 requires its own firmware. In the article with firmware, I mark it as iPad 2 New.

How to distinguish the old iPad 2 (2011) from the new iPad 2 (2012)

Visually they are no different.

You can distinguish this way - go to Settings->General->About this device->Diagnostics and use->Data .
Open any report from there - look for the line at the top Hardware Model. If iPad 2.4, then you have exactly the same iPad from 2012, that is, New.

How to distinguish iPad 3 (The New iPad)

It is very difficult to visually distinguish iPad 2 from iPad 3 from a photograph. Try:

If you turn on the iPad 3, you will immediately feel the difference with previous generations of iPad, looking closely at the magnificent Retina screen. Look at the system fonts. If you don't see pixels, then this is the same Retina screen.

How to determine the iPad model? Exactly the same - according to the model code. This code can be found on the back of the iPad at the very bottom, where all the small print is engraved. Find lines like “Model A1416”:

A1416 – iPad 3 Wi-Fi model
A1430 – GSM model iPad 3
A1403 – CDMA model iPad 3

How to identify an iPad 4 (iPad with Retina display, the latest iPad model)

If you turned on the iPad 4, you will immediately feel the difference from the iPad 1 and iPad 2 when looking up close at the magnificent Retina screen. Look at the system fonts. If you don't see pixels, then this is the same Retina screen. Despite the fact that the iPad 4 is called the iPad with Retina display, Retina appeared in the iPad 3. It is believed that the iPad 4 is simply a polished version of the iPad 3.

iPad 4 and iPad 3 are visually similar as two peas in a pod. The most important visual difference is the small input for Lightning charging. It was with the iPad 4 that the Lightning input became standard on all subsequent models.

How to find out which iPad model? Yes, everything is the same according to the model code. This code can be found on the back of the iPad at the very bottom, where all the small print is engraved. Find lines like “Model A1458”

A1458 – iPad 4 Wi-Fi model
A1459 – Cellular model iPad 4
A1460 – CDMA model of iPad 4

How to distinguish iPad Air

The iPad Air is externally distinguished by a narrow side edge with the same screen size of 9.7 inches.

Also noteworthy are the separated volume buttons on the side of the iPad.

Well, the weight of the device compared to the iPad 4 decreased by 200 grams.

How to find out which iPad model? This code can be found on the back of the iPad at the very bottom, where all the small print is engraved. Find lines like “Model A1474”

A1474 – iPad Air Wi-Fi model
A1475 – LTE model of iPad Air

A1476 – LTE – model aimed at Asia.

A1460 – CDMA model of iPad Air

How to distinguish iPad Air 2

iPad Air 2 is very similar to the first Air modification, but there are still differences. The tablet has become even thinner and lighter. But you won’t weigh the device. Let's try to look at the differences that are more noticeable to the naked eye.

Look at the side of the tablet. The screen lock button has disappeared. Now there are only volume buttons. Characteristic holes also appeared on the side surface and near the camera eye.

Well, the golden color (in addition to “space gray” and “silver”) is a clear sign of the iPad Air 2.

The iPad Air 2 also features a fingerprint scanner. Visually, it is distinguished by a steel outline around the Home button. Also in the iOS settings, the “Password” item is now called “Touch iD and password”.

How to find out what model iPad Air 2 is? This code can be found on the back of the iPad at the very bottom, where all the small print is engraved. Find lines like “Model A1566”. The iPad Air 2 has only two modifications.

A1566 – Wi-Fi model of iPad Air 2
A1567 – LTE model of iPad Air

How to distinguish iPad Mini

iPad Mini is easy to distinguish from other iPads due to its small dimensions (screen only 7 inches) and weight of 308 grams.

Below is a photo of the iPad Mini compared to the iPad 4.

Also, the iPad Mini's speakers have moved downwards. Much like it was with iPad 1. The volume buttons on the iPad Mini are separated from each other (in regular iPads, the “+” and “-” buttons are merged together). The iPad Mini of all generations, like the iPad 4, has a narrow Lightning charging port.

The different iPad Mini variations can be distinguished from each other by their model code. This code can be found on the back of the iPad Mini at the very bottom, where all the small print is engraved. Find lines like “Model A1432”:

A1432 – iPad Mini Wi-Fi model
A1454 – Cellular model iPad Mini
A1455 – CDMA model of iPad Mini

How to distinguish iPad Mini with Retina Display (iPad Mini 2)

In the fall of 2013, Apple made the dream of millions of fans come true and made the iPad Mini with a retina screen. Externally, the iPad Mini 2 is no different from the iPad Mini. You can only distinguish visually on the screen. The screen of the iPad Mini 2 looks much sharper and it is almost impossible to notice the pixels in the picture with the naked eye.

The surest way to identify an iPad Mini 2 is to look at the model code.

A1489 – iPad Mini 2 Wi-Fi model
A1490 – LTE model of iPad Mini 2

How to distinguish iPad Mini 3

iPad Mini 3 is a slightly improved version of iPad Mini 2. It is difficult to distinguish them, but it is possible. The most important difference is the Touch ID fingerprint scanner. Visually, it is distinguished by a steel outline around the Home button. Also in the iOS settings, the “Password” item is now called “Touch iD and password”.

Well, the golden color in the “mini” is a clear ghost of the iPad Mini 3.

The surest way to identify an iPad Mini 3 is to look at the model code.

A1599 – iPad Mini 3 Wi-Fi model
A1600 – LTE model of iPad Mini 3

A1601 – LTE model for Southeast Asian markets (sometimes called iPad Mini 3 China)

How to distinguish an iPad by the number of gigabytes

1. We look at the back surface of the iPad. At the bottom, where the information is engraved, you can find the capacity of the iPad (16, 32, 64, 128 gigabytes).

2. This information is also contained in the system. Opening Settings -> General -> About this device . See item Capacity.

It is worth remembering that the number displayed there is slightly less than 16,32,64,128. For example, an iPad with 32 gigabytes will say 28.5. Why is this happening? 32 gigabytes means 32,000,000,000 bytes. Divide by 1024 three times to get the actual number of gigabytes. It comes out to approximately 29.8 gigabytes. We subtract 1.3 gigabytes somewhere for the system and file system table. We get 28.5 gigabytes available to the user.

The leader among compact tablets

With a slight delay after the start of global sales of the iPad Air, the second new Apple product presented on October 22 - the iPad mini with Retina display - became available to customers. Being, perhaps, one of the most anticipated devices of this year, the iPad mini went on sale in Russia at the same time as the whole world, which is very rare. True, the official online store indicates a delivery time of 2-3 weeks, but this did not stop us from quickly getting hold of the new product for testing.

Since all the general information about the iPad mini with Retina display has already been given in the report from the Apple presentation, we will not repeat it. Let us only note that this is the first update to the iPad mini, and it is all the more important that Apple not only updated the “internals” of the device, but also equipped it with a screen of a fundamentally higher level.

Apple A7 SoC @1.3 GHz (2 cores, 64-bit Cyclone architecture based on ARMv8)
GPU PowerVR G6430
Apple M7 motion coprocessor 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 video via FaceTime) 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 (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 @1 GHz (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	from 16 to 128 GB	from 16 to 128 GB	from 16 to 64 GB	16/32 GB
Connectors		Lightning dock connector, 3.5mm headphone jack	Lightning dock connector, 3.5mm headphone jack	Micro-USB, 3.5 mm headphone jack
Memory card support	No	No	No	No
RAM	1 GB	1 GB	512 MB	2 GB
Cameras		front (1.2 MP, 720p video via FaceTime) and rear (5 MP, 1080p video shooting)	front (1.2 MP, support for video communication 720p) and rear (5 MP, video recording 1080p)	front (1.2 MP) and rear (5 MP, 1080p video shooting)
Internet		Wi-Fi (optional - 3G, as well as 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 manufacturer information
** the weight of the version with a cellular module is indicated
*** the weight of the version without cellular module is indicated
**** for version with 16 GB flash memory and without cellular module

It is clearly seen that the iPad mini Retina is identical to the iPad Air in almost all characteristics (except for dimensions). And this is incredibly cool, because the first generation iPad mini, released simultaneously with the iPad 4, had the same characteristics as the iPad 2. That is, 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 clear conclusions from the data presented in the table. However, it is significant that Google's tablet is slightly lighter and more compact than the iPad mini Retina. But at the same time it has a smaller screen and a plastic body.

Interestingly, despite the appearance of the new iPad mini, the previous model also remains in the company’s lineup, and its cost starts 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 minis is adequate to the amount of 4,000 rubles and how relevant the first iPad mini is today.

Packaging and accessories

The packaging of the iPad mini Retina is practically no different from the packaging of the previous generation tablet.

As for the packaging, everything here is also similar to the first iPad mini: leaflets, charger (5.1 V 2.1 A), Lightning cable, stickers and a key for removing 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 appearance of the iPad mini remained practically unchanged.

The all-metal body (made of anodized aluminum) pleases with both 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 and can be pressed with little effort. Their location is similar to the previous model. Top right is the Power button, top left is a 3.5 mm headphone jack. At the top center is the hole for the built-in microphone. 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 at the top that hides the antenna. It, of course, somewhat spoils the overall appearance, but does not dampen 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 of different generations. But if the difference in thickness is really not visible, then the changed mass is already noticeable. However, this is quite acceptable, and these changes do not have a fundamental impact on the user experience.

Screen

The main feature of the new iPad mini is its Retina display with a resolution of 2048x1536. When testing the first iPad mini, which had a resolution of 1024x768, 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, which, as a rule, are not indicated in official technical specifications and are revealed only through careful testing.

A detailed examination of the new Retina screen was carried out by the editor of the “Projectors and TV” section, Alexey Kudryavtsev.

The front surface of the screen is made in the form of a glass plate with a mirror-smooth surface that is scratch-resistant. Judging by the reflection of objects, there is a very effective anti-glare filter, approximately equal in reducing the brightness of the reflection to the screen filter of the Google Nexus 7 2013 (we will compare it with it below). For clarity, here are photographs in which a white surface is reflected in the turned off tablet screens (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 differences in color tone and frame color, but statistics from the graphics editor show that the screen on the new iPad mini is slightly lighter (average brightness value is 95) than that of the Nexus 7 (83), and darker than the old iPad mini (108).
The reflection in the screen triples, 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 (also known as a touch panel) is easier and cheaper to repair. The outer surface of the screen has a special oleophobic (grease-repellent) coating (effective, but still worse than that of the Nexus 7), so fingerprints are removed much more easily and appear at a slower rate than with regular glass.
With manual brightness control, its maximum value was about 410 cd/m², and the minimum was 8 cd/m². The maximum value is quite high, and, given the good anti-glare properties of the screen, the image on the screen should be clearly visible in bright daylight. In complete darkness, the brightness can be reduced to a comfortable level. There is automatic brightness adjustment based on the light sensor (it is located to the left of the front camera eye). In this case, the brightness can only automatically increase - when the level of external illumination decreases, we did not wait for a corresponding decrease in screen brightness. 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 adjustment 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 lighting 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 illuminated by artificial light (approximately 400 lux ) - 200 cd/m² (normal), in the dark - 150 cd/m² (too much). If the slider is at a minimum, then under the above conditions the values are as follows: 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 decreases too much in the dark. At any brightness level, there is virtually no backlight modulation, so there is no screen flickering.
This tablet uses an IPS matrix. The microphotographs show a typical IPS subpixel structure:
The screen has good viewing angles without inverting shades and without significant color shifts, even with large viewing deviations from perpendicular to the screen. For comparison, here are photos in which the same images are displayed on the screens of the Nexus 7 (pictured above) and the new iPad mini (bottom), with the brightness of both screens set to approximately 200 cd/m². Picture perpendicular to the screens:
And a white field under the same conditions:
Now at an angle of approximately 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 field at an angle:
The brightness at an angle for both tablets decreased equally (about four times, based on the difference in shutter speed), but the color tone did not change much.
When deviated diagonally, the black field is lightened weakly and acquires a red-violet tint or remains almost neutral gray. A photo from the Nexus 7 shows this for comparison (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 from a perpendicular perspective, the uniformity of the black field is very good, since in fact only along one edge one can see some hints of areas with increased brightness of the black field:
The Google Nexus 7's black uniformity 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 highest - about 790:1. The response time for the black-white-black transition is 22 ms (13 ms on + 9 ms off). The transition between halftones of gray 25% and 75% (based on the numerical value of the color) and back takes a total of 34 ms. The gamma curve constructed using 32 points did not reveal a blockage either in the highlights or in the shadows, and the index of the approximating power function turned out to be 2.22, which is not significantly higher than the standard value of 2.2, while the real gamma curve deviates little from the power-law dependence:
The color gamut is noticeably narrower than sRGB:
Apparently, the matrix’s light filters mix the components with 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 these are the vast majority) have a slightly reduced saturation. You can't tell from the photos above, 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. (Dark areas of the gray scale can be ignored, since color balance there is not very important, and the error in measuring color characteristics at low brightness is large.)

The range of brightness adjustment for the iPad mini Retina screen 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 up, which will force the user to either set the brightness manually, or force the brightness to decrease, putting the tablet into sleep mode and turning it back on. However, all Apple tablet users are probably already accustomed to this feature. The advantages of the screen include an effective oleophobic coating, a standard gamma curve, very good color balance and excellent black stability to deviation of the gaze from perpendicular to the screen surface, as well as excellent black field uniformity. It was strange to discover that the color gamut is still less than sRGB, but this tablet must have at least one drawback!..

In terms of software, the iPad mini Retina has nothing fundamentally new except for the fact that it is sold with pre-installed iOS 7, while the previous model left the factories with iOS 6. But it can also be updated to iOS 7. We also note that users iPad mini Retina offers popular Apple apps such as Pages, Numbers, Keynote, and GarageBand for free.

Performance

Like the iPhone 5s and iPad Air, the iPad mini Retina runs on Apple's new A7 SoC. In the articles on the links provided, we talked in detail about this SoC, so we won’t repeat ourselves and go straight to the tests. We were also interested in what the difference is between the two iPad minis 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, since the benchmarks have since 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 at the same time 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 energy saving process a little differently and, for certain tasks, slightly reduces the CPU frequency. But, we emphasize, this is only an assumption. But the main Android competitors remained 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 browser tests. And this indicates that the results are indeed correct.

Now let's look at the GPU performance. There are two multi-platform benchmarks available here: GFXBench (formerly 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 G Pad 8.3 (Qualcomm Snapdragon 600)
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 identical.

Here again you can see a slight loss of the iPad mini Retina to its older comrade. But what's more striking is the difference between the two generations of iPad mini. I can’t believe that these devices are only one year apart! However, the gap from Android tablets is also significant.

Thus, the iPad mini with Retina display is the most productive modern tablet in the mid-price segment. If you love playing 3D games and want a device that can be updated at least twice to a new version of the operating system, you can safely buy the iPad mini Retina. But the previous generation iPad mini is no longer relevant today, since for the same money (about 12 thousand rubles) you can buy a much more productive Android tablet with a Full HD screen.

Autonomous operation

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 autonomous operation created a real intrigue. After all, now the device needs to display an image with twice the higher resolution, but the body dimensions remain the same, so the battery cannot be greatly increased. This raised natural concerns that the new iPad mini would be inferior to its predecessor in terms of battery life.

However, as tests showed, these fears were in vain. The battery life not only did not decrease, but even increased slightly. Here, however, it is worth making a reservation that for this comparison we tested the first generation iPad mini on the latest version of the operating system - iOS 7.0.4. It is possible that on the original iOS 6 with which it was released, the result would have been a little better. But even in the current version, this is a decent operating time - for both iPad minis.

The results are presented 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. In general, all other devices are like the Moon. But in the other two modes, the iPad mini Retina outperforms both Android competitors.

We also note that under load, the new iPad mini heats up more than its predecessor, in which the heating 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 suitable for shooting than the larger iPad, we decided to do a full test using our smartphone camera testing methodology, and at the same time compare the new product in terms of camera quality with the first generation iPad mini and iPad Air. Photography and commentary were done by Anton Soloviev.

iPad mini Retina

Good dynamic range and well-processed noise.

The sharpness is not bad, but the lack of any stabilization noticeably affects it.

The sharpness is quite good; if you wish, you can make out the license plate of the nearest car.

There is noticeable blur in the corners of the frame, although the upper central part is quite sharp.

The number plate of the nearest car is clearly visible.

At shorter shutter speeds the situation improves noticeably. Sharpness is uniform across almost the entire frame.

In such scenes, the camera chooses exposure well.

The camera is relatively good at macro photography in low light.

We can say that the shooting quality of the iPad mini Retina camera has not changed noticeably compared to the iPad mini. Minor improvements have only been made to noise processing: the algorithm for the noise reduction has remained almost unchanged, but visually its work has become softer, and due to this, small details are better processed in the pictures. However, the camera is still afraid of noise and tries to work at minimum photosensitivity values, compensating for exposure at the expense of shutter speed, so in low light there is a high probability of blur due to relatively long shutter speeds. As it turns out, relatively long shutter speeds in this case are values from 1/40 of a second and higher, since the iPad mini Retina camera does not have any stabilization system. For example, almost all of the above photographs were taken under identical conditions, each in triplicate, and in almost all cases, two out of three photographs were blurred.

Lighting

As can be seen from the graph, in terms of relative resolution, the iPad mini Retina camera is not so far behind the iPad mini camera and has almost caught up with the iPad Air camera. However, after a detailed examination of the photos of the stand, it becomes clear that the iPad mini Retina is still a significant step forward compared to the iPad mini. It's also worth noting that the camera's angle of view has become slightly smaller, despite the same nominal focal length indicated in EXIF. Despite the fact that the camera has not changed much, it now looks improved. There are still some points that I would like to improve, but these are, rather, purely software limitations.

Among the characteristic features of the camera, we can highlight good noise reduction, good and fairly uniform sharpness across the plans and across the field, and a reasonable choice of exposure.

Overall, the camera's image quality is decent, especially for a tablet, despite the low resolution. The camera probably has no obvious shortcomings, but the lack of a flash significantly limits its scope of use. However, it is quite suitable for artistic or documentary photography in appropriate lighting.

conclusions

The previous iPad mini evoked mixed emotions: the form factor seemed interesting (the screen is larger than 7 inches, but the body can be grasped with one hand in a vertical orientation), but the low resolution of the display spoiled the whole impression. This was especially noticeable if you were using a larger iPad with a Retina display. After that, working with the iPad mini was simply physically uncomfortable.

And now Apple has released the second version of the iPad mini - and here it not only corrected the situation with screen resolution, but also radically increased the performance of the device. The price remained quite attractive, and the battery life and dimensions remained virtually unchanged.

Thus, the choice is no longer between “large and modern device” and “compact but outdated”. Now you have to choose exclusively between two screen diagonals and, accordingly, the dimensions of the tablet (which, however, does not affect the thickness). If you prefer a more compact format, plan to regularly take the tablet with you on trips, or use it in transport, then you can safely take the iPad mini Retina. It is a little more expensive than Android tablets of a similar form factor, but it is significantly better in 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, and in terms of screen quality are not inferior (and even superior 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, different from both tablet phones and compact Android tablets.

Overall, we definitely recommend purchasing the iPad mini with Retina display, unless you have already bought an iPad Air (or are not planning to do so). But the first generation iPad mini seems to us to be an acceptable option only if the buyer wants to get an Apple tablet as cheaply as possible, and the rest doesn’t matter. If possible, then, of course, it’s worth paying an additional 4,000 rubles 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 their financial capabilities allow it. The update will not be superfluous at all.

In conclusion of the article, we bring to your attention our video review of the Apple iPad mini tablet 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)
iPad mini Retina 16 GB (+3G) offers according to Yandex.Market
L-10546224-5		L-10546225-5
iPad mini Retina 32 GB (+3G) offers according to Yandex.Market
L-10546226-5		L-10546227-5
iPad mini Retina 64 GB (+3G) offers according to Yandex.Market
L-10546228-5		L-10546229-5
iPad mini Retina 128 GB (+3G) offers according to Yandex.Market
L-10548766-5		L-10548769-5