Hands on Impressions: The New iPad with Retina Display and A6X Processor & iPad mini

[k1lljoy_89]

Originally Posted by JBRUU

Next time I go by an apple store I think I'll try one out.

They're set up in Best Buy as well.

[crunc]

And Target, as I noted.

This is a bit off topic, but I have to say that Target, at least ours, has great customer service.

[Psiufoxx]

Originally Posted by Eli

t's the best iOS device Apple has released yet.

This. Once the box reads iPad Mini Retina, that is

[konaexpress]

Hi, new guy here.

My lady and I got the new iPad and the iPad mini for Christmas and I can say that I LOVE the iPad mini for gaming. I like it better than the big iPad and I think it makes the best gaming platform. I hope more game devs get on board with it from the world of handhelds, my favorite game so far is
Galaxy On Fire 2 HD. Spent 3 or 4 days playing it and had to buy the game and all the addons for it, try and buy a PC game for $10.00.....

-John

[Connector]

Wow, so many posts overnight!

Did the ipad 5 and ipad mini 2 launch? Haha

I like the weight and size of the ipad mini for sure, but the non retina screen is a deal breaker for me. But look forward to the ipad 5 cause of all the rumours of the smaller size and weight due to the smaller processor, new screen tech, and maybe smaller bevels.

Think I would always prefer the bigger one due to better processors and tech, but now that I play mostly on my tv, maybe the screen size of the screen wouldn't make much of a difference.

But I think both have their purposes, the mini is great for purses and manpurses. The weight of the mini is sexy. I'm starting to look like HeMan, cause my arms are so muscular now lifting it for tilt driving games. Sure hope the ipad 5 is lighter and more sexy. Something to look forward to, cause my new ipad is still a slender brick.

[BiliTheRubin]

Originally Posted by Eli

The iPad mini is my absolute favorite device, and maybe even the best computer I've ever used. The size and weight are just perfect, and I seriously haven't run into a single situation where the hardware couldn't live up to the task at hand. I mean, yeah, it's obviously slower than my iPhone 5 or iPad 4, but none of that matters. It's sort of like one of those "the best camera is the one you have with you" situations. I bring my mini places I never would lug my iPad to.

Hey guys, I'm thinking of upgrading my original iPad very soon, been looking at the iPad mini and the iPad 4 closely and I'm very torn in between one or the other. As Eli has stated, I'm very tempted by the iPad mini due to its form factor, but the only gripe that I have is how long it will be supported. My original iPad has been stuck on iOS 5 for quite a while due to hardware restrictions, I would hate it to happen to the iPad mini in the near future since it's a slimmed down iPad 2.

Comparing to the iPad 4 (or even iPad 3), do you guys notice much performance differences while gaming? E.g. my original iPad stutters on Magic 2013, especially when there are tons of cards on the screen (which happens quite often for those who plays the game as well) and would crash without warning. As for browsing on Safari, it also crashes without warning as well when opening big web pages with a lot of assets loaded...

Which one of the two would you suggest purchasing? Any opinion is appreciated

[JBRUU]

Originally Posted by BiliTheRubin

Hey guys, I'm thinking of upgrading my original iPad very soon, been looking at the iPad mini and the iPad 4 closely and I'm very torn in between one or the other. As Eli has stated, I'm very tempted by the iPad mini due to its form factor, but the only gripe that I have is how long it will be supported. My original iPad has been stuck on iOS 5 for quite a while due to hardware restrictions, I would hate it to happen to the iPad mini in the near future since it's a slimmed down iPad 2.

Comparing to the iPad 4 (or even iPad 3), do you guys notice much performance differences while gaming? E.g. my original iPad stutters on Magic 2013, especially when there are tons of cards on the screen (which happens quite often for those who plays the game as well) and would crash without warning. As for browsing on Safari, it also crashes without warning as well when opening big web pages with a lot of assets loaded...

Which one of the two would you suggest purchasing? Any opinion is appreciated

I haven't touched a mini at all, so I can't comment. No performance issues whatsoever with the iPad 4, very few with the 3. It's a tradeoff. One device costs twice as much, has retina+top of the line specs, the other is pretty darn cheap (though not inexpensive enough IMO), no retina, light+slim form factor, decent but not impressive specs. It's up to you. If I had to do it over I'd still get my iPad just because I like always having very smooth and solid framerates and graphics, plus the extra RAM means that I can have a dozen apps open and not experience any reloading or slowdown. I also hear that MC4 doesn't run so well on A5 devices.

But then I keep hearing about how fun the mini is to use, so I don't know. Don't listen to me.

Edit: no matter which device you upgrade to the performance bump will be absolutely massive. The iPad 1 has the worst performance of an A4 device, and I upgraded from the iPod 4 to iPad 3 a nearly a year ago and it...was incredibly the difference in framerates, multitasking, general speed, graphics, just everything.

[Connector]

Originally Posted by BiliTheRubin

Hey guys, I'm thinking of upgrading my original iPad very soon, been looking at the iPad mini and the iPad 4 closely and I'm very torn in between one or the other. As Eli has stated, I'm very tempted by the iPad mini due to its form factor, but the only gripe that I have is how long it will be supported. My original iPad has been stuck on iOS 5 for quite a while due to hardware restrictions, I would hate it to happen to the iPad mini in the near future since it's a slimmed down iPad 2.

Comparing to the iPad 4 (or even iPad 3), do you guys notice much performance differences while gaming? E.g. my original iPad stutters on Magic 2013, especially when there are tons of cards on the screen (which happens quite often for those who plays the game as well) and would crash without warning. As for browsing on Safari, it also crashes without warning as well when opening big web pages with a lot of assets loaded...

Which one of the two would you suggest purchasing? Any opinion is appreciated

It really comes down to what form factor you want. If you want a small ipad for carrying around, the ipad mini is great. The weight is like heaven for a new ipad owner like myself. The ipad 3/4 are just too darn heavy, I compensate, but using a tripod, resting it on my lap, or when laying on my bed - resting on my chest.

There are a lot of downsides of course with going with a mini, mainly the processor and retina screen. Also, other things, like smaller harder to type keyboard, smaller browser experience, and lack of real estate; are things to factor in as well.

Retina is very important to me, so much so, that you might be better waiting til the ipad mini 2 which is heavily rumoured to be coming with a retina screen. Also, it may have the a6x processor, which would future proof you in the future. Right now the a5x is doing fine, even though I have a new ipad (3), there was only one game that I regretted having poorer framerates, and that was Nova 3. Interesting cause today a Nova 3 update came out to optimize all devices including ipad 4 and mini. Jbruu and others, let us know how it runs now on an ipad 4 or mini. I will let you all know how it runs on my new ipad. But in the future, the a5x will be showing its age in about another year I figure.

Anyway, Since there have been tons of rumours of both the ipad 5 and ipad mini 2 being released in March, which is only 2 months for now, I would recommend you to wait. In fact, even if they both come out in October, I would probably buy one then. Both are rumoured to be more game changers in the ipad mini going retina, and the ipad 5 getting profound form changes to make it lighter, and a new processor.

My recommendation, wait for the next generation of either. Maybe not what you want to hear, but it is what I would do.

[JBRUU]

The nova 3 update doesn't do crap for the iPad 4. Still looks and plays the same, still depth of field+radial motion blur on ONE level only, still a decent but not spectacular framerate.

I think it was just widescreen updates for iPhone/iPod 5.

[k1lljoy_89]

Originally Posted by JBRUU

(though not inexpensive enough IMO)

shut up don't give them ideas.