Stunning brushed metal design
Strong battery life
Simply, intuitive UI
Cons
Low-res screen
More expensive than competition
No boxed headphones or dock adaptor
Review Price £269.00
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Key Features: 7.9-inch, 1024 x 768p IPS display; Lightning port connector; iOS 6
Manufacturer: Apple
The iPad mini is still available to buy but you shouldn’t confuse it with the new iPad mini 2 Retina which looks exactly the same but is more expensive and has some significant improvements over its predecessor.
Key differences between the iPad mini and iPad mini 2:
Screen:
The newer iPad mini comes with a Retina display. This offers a much higher resolution than the original iPad mini and it really tells. The screen is much sharper and brighter - it’s one of the best tablet screens around. That’s not to say that the original iPad mini’s screen is rubbish. In fact it’s decent. Video and pictures look good, it’s when reading text that you’ll wish for a higher resolution.
Processor:
The iPad mini comes with the iPad 2’s A5 processor in tow. It’s a little long in the tooth now but has no problem running apps. The newer iPad mini comes with the same processor as the iPhone 5S, the 64-bit A7. You’ll find that 3D games, like Infinity Blade 3, offer more detail and 3D effects on the Retina screen of the new iPad mini. If you want to use heavy duty apps like 3D rendering and video/photo editing you may want to pick up the more expensive iPad mini, but if not the processor jump is less of an issue than the screen.
Camera:
The new iPad mini has a slightly better front and rear camera. You’ll get better shots in lower light conditions with it.
Battery life:
Both iPad minis last about the same amount of time - 10 hours of constant use.