The new iPad mini 2 tablet with a super Retina display was a logical expected action by Apple after the release of the first trial model of the iPad mini and iPhones iPhone-5S, iPhone-Air. A sophisticated user of Apple gadgets was looking forward to its promised appearance back in the spring of this year. In principle, what the consumer expected to see is what he received. Yes, the mini model with the new screen amazes with its image clarity and color depth. But not only this. What distinguishes it from previous tablet models and what are its advantages?
Of course, first of all, this is its updated IPS display, which has been increased diagonally to 7.9 inches. The screen contains 3.1 million pixels, which allows for a resolution of 2048x1536px. This is 4 times the resolution of the previous mini tablet model. The density of individual luminous dots on the screen is 326 pixels/inch. With such a dense arrangement of dots, the image becomes clearer and is no longer perceived by the human eye as consisting of individual pixels.
With its reduced size, this tablet has a larger screen. The narrow border of the monitor allows you to confidently hold the device in your hand and at the same time perform control manipulations with the touch screen. Random finger movements in the frame area are not perceived by the touch surface as control commands.
The appearance of the new device has not undergone any changes compared to the first version of the mini tablet. Same thickness at 0.29 inches and weight at 0.73 pounds. Its weight is so insignificant that it is not felt at all in the hand. It is made in two versions - “Space Gray” in gray and “Silver” in silver.
The new 64-bit A7 processor with a frequency of 1.3 Hz, controlled by the iOS 7 operating system, allows you to fully use all the capabilities of modern wireless communications and the latest Apple applications developed for this system. It is also used in iPhone-Air and iPhone-5S. The 64-bit chip has twice the performance of the A6 found in the iPhone 5, not to mention the A5 found in the iPad mini. The graphics accelerator has also been updated; according to Aplle, the new Power VR G6430 has become up to 8 times more powerful than the previous one.
The main processor is more economical than its predecessors due to its work with the M7 coprocessor, which is an ARM Cortex-M3 based microcontroller. This solution allows you to maintain 10 hours of tablet activity while operating autonomously from thinner batteries. The power of the new processor is immediately felt in the fast loading of gaming applications and their accelerated operation. The processor's support for the OpenGL ES 3.0 system allows the device to implement visual effects and detailed graphics available only game consoles and desktop computers.
In iPad mini 2, Wi-Fi wireless speed is increased due to the use of two antennas MIMO technologies. Dual-band communication at frequencies of 2.4 and 5 GHz using the 802.11n Wi-Fi standard provides traffic speeds of up to 300 Mbps. This is 2 times the data exchange speed in the previous version of the mini tablet. This means that with it you can view photos and pictures on the Internet 2 times faster.
The tablet supports Wi-Fi and all cellular networks, including LTE lines (depending on the model). It allows you to connect to the World Wide Web even when you are far from a Wi-Fi station. Bluetooth 4.0 module and universal module supporting GSM, CDMA, HSPA+, LTE with GPS and GLONASS receiver provides multifunctional use mini tablet at the level of iPhone 5. You can use it as a local modem to organize Internet access for other devices.
In the area of exploitation of opportunities world wide web The mini tablet is your indispensable everyday companion. Fast browser Safari allows you to quickly browse and search necessary files and Internet pages. They can be quickly added to the List and used in offline mode. Mail provides fast exchange of letters, their storage and sorting.
With iBooks you can download and read all the e-books available on the Internet and create your own library. Photos and iPhoto will help you put together a photo album or photo report and organize viewing in slide show mode. Create, edit and compare photos and paintings. Quick exchange Photo sharing and online discussion can be done easily using iCloud Photo Sharing.
Maps of all regions of the world in real time. Traffic situations in 3D mode with voice step by step instructions, convenient traffic display in the Maps application will help you navigate in an unfamiliar city. Send messages, make purchases, create movies, video clips, music, various reports and documents - all this allows you to implement Messages applications, iTunes Store, App Store, iMovie, Garage Band, developed for iOS 7. Stunning picture quality on the Retina screen gives a special pleasure to watching movies using the Videos browser. Many other useful and entertaining programs turn the mini gadget into a faithful and compact assistant anywhere you go.
There is nothing revolutionary in the media properties of the new model. Two high-quality cameras are located on the front and back sides of the device. The front FaceTime camera with a resolution of 1.2 megapixels on a BSI matrix with back illumination allows you to make high-quality avatars. It supports video recording at 720 pixel resolution.
The main rear camera called iSight on a CMOS sensor from Omnivision has a resolution of 5 megapixels, it is also made on a back-illuminated matrix (see photo). It is equipped with automatic focusing, a five-element lens with an infrared filter. Supports video recording with a resolution of 1080p/30 fps. There is no flash. The device quickly switches to shooting mode. The large screen serves as an ideal viewfinder in video mode. By holding down the shutter button longer, you can take a quick shot.
Two microphones located inside the housing distinguish the direction of sound. They not only summarize the sound of a person speaking, but also ensure good audibility by suppressing sounds from unfocused sources. This suppression of background sound improves the quality of video calls. Dual microphones also help improve speech recognition in the Siri app.
To protect the screen, the tablet is equipped with a “smart” magnetic cover, Smart Carpet. Due to the orientation magnets, it reliably sticks to the body of the device, clearly fixing its position. The cover cover reliably protects the sensitive screen from accidental impacts and damage. It consists of three longitudinal strips, which, when folded, form a compact stand for horizontal and vertical installation of the tablet on a flat table surface. In such positions it is convenient to type large text or watch movies. The magnetic system also automatically switches the tablet into active mode when the lid is opened and, conversely, into sleep mode when it is closed. Polyurethane covers can have six bright colors (see photo).
Approximate starting price for Apple iPad mini 2 in Russia starts from 15,990 rubles. for a model with 16 GB of flash memory and a Wi-Fi module. Model with 32 GB - 19,990 rubles, 64 GB version - 23,990 rubles. and 27,990 rub. for the 128 GB version.
Technical characteristics of Apple iPad mini 2:
- Operating system: iOS 7 with applications.- Display: 7.9 inches, IPS-Retina with LED backlight, touch screen with oleophobic coating, 2048 x 1536 px./326 ppi.
- Processor - dual-core A7, 1.0 GHz, 64 bits, with graphics Power controller VR G6430.
- RAM: 1 GB DDR3.
- Permanent memory capacity - 16/32/64/128 GB.
- Communications: dual-band (2.4 and 5 GHz) Wi-Fi (802.11a/b/g/n), MIMO, Bluetooth 4.0, UMTS/HSPA/HSPA+/DC-HSDPA; GSM/EDGE; CDMA EV-DO; LTE, Wi-Fi (802.11a/b/g/n). Wi-Fi + Cellular.
- Battery: 4430 mA (23.8 Wh).
- Sensitivity sensors: three-axis gyroscope, accelerometer, light sensor, Home button with identification.
- Input and output devices: 3.5 mm headphone jack, stereo speakers, two microphones, Nano-SIM card slot.
- Dimensions: 200/134.7/7.5 mm.
- Weight: 341 g.
- Colors: space gray, silver.
Apple has updated its junior tablet iPad mini, installing on it new screen and a fast 64-bit processor. Here's a review of the new iPad mini with Retina display.
When the first iPad mini tablet appeared, it immediately appealed to many users. He was the smallest and light tablet on planet Apple, and at the same time resembled an iPad every inch. Never mind that Steve Jobs disapproved of the idea of making a small Apple tablet: the iPad mini was more affordable than the 9.7-inch version and had exactly the same interface and ran the same apps.
However, there were two problems. The first is the low resolution screen. The second is a weak processor. Against the updated older iPad with its Retina display and fast processor, the mini looked dated with its 1024x768 screen and A5 processor. Its specs were no better than the iPad 2. Most people didn't care, and rightly so. The iPad mini was a great tablet for them that did everything they needed. And after a long period of waiting, we finally got the Retina display version, albeit in limited quantities at launch.
iPad mini 2 review: Screen
The first generation of iPad mini screens did not match the Apple brand as a company focused on producing premium devices. By today's standards, the pixel density was catastrophically low, only 162 ppi (pixels/inch). Especially when compared with budget tablets, such as the Nexus 7, Tesco Hudl and Kindle Fire HD - all boasting more best characteristics screen. iPad mini with Retina display fixes this problem.
Level resolution iPad Air(and others Retina iPad) — 2048×1536 pixels. And this is already four times higher than that of the first iPad mini, and with the same size of 7.9-inches, it gives a good pixel density of 326ppi. Since the resolution is the same as all iPads with Retina screens, the display of apps you launch on it will be the same as on the iPad 3, 4 and the new Air. This is an impressive update. Holding the old and new iPad mini in your hands side by side, it’s easy to feel the difference in image quality.
It doesn't matter what's in front of you - your home screen, website, e-book or Auto CAD, the detailing has become much better. Characters and lines no longer appear fuzzy, and because the display is smaller than on iPad Air, everything looks even clearer. In short, this is the best iPad screen we've seen. The colors are great! And with this resolution, the photos look simply amazing. By using iPad apps to view photos, you can of course easily surprise your viewers by showing them photos in the best quality. Which is again important when buying a new tablet.
The design and dimensions remained virtually unchanged. Why give up a winning formula? But the new iPad mini with Retina display is slightly thicker than its predecessor - 7.5 mm versus 7.2 mm. This is understandable. Weight has also increased slightly, although many do not notice it. The iPad mini Retina model with Wi-Fi weighs 331g (23g heavier), while the model with Wi-Fi + Cellular modem has gained 29g compared to the previous iPad mini.
The weight gain is barely noticeable, but when compared to the iPad Air, which managed to shed significant weight, it's clear that the design team didn't work on every millimeter here or even try to maintain the same weight. Objectively, holding the new iPad mini in one hand while reading for a long time is not that difficult. Just keep in mind that it's much wider than the Nexus 7, and you'll find the thumb and forefinger method of holding it most comfortable: the iPad mini is smart enough to ignore phantom finger presses on the screen.
In keeping with Apple's new color scheme introduced with iPhone release 5s, iPad mini Retina is available in two colors - white and gray-black. The new Smart Cover and Smart Case come in a variety of colors - both fit old and new iPad models mini. With the exception of color, the new iPad mini looks very similar to its predecessor, so that only an iPad expert would be able to immediately tell that you are holding a brand new model in your hands.
iPad mini 2 review: Performance and specifications
As we said, the first iPad mini was very weak from a technical point of view, but the new iPad mini Retina has the same A7 processor that is installed on the new iPad Air. This means it now runs on 64-bit technology, making it more future-proof than devices with a 32-bit processor.
It also received an M7 coprocessor, responsible for supporting applications that use data flow tracking, which should help extend battery life when running fitness applications and other programs that require constant monitoring. We hope other new programs will try to take advantage of the M7 coprocessor, since you're unlikely to take the tablet with you on a run.
However, for some fitness apps, such as “The Walk” or “Zombies, Run!” this can be useful for tracking your movements when the tablet is in your bag. As usual, Apple does not disclose the size of the installed RAM RAM, but that doesn't matter: the second generation iPad mini is MUCH faster. Although not as much as Apple claims.
In our graphics tests, for example, the iPad mini Retina achieved 48fps in the "Egypt HD" test. This is a great result, but it is simply twice as high as the first iPad mini. Apple states that new tablet has 8x acceleration. Likewise, overall performance in 2D applications is also impressive. In the Geekbench 2 test, the iPad mini 2 earned an average score of 2222. This is about three times more than the first mini, but also falls short of the claimed 4x acceleration. In the SunSpider 1.0.2 test, the new model passed the test in 397ms - a stunning result.
The original iPad mini required an average of 1300ms in this same test, but again the Retina iPad mini doesn't quite live up to Apple's claims. Don't get us wrong, the new iPad mini is very fast and easy to use, but we just wanted to point out that not all big claims can be trusted.
Good news for those who store huge libraries of music, videos and photos on their iPad - storage sizes range from 16GB to 128GB. And as usual, it is impossible to expand it. All you can do is buy a wireless hard drive if this is not enough (or use cloud storage and extract content from there). To do this, there is dual-band Wi-Fi and MIMO support, which, as Apple says, theoretically doubles the data transfer speed compared to the first iPad mini (300Mbps versus 150Mbps). There is also Bluetooth 4.0, and versions with a modem (which supports more LTE networks than before) also have a GPS receiver.
iPad mini 2 review: Cameras and battery
As for the cameras, there are no major changes. A 5Mp iSight camera on the back (with the ability to shoot video at 1080p resolution) and an improved FaceTime HD webcam on the front are most likely the same set as on the iPhone 5C. In our tests, we found only tiny differences in image quality between the previous iPad mini and the new model, and you can judge that for yourself by comparing the photos of St Pancras Station below. In low-light conditions, the new iPad mini's slightly updated front-facing camera produces less noise in photos.
Overall, the difference is almost unnoticeable, but if you enlarge the image and look closely at it, you will notice minor improvements. Even though the main cameras are technically identical and have the same resolution, subtle differences in the iPad mini Retina's auto exposure make its photos look a little brighter. Looking at photos on the iPad itself (as opposed to a PC monitor screen) there is a huge difference in detail, as expected from a new display. The Retina display delivers four times more detail, delivering sharper photos than the first iPad mini. The first, original photo (but resized), was taken by a Retina iPad mini. Second, the same photo taken by the first iPad mini:
Look at these two photographs that are 100% identical in detail and quality (if you don’t take into account the difference in exposure):
iPad mini Retina:
Original iPad mini:
But for video everything is a little different: footage taken new iPad mini look sharper (even when viewed on a PC screen) than the same ones shot by the first generation mini. The overall impression of the video shooting is good. The recording quality is remarkable, and thanks to the new second microphone built into the back, the sound quality is a significant improvement over the first iPad mini.
To make things clearer, audio recording has become more targeted, meaning the new mini primarily records what your characters are saying rather than the noise around you.
We haven't been able to run a definitive battery life test yet, but we expect Apple's 10-hour battery life claim to be true, as it has been with all other iPads.
iPad mini 2 review: Software
Like the iPad Air, the new mini comes with iOS 7. You can also download some free Apple apps, including iPhoto, iMovie, Garage Band and Pages, and this can already be considered a real bonus. Unfortunately, like the Air, you won't get the slo-mo video feature in the Camera app or burst mode for quick shooting. Both of these features remain exclusive to the iPhone 5s, despite the fact that iPad tablets, would seem to have similar hardware.
Information about the make, model, and alternative names of the specific device, if available.
Design
Information about the dimensions and weight of the device, presented in different units of measurement. Materials used, colors offered, certificates.
| Width Width information - refers to the horizontal side of the device in its standard orientation during use. | 200 mm (millimeters) 20 cm (centimeters) 0.66 ft (feet) 7.87 in (inches) |
| Height Height information - refers to the vertical side of the device in its standard orientation during use. | 134.7 mm (millimeters) 13.47 cm (centimeters) 0.44 ft (feet) 5.3 in (inches) |
| Thickness Information about the thickness of the device in different units measurements. | 7.5 mm (millimeters) 0.75 cm (centimeters) 0.02 ft (feet) 0.3 in (inches) |
| Weight Information about the weight of the device in different units of measurement. | 341 g (grams) 0.75 lbs 12.03 oz (ounces) |
| Volume The approximate volume of the device, calculated based on the dimensions provided by the manufacturer. Refers to devices with the shape of a rectangular parallelepiped. | 202.05 cm³ (cubic centimeters) 12.27 in³ (cubic inches) |
| Colors Information about the colors in which this device is offered for sale. | Grey Silver |
| Materials for making the case Materials used to make the device body. | Aluminum alloy |
SIM card
The SIM card is used in mobile devices to store data that certifies the authenticity of mobile service subscribers.
Mobile networks
A mobile network is a radio system that allows multiple mobile devices to communicate with each other.
| GSM GSM (Global System for Mobile Communications) is designed to replace the analogue mobile network (1G). For this reason, GSM is often called a 2G mobile network. It is improved by the addition of GPRS (General Packet Radio Services), and later EDGE (Enhanced Data rates for GSM Evolution) technologies. | GSM 850 MHz GSM 900 MHz GSM 1800 MHz GSM 1900 MHz |
| CDMA CDMA (Code-Division Multiple Access) is a channel access method used in communications in mobile networks. Compared to other 2G and 2.5G standards like GSM and TDMA, it provides more high speeds data transfer and connectivity more consumers at the same time. | CDMA 800 MHz CDMA 1900 MHz |
| CDMA2000 CDMA2000 is a group of 3G mobile network standards based on CDMA. Their benefits include more powerful signal, less interruptions and network breaks, support analog signal, wide spectral coverage, etc. | 1xEV-DO Rev. A 1xEV-DO Rev. B |
| UMTS UMTS is an abbreviation for Universal Mobile Telecommunications System. It is based on the GSM standard and belongs to 3G mobile networks. Developed by 3GPP and its biggest advantage is providing greater speed and spectral efficiency thanks to W-CDMA technology. | UMTS 850 MHz UMTS 900 MHz UMTS 1900 MHz UMTS 2100 MHz |
| LTE LTE (Long Term Evolution) is defined as a fourth generation (4G) technology. It is developed by 3GPP based on GSM/EDGE and UMTS/HSPA to increase the capacity and speed of wireless mobile networks. The subsequent technology development is called LTE Advanced. | LTE 700 MHz Class 13 LTE 700 MHz Class 17 LTE 800 MHz LTE 850 MHz LTE 900 MHz LTE 1700/2100 MHz LTE 1800 MHz LTE 1900 MHz LTE 2100 MHz LTE 2600 MHz |
Mobile communication technologies and data transfer speeds
Communication between devices on mobile networks is carried out using technologies that provide different data transfer rates.
Operating system
An operating system is a system software that manages and coordinates the operation of hardware components in a device.
SoC (System on Chip)
A system on a chip (SoC) includes all the most important hardware components of a mobile device on one chip.
| SoC (System on Chip) A system on a chip (SoC) integrates various hardware components, such as a processor, graphics processor, memory, peripherals, interfaces, etc., as well as the software necessary for their operation. | Apple A7 APL0698 |
| Process Information about the technological process by which the chip is manufactured. Nanometers measure half the distance between elements in the processor. | 28 nm (nanometers) |
| Processor (CPU) Primary function of the processor (CPU) mobile device is the interpretation and execution of instructions contained in software applications. | Apple Cyclone ARMv8 |
| Processor size The size (in bits) of a processor is determined by the size (in bits) of the registers, address buses, and data buses. 64-bit processors have more high performance compared to 32-bit processors, which for their part are more productive than 16-bit processors. | 64 bit |
| Instruction Set Architecture Instructions are commands with which the software sets/controls the operation of the processor. Information about the instruction set (ISA) that the processor can execute. | ARMv8-A |
| Level 1 cache (L1) Cache memory is used by the processor to reduce access time to more frequently used data and instructions. L1 (level 1) cache is small in size and works much faster as system memory, and other levels of cache memory. If the processor does not find the requested data in L1, it continues to look for it in the L2 cache. On some processors, this search is performed simultaneously in L1 and L2. | 64 kB + 64 kB (kilobytes) |
| Level 2 cache (L2) L2 (level 2) cache is slower than L1 cache, but in return it has a higher capacity, allowing it to cache more data. It, like L1, is much faster than system memory (RAM). If the processor does not find the requested data in L2, it continues to look for it in the L3 cache (if available) or in RAM memory. | 1024 kB (kilobytes) 1 MB (megabytes) |
| Level 3 cache (L3) L3 (level 3) cache is slower than L2 cache, but in return it has a higher capacity, allowing it to cache more data. It, like L2, is much faster than system memory (RAM). | 4096 kB (kilobytes) 4 MB (megabytes) |
| Number of processor cores The processor core executes software instructions. There are processors with one, two or more cores. Having more cores increases performance by allowing multiple instructions to be executed in parallel. | 2 |
| CPU clock speed The clock speed of a processor describes its speed in terms of cycles per second. It is measured in megahertz (MHz) or gigahertz (GHz). | 1300 MHz (megahertz) |
| GPU(GPU) Graphics processing unit (GPU) handles calculations for various 2D/3D graphic applications. In mobile devices, it is most often used by games, consumer interfaces, video applications, etc. | PowerVR G6430 |
| Number of GPU cores Like a CPU, a GPU is made up of several working parts called cores. They handle graphics calculations for various applications. | 4 |
| GPU clock speed Running speed is the clock speed of the GPU, measured in megahertz (MHz) or gigahertz (GHz). | 200 MHz (megahertz) |
| Amount of random access memory (RAM) Random access memory (RAM) is used by the operating system and all installed applications. Data stored in RAM is lost after the device is turned off or restarted. | 1 GB (gigabytes) |
| Type of random access memory (RAM) Information about the type of random access memory (RAM) used by the device. | LPDDR3 |
| M7 motion coprocessor |
Built-in memory
Each mobile device has built-in (non-removable) memory with a fixed capacity.
Screen
The screen of a mobile device is characterized by its technology, resolution, pixel density, diagonal length, color depth, etc.
| Type/technology One of the main characteristics of the screen is the technology by which it is made and on which the quality of the information image directly depends. | IPS |
| Diagonal For mobile devices, screen size is expressed by the length of its diagonal, measured in inches. | 7.9 in (inches) 200.66 mm (millimeters) 20.07 cm (centimeters) |
| Width Approximate screen width | 6.32 in (inches) 160.53 mm (millimeters) 16.05 cm (centimeters) |
| Height Approximate screen height | 4.74 in (inches) 120.4 mm (millimeters) 12.04 cm (centimeters) |
| Aspect Ratio The ratio of the dimensions of the long side of the screen to its short side | 1.333:1 4:3 |
| Permission Screen resolution shows the number of pixels vertically and horizontally on the screen. Higher resolution means clearer image detail. | 2048 x 1536 pixels |
| Pixel Density Information about the number of pixels per centimeter or inch of the screen. Higher density allows information to be displayed on the screen with clearer detail. | 324 ppi (pixels per inch) 127ppcm (pixels per centimeter) |
| Color depth Screen color depth reflects the total number of bits used for color components in one pixel. Information about maximum quantity colors that the screen can show. | 24 bit 16777216 flowers |
| Screen area Approximate percentage of screen area occupied by the screen on the front of the device. | 71.97% (percent) |
| Other characteristics Information about other screen features and characteristics. | Capacitive Multi-touch |
| Oleophobic (lipophobic) coating LED-backlit Retina display |
Sensors
Different sensors perform different quantitative measurements and convert physical indicators into signals that a mobile device can recognize.
Main camera
The main camera of a mobile device is usually located on the back of the body and is used for taking photos and videos.
| Sensor type Digital cameras use photo sensors to take photographs. The sensor, as well as optics, are one of the main factors in the quality of the camera in a mobile device. | CMOS BSI (backside illumination) |
| Diaphragm Aperture (f-number) is the size of the aperture opening that controls the amount of light reaching the photosensor. A lower f-number means the aperture opening is larger. | f/2.4 |
| Image Resolution One of the main characteristics of mobile device cameras is their resolution, which shows the number of horizontal and vertical pixels in the image. | 2592 x 1936 pixels 5.02 MP (megapixels) |
| Video resolution Information about the maximum supported resolution when shooting video with the device. | 1920 x 1080 pixels 2.07 MP (megapixels) |
| Video - frame rate/frames per second. Information about the maximum number of frames per second (fps) supported by the device when shooting video at the maximum resolution. Some of the main standard video shooting and playback speeds are 24p, 25p, 30p, 60p. | 30fps (frames per second) |
| Characteristics Information about other software and hardware features related to the main camera and improving its functionality. | Autofocus Digital image stabilization Geographical tags HDR shooting Touch Focus Face recognition |
Additional camera
Additional cameras are usually mounted above the device screen and are used mainly for video conversations, gesture recognition, etc.
Audio
Information about the type of speakers and audio technologies supported by the device.
Radio
The radio of the mobile device is a built-in FM receiver.
Location determination
Information about the navigation and location technologies supported by your device.
WiFi
Wi-Fi is a technology that provides wireless communication for transmitting data over close distances between various devices.
Bluetooth
Bluetooth is a standard for secure wireless data transfer between various devices of different types over short distances.
USB
USB (Universal Serial Bus) is an industry standard that allows different electronic devices to exchange data.
Headphone jack
This is an audio connector, also called an audio jack. The most widely used standard in mobile devices is the 3.5mm headphone jack.
Connecting devices
Information about other important connection technologies supported by your device.
Browser
A web browser is a software application for accessing and viewing information on the Internet.
Video file formats/codecs
Mobile devices support different video file formats and codecs, which respectively store and encode/decode digital video data.
Battery
Mobile device batteries differ from each other in their capacity and technology. They provide the electrical charge necessary for their functioning.
| Capacity A battery's capacity indicates the maximum charge it can hold, measured in milliamp-hours. | 6450 mAh (milliamp-hours) |
| Type The type of battery is determined by its structure and, more precisely, the chemicals used. There are different types batteries, with lithium-ion and lithium-ion polymer batteries most often used in mobile devices. | Li-polymer |
| 2G talk time 2G talk time is the period of time during which the battery charge is completely discharged during a continuous conversation on a 2G network. | 10 h (hours) 600 min (minutes) 0.4 days |
| 3G talk time 3G talk time is the period of time during which the battery charge is completely discharged during a continuous conversation on a 3G network. | 10 h (hours) 600 min (minutes) 0.4 days |
| 4G talk time 4G talk time is the period of time during which the battery charge is completely discharged during a continuous conversation on a 4G network. | 10 h (hours) 600 min (minutes) 0.4 days |
| Characteristics Information about some additional characteristics of the device's battery. | Fixed |
Leader among compact tablets
With a slight delay after the start of the world iPad sales Air, the second new Apple product presented on October 22, the iPad mini with Retina display, also 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.
Because everything general information iPad mini with Retina display has already been reported in a report from Apple presentations, we will not repeat ourselves. Let us just note that this is the first iPad update mini, and what’s more important is 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 shooting)
- 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 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 equipment
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 (anodized aluminum) is pleasing and 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. In the photo above there are two iPad minis 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 user quality.
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, usually not indicated in official technical specifications and can only be detected 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 graphic editor shows that the new iPad mini's screen is slightly lighter (average brightness value of 95) than 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 the screen with separate outer glass (also known as touchpad) 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. Maximum value quite high, and, given the good anti-glare properties of the screen, in bright daylight The image on the screen should be clearly visible. In complete darkness, the brightness can be reduced to a comfortable level. Automatic brightness adjustment works based on the light sensor (it is located to the left of the peephole front camera). 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 It 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 (below), 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 there the color balance does not have of great importance, and the error in measuring color characteristics at low brightness is large.)
Brightness adjustment range iPad screen mini Retina 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!..
Partially software The iPad mini Retina has nothing fundamentally new except for the fact that it is sold with iOS 7 pre-installed, while the previous model left the factories with iOS 6. But it can also be updated to iOS 7. We also note that iPad mini Retina users have access to free popular Apple apps - Pages, Numbers, Keynote and GarageBand.
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 when installed on both iOS devices 7.0.4. 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, on Apple devices we used Safari browser from iOS 7, and on Android - Google Chrome.
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) |
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| 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 is 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 to a new version at least twice operating system, you can safely buy an 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 in terms of duration battery life the new iPad mini will be inferior to its predecessor.
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 latest version 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.
I wonder what sensational Google result The Nexus 7 of 2013, received 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 iPad modes mini Retina is just ahead of 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 | |
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Good dynamic range and well-processed noise. |
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The sharpness is not bad, but the lack of any stabilization noticeably affects it. |
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The sharpness is quite good; if you wish, you can make out the license plate of the nearest car. |
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There is noticeable blur in the corners of the frame, although the upper central part is quite sharp. |
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The number plate of the nearest car is clearly visible. |
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At shorter shutter speeds the situation improves noticeably. Sharpness is uniform across almost the entire frame. |
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In such scenes, the camera chooses exposure well. |
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The camera is relatively good at macro photography in low light. |
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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 is slightly smaller, despite the same nominal focal length listed 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, smart choice exposition.
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 a second one iPad version 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 “big 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 compact form factor tablets, but tablet phones - Sony Xperia Z Ultra, Samsung Galaxy Note 3, etc. In terms of performance, they are approximately on the same level as the iPad mini Retina, in terms of screen quality they are not inferior to it (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 | ||
iPad 2 Mini hit the markets in November 2013. Its most anticipated update was Retina display, which the first Mini did not have. Such compact tablets are easy to use and hold a good battery charge, which is what attracts the attention and love of fans of Apple products. In order to understand the advantages of this version, you need to take a closer look technical specifications Apple iPad mini 2.
The first version of the mini-model had a low screen resolution (1024x768) and a weak A5 processor, although it completely resembled the operation of a large 9.7-inch iPad. Compared to the quality of its display and the speed of its processor, the small version looked a little poor. But it had a more attractive price and was a good alternative in itself. It was replaced by Mini 2.
iPad 2 Mini review: Screen
This version received a Retina display with 2048x1536 resolution, at 7.9 inches (almost 8) the pixel density is 326ppi. This picture display is at the level of iPad three and four. This change is even noticeable if you place the old and updated versions side by side. Detailing moved to new level, the image is now much clearer. You can see this even in the drawings in Auto program CAD. The small screen size comes in handy here; it details the picture even more.
Not only detailing has improved, but also color rendition. Colors have become more saturated and vibrant. Now you can happily show off your photos to your family and friends. Accordingly, the quality of photographs has increased, which is very important if you lead an active social life.
The outer side of the screen has a glass plate with a glossy surface that is protected from damage. There is an anti-glare filter, so the screen display will be comfortable to perceive in any conditions. The screen has an oleophobic coating that can protect against fingerprints. This coating also makes it easy to remove such contaminants.
Setting the brightness to maximum and having an anti-reflective coating, even on a sunny day, gives a clearly visible image. Brightness adjustment is powered by a light sensor and is adjusted automatically. But such adjustment is carried out only for increases. The screen uses an IPS matrix.
Viewing angles are very good. In this case, no color changes appear even in cases of large inclination. In a completely dark room, you can set the screen brightness to the minimum level that is comfortable for you.
Design Review
With the arrival of the new display, the second mini tablet has become a little thicker: 7.5 mm versus 7.2. The weight became heavier, but not by much, 23 grams. Such a difference can only be caught if you hold one and immediately take the other. This weight will not hinder you when reading books when you hold the device with one hand. In addition, the tablet is smart and will not respond to “false” thumb presses on the screen.
The color scheme of the case was influenced by the output iPhone phone 5S. The tablet comes in colors: gray-black and white. But if you want to add bright colors to your daily use, you can purchase Smart Case and Smart Cover. They are available in different color scheme. Suitable for both new models and predecessors. Otherwise, according to external data, the tablet is exactly like the previous model, and it’s difficult to immediately determine which version you have in your hands.
Case material: anodized aluminum alloy. All keys are metal and respond to light pressure. The location is the same as its predecessor. There is one connector for nano-Sim cards. Besides Wi-Fi connections To the Internet, you can also use mobile Internet.
To connect to the appropriate Internet package, contact the head office of your mobile operator. Model with mobile communications There is a plastic strip at the end, under which the antenna is hidden. There is a 3.5 mm jack for listening to music on headphones.
Performance overview
The characteristics of iPad mini two are in many ways superior to the first. It is equipped with an A7 processor with 64-bit architecture. This architecture allows you to boldly look into the future and not be afraid of technical innovations, unlike the 32-bit architecture. The processor is supported by the M7 coprocessor. It collects information from applications that are aimed at collecting data. For example, fitness apps. And can extend the life of the battery.
To ensure the operation of fitness applications or games where it is necessary to determine the spatial position of the user, there are built-in sensors: light, gyroscope, compass, accelerometer.
The processor has two cores with clock frequency 1300 MHz. The GPU is equipped with four cores with a frequency of 200 MHz. This ensures good graphic display of not only static images, but also videos and games.
One GB of RAM fits well with such processors. You can clearly see how fast the updated Mini is. When passing the Egypt HD test, the result was 48fps, which is a very good indicator. It is twice as large as old version. The company claims that the device has 8x acceleration.
Accordingly, performance in 2D is at a high level. When tested in Geekbench 2, the new product scored 2222 points. This figure is three times higher than the first mini, but does not reach the 4x acceleration rate.
Those who collect mountains of information and many heavy folders with photos can rejoice in the internal storage. The mini has 16 GB, 32, 64 and 128 GB of memory. If these volumes are not enough, you can use external drives memory or use cloud storage. Using cloud storage locations is convenient.
For this you can use Wi-Fi, it is dual-band with MIMO support. This allows you to transfer data at a speed of 300 Mbps, in the previous version this figure was 150. The device is equipped with version 2.0 of Bluetooth. Versions that have a modem have an extended range of LTE networks and also have a built-in GPS receiver.
Camera and battery overview
The tablet is equipped with a 5 MP iSight main camera with an aperture of 2.4 and a resolution of 2592 × 1936. The camera takes pictures a little better than its predecessor in low-light conditions, and there is less noise. With the exposure set to "auto", the pictures come out brighter. You can shoot video at 1080p resolution and 30 frames per second. The camera is equipped with auto focus, face recognition, touch image stabilization and geo-tagging.
The FaceTime HD webcam has gotten better. Its resolution is 1280x720 and 1.2 megapixels. You can verify this when making video calls via Skype. You can shoot video files at 30 frames per second.
The work of the noise reduction has become better, but still, the camera is “afraid” of noise. It gets out of the situation due to the photosensitivity parameter, where exposure compensation is carried out due to the exposure time. So sometimes you can notice a “blurred” effect when shooting in a poorly lit place.
The slow shutter speed in this situation is 1/40 second. Since the camera has touch stabilization and not automatic, this may cause blurring of the image when taking photographs. Also, the viewing angle of the camera has become slightly smaller. A significant drawback is the lack of flash. This circumstance significantly affects the time range of street use of the camera.
If you view images on a tablet, the Retina display will play a big role in your perception. Images will appear higher quality and more detailed. But at the same time, technically the main cameras of both tablets are identical. In the case of video, the image on the second model is clearer. For improved video, an additional microphone is installed on the back of the case, which provides better sound transmission.
An important parameter of any gadget is the battery. It determines how long you will actively use the device and how quickly it will charge. The capacity of the built-in lithium-polymer battery is 6450 mAh. The manufacturer states that the device is capable of operating in active mode until 10 o'clock.
Software overview
The iOS version for this tablet is 7.0. Some applications from AppStpre are available to you: iPhoto, iMovie, Garage Band, Pages, Numbers, Keynote. Same iOS version iPhone 5S, but the “slo-mo video” camera feature will not be available. Maximum software version iOS 9.0. When installing a more updated version, the device may malfunction. Under the same load, the new tablet heats up a little more than its predecessor.
Description of equipment
The assembly is not much different from its predecessor. Kit includes: documentation, Lightning cord, charger , a key-clip for inserting a SIM card into the slot.
Conclusion: Familiar design, complemented by a plastic strip to ensure cellular communication. The buttons are all in place. The diagonal remains the same, but the image quality has increased significantly. Photos appear brighter and clearer due to the higher resolution. The angle of the screen does not interfere with viewing. There is also an anti-reflective coating, thanks to which you can enjoy viewing even on a bright sunny day.
Oleophobic coating makes it easy to clean fingerprints from the screen and prevent them from appearing. An additional microphone has appeared on the back side, providing direct sound when shooting video. Active operation of the tablet can last up to 10 hours. But a working day usually lasts 8 hours if you use the device for work.
If the device is discharged, you can connect it to the power supply for 8 - 15 minutes and continue working. The Mini's dimensions allow you to hold it with one hand when reading, and the smart screen will not respond to “false” presses. You can install the iOS version not only 7.0, but also 8.0. But the highest possible version without harming the optimal performance of 9.0.
