RealClear Summary
Posted On October 31, 2012
The long-rumored iPad Mini is here and reviewers have mostly heralded its arrival. The 7.9-inch tablet features a 1024 x 768 display (163 pixels per inch - not quite the 'Retina' quality found on the new iPad), the same dual-core A5 processor as the iPad 2, a 1.2-megapixel front-facing camera for 720HD video calls and a 5-megapixel rear-facing camera for snapshots.
Apple claims you can get 10 hours of web-surfing and video viewing on the Mini over Wi-Fi or roughly nine hours over a cellular network. A 16GB, Wi-Fi only model retails for $329.
Reviewers have been impressed with the Mini, casting away fears that it would simply be a down-sized iPad. While bemoaning the high price and lack of Retina display, reviewers loved the build quality and extensive app library that has made previous iPads so popular.
Reviews Sources
In shrinking the iconic iPad, Apple has pulled off an impressive feat. It has managed to create a tablet that's notably thinner and lighter than the leading small competitors with...
Its screen is close enough in size to the 9.7-in. one on the big iPad that nothing seemed oddly undersized. If anything, the on-screen keyboard may be comfier on the Mini, since you...
There's no tablet in this size range that's as beautifully constructed, works as flawlessly, or has such an incredible software selection. Would I prefer a higher-res display?...
If the Mini had a retina display, I'd switch from the iPad 3 in a heartbeat. As it stands, I'm going to switch anyway. Going non-retina is a particularly bitter pill for me, but I like...
This is, in many ways, Apple's best tablet yet, an incredibly thin, remarkably light, obviously well-constructed device that offers phenomenal battery life. No, the performance doesn't...
If you want the full, polished Apple tablet experience in a smaller package, the iPad Mini is worth the premium price. Otherwise, good alternatives are available for less money.
When it comes to tablet-specific apps, the iPad is still some way ahead. You won't find the amazing Touch Press apps, such as Shakespeare's Sonnets or The Waste Land, on anything other...
I was really surprised with how much I used the iPad mini in my daily routine - more than the 10-inch iPad. There are a couple of things you have to remember with the iPad mini. First,...
Over all, the Mini gives you all the iPad goodness in a more manageable size, and it's awesome. You could argue that the iPad Mini is what the iPad always wanted to be.
| Approve | Mostly Approve |  |
Mixed/Caveated | Mostly Disapprove | Disapprove |