Apple iPad mini with Retina Display: Reviewed
by Anand Lal Shimpi on November 16, 2013 8:00 AM ESTBattery Life
Thanks to the mini’s integrated 23.8Wh battery (and the low idle power of the 28nm A7), the Retina Display’s power consumption is more than offset. Battery life in all of our tests is at worst unchanged from the mini, but at best we’re talking about a 21% increase.
Our web browsing test shows a 10% improvement compared to the original iPad mini. The new mini with Retina Display can even last longer than a 4th generation iPad, and it’s hot on the heels of the iPad Air (I'll be updating this section with LTE and LTE hotspot results).
Video playback is where we see the biggest improvement compared to the original mini. Here the new iPad mini lasts 21% longer on a single charge, once again outlasting even the iPad 4. The iPad Air doesn’t offer any appreciable gain in battery life over the Retina mini.
Our 3D battery life test is the only one where the old mini manages to beat the new Retina model. With a 1.31% margin of victory though, it’s pretty safe to say that for current 3D gaming workloads you’ll see similar battery life out of the Retina mini as the old model. This is also the only test where the iPad Air delivers better battery life on a single charge (~11%).
Apple ships the Retina mini with a 10W USB charger and lightning cable. This appears to be the same charger as what shipped with the 3rd generation iPad (but obviously with a different cable). Using the newer 12W charger from the iPad 4/Air has no impact on charge time as the mini still only draws a maximum of 11.7W at the wall (compared to 13.8W for the iPad Air).
The iPad mini with Retina Display completes a charge from 0 to 100% in a sliver under 4 hours. That’s a little quicker than the iPad Air, and similar to the original mini with its 5W charger.
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emoemeka - Wednesday, November 20, 2013 - link
And how many of those have ASUS sold? Nobody wants a convertible tablet! People buy tablets because they want tablets. Those who want laptops buy laptops.beggerking@yahoo.com - Wednesday, November 20, 2013 - link
go to slickdeals and search T100. amazon reviews,also surface pro /pro 2
dell venue pros
people buy them to replace both their laptops and tablets.
RadarTheKat - Monday, November 18, 2013 - link
You mentioned the price to buy a new one, but failed to mention the resale price associated with iGadgets. There are always two prices. When both are considered, the value is relatively greater for some products versus others. Please keep this in mind in the future when comparing apple products to their competition.tech4tac - Monday, November 18, 2013 - link
"which *literally* everyone else can see"hmmmm... Must be why Apple had to print an apology.
You keep using that word. I do not think it means what you think it means.
The mini was a reactionary product to counter the growing success of Android 7" tablets--a size which Jobs was adamantly against as he saw the 8.9" form factor as perfect. Both OS developers "borrowed" from each other over the years but the last few iOS versions (i.e. 5, 6, 7) make the two devices look even more similar. Features that appeared on Android prior to iOS (such as notifications bar, control center, and the similar-looking default wallpaper) make the two difficult to distinguish from afar. That said, just buy what works best for you & be done with it.
So calm down & have some Koo-laid. This one's on me.
EarFull - Tuesday, November 19, 2013 - link
Question for those in the know: Would a Firmware or Software update remedy this color gamut issue? I use a lot of Photoshop, Aperture, Lightroom AND associated plug-ins and can change a LOT about a photo digitally. Also, with Spectraview I can change the characteristics of my displays.Thank you
Patrick
JC86 - Tuesday, November 19, 2013 - link
This is just my personal observation/hope but I wouldn't recommend the iPads this generation because they seem like stop-gap iteration refreshes before next year's model that will likely include TouchID sensors throughout the lineup.The TouchID sensors that Apple introduced this year with the the iPhone 5S is clearly where the future of the entire iOS lineup is headed. My guess is that Apple didn't include the TouchID sensor with this generation's iPad lineup because of 1) component costs/supply and more importantly 2) iOS 7 has yet to support multiple user accounts. A feature that I believe will be coming in iOS 8. Since the iPhone is a much more personal device compared to an iPad that is often shared with family members, having TouchID setup with the ability to recognize who just unlocked the iPad and customize the settings and apps accordingly seems like the natural evolution of the TouchID hardware/software integration. Which is why even though my iPad 2 is getting a little old in the tooth, I'm still going to hold out and not upgrade until next year so I don't have significantly obsolete hardware within a few months.
blue meanie - Tuesday, November 19, 2013 - link
Agreed. Between the Touch ID and "retro" color gamut, it looks like I'll hold onto my chunky iPad 3 another year and wait for the iPad mini we all wanted last year. Given the "non-modular" (polite way to put it) nature of tablet manufacturing, key parts really should be of the same, contemporary caliber. I would argue that the display and processor need to be at the top of that list. I would not feel great about a significant investment (LTE and appropriate, yet overpriced, storage) in this iPad if they come out with a proper mini next year.Why is 16GB still an option? $399 should really get one 32GB.
brianlee - Tuesday, November 19, 2013 - link
I'm interested in comparing the sRGB color gamut between screens from Sharp and LG. Since the iPad Mini Retina in this article did not have the artifact issue (marco.org), it must be the display from LG. Does the Sharp display have better colors despite the artifact issue?hummerchine - Tuesday, November 19, 2013 - link
Some of the comments here kill me! There must be some huge Apple haters out there...I fully admit to being the opposite. But man...slagging on Anand? His reviews are far more detailed, thorough, and unbiased than anything out there. He tells what is great...and what isn't...about the new iPad mini with RD.What exactly do you want him to do? The guy is RIGHT ON!
Satyajit - Friday, November 22, 2013 - link
Any clue as to when we can expect a review of the refreshed macbook lineup?