Review: iPad Mini Retina Display: Is it the best tablet around
Is the iPad Mini Retina Display the best iPad or is it more than the same? Here is my review of the iPad Mini Retina Display Wifi - White
The iPad 2, iPad 3 and iPad 4 were more than the same tablet. The iPad Mini launched in 2012 and was a true revolution in the Apple World. Do you remember when Steve Jobs was laughing at Android saying that tablets are good only in 10"? Of course Android has sold millions of 7" tablets so Apple was in need of something new. The iPad Mini 1 was a nice device but with a very poor screen. And just before Christmas 2013, Apple launched the new iPad Mini with Retina Display.
Build quality and design
You either love or hate Apple but there's no denying that they know how to build an electronic device! The iPad Mini is a beautiful tablet made with premium material and the build quality is outstanding. It has a slim design, is incredibly light and it's a joy to hold. I think that 8" tablets are perfect, personally I find 7" too small, and the 10" a little bit too big and heavy. Apple has produced beautiful devices in the past and the iPad Mini Retina Display is another great Apple product. You won't be disappointed!
Screen
We all know that Retina Display is big step up from the previous screen on the iPad Mini. The screen is sharp, clear, nice, and you won't see any pixels. But I have to say that Retina display is not the best in my opinion. The screen on the new Kindle Fire HDX is absolutely stunning, same with the Nexus 7 2013. And the Galaxy Note 10.1 2014 edition has a beautiful screen too. Don't get me wrong, Retina display provides a beautiful viewing experience but there is better out there.
Sound quality
I still cannot believe that the creator of iTunes had the guts to put such poor and bad quality speakers on their tablets. Apple, your speaker/speakers are bad, period. Even my old Blackberry Playbook had better sound quality, or even the HP Touchpad had a much powerful sound. For years we had mono speakers on iPad, and unfortuantely this time Apple missed the point with the speaker. I really think they should be ashamed of themselves! At the end of the day, they invented iTunes and the iPod so there is no way to describe Apple's attitude regarding the speakers on their iPad range.
Speed and processor
Thanks to the latest Apple processor, the iPad Mini is fast, really fast. Powerful games, HD videos, you can do whatever you want with your iPad Mini....you won't be disappointed.
Apps
If you're thinking of buying the Apple iPad Mini Retina Display as a first tablet or you are coming from Android, you will be impressed by the number of apps specially designed for the iPad Mini. Yes, if you want a tablet and apps, you have no other choice than the iPad. There are apps for everybody and everything. My kids love the iPad Mini and the amount of games and good quality applications for children is amazing. Android the mobile Operative System designed by Google has a huge amount of apps available, but unfortunately only few are specially designed for tablets. That's a big difference in favour of Apple.
iOS 7 the operative system
iOS 7 is a big change for Apple. I'm not sure that Steve Jobs would have approved most of the changes, but iOS 7 is the OS that you will find in your iPad Mini. What is my opinion? Personally I find it a little bit girlie, of course there is nothing wrong with that but I wish Apple had more options to customise. I think iOS is great if you are new to the tablet world or you are an Apple fan, but I am a bit tired with the OS. The lack of widgets and options to customise are problems I think Apple should solve. The most amazing thing in my opinion is that iOS 7 is laggy. My iPad Mini Retina Display is extremely laggy. Safari internet browser crashes a lot, and from time to time I need to reboot the iPad Mini. Apple likes to critic Android about their laggy OS, well I think I can say to Apple 'welcome to the club!'. Android 4.4 Kit Kat is a refined OS and very stable, and iOS 7 needs improvement.
Final thoughts
If you are looking for a first tablet and have the money (£319 is the cheapest model 16gb wifi), and want a user friendly OS, I am sure you will love the iPad Mini. This is a great tablet and children love it. On the other hand, if you are looking for an OS that can be customised, and a more "open" experience (by that I mean not tied to iTunes) you should look somewhere else. The new Nexus 7 2013 has a terrific screen and amazing performance, the Kindle Fire HDX is also an excellent option. Personally I never really liked the iPad 2, 3, 4 and Air. I much prefer the iPad Mini Retina Display and in my opinion this is the best iPad ever produced.