iPad mini 4 still worth it?

[kupkakez]

I found a mini 4 128gb wifi only at Fry's for $379 and picked it up. I haven't noticed any real lag issues or anything, my usage is also simple light games, email, reddit, browsing internet etc.

I really do hope they keep the mini around and update it!

 

[profets]

The mini 4 is still a fantastic iPad. Although it's 1.5 years old, still feels amazing how thin and light it is compared to all other iPads.

I think it's an excellent option as is or even to supplement a larger iPad Pro. I use my 9.7" iPad Pro quite a bit, including a lot of use in landscape with the keyboard. But I also use it a lot to read books.

Funny enough, when using it in landscape I find myself wishing I had a larger screen. And When I'm reading books, I find myself wanting something even smaller and lighter for easier one handed reading.

I really hope they keep updating the mini. I think at one point I'm going to pick up a refurb to use for reading and upgrade my 9.7" to the 12.9" when it next gets an update.

 

[a.y.n]

To the OP, I have both the 9.7 pro and mini 4 and I use the mini 4 pretty much exclusively (outside of development). I really like the smaller size and the performance difference is negligible unless you use apps or play games that require the extra power and graphics performance. I hope they keep the mini form factor as it's the perfect one for me.

 

[BeatCrazy]

I think the time is ticking for the A8 chip. We'll have the A11 in just 6 months! If you're not too concerned with losing iOS support, then I'm sure it will be fine for around 5 years.

 

[dominiongamma]

To the OP, I have both the 9.7 pro and mini 4 and I use the mini 4 pretty much exclusively (outside of development). I really like the smaller size and the performance difference is negligible unless you use apps or play games that require the extra power and graphics performance. I hope they keep the mini form factor as it's the perfect one for me.

Yeah love the mini size it's great! However I decided on the 9.7 pro it was a hard choice! Think the speakers and true tone kind of pushed me to the 9.7

 

[larzy]

Has 10.3 increased the speed of the mini 4? Not that I remember it being slow, just recall it being slightly more sluggish then the Air 2.

 

[IXDoubleDXI]

Just traded up from a Mini2 to a Mini4. Was torn between the pro and mini and went for the mini based on form factor and no real use for the pro and it's features, not that they're not awesome. Side note, I held the large pro for the first time today and that thing is amazing, but not practical for my use, lol

 

[joeblow7777]

I think the time is ticking for the A8 chip. We'll have the A11 in just 6 months! If you're not too concerned with losing iOS support, then I'm sure it will be fine for around 5 years.

Given that the iPad 2 and Mini 1 just stopped getting OS updates in 2016, I think the Mini 4 will still be supported for some years. It even has as much RAM as all the most current iOS devices except the 12" Pro and iPhone 7 Plus.

 

[AZhappyjack]

I love the size of the Mini, and at least for now, the Mini 4 is the latest and greatest. Still very happy with mine.

 

[MikeAK]

Given that the iPad 2 and Mini 1 just stopped getting OS updates in 2016, I think the Mini 4 will still be supported for some years. It even has as much RAM as all the most current iOS devices except the 12" Pro and iPhone 7 Plus.

Agreed. I don't get how people think the Mini 4 will all of a sudden become a slug in short order. So what if the A8 is aging. It still has the same amount of ram as today's Pro's and that's the most important thing. Even if they release a Mini Pro it will no doubt be way higher in price than the current Mini 4. If people can find a great deal on the Mini 4 they should have no anxiety about the buy. The iPad Mini 4 has a lot of life left... years.

 

[corlando465]

I'd go with the pro because of the Apple pen. That will most likely be the reason I upgrade from my current iPad.

 

[profets]

Given that the iPad 2 and Mini 1 just stopped getting OS updates in 2016, I think the Mini 4 will still be supported for some years. It even has as much RAM as all the most current iOS devices except the 12" Pro and iPhone 7 Plus.

The mini 4 has 2GB of RAM? Wow not bad, I either totally forgot about it or missed it at launch/initial tear downs.

 

[joeblow7777]

The mini 4 has 2GB of RAM? Wow not bad, I either totally forgot about it or missed it at launch/initial tear downs.

You thought it only had 1? That would have been pretty sad. There hasn't been a 1GB iPad since 2013, I think.
[doublepost=1490842433][/doublepost]

Agreed. I don't get how people think the Mini 4 will all of a sudden become a slug in short order. So what if the A8 is aging. It still has the same amount of ram as today's Pro's and that's the most important thing. Even if they release a Mini Pro it will no doubt be way higher in price than the current Mini 4. If people can find a great deal on the Mini 4 they should have no anxiety about the buy. The iPad Mini 4 has a lot of life left... years.

I'm not sure why people think that way either. There's not really any reason to think that the iPad Mini 4 is near obsolescence.

 

[Kal-037]

I have the mini 4 and 12.9" Pro and love the combo. I had all three sizes last fall but the 9.7" pro was meh. I found it redundant and something I didn't really use. I was reaching for my iPad mini far more, then my 12.9" for heavy duty stuff. in terms of power and reliability... I LOVE the mini 4. I wish it had come with the A9 processor instead of the 2014 A8... but it is more than adequate for light editing and consumption.


Kal.

 

[profets]

You thought it only had 1? That would have been pretty sad. There hasn't been a 1GB iPad since 2013, I think.
[doublepost=1490842433][/doublepost]

I'm not sure why people think that way either. There's not really any reason to think that the iPad Mini 4 is near obsolescence.

I hadn't thought much about it but assumed it had 1GB like other A8 devices before it (iPhone 6 and iPod touch).

 

[joeblow7777]

I hadn't thought much about it but assumed it had 1GB like other A8 devices before it (iPhone 6 and iPod touch).

It also has a higher clocked A8 than those devices. 1.5 GHz compared to 1.4 in the iPhone 6 and I believe 1.3 in the iPod.

 

[gobikerider]

Has 10.3 increased the speed of the mini 4? Not that I remember it being slow, just recall it being slightly more sluggish then the Air 2.

Yah iOS 10.3 may improve that a little but overall it will lag behind the Air 2 in performance due to the A8 gpu being taxed with the iPads higher resolution.

 

[profets]

It also has a higher clocked A8 than those devices. 1.5 GHz compared to 1.4 in the iPhone 6 and I believe 1.3 in the iPod.

Nice, good stuff. Definitely makes the decision to pick up a mini 4 this year even easier.

 

[psac]

I too am deciding if it is about time to upgrade from my iPad Mini2 to the iPad Mini4.

Buying the iPad Mini2 a couple of years back turned-out to be a great decision as the smaller form factor worked-out A-OK for me.

The original Mini2 (aka Retina Mini) when it first launched was probably the best Mini "for it's time," considering it's been the only Mini with the same specs as the full-sized iPad when launched. Since then, it's lagged a generation or two. I still love mine. But like was said above, I would gladly buy a Mini Pro with the same specs as the current Pro, even if it still is one generation behind. The mini 4 will be 2 (or is it 3? I lose track) generations behind soon, so that makes it much more questionable at this point.

 

[chelsel]

im debating which iPad to get 9.7 pro or iPad mini 4. I like the small size and being able to carry it around more but worry Apple won't support it with iOS long. Is it still worth it to get?

I bought the iPad mini 4 based on form factor. In fact I recently returned from vacation and didn't even bring a laptop. I'm a coder, but for email, web browsing, reading books, etc. it's a perfect laptop replacement. Pair it with a good keyboard/case and you've got quite a nice piece of technology. I evaluated Snugg, Apatronix and Logitech cases. The Logitech case here: https://www.amazon.com/Logitech-Fle...695&sr=8-1&keywords=iPad+mini+4+case+logitech seemed to be the best for me.

 

[profets]

The original Mini2 (aka Retina Mini) when it first launched was probably the best Mini "for it's time," considering it's been the only Mini with the same specs as the full-sized iPad when launched. Since then, it's lagged a generation or two. I still love mine. But like was said above, I would gladly buy a Mini Pro with the same specs as the current Pro, even if it still is one generation behind. The mini 4 will be 2 (or is it 3? I lose track) generations behind soon, so that makes it much more questionable at this point.

Yeah, the mini 2 got some really nice treatment for it's time. Huge improvement compared to the original mini from the year before (A5 -> A7, 1024x768 -> 2048x1536). I think at one point when both the mini and mini 2 were on sale, there was a $100 difference between the two. It was such a worthwhile upgrade to choose but I saw so many people still getting the mini when a mini 2 could potentially last a few years longer.

When the mini 4 launched it was 1 generation behind. I guess right now, technically compared to the iPad Pros it's still just 1 generation behind eh. 2 generations behind the iPhone 7. And I guess this fall could potentially be 3 generations old if an A11 shows up in some products.

 

[krause734]

I would get an Air 2 or a Mini 4 depending on which size you prefer. The Pro is overkill. Wait and see what the Pro 2 looks like.

 

[joeblow7777]

The original Mini2 (aka Retina Mini) when it first launched was probably the best Mini "for it's time," considering it's been the only Mini with the same specs as the full-sized iPad when launched. Since then, it's lagged a generation or two. I still love mine. But like was said above, I would gladly buy a Mini Pro with the same specs as the current Pro, even if it still is one generation behind. The mini 4 will be 2 (or is it 3? I lose track) generations behind soon, so that makes it much more questionable at this point.

Yeah, the mini 2 got some really nice treatment for it's time. Huge improvement compared to the original mini from the year before (A5 -> A7, 1024x768 -> 2048x1536). I think at one point when both the mini and mini 2 were on sale, there was a $100 difference between the two. It was such a worthwhile upgrade to choose but I saw so many people still getting the mini when a mini 2 could potentially last a few years longer.

When the mini 4 launched it was 1 generation behind. I guess right now, technically compared to the iPad Pros it's still just 1 generation behind eh. 2 generations behind the iPhone 7. And I guess this fall could potentially be 3 generations old if an A11 shows up in some products.

It's hard to say how many "generations behind" the Mini 4 is because it's not really a 1-to-1 comparison anymore. When the Mini 4 launched, it was almost on par with the Air 2, which although a year old or so at the time, was still the flagship iPad. Yes, it has an A8 (higher clocked compared to those used in the previous year's iPhones) rather than the Air 2's A8X, but it matches it in every other spec and feature. As stated above, it still matches the RAM of current iPad models, and even has a better display than the new 2017 iPad.

So, it's behind in terms of processor (not that it feels slow or anything) but still current in other respects. A 1 generation faster processor is the only spec advantage that the 2017 iPad has over the Mini 4, which either speaks very highly of the Mini 4, or poorly of the 2017 iPad, depending on how you look at it. So he Mini 4 may well see just as much support as the new iPad that just came out this week!

 

[rui no onna]

Given that the iPad 2 and Mini 1 just stopped getting OS updates in 2016, I think the Mini 4 will still be supported for some years. It even has as much RAM as all the most current iOS devices except the 12" Pro and iPhone 7 Plus.

Supported, yes. Good performance? That's subjective. I wouldn't want to use any A5-based device past iOS 7 (2013). Ideally, I'd just keep them on iOS 6.

If one had purchased the mini 4 back in 2015, that's great. Now in 2017? Obviously, expected supported life would be shorter at this point in time. Still not bad considering we've effectively gotten some "discounts" by way of storage bumps. As for the clockrate being 1.5 GHz instead of 1.4 GHz, that extra 100MHz is pretty negligible. That said, I think the 2GB RAM in iPad mini 4 is dual channel instead of single channel so that actually provides a noticeable performance bump.

The thing is iOS tends to be optimized for latest hardware and right now, that's the iPhone 7/7+. The A10 chipset is already ~2x CPU and ~3x GPU speed of the A8. The A8 is chugging along nicely now but likely won't be when iOS is being optimized for devices with 4x CPU and 6x GPU speed.