Is it worth upgrading iPad Mini 2 to iPad Mini 4?

[ColdShadow]

so I've had my iPad Mini 2 for over a year now,and it doesn't feel snappy and fast anymore.it used to be very fast but with later verstions of iOS it's definitely feeling slower and a somehow annoying to use.
specially since I also own a Galaxy Note 5 with 4GB of Ram,the Note 5 is significantly faster and snappier and makes working with the iPad Mini 2 feel like working with very old tech.

now I wonder if upgrading to iPad Mini 4 will be worth it,I'm not looking for slight,"on paper" better performance but rather real,noticeable imorovements

Has anyone comparred the 2 ?
any thoughts?

 

[TrueBlou]

I had both up until a couple of months ago. The Mini 4 is noticeably faster and smoother with, well, basically everything.

If you find the Mini 2 no longer suits your needs, the 4 is a really good upgrade.

 

[gobikerider]

so I've had my iPad Mini 2 for over a year now,and it doesn't feel snappy and fast anymore.it used to be very fast but with later verstions of iOS it's definitely feeling slower and a somehow annoying to use.
specially since I also own a Galaxy Note 5 with 4GB of Ram,the Note 5 is significantly faster and snappier and makes working with the iPad Mini 2 feel like working with very old tech.

now I wonder if upgrading to iPad Mini 4 will be worth it,I'm not looking for slight,"on paper" better performance but rather real,noticeable imorovements

Has anyone comparred the 2 ?
any thoughts?

Yes the mini 4 is a nice upgrade since it has
-A8 processor and 2Gb ram allow for intensive applications and split-view multitasking.
- New Display with enhanced color and reduced glare.
- Longer battery life
- Thinner design and lighter weight increases one handed usability.
7.5 mm down to 6.1 mm.
- updated 8mp camera for shooting videos or taking pictures.

 

[UltimateSyn]

Yes the mini 4 is a nice upgrade since it has
-A8 processor and 2Gb ram allow for intensive applications and split-view multitasking.
- New Display with enhanced color and reduced glare.
- Longer battery life
- Thinner design and lighter weight increases one handed usability.
7.5 mm down to 6.1 mm.
- updated 8mp camera for shooting videos or taking pictures.

And TouchID, too!

 

[urkel]

I can answer both ways on upgrading from Mini 2 to mini 4

YES! The Mini2 is a machine that Apple should've retired a year ago. It chokes on 9.3 and just feels old.

NO! The Mini4 is a solid upgrade but for some reason it doesn't feel like it belongs in this generation of iPads anymore. NO TrueTone, Old cameras, No ForceTouch and lack of Pencil Support make it feel like it's already due for an upgrade.


We just got a Mini4 and the difference is noticeable. But I cant shake the feeling that a Mini5 will show up sooner than later. (But will probably be called the Pro 7.9 and will cost more for no reason)

 

[joeblow7777]

We just got a Mini4 and the difference is noticeable. But I cant shake the feeling that a Mini5 will show up sooner than later. (But will probably be called the Pro 7.9 and will cost more for no reason)

Or not...

Why avoid making a satisfying purchase because of what might be coming? There's always something better coming eventually, but for all we know it might be a year and a half before the Mini 4 is updated, like the Air 2, or it could be like the with the Mini 2 where the successor had no internal improvements so it was in effect 2 years before an update.

 

[FairyCatInPink]

At this moment, I say YES.
I actually upgraded mini 2 to mini 4 last year when mini 4 came out.
But there is rumor mini 5 possibly coming later in this year, and if it's going to support Apple Pencil, I'm surely going to upgrade.
I know there's always saying, if you wait for new one coming, you never get one. But yet since I love drawing on my iPad, it's gonna be a huge YES to get mini 5 if it support Apple Pencil. So, if I use mini 2 right now, I probably wait until Apple release news for fall.
But if you don't care about Apple Pencil and don't need that function much, and kinda in need to upgrade soon, I say it's surely good upgrade from mini 2 to mini 4! I love it's beautiful screen, it's faster, and just much better than mini 2

 

[gobikerider]

And TouchID, too!

How did that possibly slip my mind.

 

[Andres Cantu]

I would actually argue that it's better to wait half-a-year longer for the iPad mini 5, since it'll probably include the A9 chip with the incredibly-fast SSD.

While the iPad mini 4 does have a more-than-adequate 2GB of RAM, the A8 chip will not age well, in my opinion (due to it being only 25% faster than the A7 while the A9 is more than 100% faster than the A7).

 

[joeblow7777]

I would actually argue that it's better to wait half-a-year longer for the iPad mini 5, since it'll probably include the A9 chip with the incredibly-fast SSD.

While the iPad mini 4 does have a more-than-adequate 2GB of RAM, the A8 chip will not age well, in my opinion (due to it being only 25% faster than the A7 while the A9 is more than 100% faster than the A7).

Well, not to split hairs, but Apple lists the A8 as 30% faster in CPU performance and 60% faster graphics.

And there's no guarantee that there will be an updated Mini in the fall.

 

[davidinva]

I made the change from the Mini 2 to the Mini 4 and it was a great move for me. I use it more than my Macbook. I would consider a Mini 5 with Pencil support when (if) that happens, but I learned a while ago not to wait on an upgrade. Murphy's Law usually catches me with upgrades right after I buy a product, but that's life.

 

[pika2000]

I love my mini 2. Although I think the mini 4 is great, I feel that I need more than what it offers for me to upgrade since the mini 2 does the current job okay. To me Touch ID is not that huge deal on an iPad. The other improvements are incremental. An A9 powered mini with pencil support and 12MP camera would be a much better upgrade IMO.

I really hope Apple put an A9 on the next mini, and not wait for another year to do so (making the mini to be 2 generations behind).

 

[TrueBlou]

I love my mini 2. Although I think the mini 4 is great, I feel that I need more than what it offers for me to upgrade since the mini 2 does the current job okay. To me Touch ID is not that huge deal on an iPad. The other improvements are incremental. An A9 powered mini with pencil support and 12MP camera would be a much better upgrade IMO.

I really hope Apple put an A9 on the next mini, and not wait for another year to do so (making the mini to be 2 generations behind).

I would guess the next mini will be A9 based, the more devices Apple transition to using the same chipset the better for them as they can reduce manufacturing costs a little.

As to when that'll be, it's Apple, who can tell.

 

[pika2000]

I would guess the next mini will be A9 based, the more devices Apple transition to using the same chipset the better for them as they can reduce manufacturing costs a little.

As to when that'll be, it's Apple, who can tell.

That's the thing. Apple already delayed putting an A8 in the mini by 1 year, so the mini 4 is actually 1 generation behind. If Apple delayed putting the A9 on the mini this year, then the 2017 mini will be 2 generations behind (iPhone and iPad Pro would have an A11 by then). And unfortunately that's more likely as the iPad Air 2 is still being sold as the non-pro iPad, and it is 1 generation behind.
Hopefully with Apple putting an A9 in the iPhone SE, that Apple is willing to bring the mini on par instead of gimping it just because it's smaller.

 

[Andres Cantu]

Well, not to split hairs, but Apple lists the A8 as 30% faster in CPU performance and 60% faster graphics.

And there's no guarantee that there will be an updated Mini in the fall.

That's true, but it's still not that big a jump as the A9.

That's a risk I would take. There's been an iPad mini every year since release date.

 

[ACG12]

The 2gb RAM alone is worth the upgrade. I wouldn't pay full price though, Best Buy is always discounting them $75-$100 off. I don't see Apple upgrading the mini this year, I think we'll have to wait it until March '17.

 

[urkel]

Or not...

Why avoid making a satisfying purchase because of what might be coming? There's always something better coming eventually, but for all we know it might be a year and a half before the Mini 4 is updated, like the Air 2, or it could be like the with the Mini 2 where the successor had no internal improvements so it was in effect 2 years before an update.

1) Because with Apple Products there have been "half step" and "full-step" upgrades.
Sometimes the improvements are dramatically different, sometimes they are "almost enough". In the case of the iPad Mini 4 then this may be a full-step upgrade from the Mini 2, but it also seems to have come a year late and on top of that then it's currently 8months old. So why wouldn't someone try to logically contemplate a purchase of a $400 device that offers nothing but "faster" and "intentionally taller so now you have to buy new covers and cases"?


2) Because that is the thread topic.
Owner has iPad Mini 2. Asks if he should get a Mini 4. Discussion ensues.

 

[joeblow7777]

That's true, but it's still not that big a jump as the A9.

That's a risk I would take. There's been an iPad mini every year since release date.

Yes there has been, but does the Mini 3 really count? For all we know the Mini 5 will just be the Mini 4 with a Rose Gold option, and 2nd gen TouchID. Would you honestly say that would be a real update and worth the wait? The Mini 3 was a slap in the face of anyone who held off on getting a Mini 2 in the hopes of being rewarded with a better tablet for their patience.
[doublepost=1461160288][/doublepost]

1) Because with Apple Products there have been "half step" and "full-step" upgrades.
Sometimes the improvements are dramatically different, sometimes they are "almost enough". In the case of the iPad Mini 4 then this may be a full-step upgrade from the Mini 2, but it also seems to have come a year late and on top of that then it's currently 8months old. So why wouldn't someone try to logically contemplate a purchase of a $400 device that offers nothing but "faster" and "intentionally taller so now you have to buy new covers and cases"?


2) Because that is the thread topic.
Owner has iPad Mini 2. Asks if he should get a Mini 4. Discussion ensues.

My question was rhetorical. I'm fully aware of the topic of the thread and that was my 2 cents on the matter. The OP doesn't have to agree with me.

 

[Rava]

Since we're only about 6 months away from a possible Mini 5 release, I'd say no. I also have a mini 2 that I love and I strongly considered upgrading last fall. In the end I decided that while the Mini 4 checked several boxes for things I want, it just wasn't a strong enough update over the Mini 2. The main issue for me was that the A8 is a much weaker improvement over the A7 than the A9 is over the A8. If the Mini 5 comes out this year with an A9, I expect it to be much more future proof than the Mini 4.

Of course there's always the possibility that the Mini 5 won't come out this year, so that's a risk worth considering. The Mini 4 would definitely be an improvement over the Mini 2, due the ram and it's support of split screen. I don't think you can go wrong here either way.

 

[gobikerider]

Since we're only about 6 months away from a possible Mini 5 release, I'd say no. I also have a mini 2 that I love and I strongly considered upgrading last fall. In the end I decided that while the Mini 4 checked several boxes for things I want, it just wasn't a strong enough update over the Mini 2. The main issue for me was that the A8 is a much weaker improvement over the A7 than the A9 is over the A8. If the Mini 5 comes out this year with an A9, I expect it to be much more future proof than the Mini 4.

Of course there's always the possibility that the Mini 5 won't come out this year, so that's a risk worth considering. The Mini 4 would definitely be an improvement over the Mini 2, due the ram and it's support of split screen. I don't think you can go wrong here either way.

I would wait I didn't realize the possibility of Mini 5 this fall.

 

[Andres Cantu]

Yes there has been, but does the Mini 3 really count? For all we know the Mini 5 will just be the Mini 4 with a Rose Gold option, and 2nd gen TouchID. Would you honestly say that would be a real update and worth the wait? The Mini 3 was a slap in the face of anyone who held off on getting a Mini 2 in the hopes of being rewarded with a better tablet for their patience.

That's a good point. The risk is always there, but I think the iPad mini 3 had an A7 because the iPad mini 2 should have had an A6 and no Retina display. If things would have happened that way, the mini 3 wouldn't have been as bad.

 

[kim2272]

I don't have a mini 2 but I did just buy a mini 4. If you decide you want to buy one, I would definitely look around for some deals. I bought one on eBay for $260 in mint condition. So it may not cost you too much to upgrade to one and enjoy it for at least 6 months before/if the iPad mini 5 comes out. Life is short and if you have the means to upgrade, I say do it

 

[ColdShadow]

I read all replies,and now I'm thinking about waiting for Mini 5,main reason being Mini 4's A8 processor.
I like the fact it (finally) has 2GB of RAM but I don't feel confident in A8 processor being up to the job for another 2 years.

Apple should have really put an A9 in Mini 4,it really made no sense putting the outdated A8 in their latest Mini.

That being said,I wanted to upgrade my Mini 2 ASAP,I have another 6 months warranty left which will be reflected in it's all important re-sale value,it is definitely s-l-o-w and not upto the job for my heavy use anymore.