iPad Mini: hands-on review round-up
Read our full Apple iPad Mini review
The Apple iPad Mini is official. The rumours were right and now we have what Steve Jobs said would never happen – a smaller form factor iPad.
We will have a full iPad mini review just as soon as we can get our hands on one for an extended period but here's a round-up of some journalists' first impressions.
iPad Mini first impressions
Will Findlater, editor of our sister title Stuff.tv, reserved judgement, wondering “how suited the iPad Mini is to running apps with complex interfaces, the jury will remain out [on] until we can get a sample to stick our favourites on.”
Despite the smaller screen T3’s Luke Peters observed how consistent the experience was compared to its larger brother, “colours are vivid, text is pin sharp, web pages render quickly and, because there's almost a 4:3 ratio going on, you get a lot of content on page.”
Signifying Apple’s intent to compete with the Amazon Kindle and the Google Nexus 7, PocketLint’s Stuart Miles stated that, “at just over 308g, it's considerably lighter than a conventional iPad, thanks mainly to using much less glass in its construction - and that means you're going to enjoy reading books on it a lot better too.”
iPad Mini: one-handed wonder
TechRadar commented that the size and feel “makes it even better as an e-reader than the larger iPad models, since you can hold the iPad Mini in one hand for much longer before feeling fatigued.”
Shane Richmond at The Telegraph had this to say on the iPad Mini’s price. “At £269 for the 16GB, Wi-Fi-only model, there will be plenty who feel that the iPad mini is too expensive. The 16GB Google Nexus 7, for example, is £70 cheaper at £199.”
Concerning the last generation A5 processor that powers the Mini, Wired’s Christina Bonnington noticed that “it runs iOS 6 and has enough power to get the 3-D maps capability, but pinching and zooming was choppier and more stuttery than I’ve experienced on any other iOS device. “
Apple knows how to make a scene
Finally, Joshua Topolsky at respected US site The Verge enthused that, “it's an impressive device that helps to remind the industry just how very good Apple is at two things: creating gorgeous hardware, and creating a spectacle.”
We certainly can't wait to get our hands on one and give the iPad Mini the thorough whathifi.com review treatment.
Already convinced? Pre-orders start this Friday October 26 with the iPad Mini set to ship and be in stores from 8am on November 2 (WiFi-only). Wi-Fi and Cellular models will be available in late November.
Read about the iPad 4 and the end of the iPad 3
Comments
I think the Galaxy Note 2 will prevail.
Absolutely agreed, and we're making every effort possible to juggle getting hold of the Mini and the date the test needs to go to print in order to include it. But it's going to be tight, so at this stage no promises.
it's a shame to run the test without the iPad mini. In my view, assessing the mini-tablet market without an iPad in the mix is of limited value - it won't answer the first (or perhaps only) question people will have.
Admittedly you'll get to have two pieces in consecutive month...
We went into a large (well known) electrical retail warehouse/store the other day. They have a fairly large area set aside for Apple computers and several people were looking at the iPads.
Nearby they have an island with all the other tablets on display, but nobody was paying attention to these. On inspection it's easy to see why, with many of them looking unappealing or a bit cheap.
As we were looking at them a salesperson was instantly on us like a leech, but when he sussed that we weren't interested, he did confess that there was very little interest in the non-iPad tablets. His comment was "to be honest, we'd have to give away a free bag of gold coins to get people to buy them".
My son who is into all things Android, surprisingly thinks the Nexus 7 is a bit "rubbish" and wants an iPad.
But we will have the Nexus 7, a Samsung, and I've ordered an Amazon Fire HD which should arrive tomorrow.
We're working on just such a test for the December issue, though I think the iPad Mini will be too late for the print deadlines. We'll bring you a full test of the iPM online just as soon as we can get hold of one.
I'd be interested in a mini-tablet supertest - Google Nexus7, Samsung Note2, iPad mini, and Amazon FireHD. Anything else for that line-up?!