What is the best VALUE in Apple's current iPad lineup?

[James Falconer]

Now here's a loaded question... and I suspect I'll get about 50 different answers... But...

What is (in your opinion) the best VALUE in Apple's current iPad lineup? The iPad Air or iPad mini with retina display? When you take all factors into consideration (size, features, price), which model would you recommend to buy?

 

[fluppyboy]

I would pick the iPad mini with retina display. I won't (because I already have a 64GB iPad mini, which I love and have been using for nearly a year), but that is what I would buy if I was buying today. My choice would be a 128GB iPad mini with retina display, in white and silver.

 

[cwbcpa]

If I was only choosing from iPads I believe the best value is the iPad mini with retina display. I would want a 32gb or 64gb version as my 16gb iPad 3 is a hassle to balance storage. I am still considering a 32gb nexus 7 though for a new tablet. Not sure yet. Price difference is big.


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[cardfan]

Not the ipad 2..lol

It'd be the retina Mini.

 

[Fausty82]

I really like the upgrades that Apple put into the Mini Retina. The faster processor (skipped the A6 chip completely) and the retina display make it the best choice, IMHO... especially given the price. For $400 you can have the iPad Mini with retina display and the fastest processor Apple has in any of its devices... or a 2? year old non-retina iPad 2 with the 2? year old A5 processor... or add $100 for the new iPad Air. I say save the c-note and go with the iPad Mini/retina.

 

[Just_Me_D]

From my perspective, it's the iPad Mini with Retina display. Portability is important to a great deal of people.

 

[BenitoC]

For me it would be the iPad Air.

 

[jarofclay73]

I think it's the 2012 iPad Mini at $299. I realize not everyone needs Retina and the Mini does the job. Refurbished, it'll be even cheaper.

 

[joshrocker]

Since Apple put the newest processor in the ipad mini with retina, I think that's the obvious choice. There doesn't seem to be a whole lot of difference between the ipad 5 and new ipad mini. It really comes down to $100 for a bigger screen. I would worry about the original ipad mini since it doesn't have the 64 bit chip. I have a feeling that things will move quick and some of the older hardware might start to show it's age a little sooner then it might have (had they stuck at 32 bit).

So for strictly the best value: ipad mini with retina. Personally, I like the full size ipad so that's the one that I would probably pick up if I was upgrading. I'm going to be sticking with my ipad 3 for another year however.

 

[nomoore]

I would agree with the overwhelming consensus so far. The mini with Retina is the best value. It is every bit the machine the iPad Air is, just with a physically smaller screen. It even has the same resolution. That being said, I'm going to buy the air because I want it more for a laptop replacement than an ultra portable media consumption device.

-Nick

 

[BlackBerry Guy]

Without a doubt the retina iPad mini. It's every it a full sized iPad, but smaller...no 2 year old internals this time around.


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[taz323]

Even though I prefer the full size iPad, the better value I think would the mini with retina. Due to the portability,the new retina display.

 

[mbern1008]

Value-wise, I'd have to say the Mini with at least 32 GB of storage. I am going with the Air 64GB as I really like a larger screen for navigation. I also have a feeling even though it is the same processor that the air will be faster due to a higher clock speed. There is no way IMO that they can be running the same clock speed pushing the same pixels and getting the same amount of battery life with such a difference in battery size.