iPad Mini or Retina

[HeyKatie]

I am trying to decide which model to buy after Christmas. How long do you think the 1st gen mini would last if I bought it now? I am only hesitant to buy the retina model because I am low vision and cannot tell the difference between the two as far as better screen so I was thinking about just saving myself the $100 but I also want it to last me awhile. I will mainly be using it for reading, playing movies when I travel and a few apps/music. I also have an iPhone 5s which has all of my music and the apps I use on a daily basis.

 

[Chairman Honeycrisp]

I would definitely recommend the Retina. I have had both, and don't mind the difference in screen quality all that much myself, but the performance is a lot better. However, some people have been experiencing issues with low speaker volume on the Retina, I personally don't notice them myself, but if you play music through the external speakers then you might want to look out for that. As for reading, if you mean reading webpages, I would definitely go for the Retina, not just because of the screen but also how many tabs it can open compared to the mini. (Also, you by getting the original mini these days I believe the price difference is only about $50 now, not $100 like the pre-mini 3 days)
In terms of support, don't expect the mini to get support past iOS 8, although it certainly is possible it gets iOS 9. Performance has taken a significant hit for me with iOS 8, it just doesn't feel as smooth with iOS 7. In the end the best solution would probably be to check them both out in store, or even see if you could borrow somebody else's iPad and give that a shot.

 

[JobSteves]

I would get The retina hands down because it has a much better processor (The same one as The 5S and iPad Air where as the non retina mini has the same processor as the ancient iPad 2), it's 64-bit, and don't even get me started on the screen.


The non-retina screen is so bad. This is a little bit of hyperbole but The original min's screen is like sandpaper on your eyes. If you've never used a retina device (iPad 3 or newer or iPhone 4 or newer) you'll probably be fine.

However if you used the non-retina mini for a day, then used the retina mini, then went back to the non retina mini it would be the equivalent of putting on your prescription glasses and then taking them back off again. At least that how it was when I went from the non retina mini to the retina one. The non retina just looks so bad you don't ever want to go a day without a retina screen ever again.

 

[JobSteves]

I don't find the non-retina iPad minis to be bad on the eyes at all. I've had retina devices since the iPhone 4 and iPad 3. My kids have the original iPad minis and when I need to help them with something, the screen doesn't bother me at all. Now I wouldn't want to use them full time but that's because I love my 6+ and iPad Air 2.

I felt theist same way until I went to read text on my original mini. That's where it really kills me.

 

[Cap_172R]

Get the ipad mini 2 (retina display). It'll definitely last longer. It has basically the same specs as the mini 3 (except the mini 3 has the touch ID and comes in gold!)

it'll be worth it in the long run... goodluck!

 

[SquireSCA]

The extra resolution and performance on the Retina is worth it. I have been using high rez devices for awhile now... my current phone is a 5.75" screen and higher than retina resolution... like 1440 x 2560 pixels (~515 ppi pixel density), and even going and looking at just a normal 1080p smartphone, you can tell the difference...

The difference between a Retina display and the old Mini display is huge... Is the old one even HD? If so, it's probably along the lines of 720p or something...

If you buy the cheaper one, you will just wish that you had spent the extra $50, trust me...