Ipad Air 2 or Wait for Mini 4?

[Zaiella]

Hello, I'm looking to buy my first Apple. I have an original Samsung Galaxy Tab 10.1 and an LG Optimus G Pro. I'm legally blind in one eye and totally blind in the other, and I love gaming and a 5.5 inch is the smallest screen size I will go, and I have trouble seeing text in some games on the LG, so I have narrowed my choices to the Air 2 or Mini 4 when it comes out.

The Samsung I have is just a little too big to take pictures with and Apple has a couple apps I really want that are not on Android. I also feel like the Mini 3 is too old to consider. Samsung stopped updating my tablet and I can't get Kies to work on my brother's PC so I'm stuck on, I think, Kitkat.

So my questions are:
Is the Air 2 comfortable enough to take pictures with?
Do you have to hook the iPads to a computer to update them?
Is the Mini 3 still being given updates?
Is Gaming more comfortable on Air 2 or Mini 3 (I mean virtual joysticks and buttons)

Thanks for any replies!

 

[Just_Me_D]

Hello, I'm looking to buy my first Apple. I have an original Samsung Galaxy Tab 10.1 and an LG Optimus G Pro. I'm legally blind in one eye and totally blind in the other, and I love gaming and a 5.5 inch is the smallest screen size I will go, and I have trouble seeing text in some games on the LG, so I have narrowed my choices to the Air 2 or Mini 4 when it comes out.

The Samsung I have is just a little too big to take pictures with and Apple has a couple apps I really want that are not on Android. I also feel like the Mini 3 is too old to consider. Samsung stopped updating my tablet and I can't get Kies to work on my brother's PC so I'm stuck on, I think, Kitkat.

So my questions are:
Is the Air 2 comfortable enough to take pictures with?

That's debatable. I've never had an iPad Air, but I did have a full sized iPad (iPad 2) and although I did take a few photos with it, it was awkward, for *me*. It felt like I was holding up a slab of ribs for everyone to see....

Do you have to hook the iPads to a computer to update them?

No. You can update an iPad wirelessly as long as it is connected to the internet either via Wi-Fi or cellular data.

Is the Mini 3 still being given updates?

Yes

Is Gaming more comfortable on Air 2 or Mini 3 (I mean virtual joysticks and buttons)

Thanks for any replies!

That subjective, in my opinion. Anyway, hopefully someone who plays a good deal of games on either devices will offer their response soon.

 

[Zaiella]

That's debatable. I've never had an iPad Air, but I did have a full sized iPad (iPad 2) and although I did take a few photos with it, it was awkward, for *me*. It felt like I was holding up a slab of ribs for everyone to see....
No. You can update an iPad wirelessly as long as it is connected to the internet either via Wi-Fi or cellular data.
Yes

That subjective, in my opinion. Anyway, hopefully someone who plays a good deal of games on either devices will offer their response soon.

Thanks for your reply, Just Me 2., I'm glad about the wireless update thing.

 

[Just_Me_D]

Thanks for your reply, Just Me 2., I'm glad about the wireless update thing.

You're very welcome. Enjoy the rest of your weekend...

 

[Zaiella]

You too. I thought of something else. I read that not all devices get all apps, is that true? And do the Minis get all the apps the big ipads get, or do they have to get their own?

 

[keity]

Hey @zaiella enjoy your device. Also wish for you better come back.

 

[cardfan]

We don't know what's in the Mini 4 or if there'll be one. The Mini 3 is a bad value. The Mini 2 can be found for hundreds off and is the best value IMO for a Mini. I recently bought a new 128gb LTE one on ebay for 360 for my daughter. Slickdeals.net or similar is good at alerting you to deals as well.

Air 1 can be found cheap although it doesn't get split screen multitasking later. For everything else, it'll work fine. The main difference from the Mini is screen colors are better (more vibrant since it has full color range) on Air and the Air is slightly faster. However PPI is higher on Mini.

Air 2, you may want to wait til it's more heavily discounted. I've only heard about speaker vibration issues with this. And of course it's faster with more RAM and will fully support iOS 9.

And then there's Air 3 and ipad Pro due out in fall. These will cost you the most of course. The Pro, which seems very likely now that iOS 9 hints at it, will have higher res, perhaps a stylus, and possibly more unique features. But it will take devs awhile to update for it. You may want to buy it a year later at discount or wait til next one.

 

[Mr.Willie]

Had an iPad 4. Wife took it and told me to get a new one. Bought the retina mini. Got cataract surgery, which gave me distant vision, but wrecked my close vision. So I went back to a full sized Air2. The Six and Six Plus came out and I replaced my Dingleberry with a Plus. This works out great. Can't wait to see what the Pro brings to the table.

My recommendation would be to take a pass on the mini and get the full sized iPad if the Pro doesn't come out soon.

 

[Zaiella]

Thanks for all the replies I will keep posting here keity, thanks. Dunno when exactly I'll get it, but I hope in the next few months. But it'll definatly be an Apple.

Cardfan, why is the Mini 3 a bad value? I didn't even think about the Air 3, so I guess I'll consider that now too, but my Galaxy 10.1 is too big to take pictures so if the Pro is supposed to be 12 inches, I don't think so.

Mr Willie, how is Gaming on the Plus? I guess I am still considering that too but on my LG G Pro, the text is So tiny on some games, like SimCity BuildIt and fine on others like Bakery Story. And I can actually read some apps better on the phone then the Tab because they look bigger. I thought the mini might be the perfect size. I also don't want too old hardware because the newest games that my Tab manages to see in the Play Store have horrible performance if they load at all. Simcity Buildit and Netflix can't be put on the Tab, and this 3D Island game can be inslalled but can't actually play. So I need better hardware.

 

[krazyatom]

I would wait for ipad mini 4 unless there is huge discount in ipad air 2.

 

[HankAZ]

Cardfan, why is the Mini 3 a bad value? I didn't even think about the Air 3, so I guess I'll consider that now too, but my Galaxy 10.1 is too big to take pictures so if the Pro is supposed to be 12 inches, I don't think so.

The Mini 3 is a "bad value" in that all it has going for it over the Mini 2 (which is cheaper) is TouchID and more color options. If you want/need TouchID, go for it. It's still a good tablet and not a "bad value" overall.

There is no "Air 3".

 

[Zaiella]

Oh, I thought someone said "or wait for the Air 3" Heh.

I went to Best Buy and they had a Mini 2 and Air 2 turned on. Couldn't pick them up, but I liked the size of the Mini. Didn't manage to find a 6 Plus. My Aunt has one, I'll see if I can check the text of the games I like with hers when she gets back from vacation,

 

[Flow39]

Oh, I thought someone said "or wait for the Air 3" Heh.

I went to Best Buy and they had a Mini 2 and Air 2 turned on. Couldn't pick them up, but I liked the size of the Mini. Didn't manage to find a 6 Plus. My Aunt has one, I'll see if I can check the text of the games I like with hers when she gets back from vacation,

Hey! Earlier when you wanted to know about gaming, and which one was better, I have some experience

I had a Mini 2 and now I have an Air 2 and have played many hours of games on both, including NBA/FIFA and some others like NOVA and Modern Combat. In my opinion, the bigger buttons of the Air 2 make it more enjoyable for me to play games because there is much more room for error. The Air also has a much better processor/GPU and has 2 GB of RAM. It is very smooth on any game you play.

Also, when iOS 9 becomes available, you will get all of the new multitasking features it includes, and the Air 2 is the only iPad that will be getting split screen mode, so I'd consider that when buying.

The bigger screen of the Air 2 is very nice, and because I used both a Mini and an Air, I will say that I got screen envy when I saw full size iPad Airs in public. I definitely missed the bigger screen when I had a Mini.

You can't go wrong with either tablet though, both the full size and Mini have their pros and cons.

 

[Zaiella]

Hey! Earlier when you wanted to know about gaming, and which one was better, I have some experience

I had a Mini 2 and now I have an Air 2 and have played many hours of games on both, including NBA/FIFA and some others like NOVA and Modern Combat. In my opinion, the bigger buttons of the Air 2 make it more enjoyable for me to play games because there is much more room for error. The Air also has a much better processor/GPU and has 2 GB of RAM. It is very smooth on any game you play.

Also, when iOS 9 becomes available, you will get all of the new multitasking features it includes, and the Air 2 is the only iPad that will be getting split screen mode, so I'd consider that when buying.

The bigger screen of the Air 2 is very nice, and because I used both a Mini and an Air, I will say that I got screen envy when I saw full size iPad Airs in public. I definitely missed the bigger screen when I had a Mini.

You can't go wrong with either tablet though, both the full size and Mini have their pros and cons.

Thanks for your reply, Apple_ios. They both look good. Maybe something new will come out by the time I'm ready and I can get that. We'll see.

 

[PastelApps]

You should wait for iPad Air 3.

 

[Closingracer]

You should wait for iPad Air 3.

Meh unless they add something revolutionary I would just say get the Air 2. Hardware wise you'll get the same 3 core CPU with perhaps a slight upgrade in the A9X CPU with perhaps a slightly higher clock speed and 2GB of RAM. The only new addition to the Air 3 I would foresee is force touch but even then I could see them waiting to add that on the Air 4 similar in how they waited to add touch ID to the iPad's a year after they introduced it on the iPhone 5S on the iPad Air 2

If you want the mini I would wait for the Mini 4 since I would think they either will upgrade the specs finally or another useless upgrade .


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[iOS Gravity]

iPads get iPad exclusive apps and can download iPhone apps too. The mini 3 is definitely not outdated as it is latest iPad mini and is just as old as the iPad Air 2. Both will get updates for years to come.

 

[mumfoau]

I just got myself a 16GB Air 2 today with Best Buy's Black Friday pricing. Just need a good keyboard and it'll be a suitable replacement for my 8 year old Toshiba laptop

 

[WeAreAllUnique]

I have always been partial to the full sized iPad because I like the typing experience better. I do a lot of typing and I need the room. I also feel like the experience in viewing movies, reading magazines, and watching movies is a lot better on the full sized iPad.


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[Septembersrain]

I'm interested in getting an iPad Air 2 myself. I've got a Mini 3 and I think they likely won't give the Mini 4 2GB of RAM.

I really think this would be helpful to me with some of my applications.


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