REVIEW: Apple iPad mini

It wasn’t exactly the best kept secret. For weeks the rumour mills churned out tidbit after tidbit with supposed details of a smaller, more compact iPad. Speculation swirled and finally on October 23rd Apple unveiled the mythical iPad Mini, just as the rumours suggested.

The smaller sized iPad is new territory for Apple. For more than two years the tech giant has established a firm grip on the tablet market with its 9.7-inch iPad. Steve Jobs himself suggested Apple had no interest in following in Amazon’s, Kobo’s or Samsung’s footsteps by releasing a 7-inch tablet. Were his comments made to throw off the competition or did Jobs know all along a slightly larger 7.9-inch version would eventually hit the market? Either way the iPad Mini is here, but how does it compare to other tablets out there…

The first thing you’ll notice about the iPad Mini is how well it’s built. Unlike many smaller tablets which are made primarily of plastic, the body of the iPad Mini is built from aluminum. The moment you take the device into your hands you feel a perception of quality. Give the device a gentle twist or bend and you won’t hear any plastic creaking or have any fear of breakage. Sure, the aluminum may scratch but it certainly won’t crack.

Not only does it feel solid in your hands, the iPad Mini is quite beautiful. The diamond cut chamfered edges take away any rough corners, giving it a smooth, polished finish. Part of its beauty comes from just how thin it is! The iPad Mini is 7.2 mm thick (about as thick as a pencil) and ways only weighs 0.68 pounds. That’s 53 per cent lighter than the larger 4th generation iPad. Apple really focused on portability as you can take this device almost anywhere.

While Apple’s latest full-sized iPad now sports the breath-taking Retina display, Apple decided to model the Mini after the iPad 2. The smaller  7.9-inch screen has the same resolution as the iPad 2, although a slightly higher pixel density. I’m not going to lie, at first I was disappointed by the lack of Retina display. I’ve been using the new iPad (and more recently the new 4th generation iPad) for some time now and I’ve been spoiled by the stunning the screen. That being said, the screen on the iPad Mini is still very nice, boasting wide viewing angles.

Surrounding the screen is a newly designed bezel. The thinner border maximizes the amount of screen real estate on the device. Apple has enhanced iOS 6 on the Mini to reduce the chances of accidental touches from resting thumbs. This is probably a good thing since I often found my thumb resting not on the bezel but on the screen, and yet I never ran into any issues inadvertently clicking on ads or links.

The rest of the iPad Mini looks much the same as a regular iPad. Volume buttons and the traditional screen lock slider are present on the devices right frame, while the power button and headphone jack remain at the top. Apple’s new Lightning connector port can be found on the bottom edge of the device along with two speakers, essentially making it look like an iPhone 5. Speaker placement is a bit questionable as sound becomes muffled while holding the iPad Mini in landscape mode as they tend to be buried in your palm.

Despite it’s smaller footprint, the iPad Mini performs as you would expect an iPad to perform. The dual-core A5 processor is the same one found in the iPad 2. It still performs well considering Apple has launched two new chips since then. Apps loaded with ease and web browsing is still as smooth as ever.

While the processor may be the same as the iPad 2, the camera has been updated, making it equivalent to the camera found in the soon to be released 4th generation iPad. The rear 5 megapixel iSight camera features face detection, autofocus and is capable of shooting 1080p HD video. The front-facing FaceTime HD camera shoots 720p HD video and can snap 1.2 megapixel stills.

If you’ve ever snapped a photo on the iPad you’ll be happy to know it’s far less embarrassing taking photos on the iPad Mini. The tablet is much easier to hold and photos can be taken much more discreetly. While the picture quality doesn’t quite meet that of the iPhone 5, the camera is still quite good. Colours appear realistic although low light conditions still pose a bit of a problem. The iPad Mini has issues focusing in low light and noise can be seen under certain conditions, which is typical for many smartphone and tablet cameras on the market.

There was a lot of speculation on what features Apple would include and omit in the smaller more budget friendly iPad Mini. I was happy to discover LTE was left in the mix.I’m a huge fan of LTE devices which take advantage of the newer high speed wireless networks carriers like Rogers now provide. Unfortunately the LTE model was not available for review. I’ve been using the Wi-Fi version which features enhanced Wi-Fi connectivity. Apple maintains Wi-Fi speeds should be up to twice as fast as the previous generation Pads. While I couldn’t replicate those numbers with my home setup using the Speedtest app, I will say I didn’t run into any issues with Wi-Fi.

Once you start using the iPad Mini, some of the advantages become quite clear. Its small size and lightweight form factor allow it to be stashed in places a normal iPad couldn’t. Ask any woman and they’ll tell you it’s quite difficult to stuff a full-sized iPad into a purse or handbag. With the Mini, it’s not a problem. Even having the option of holding the Mini in one hand is nice. It’s almost a freeing experience. It feels so natural to be able to hold the iPad in one hand and type or navigate the screen with the other without fear of dropping it.

When it comes right down to it,  the biggest concern with Apple’s iPad Mini has nothing to do with design, features, performance or battery life (which is fantastic), it simply comes down to price. At $329 CDN the iPad Mini is quite a bit more money than other popular tablets in the 7-inch category. Google’s Nexus 7 tablet retails for $259, and Kobo’s Vox for as little as $179. If you want LTE you’ll pay an even higher premium with models starting at $459, almost the same price as the latest full-sized iPad with Retina display. Yes, it may be expensive, but Apple’s iPad Mini sets a new standard for smaller form factor tablets. If you are a firm believer in you pay for what you get, then look no further than the iPad Mini.

The Good
beautiful design
great battery life
fits in one hand

The Bad
pricey compared to 7-inch tablets
no Retina display
no HDR or panorama options for camera