September 9, Apple introduced the latest model of a miniature tablet iPad mini 4. Moreover, Russia was among the countries of the first wave of sales. While attention was riveted on new iPad Pro and the iPhone 6s, the new mini-tablet received the least attention. By iPad experience mini 3 few people expected drastic changes in version 4.

Comparison and review of two tablet models: iPad mini 3 and iPad mini 4

Throughout 2015 for world wide web there were a lot of rumors that Apple is completely ready to abandon handhelds. As arguments, the release of the iPhone 6s Plus phablet was cited, which, having a screen size of 5.5 inches, is almost the size of a tablet. And an even greater simplification would finally push buyers to, as more functional, or to regular versions iPad like the larger ones.

All this led to the fact that even the official presentation of the product was probably the shortest in history. At first glance, it is clear why, because there really is nothing innovative in the new device. Does it differ in something fundamental from its predecessor, or is everything as insignificant as in the case of the iPad mini 2 and 3? To understand, let's iPad comparison mini 3 and 4. After reading this material, you will be able to understand whether it is worth updating your third-generation PDA or you can continue to use it further. And if you are looking for the first Apple devices, then this will help determine whether it is worth significantly overpaying for a new product.

At first glance, it seems that there are no differences. But as soon as you pick it up, differences begin to appear. The fourth generation tablet is 1.5 millimeters thinner and almost 50 grams lighter. Anyone who has not used a similar device of the third generation, of course, will not notice anything, but an experienced user will feel the difference: the thickness of the iPad mini 4 is only 6.1 mm (7.5 mm for its predecessor), weight - 298 (without cellular module) / 304 g (with cellular module) versus 331/341 g for the third version.

The second external dissimilarity is the disappearance of the mute button. On iPad mini 3, this button was, but on 4 it is no longer there. The third difference is the fourth version is slightly higher than the third. Its dimensions are 203 × 135 mm, while its predecessor is 200 × 134 mm. Because of these extra 3 millimeters, it is impossible to use the case from the previous tablet. iPad 4 simply does not fit in it. And fourthly, the design of the stereo speaker holes has changed. As you can see, there are few external differences, and they are not too significant.

Screen

The technical characteristics of both screens are completely identical: IPS-matrix, diagonal 7.9″, resolution 2048 × 1536 pixels, pixel density 326 ppi. But, comparing them with each other, you can easily see the difference. Although no technical innovations were introduced, in iPad mini 4 the picture is much brighter, juicier, more contrast, colors are rendered more naturally. All thanks to the fact that Apple got rid of the air layer between the matrix and glass, and also improved the anti-reflective coating and color coverage. But such an improvement will lead to a significant increase in the cost of repairs.

Hardware and memory

On the World Wide Web you can find great amount negative feedback from iPad mini 3 owners who complain about the brakes when the device is running iOS 9. iPad mini 4 does not have such problems, all due to the fact that the new product has new processor- 64-bit Apple A8 with two cores, 1.5 GHz, running on the Typhoon architecture, based on a 20-nanometer ARMv8-A chipset in conjunction with an M8 coprocessor. According to Apple, it is almost 100% more resource efficient battery and a third more productive.

The tablet works just fine, there are no lags, everything turns on and loads instantly. Not the last place in this improvement is the doubled volume random access memory- now it is equal to 2 gigabytes. By the way, the size of the built-in flash memory has not changed - models with built-in memory of 16, 64 and 128 GB are still available. The video processor has also been improved - the fourth generation iPad mini now has a PowerVR GX6450, while mini 3 was equipped with a PowerVR G6430.

All updated equipment has significantly improved performance indicators. Now iPad mini 4 can be compared with the older brother of the second generation.

Camera

Whereas the iPad mini 3's camera didn't differ even from the year before last, the iPad mini 4 stepped forward. The main camera of the novelty has an 8-megapixel matrix with ƒ / 2.4 aperture, autofocus, a five-lens lens, a light sensor and the ability to record video in Full HD quality. Despite the improved resolution, the quality is still lame, but, you see, few people buy a tablet for taking pictures.

The resolution of 1.2 megapixels does not differ from its predecessor. It can record video at 720p and recognize faces. You can’t make high-quality selfies on it, but it’s quite suitable for video calls via the Internet.

Wireless networks and sensors

Both models are available in two versions - Wi-Fi only and Wi-Fi + 3G/4G. Each of them supports most Wi-Fi standards, can operate in two frequency bands of 2.4 and 5 GHz. iPad mini 4 supports 802.11ac, Bluetooth version 4.2 (in iPad Mini 3 - 4.0). Models with module cellular communication work equally well in GSM / EDGE, UMTS / HSDPA, CDMA / EV-DO, LTE networks. Both devices have GPS / A-GPS, GLONASS, compass, Touch ID fingerprint sensor, three-axis gyroscope, ambient light sensor, accelerometer, and iPad mini 4 also has a barometer.

Operating system

Initially, iOS 8.1 was installed on the third generation handheld, and iOS 8.1 was installed on the fourth generation model. Today, both devices can be upgraded to latest iOS 9.2, released December 8, 2015.

Since the iPad mini 4 was originally designed for new version OS, it supports all its features like Split View split screen, Slide Over multitasking and Picture in Picture. Although the predecessor will also receive all these functions, as we mentioned at the beginning of the article, there may be slowdowns in the interface.

Battery

The most interesting thing is that the battery capacity of the iPad mini 4 has decreased significantly - 5124 mAh versus 6471 mAh. Still, in such slim body do not install a thicker battery. But at the same time, the indicators did not worsen at all. And all because of the best energy efficiency of the new platform.

The following tests were carried out:

  • watching online YouTube videos in 720p resolution - about 11 hours 20 minutes (about 10 hours 30 minutes on mini 3);
  • Epic Citadel (test game scene) - 6 hours 10 minutes (about 5 hours 30 minutes for its predecessor);
  • An hour of playing Asphalt 8 - 16% discharge (17% for a competitor).

As you can see, the performance is even slightly better. And with more power.

conclusions

After our comparison, it is obvious that the difference between iPad mini 3 and iPad mini 4 is greater than between iPad mini 2 and iPad mini 3. This is both a better screen and more powerful stuffing, and wifi standard 802.11ac, and bluetooth version 4.2 instead of 4.0. Is it worth it to buy more new model, if you use the previous, third? The starting price for the minimum configuration of both devices ($399) further complicates the choice.

Apple simply and quietly unveiled the new iPad Mini 4 at an event in San Francisco on September 9th. And although the new iPad Mini received no more than a minute of attention in the total presentation time, we believe that it was the best of the new products on the show, losing to .

We can't deny that the iPad Mini 4 update from its predecessors is devoid of originality and any additions, but this does not mean that the update remains. waste time. As you'll see in our comparison against the iPad Mini 4, the company's latest tablet is well worth your consideration.

Design

As you can see, the overall design of the iPad Mini 4 and iPad Mini 3 are very similar. And again, Apple is not interested in any visual changes in the line of junior tablets. Thus, existing docks, cases and other accessories can be used without any problems.

In this comparison, we have two 8-inch tablets with a metal back, an all-glass front, and multiple buttons/ports.

It's worth noting that we haven't published a comparison of the iPad Mini 2 and iPad Mini 3, but in fairness, the similarities between the 3rd and 4th tablet are much deeper than it might seem.

Nothing happened to the round home button and the fingerprint scanner hidden inside. The only difference we've seen so far, aside from size, is the missing mute button, and the microphone placement has moved from the center towards the rear camera, the speaker grilles at the bottom now have one more row of circles instead of what they used to be.

Both tablets use a Lightning port centered on the bottom of the tablet, flanked by two speaker grilles. There are volume buttons on the right side of the tablet, but the iPad Mini 3 has a "Hold" switch that turns off the device, it's gone from the iPad Mini 4. The power button is on the right side at the top of the tablet. Headphone jack on the top left.

Perhaps the only real difference in design is the thickness and weight of the two tablets. The new iPad Mini 4 shaved off a tenth of the weight, 294 grams, compared to the iPad Mini 3 (330 grams). The tablet's weight reduction is almost entirely due to the slimming of the outer frame, which resulted in the iPad Mini 4 being thinner (6.1 mm) compared to the iPad Mini 3 and iPad Mini 2, which measure 7.5 mm.

Display

Finally, we come to the first achievements of the new and latest tablet in the Mini series. First, it offers the same size and resolution as the iPad Mini 3, so you get 7.9 inches diagonally, with a resolution of 2048 x 1536 pixels. Don't expect the difference between the original iPad and iPad Air 2.

The iPad Mini 4 gets a similar oleophobic (fingerprint resistant) coating as the iPad Mini 3, but it gets the full lamination and anti-glare coating previously only available on the iPad Air 2. The end result offers noticeable differences between the two devices. And while the image will be similar in ideal lighting conditions, in sunlight, the picture on the iPad Mini 4 is much more attractive.

Performance

Now we come to the very interesting part of the new tablet. The iPad Mini 3 is a capable tablet computer, but that hasn't stopped Apple from taking the iPad Mini 4 to the next level.

The main difference between these two tablets is the hardware. Given that old iPad The Mini 3 offers a 64-bit A7 processor, 1GB of RAM, and an M7 co-processor, compare them to the new iPad Mini 4, which offers a 64-bit A8 processor, a hitherto unknown amount of RAM, and an M8 co-processor.

Apple even offers its own performance comparison, claiming that the iPad Mini 4 offers 1.3 times the processor performance and 1.6 times the graphics performance of the iPad Mni 3. Although the lower-end tablet in the series is inferior to the iPad Air 2 with chipset A8X, they mean that the iPad Mini 4 can use latest features multitasking iOS 9.

We will discuss this later, but iPad performance Mini 4 allows you to shoot SLO-MO video from the updated rear camera sensor. And that's just one of the few features that iPad Mini 3 users are missing out on.

Finally, battery life seems to have changed since the iPad Mini 4. We know that new tablet has powerful internal specs, but the battery has only received a minor upgrade from 6350 mAh to 6471 mAh. Other reports claim that we got 5124 mAh. Stay tuned, we're going to take a closer look at these iPads.

Hardware

We will be brief in this part as you have probably already read ours, so this part should be fresh in your mind.

The iPad Mini 3 and iPad Mini 4 take advantage of the fingerprint scanner hidden under the Home button. The main purpose of this biometric tool is security, for example you can use Apple Pay in safe mode.

Apple continues to use the Lightning connector, postponing USB Type-C for another time. The front cameras of the iPad Mini 4 and iPad Mini 3 feature 720p optics, but the iPad Mini 3's older 5-megapixel main camera has been upgraded with an 8-megapixel sensor from the iPad Mini 4.

Standard Wi-Fi a/c comes with the iPad Mini 4, however, the tablet has been upgraded to a new one. Bluetooth standard 4.2 while dual channel 2.4 and 5GHz Wi-Fi and cellular connectivity bands, including LTE, remain the same.

Again, since the iPad Mini 3 and iPad Mini 4 come with light sensors, an accelerometer, and three axes of gyro sensors, the new tablet gets a barometer.

cameras

As we mentioned above, the iPad Mini 3 features the old 5MP camera, while the iPad Mini 4 gets an upgraded 8MP sensor. Despite the increase in the megapixel department, the rest of the specifications remain largely similar. Down the list, you'll find auto focus, face ID, hybrid infrared filter, f/2.4 camera aperture, of course, HDR, and Panorama as available modes. The only difference is the inclusion of burst mode on the new iPad Mini 4.

The front camera is a 1.2 megapixel sensor capable of capturing 720p video. And while it's not the biggest camera sensor, it's more than enough for a quick video chat or FaceTime. As we've seen in other aspects of the device, this is an "identical" camera sensor that seems to have been carried over from the old tablet. You most likely won't find a difference in good lighting conditions, but match cameras in poor lighting and you'll notice improvements and discover new camera on the front of the tablet.

It's time for the moment of truth, we'll compare the new iPad Mini 4 8MP camera with the same sensor on the iPad Air 2 later, but for now let's see if the iPad Mini 3 5MP camera upgrade is worth your money. (Please be aware that these photos were taken in various lighting conditions. We do this on purpose as we believe that best quality cannot be taken into account for user ratings. We have also placed the device in the hands of the “average user” and asked to shoot for an authentic experience photo taken by the user (After all, we believe that the average user should see "own" photos).

Examples iPad photos Mini 4:

HDR

iPad Mini 3 Photo Examples:

Software

And if latest ios 9 was the release for the older tablet, the new iPad Mini 4 comes with this update out of the box. iPad Mini 3 starts on the basis of the older version operating system, but at the time of this comparison, iOS 9 was out on all tablets in the series.

And while iOS 8.4 has served well enough, we've been able to test iOS 9 on multiple devices, and the new features are a breath of fresh air in comparison. The new multitasking features, Slide-Over, Split-View and Picture-in-Picture, really turn the iPad line into tools for a productive computing experience.

Along with this “better late than never” we get a great multitasking tool, new apps and services, including a new streaming service. Apple Music, the new Apple News app, and more.

Don't forget that iOS 9 weighs 3 GB less previous version operating system. So you get more storage space for your favorite apps, photos, and files. Installing the operating system leaves over 10 GB on the lower models of the tablet in 16 GB of internal memory.

Prices and final thoughts

If you are looking for an answer to the question of which tablet you should buy, the iPad Mini 4 will almost certainly be the answer. In terms of power, features and prospects, there is no point in buying an iPad Mini 3, which may be the reason why Apple has almost completely withdrawn the Mini 3 from the turnover on the site. It's curious that it's still available with some discounts, but that's another story.

The thing is, I use the iPad Mini 3 on a daily basis and I have to admit that I'm quite pleased with the user experience. There's nothing wrong with saving a few thousand dollars (or $6-$7) with an iPad Mini 3. You won't be disappointed with your purchase, just know that you won't see some of the improvements in iOS 9 and your photos will be limited to 5MP.

Below we are going to point out the price tags for the new tablets, but here we need to clarify one thing, because, as we discussed earlier, the iPad Mini 3 is no longer found in official Apple stores. The prices you're about to see are based on Apple's retail pricing experience, so be sure to check retail stores near you for the best deal. You can also view "refurbished" tablets at Apple's ReStore.

Comparing the iPad Mini 3 and iPad Mini 4 boils down to the fact that you have two good tablets, portable and powerful devices that will serve you faithfully. Unlike iPad updates Mini 2 - iPad Mini 3, there are certain improvements to the iPad Mini 4 that we think should be considered when looking for a new Apple tablet.

Do you think there are improvements new iPad Is the Mini 4 worth the extra cost compared to the iPad Mini 3 and iPad Mini 2?

Apple manufactures electronic devices of the highest quality - few will argue with this statement. Perhaps the most popular products of this American corporation are gadgets such as iPhone, iPad and MacBook.

iPads are ideal multimedia devices: surf the web, watch movies, listen to music and more - you can do it all on a variety of iPads. However, which iPad model is best for your needs? Which one has the largest diagonal? Or which one is the most efficient?

In today's article, we will review all the iPad models that have come out over the past eight years, as well as make a little comparison so that you can decide if you have a question about buying such a premium device. So let's start our review with the very first iPad...

iPad 1

The original iPad was released on April 3, 2010. It's safe to say that the first iPad was a kind of sensation in the world of electronic technology. The thing is that Apple equipped its gadget with such features that tablets from other manufacturers simply did not have.

An example of such features: a real IPS display with a resolution of 768 × 1024 and powerful (at that time) Apple processor A4 operating at 1000 MHz. Other pleasant moments include a capacious 6667 mAh battery, which is quite impressive, given that at that time only popular netbook models could boast of such a capacity.

Ok, now let's talk about the less pleasant features of the first iPad model in the line of these devices. The most obvious is the dimensions and weight of the device, which were as follows:

  • height - 243 mm;
  • width - 190 mm;
  • thickness - 13 millimeters;
  • weight - 670 grams (Wi-Fi) and 730 grams (Wi-Fi + 3G).

Yes, the iPad 1 is a rather thick and heavy device, which was quite difficult to keep on weight for a long time. Also worth mentioning is the issue with duration. iPad works 1: Many owners of the device complained that despite the high battery capacity, the gadget burst extremely quickly. Among other things, the first iPad model lacked front and rear cameras.

Well, let's take a look at the rest of the characteristics of the first model:

  • processor - Apple A4 at 1 GHz;
  • GPU - PowerVR SGX 535;
  • RAM - 256 MB DDR SDRAM;
  • operating system - iOS 5.1.1;

True, today such characteristics seem ridiculous, but in 2010 they are simply amazing. Plus, do not forget about the excellent optimization of the iOS operating system. The iPad has become a real hit and in less than a year, Apple decides to release the next product in the line - iPad 2.

iPad 2

The iPad 2 was released on March 2, 2011. Like the older brother, the novelty made a strong impression on the public. In fact, Apple has worked on the bugs and significantly improved the original concept. So, what changes has the tablet undergone? The most obvious change is the presence of two cameras of 0.3 Mpx (front) and 0.7 Mpx (rear).

Another positive change is the dimensions of the device. iPad has become an order of magnitude thinner and lighter:

  • height - 241.2 mm;
  • width - 185.7 mm;
  • thickness - 8.8 millimeters;
  • weight - 601 grams (Wi-Fi), 607 grams (CDMA), 613 grams (GSM).

Among other things, for the second iPad version the developers decided to install more RAM (512 MB LPDDR2), as well as faster central (dual-core Apple A5 at 1GHz) and graphics (PowerVR SGX 543MP2) processors. Apple also decided to increase the battery for the gadget, the volume of which was now 6930 mAh. But the display of the iPad has not undergone any changes: the same IPS with a resolution of 768 × 1024.

iPad 3

If the second iPad had minor differences from the first, then the iPad 3, which was released on March 7, 2012, differs from the original version in a significant way. First, let's look at the weight and dimensions:

  • height - 241.2 mm;
  • width - 185.7 mm;
  • thickness - 9.4 millimeters;

As you can see, the iPad is practically the same size as the previous version, but it has become a little thicker and gained weight, which is probably due to its changed filling. Instead of the usual resolution of 768×1024, the third iteration received an IPS-display (Retina) with a resolution of 1536×2048, which is a decent enough resolution even by today's standards. However, only the resolution has changed: the diagonal is still 9.7 inches.

Apple has also added a new CPU (1GHz dual-core Apple A5X) and GPU (PowerVR SGX543MP4) to the third-generation iPad, taking performance to a higher level. Given the improved hardware, Apple decided to equip the tablet with a much more capacious battery that holds as much as 11560 mAh.

What about the camera: the front camera has the same 0.3 mpx, and the rear camera has 5 mpx. With such a camera, you can already take quite decent photos if you are interested in taking pictures with a tablet. Among other things, the RAM has been increased and now it is a whole gigabyte.

iPad 4

It is worth noting that on October 23, 2012, Apple released two new tablet models at once: iPad 4 and iPad Mini. First, let's look at the older model, and then move on to its smaller brother. So, iPad 4 is not that much different from the previous one. iPad tablet However, some differences still exist.

The most obvious difference is the presence of the now familiar Lightning connector. Central and GPUs The previous model has been replaced by a dual-core Apple A6X running at 1.4GHz and a quad-core PowerVR SGX554MP4.

The main camera remained the same, but the front module was improved (FaceTime HD) and now reached 1.2Mpx. The amount of RAM and battery capacity also remained the same: 1 GB and 11560 mAh. Also, the display of the device has not undergone any changes: the same IPS-display (Retina) with a resolution of 1536 × 2048.

Let's now look at the dimensions of the iPad 4:

  • height - 241.2 mm;
  • width - 185.7 mm;
  • thickness - 9 millimeters;
  • weight - 652 grams (Wi-Fi), 662 (Wi-Fi + Cellular).

As you can see, the fourth generation iPad is almost identical in size and even weight to the previous generation. However, iPad 4 has become a little thinner than its predecessor, but only a little. It is also worth noting that some time after the release of the 16, 32 and 64 gigabyte models, Apple released the 128 gigabyte iPad 4.

iPad Mini

Let's move on to relatively speaking younger brother iPad fourth generation— iPad Mini. From the name of this model, it is not difficult to guess that this tablet has much smaller sizes than full size models. Let's take a look at the dimensions and weight of the iPad Mini:

  • height - 200 millimeters;
  • width - 134.7 mm;
  • thickness - 7.2 millimeters;
  • weight - 308 grams (Wi-Fi), 312 g (Wi-Fi + Cellular).

A really small tablet when compared to the iPad 4 or previous models. Reduced weight and dimensions, unfortunately, mean that not the most top-end (at that time) hardware is located in the tablet case. Let's walk through it:

  • central processor - dual-core processor Apple A5 at 890 MHz;
  • GPU - PowerVR SGX 543MP2;
  • RAM - 512 megabytes;
  • display - 7.9 inch IPS with a resolution of 768 × 1024;
  • battery - 4400 mAh;

Do any of the above remind you of something? specifications? That's right, at its core, the iPad Mini was a smaller version of the iPad 2 that came out back in 2011. Unlike the iPad 2, the battery size and display diagonal have been reduced, which is to be expected with such a small size. Unfortunately, this model was deprived of Retina. Also in the iPad Mini there is a Lighting port and a 4G module.

iPad Air

iPad Air - next version the famous Internet tablet, which was released on October 22, 2013. The peculiarity of the iPad Air is that it successfully combines powerful hardware, a large display diagonal and a small thickness. Hence, apparently, the name "Air" came. It is worth noting that outwardly, the iPad Air is quite similar to the iPad Mini, Apple's previous tablet model.

Let's take a look at the dimensions and weight of the iPad Air:

  • height - 240 millimeters;
  • width - 169.5 millimeters;
  • thickness - 7.5 millimeters;
  • weight - 469 grams (Wi-Fi), 478 (Wi-Fi + Cellular).

Lightweight and thin machine with the following hardware:

  • central processor - dual-core, 64-bit Apple A7 processor at 1.4 GHz;
  • display - 9.7 inch IPS (Retina) with a resolution of 1536 × 2048;
  • battery - 8850 mAh;
  • front and rear cameras - 5Mpx and 1.2Mpx;

Among other things, the Apple M7 co-processor appeared in the iPad Air, which collects and processes data received from the accelerometer, gyroscope and compass, thereby increasing the performance of the tablet.

iPad Mini 2

Apparently, the original iPad Mini caught on with consumers of Apple products, as the company in October 2013 decided to release the iPad Mini 2 or, as it is also called, iPad mini with a Retina display. Don't think that Apple just added to the old Retina model and tried to resell it. iPad Mini 2 is a completely new model.

The developers managed to keep almost the same dimensions and weight of the previous iPad Mini model, but add hardware of a completely different level. So, under the hood of the iPad Mini 2 you can find:

  • central processor - dual-core Apple A7 at 1.3 GHz;
  • coprocessor - Apple M7;
  • GPU - PowerVR G6430;
  • RAM - 1 gigabyte;
  • display - 7.9 inch Retina IPS with a resolution of 1536 × 2048;
  • battery capacity - 6471 mAh;

The iPad Mini 2 is a compact and, most importantly, productive - at least for that time - tablet from Apple. The second mini version received a faster processor, more RAM, a Retina display with a much higher resolution, and a larger battery. However, the front and rear cameras remain the same. Also, the display diagonal has not changed in any way, which, however, is quite logical.

iPad Air 2

October 2014 original model The iPad Air also received a continuation in the form of the iPad Air 2. It's the same idea: thin body, large diagonal and high performance. The first thing that catches your eye is a significantly increased amount of RAM, which now reaches as much as 2 gigabytes, which, even by today's standards, is not so bad. Apple also released a version of the iPad Air 2 with three gigabytes of RAM.

Among other things, the iPad Air 2 has an improved iSight rear camera module, which has reached 8Mpx. But here is the solution front camera FaceTimeHD has remained at the same level as in the previous iPad Air model. It should also be noted that the developers have successfully managed to reduce the weight of the gadget and its thickness. Let's take a look at the dimensions of the device:

  • height - 240 millimeters;
  • width - 169.5 millimeters;
  • thickness - 6.1 millimeters;
  • weight - 437 grams (Wi-Fi), 444 (Wi-Fi + Cellular).

Of course, iPad Air 2 also received new hardware that takes the tablet to a completely different level of performance:

  • the central processor is a triple-core Apple A8X at 1.5 GHz;
  • coprocessor - Apple M8;
  • GPU - eight-core PowerVR GXA6850;
  • display - 9.7 inch Retina LED + IPS with a resolution of 1536 × 2048;
  • battery capacity - 7340 mAh;

I would also like to note one extremely important innovation in the form of Touch ID - a proprietary fingerprint scanner from Apple.

iPad Mini 3

Apple could not help but continue to release the Mini series tablets, because they are so popular among users. On October 16, 2014, the iPad Mini 3 was born. Unfortunately, the iPad Mini 3 is not much different from its predecessor. The only differences are the added fingerprint scanner finger touch ID, LED backlighting for the Retina IPS display, and the lack of a 32 GB model on sale, which is very strange.

iPad Pro 12.9

In November 2015, the company launched a line of extremely powerful tablets called the iPad Pro. Now we will focus on the most advanced gadget of this line - iPad Pro 12.9. Perhaps the most prominent difference between the iPad Pro 12.9 and other iPad models and tablets from other manufacturers is the Retina, LED + IPS 12.9-inch display with a monster resolution of 2048x2732.

According to Apple, the iPad Pro 12.9 may well compete with many laptops in terms of performance. And it is easy to verify this by reading complete list iPad Pro 12.9 Specs:

  • central processor - dual-core Apple A9X at 2.26 GHz;
  • coprocessor - Apple M9;
  • GPU - PowerVR Series7;
  • RAM - 4 gigabytes;
  • battery capacity - 10307 mAh;
  • camera - rear at 12Mpx and front at 1.2Mpx.

It is also worth noting that Apple can use the Pencil branded stylus with the tablet, it is possible to connect external keyboard, as well as the ability to simultaneously run two applications on the same screen. Among other things, the iPad Pro 12.9 has as many as four speakers, thanks to which users can enjoy true stereo sound.

iPad Mini 4

The fourth generation iPad Mini has been released by Apple September 9, 2015. The tablet has become even more compact and light, while possessing even more advanced hardware. Let's take a look at the updated dimensions and weight:

  • height - 203.2 millimeters;
  • width - 134.8 millimeters;
  • thickness - 6.1 millimeters;
  • weight - 295 grams.

As you can see, the iPad Mini 4 is extremely thin and lightweight tablet, ideal for a variety of multimedia applications. And for this, the following iron will help him:

  • central processor - dual-core Apple A8 at 1.5 GHz;
  • coprocessor - Apple M8;
  • GPU - PowerVR GX6450;
  • battery capacity - 5124 mAh;

You probably immediately noticed that the company decided to reduce the volume of the battery, which immediately raises thoughts about reduced battery life. However, thanks to the talent of the developers and low power consumption, Apple managed to maintain the same battery life even with a reduced battery.

iPad Pro 9.7

After the release of the iPad Pro 12.9, which turned out to be a hugely successful model, Apple decided to create a brother for him, but only with a smaller diagonal and almost the same hardware characteristics. Given the reduced diagonal, the display resolution was reduced to 1536 × 2048, however, this is still the same Retina IPS, which is good news.

The battery capacity has also been reduced, which now stands at 7306 mAh, but this is not a problem, since power consumption has also decreased due to the reduced resolution and diagonal of the display. Apple promises efficient battery life up to 10 hours.

The RAM of the tablet has undergone changes: it has been reduced to two gigabytes, which can be a problem for some users. Among other things, the iPad Pro 9.7 tablet has support for extremely useful function, which will adjust color scheme display for ambient light.

Do not forget that Apple has improved the front and rear cameras of the smaller Pro-version of the tablet. The resolution of the front camera is 5.0Mpx, and the rear camera is 12Mpx. Despite the reduced size, four speakers remained on the case and the ability to connect an external keyboard was retained.

iPad 5

The fifth generation iPad was released by Apple on March 21, 2017. It is worth noting that this model, perhaps, most disappointed many fans of this manufacturer's products, and all for one simple reason: there were no significant innovations in the iPad 5. Let's take a look at the dimensions and weight of the model:

  • height - 240 millimeters;
  • width - 169.5 millimeters;
  • thickness - 7.5 millimeters;
  • weight - 469 grams (Wi-Fi) and 478 grams (Wi-Fi + Cellular).

Already familiar values ​​- nothing unusual. I would like to say the opposite hardware, but in this regard, everything is also quite familiar. Let's take a look at what hardware is installed on board the iPad 5:

  • central processor - dual-core Apple A9 at 1.8 GHz;
  • coprocessor - Apple M8;
  • GPU - PowerVR Series 7XT GT7600;
  • RAM - 2 gigabytes;
  • camera - rear at 8Mpx and front at 1.2Mpx.

Perhaps the only advantages of the iPad 5 over previous models in the lineup are the more powerful CPU and GPU. However, many of the iPad 5's shortcomings can be forgiven, if only because the price for the base model of this version was only $329.

iPad 6

And so we come to the iPad 6, Apple's latest tablet model available today, which was released on March 27, 2018. The novelty has many similarities with the model previous iPad generations. The biggest difference is the new 2.3GHz quad-core Apple A10 processor with PowerVR GT7600 graphics, which delivers reasonably fast performance. Also worth noting is the new M10 motion coprocessor. Let's take a look at the rest of the iPad 6 specs:

  • RAM - 2 gigabytes;
  • display - Retina, 9.7 inches, LED + IPS with a resolution of 1536 × 2048;;
  • battery capacity - 8827 mAh;
  • camera - rear at 8Mpx and front at 1.2Mpx.

Among other things, the iPad 6 has support for the proprietary iPencil stylus, however, this gadget is not bundled with the tablet itself. If you're into Apple technology, you should know that the iPencil used to only work with Pro versions of tablets, but now the sixth generation iPad can do the same.

Found a typo? Select the text and press Ctrl + Enter

The technical description of the two gadgets is actually very similar. At the same time, both tablets have significant differences that will help select the iPad Air 2 or iPad mini 4 for certain categories of users. Since there is a marked difference in size mobile devices, then it is logical to assume that on one it is more convenient to play games, work with text files, search the world wide web. The second tablet is ideal for users who prefer to always carry it with them.

Basically, mini format gadgets are very convenient for reading books in public transport, quick check mail, unscheduled amateur photography, listening to music at any suitable moment. We believe that both tablets occupy a worthy place in the market and are not competitors, which explains the high interest in them among connoisseurs of Apple mobile technology. The review will first of all be interesting and useful to those who want to see how the technical parameters of the two sensational iPad models, released with a difference of almost one year, differ. It will also help to compare right choice users who plan to buy a brand new tablet with a high-quality design and flagship parameters in the near future.

Comparison and review of two tablet models: iPad Air 2 and iPad mini 4

The packaging in which the gadgets are supplied is standard for Apple. It is a white box, made in a very laconic style, which has become the hallmark of the company. iPad mini 4 and iPad Air 2 only come with the iPad Air 2 cable and portable Charger. The lack of headphones can be considered a small minus.

The most noticeable differences that will catch the eye of even the most inexperienced user are the dimensions of tablet computers. If the iPad Air 2 has dimensions of 240 x 169.5 x 6.1 mm, then the iPad mini 4 is 203.2 x 134.8 x 6.1 mm. The weight of tablet computers also differs, which for the iPad Air 2 is 437 grams, while the iPad mini 4 weighs only 299 grams. In this case, we are talking about a complete set without 4G. The improved package with 4G weighs only 5 (in the mini line) and 7 grams (in the Air line) more, which does not represent a significant difference.

Both devices are unusually thin, which, perhaps, is the reason for the frequent comparison of tablets with a pencil. At the same time, it seems that the gadgets are quite fragile - and this is not surprising, given their lightness and thickness. At the same time, the build quality remained at the highest technological level. The color scheme of the compared models is the same. Users have the option to choose between gold, silver and space gray. Whether three color schemes are enough is up to the users to decide.


The location of the connectors and buttons of the iPad Air 2 and iPad mini 4 can be seen in the photo. The Home button, which has a built-in fingerprint sensor, a standard headphone jack, an on / off button, and a volume control are placed the same in two gadgets.


Screen

Both tablets are equipped with an IPS-based Retina display. This also guarantees the impossibility of perceiving with the human eye that the picture consists of pixels. Diagonal iPad Air 2 is 9.7 inches. Resolution - 2048 x 1536 pixels. This means that their density is 264 pixels. The developers gave the iPad mini a 7.9-inch display with a resolution of 2048 x 1536. The density is 326 pixels per inch.

In addition to a larger ppi, the gadget of the mini line has practically no differences. The aspect ratio is already familiar to Apple 4:3. An oleophobic coating that protects the surface of the tablet from fingerprints, an anti-reflective coating that ensures comfortable work in bright light conditions - all the characteristics have compared models.

Among the features, it can also be noted that in tablet computer For the 2014 Air line, developers were the first to use lamination technology, which eliminated the space between the glass and the display. It turned out the effect, as if the picture just lies on the surface of the device. Excellent viewing angles and color reproduction are demonstrated by the compared novelty of 2015. Among the shortcomings, one can note the absence of 3D Touch technology in both displays, which is already used in Apple phones.


Camera

Both tablets have two cameras - front and rear. At first glance, the differences cannot be identified - on both devices it is 1.2 megapixels, and the rear one is 8 megapixels. By technical parameters they are no different from the iPhone 5s. Most best quality pictures are taken in daylight conditions. The advantage is the presence of a light sensor, which is located on the rear panel. It helps to achieve the excellent quality of photographs as for a tablet. All owners of the compared device models have the opportunity to shoot video in HD quality 1080p.

Specifications and performance

The processor is the heart of any tablet. iPad Air 2 is powered by PowerVR G6650 graphics and A8X tri-core processor clocked at 1.5GHz. The amount of RAM is 2 GB. Thanks to these characteristics, high speed is achieved, which is 1.4 times faster than the A7 processor, which is equipped with the first generation iPad Air and iPad mini 2. Experts praise the performance of the gadget. Thanks to powerful processor from the creators software it became possible to release products that are more demanding on the hardware of modern mobile devices.

The iPad mini 4 is powered by a 1.5GHz dual-core A8 processor. The quad-core PowerVR GX6450 chip is responsible for the graphics. The amount of RAM, as in the compared model - 2 GB. These parameters allow you to get the following benchmark results: in single-core and multi-core mode, the device scored 1690 and 3111 points, respectively. Compared with the previous generation processor A7, A8 is 1.3 times faster. It is worth noting that the characteristics described above allow you to open several at the same time in the background on both tablets.

The built-in memory of the compared models is 16, 64 or 128 GB. A device with 16 GB will not always be able to reveal all the capabilities of the hardware of gadgets. But, unfortunately, Apple is in no hurry to release gadgets with a minimum amount of memory of 32 GB, despite the huge number of heavy applications.

Battery life

The battery capacity of the iPad Air 2 is 7340 mAh and the iPad mini 4 is 5124 mAh. The first is able to work without interruption up to 9 hours, and the second - up to 8 hours, despite the seemingly small battery capacity. At the same time, users have the opportunity to play games, watch videos, run applications in the background, and search the World Wide Web. It's worth noting that the iPad mini 4 makers had to equip the tablet with a low-capacity battery in order to achieve the beautiful design and 6.1 millimeter thickness of the case.

Findings and Conclusions

Of course, the two compared devices have a lot of similarities and differences. iPad Air 2 is slightly more productive and shows top scores battery life. At the same time, the new 2015 iPad mini 4 is its perfect counterpart, which is always convenient to carry with you. Tablets will not compete with each other, as everyone chooses for themselves the optimal combination of price, performance, autonomy and mobility. It is worth noting that the owners of two gadgets will appreciate the multimedia capabilities, wonderful design, ergonomic properties and build quality at a high level. Among the minuses, as always, you can name only 16 GB of memory in basic models and the impossibility of increasing it. But, as practice has shown, Apple fans are ready to put up with such a closed company.

Click "Like" and read best posts on Facebook