# Mini Retina disappointment



## maries

I like my original ipad mini although I liked it much more prior to ios7 and the changes they made to the Safari page and some other things.  I'm still hoping they fix some of those issues after they fix all the ios7 bugs.  I regreted not getting one with cellular capability so I broke down and ordered a 32gb mini retina ATT that was delivered yesterday and is going back today.

It is heavier than the original but still ok to hold
I compared the screen to the original mini on several pages that I go to regularly and couldn't tell a difference.  On another thread I asked about a protective film on the device screen thinking that there was something there causing it to not be as clear as I was expecting but that wasn't the issue.  Maybe in games or movies the difference is noticeable.  On same pages, my original looked better.  I played with the settings but colors looked more vibrant on my original than on the retina I got. 
The volume control had to be turned up much higher to be heard compared to my original.  
It was really laggy - I thought the new chip would have been zippy and more responsive.  The original one is more responsive than this one.  Maybe that is common with the retina screen although I googled and didn't see any comments about that being an issue.

My original works much better than this retina one.  I might have gotten a lemon but I wasn't impressed.  For the price I expected more but again maybe I just got a bad unit.


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## teralpar

I currently have a 1st gen ipad Mini and was eager to check out the iPad Mini w/Retina when they were first released. I checked out the Retina Mini and a 1st gen Mini side-by-side at the Apple Store a few weeks ago and I really didn't see much of a difference as far as the clarity of the screen. There wasn't much of a difference in speed either. I was unable to check out how an ebook looked on the Retina, from what I keep hearing, text on the Retina is much clearer than on the regular Mini. But I mainly use my iPad Mini for web surfing and some games and my current Mini's screen is fine for those activities. I do most of my ebook reading on my Paperwhite, so for me I don't think it's worth upgrading to the Mini Retina right now.

If I do upgrade within the next few months, I'll probably go with the iPad Air, for the bigger screen.


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## Toby

Thanks for the review.


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## maries

When I returned the mini, the Apple Genuis said that the retina would be moe noticeable with pics - so games and movies moreso than text.  They seemed to have a lot of ipad Airs around.


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## kwajkat

My mini is just fine. The screen is so much better than the 1st gen mini. Have no issues at all with it color, clarity etc. I would say you got a defective one. I can really notice the better clarity when reading, etc and have no lag at all. You should be able to see the difference with text especially.  I can read the book covers much easier than I could on the 1st gen and that is with the retina screen regardless of the size of the ipad.


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## teralpar

I decided to trade in my IPad Mini 1st gen for an iPad Mini 32gb LTE today,  and I absolutely love it! The text is super clear,  pictures are clearer, and surfing the web and opening apps are much faster as well. Did I mention that text is much clearer?? LOL! The words aren't fuzzy at all, and I must admit that reading books on the Kindle app is just as clear if not clearer than reading on my Paperwhite.

Maybe the OP received a lemon after all...


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## luvmy4brats

My new mini Retina will be here tomorrow. I really hope I love it as much or more as my current Mini.


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## teralpar

You will, Luv...reading on it is amazing!


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## Toby

That's good to know, because I am trying to decide if I should get another Mini or the iPad Air. I have the original Mini. I have an iPad 2 as well. Any ideas which one I should get?


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## teralpar

Toby said:


> That's good to know, because I am trying to decide if I should get another Mini or the iPad Air. I have the original Mini. I have an iPad 2 as well. Any ideas which one I should get?


I checked both the iPad Air and Mini w/Retina yesterday side-by-side at the AT&T store, and the Retina screens on both looked exactly the same to me. I think what it comes down to is which size you would prefer...are you more willing to give up your iPad 2 (and buy the Air) or give up the 1st gen Mini (for the Mini Retina).


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## luvmy4brats

I briefly considered the ipad air, but ultimately decided to stay with the mini. I have never regretted my decision to sell my ipad 2 to get the mini.


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## teralpar

Luvmy5brats said:


> My new mini Retina will be here tomorrow. I really hope I love it as much or more as my current Mini.


Heather, have you received you new Mini yet? How do you like it so far?


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## luvmy4brats

teralpar said:


> Heather, have you received you new Mini yet? How do you like it so far?


No. It's on the FedEx truck now. They used to come around 8:30 am so I was expecting it earlier. It's after 3 now so I should get it any time now..


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## Patricia

Can't wait to hear what you think about it, Heather.  I've been so tempted to order one...but I love my original mini and am wondering about weight and battery life with the retina display.


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## luvmy4brats

Patricia said:


> Can't wait to hear what you think about it, Heather. I've been so tempted to order one...but I love my original mini and am wondering about weight and battery life with the retina display.


If it ever gets here... It was _supposed_ to be here no later than 4:30.. <sigh> my current one is all backed up and waiting to be wiped clean.


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## teralpar

Luvmy5brats said:


> If it ever gets here... It was _supposed_ to be here no later than 4:30.. <sigh> my current one is all backed up and waiting to be wiped clean.


Are you going to pass down your 1st gen Mini to a family member, or are you going to sell it?


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## luvmy4brats

teralpar said:


> Are you going to pass down your 1st gen Mini to a family member, or are you going to sell it?


Probably sell it. My oldest kids already each have one and I don't feel the two younger ones are old enough.

And I'm still waiting... FedEx still shows it's out for delivery, but I'm losing hope it will be here tonight.


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## luvmy4brats

FedEx says they tried to deliver it at 7:26 and that I wasn't home. I've been here ALL day. I figure he didn't feel like driving out to the boonies where I live and just fudged his log. 

Rescheduled for tomorrow by noon. Not a happy camper because I paid for overnight delivery.


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## teralpar

Luvmy5brats said:


> FedEx says they tried to deliver it at 7:26 and that I wasn't home. I've been here ALL day. I figure he didn't feel like driving out to the boonies where I live and just fudged his log.
> 
> Rescheduled for tomorrow by noon. Not a happy camper because I paid for overnight delivery.


Well that sucks! Hopefully they may credit the overnight delivery charge. I'm not a big fan of FedEx at all!

I almost ordered mine through AT&T's website to be shipped overnight but changed my mind at the last minute and found an AT&T store about 20 mi. away that had the memory size and color that I wanted. I wanted it in my hands right then and there. The last time I dealt with having an electronic device delivered but not left because the driver said that nobody was home (even though they were) was when my replacement Kindle Paperwhite came. Like you, I was NOT a happy camper.


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## Toby

I've had that happened. I had made a call saying that a few people were home, including my dog that would have been barking to alert me. They sent the guy back. Boy, was I mad, after staying home from work & waiting anxiously all day for delivery.

Heather, did you get the 128 GB? Let us know what you think.

Thanks everyone for your helpful advice. I like both sizes. I like the larger size for sitting down at night & the smaller size one for carrying around to check things. Yet, I could save money if I got the smaller one. I will have to keep thinking about this.


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## luvmy4brats

Toby said:


> I've had that happened. I had made a call saying that a few people were home, including my dog that would have been barking to alert me. They sent the guy back. Boy, was I mad, after staying home from work & waiting anxiously all day for delivery.
> 
> Heather, did you get the 128 GB? Let us know what you think.
> 
> Thanks everyone for your helpful advice. I like both sizes. I like the larger size for sitting down at night & the smaller size one for carrying around to check things. Yet, I could save money if I got the smaller one. I will have to keep thinking about this.


This guy was smart. He waited to mark mine as not home at 7:30 pm.. They close at 8... And I'm almost two hours from the distribution center (it's in Crofton). Trust me, if had done it earlier, I would have called and demanded a redelivery. The person I talked to insisted I must not have heard him knock. I pointed out that not only did I not hear him knock, my dogs didn't hear him (and they were outside and bark if anything comes into the yard), my kids didn't hear him, I didn't see or hear his truck (and I hear EVERY truck that goes by). And IF he tried to deliver at 7:30 then just how did he make it back to Crofton by 8? And why wasn't there a door tag?

I went with the 64gb. I had that on my ipad 2 and only went with 32 on my original Mini. With the videos and audiobooks, 32 just wasn't enough. I thought about 128, but didn't think I'd ever come close to needing that much. I also went with black instead of white. I'm tired of the white and needed a change.


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## teralpar

Toby said:


> Thanks everyone for your helpful advice. I like both sizes. I like the larger size for sitting down at night & the smaller size one for carrying around to check things. Yet, I could save money if I got the smaller one. I will have to keep thinking about this.


I thought the same thing. My son bought an iPad Air a few days ago, and I really like that one also. Seeing his screen is what made me want to ditch my 1st gen Mini and get the Mini w/Retina. I would like to have an iPad Air as well, eventually. I would keep the Air at home (WiFi-only) and keep the Mini (which has cellular) with me in my purse. Maybe I'll get one towards the end of this year when/if they come out with the iPad Air 2/iPad 6, then I could purchase the 1st gen Air at a discount.


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## teralpar

Luvmy5brats said:


> I went with the 64gb. I had that on my ipad 2 and only went with 32 on my original Mini. With the videos and audiobooks, 32 just wasn't enough. I thought about 128, but didn't think I'd ever come close to needing that much. I also went with black instead of white. I'm tired of the white and needed a change.


I wanted the 64gb but none of the stores in my area had them, only the 16gb & 32gb. So I went with the 32, since my 1st Mini had 16gb and I ran out of room on that one because I like to store music from Amazon, Spotify, and iTunes on the device.


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## luvmy4brats

My package has finally arrived! YAY!!  Unfortunately I won't be home for another hour or so.


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## luvmy4brats

Ok, it was worth the wait. First off, AT&T sent me the 128GB instead of the 64GB. I called to see if they wanted me to take it in to the store or send it back for an exchange, they told me to go ahead and keep it... And they only charged me for the 64GB I checked. She said since I've been with them for so long (almost 16 years) it was the least they could do.. Wasn't expecting that at all! <happy dance>

The screen is ah-mazing. So crisp and clear.. And wheee, it's MUCH faster. Apps are still downloading, so I haven't been able to play with too many things (hopefully Marvin & Kindle will finish downloading soon) and I can't wait to watch a movie on it.

Even though it's slightly thicker, it still fits in my hardback case and while I know it's heavier, I don't even notice it.


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## Toby

Heather- Wow! What a story. The wait, the aggravation, the call. You definitely called them on that one. Then, to get the 128 for the price of the 64!!! Awesome! I'm so happy for you!!! So far, the Mini 2 sounds fantastic. Thank you for your description.I haven't seen it yet in person. I will probably get the white, either the 64 or the 128. I keep thinking that the 64 would be enough, but to get double that with a $100 more..., which is not cheap, but what if I regret not getting it. Wifi only if I get the iPad Air. I might get T-Mobile if I get the Mini.


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## colegrove

The screen on the mini Retina is superb, but the restrictions on in-app purchases and the lack of X-Ray in Amazon Video are a big negative.

Pros: never crashes, lots of apps, great screen, iCloud integration
Cons:inadequate sound, not as convenient for Amazon consumer

I traded in my Kindle Fire HD for the mini Retina specifically for the Pages integration, but since I find myself watching more videos than anything else, the Fire HD was better overall, although it crashed several times a day.


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## Toby

It sounds like you should get the Fire HDX as well.


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## luvmy4brats

colegrove said:


> The screen on the mini Retina is superb, but the restrictions on in-app purchases and the lack of X-Ray in Amazon Video are a big negative.
> 
> Pros: never crashes, lots of apps, great screen, iCloud integration
> Cons:inadequate sound, not as convenient for Amazon consumer
> 
> I traded in my Kindle Fire HD for the mini Retina specifically for the Pages integration, but since I find myself watching more videos than anything else, the Fire HD was better overall, although it crashed several times a day.


I keep my Fire HDX specifically for watching movies & tv shows (love, love, love x-Ray). Plus I can watch on my Fire and at the same time surf or play sudoku on my ipad.. It's a win-win for me. I also use my Fire for magazines. I find the bigger screen (8.9) makes reading magazines easier on my Fire.


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## maries

I'm glad to hear that others can tell the difference with the mini retina so maybe I did just get a lemon.  I ended up getting an original mini with AT&T and selling my original with Wifi only.  

I bought my husband the ipad Air and he loves the size compared to the mini.  I haven't used his Air much yet and need to check it out further but am impressed so far with what I have seen.  I don't like the case it is in and ordered a new one for him (me).  At some point, I might get myself an Air to use at home and keep the mini for carrying around.


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## colegrove

Toby said:


> It sounds like you should get the Fire HDX as well.


I think I'll wait for the next update (what will they call it? the HDXXX?) when it comes out, probably this fall.


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## Toby

Sounds like a plan. I like both the iPad and the Fire.


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## luvmy4brats

You are NOT going to believe this. I was out running errands today and I left my iPad in the cart at a craft store this afternoon. I discovered it about 4 stores later. Thank heavens for *Find My Phone* it narrowed down the store I left it at and I was able to lock the device and display my phone number on it. Also, thank heavens for honest people. I nearly kissed the cashier when she said she had it safe.


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## Betsy the Quilter

Eeek, Heather!!!!  Glad you got it back.

Betsy


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## Toby

OMG!!! I'm so happy you got it back safe & sound! I've never used the Find My Phone, thankfully. What did you do to lock your device? How did you unlock it when you got it back, Heather?


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## luvmy4brats

There is a lost mode and it locks the device. You can put your phone number in and it shows the number and asks whoever found it to please call the number. The GPS stays on, so you can track it down. Once you find it, you just put in your password and it unlocks it. 

I use the find my phone ALL the time. Either one of the BRATs loses their phones, or it check to make sure they are where they are supposed to be.. If hubby forgets to text me to let me know he made it to work ok, I can pull up the phones location. If it's in the parking lot of work, I don't freak out. One time it wouldn't show his phone and all calls went straight to voicemail... Me being me, panicked and drove the two hours to his office just to make sure he made it to worko k and wasn't in some ditch or river somewhere (he sleeps very little and has that long commute each day). I discovered his phone was in recovery mode so I ran it to the nearest apple store and they restored it for me.


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## Toby

Thanks for the info.! I never thought to use it for that. Very cool. My mother is like that, but she calls me constantly at work. If I don't answer, she either calls my father or the office number. She usually calls me as her personal answering service to speak to my father. She always manages to call me just when I get to the bathroom.  

I am so happy to hear that your hubby was okay. He needs more sleep. Is it possible that he could hire a driver?


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## teralpar

Heather (and to others that have an iPad Mini w/Retina), does your device ever get warm, especially when playing a game or using the internet (especially when using cellular connection) for about a half an hour or more? Mine's does, and I'm wondering if I've got a lemon.


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## GiusCo

Mini Retina was my first tablet ever (got it two months ago) and I'm extremely satisfied for e-books readability, mostly .pdf files. It never gets warm and is really saving time and eyes. Regards. Giuseppe


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