Apple iPad mini 2 Review

Last year when iPad mini was launched, users were quite excited to see a shrunken version of Apple’s full-sized tablet. Though this was a logical offering that helped the company to compete almost on the same scale as that of some cheap tablets.

The Apple iPad mini 2 comes with A7 chip under the hood and a 128GB iteration to satisfy those that crave a lot of HD action. The last year’s iPad mini was the best iPad that everyone wants to have. With the iPad mini 2 which will be called the “iPad Mini with Retina Display” and “iPad Mini Retina”, the company tries to fix both of these problems.

Furthermore, along with this higher resolution display the iPad mini 2 is also blessed with the usual assortment of upgrades. And unlike the last year iPad mini, there is no corner cutting that makes the iPad mini 2 more expensive than its predecessor. Its higher price makes it less competitive against those low-priced tablets it was sought out to compete against in the beginning. Despite its higher price, the iPad mini 2 is an offering that users will definitely consider. So, let’s see whether this high pricing is justified or not.

The package contains the following items:

• Apple iPad Mini 2
• Lightning USB cable
• Wall Charger
• Documentation
• Apple Decals

Don’t expect anything new in this department because the new iPad mini recycles the design of its predecessor. Therefore, there is nothing much to say as with the iPad mini the company continues to keep its focus on developing more premium constructed tablet that is far more better than those plastic bodied tablets.

Likewise its predecessor, it comes with the same fantastic brushed aluminum casing that gives it a very sturdy and clean look. It feels quite pleasant to hold in hand along one of its side thanks to its streamlined profile (0.3 inches), lightweight feel (341g) and of course its curved beveled edges. Though its wide length makes it bit difficult to grasp it entirely with our hand and people with smaller hands need to do more stretching.

In a nutshell, there is an iconic home button below its display and a light sensor and 1.2 megapixel front facing camera above the display. Furthermore, its separated volume controls, mute switch, 3.5mm headset jack, mics, dual-speakers, and Lightning docking port are in the same locations and with the same appearance. Though, the docking port in this case also allows for video out functionality, but it requires an optional adapter.

On the whole, the design isn’t innovative then again we’re glad to know that its construction continues to be rarely matched by the competition.

The inclusion of a retina Display no doubt is the highlight of this iPad mini 2, and it is the one distinct feature that many consumers yearned for with the original model. No doubt, its Retina display is a refreshing thing to find. Its 7.9-inch 2048 x 1536 IPS LCD Retina Display is magnificent for its sharp visuals and strong details. Furthermore, fine details radiate a lot of clarity for our eyes so that we can comfortably distinguish from a normal viewing distance.

Besides the IPS LCD variety, some other elements also help to make it an alluring display. These include its wide viewing angles as well as its potent brightness output that contribute to its superior outdoor visibility. Oppositely, its color reproduction is not as vibrant and accurate as it should be, though it is still fairly correct but comes off more as subdued.

Moreover, we can confidently say that its screen resolution is as high as it gets on compact tablets. The screen is incredibly sharp with more number of pixels along with an increased pixel density as compared to its predecessor. The screen looks magnificent with its crisp characters, more realistic colors and the sharpness of the icons which all are excellent and very well represented.

Besides its Retina display, the other advancement here is in processing power. The company successfully managed to pack in the new 64-bit A7 processor and special M7 motion processor that it debuted on iPhone 5S last year. This enhancement means a lot for the heavy gamers and those who use loads of complex apps. Specifically, it’s a dual-core 1.3GHz Apple A7 processor with the PowerVR G6430 GPU. This combination allows it to run numerous tasks with ease and finesse.

Heavy games like Infinity Blade III and Modern Combat can be played smoothly. Plus, the iPad mini 2 is so comfortable to hold for gaming. It runs iOS7 that is buttery smooth and it is same version of the OS that has been shipping on the latest iPad Air and iPhone 5s. The new operating system i.e. iOS7 is a major renovation of the user interface with new design, a brand new flat look, reshuffled controls, generous use of transparency and lots of other small touches.

It’s a bracing change of décor for the platform that generates refurbished visual enhancements to the presentation. And, one of the features specifically tied here is the various gestures in play with the experience. For example, the 5-finger pinch gesture to close or minimize apps, 5-finger swipe gesture for quick and easy switching between apps, and the 5-finger swipe gesture to go into the platform’s multi-tasking view just to name a few.

Although, there has been no advancements made in the area of battery life yet it is still good. The battery doesn’t suffer even with the beefier internals it’s boasting with the combination of its higher resolution Retina Display. It delivers nearly the same results as that of its predecessor. The battery can get you through 1.5 days with normal usage from a full charge, which although nothing extraordinary but yet we are pretty much satisfied with the results.

Thanks to its higher resolution Retina Display, you do not need to squint in to read microscopic text. And, since it continues to deliver an outstanding performance, it successfully livens up the web browsing experience. Browsing experience is much better than ever before with speedy page loads, smooth navigational controls and of course the powerful gestures that it interface boasts.

For internet connectivity, the iPad mini 2 comes with 4G LTE connectivity, in addition to only Wi-Fi models. The new OS introduces a new feature in the connectivity department which is called AirDrop. It is a system-wide file sharing service between supported iDevices, and it needs both Wi-Fi and Bluetooth to be turned on in order to work.

Apart from that, the new iPad mini 2 is armed with all the comforts of today’s modern connectivity features – like a GPS, Bluetooth 4.0, and dual-band 802.11 a/b/g/n Wi-Fi.

Even though the visual changes and other new enhancements put forth with iOS7 are all very refreshing and pleasing but unfortunately you will be disappointed in its camera section. There is a significant lack of a whole lot of manual controls and shooting modes that becomes apparent as soon as you run the app.

The shooting modes that it boasts include the usual photo & videos modes, with a square shot one, and the ability to shoot HDR photos. The iPad mini 2 features the same 5 megapixel camera as that of its predecessor that can record 1080p video. Camera results are pretty much better. The photos feature sharp details, natural colors, excellent contrast and proper exposure under sufficient amount of lighting.

On the other hand, images are super soft in tone under the low light situations. This is due to the amount of noise that inundates the shot. Besides this, the colors also become somewhat flatter. In short, images captured in this particular situation have a diminished quality.

Furthermore, the front-facing FaceTime camera has not changed much either. It also offers the same resolution but since the sensor size is larger to some extent, therefore, it offers somewhat bigger pixels. This means the front facing camera offers better low light performance.

Now, let’s talk about its video recording. The quality of 1080p videos is quite satisfactory. We noticed that there is a fine balance which is due to its higher resolution that gives fine details. Along with this there is minimal artifact, gradual exposure adjustment, and clear audio recording. In simple words, if you record videos in broad daylight, the quality is great with low noise level and pretty good level of details. Further, saturation also seems to be fine, and most importantly there is no pixilation or jumpy continuous autofocus.

In the department of multimedia and app, you do not find anything extraordinary or any such remarkable change. The Photo app is just the same that is found in its sibling. Functionality and presentation are same hence it’s fundamentally adjusted to make use of the larger real estate. Now, you can better organize your picture as there is a break down by date and location.

Despite the fact that there are no cool shooting modes with the camera app, you can still make your photos interesting by using a handful of editing features. These include crop, enhance, remove red eye, and add different filters. Furthermore, its Photo Booth app offers real-time filters that you can choose from.

Now, the music player the new and refreshing visual changes that you will see throughout the platform have been extended into the music player as well. The audio performance of the iPad mini 2 is extremely remarkable, even with the most basic of ear buds on offer. Briefly, now we have streaming functionality a la Pandora style with iTunes Radio. The iPad mini 2 maintains its clarity even at the loudest setting with a hint of bass with its quality. Furthermore, because of its two speakers, it is unquestionably potent and powerful with its output.

Needless to say that watching videos is great on iPad mini 2. Again, thanks to its Retina Display watching videos is better than ever only due to its higher resolution display.

The iPad Mini 2 definitely is our preferred tablet of 2013. With a potent and powerful 64-bit A7 processor and a high-resolution Retina display, it completes the chore that Apple began with the first iPad Mini. At $400, it’s a whole heap more costly as compared to other compact tablets in the market that now range from $100 to $350, but then again you are getting more for your money. This tablet has everything you need it has the performance of an industry-leading full-size tablet in a compact and better form. It’s the tablet to beat.

In a few words, it’s an excellent tablet that performs generously better in the areas we need it to work in, but it's just too pricey.