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Tablets with retina display. Review of Apple iPad mini with Retina display

Take tablets, for example. Today the cost of a full-size iPad reaches 40,000 rubles. For this price the user gets excellent performance and for a long time battery life. And, of course, a Retina display with a resolution of 2,056 × 1,536, created based on IPS technology. Perhaps, for many, this is the main advantage of the Cupertino company’s product, and the operating system can be called both a plus and a minus. Let's try to find budget competitors based on this parameter. Where? Where most of the electronics come from is China.

Chinese manufacturers offer a considerable number of tablets with Retina displays. Models are constantly updated, and new brands appear. Today we want to offer you a small selection of the most interesting, in our opinion, gadgets.

One of the most popular Chinese tablets. Compared to the iPad, the “Chinese” screen is a little more faded. The case is made in the iPad style, but looks noticeably more budget-friendly, despite the almost original color and use of metal.

The heart of the tablet is the Intel Z3736F processor, which is sufficient for all pressing tasks. There is also a more pleasant difference: the tablet has Dual Boot firmware. It allows you to choose one of two operating systems when rebooting: either Android 4 or the full-fledged Windows 8.1. Volume random access memory 2 GB is enough to use the tablet as a replacement for a Windows desktop: photoshop pictures, run AutoCAD, and play FarCry 3 or third “Heroes”. An ideal student device that reboots into a regular means of consuming content on Android (phone functions are available in this OS and power consumption is reduced).

The rest of the hardware tries to improve the tablet in every possible way to at least technically match Apple products: 32 GB of internal memory, two cameras - 5 MP rear and 2 MP front, 8,500 mAh battery. There is only one sensor - G-sensor. Communication capabilities vary depending on the tablet version. In the minimum case, this is Wi-Fi, GPS, Bluetooth 4.0, microHDMI plus standard USB-host and microUSB. There is support for Miracast. The pinnacle of tablet evolution is the 3G version, and in Android the SIM card can be used not only for surfing the Internet, but also for calls.

Average cost in Chinese trading platforms- $226 for the top version and $210 for the simplified version without a SIM card slot. You can find it cheaper in group purchases.

attachment.imp3.net

Suitable if you have concerns about a completely unfamiliar brand. The company has proven itself well Russian market. The new product is almost completely identical iPad copies from Teclast, the differences concern only external design(Cube dark blue) and processor version - Z3735D. In addition, if Teclast is sold with both Android and Dual Boot, then the standard Cube has an operating system Android versions 4.4. The battery is slightly smaller than the previous model - 8,000 mAh, but this will have virtually no effect on use. In addition, the weight of the top-end Cube is only 480 grams, which is quite a bit for a device with a full set of sensors, GPS and 3G in such dimensions. Other pleasant aspects include Miracast support, work in cell phone,Bluetooth 4.0.

The cost of the device is 12,350 rubles in Russia or $240 in Chinese online stores.

i01.i.aliimg.com

Available in two modifications, one of which is a device of the previous generation. Due to the sufficient characteristics and successful design, it is still in production and can compete with models from other manufacturers, despite the outdated Rockchip RK3188 platform (but the battery is 10,000 mAh). The more modern modification V99i is equipped Intel processor Atom Z3735D and 8,400 mAh battery. The hefty 590 gram device does not have a SIM card slot, but supports a number of external modems. Other filling is identical to other models presented in our selection: 2 GB of RAM, 16 GB for content storage, stereo speakers, 5-megapixel rear and 2-megapixel front camera, a set of necessary sensors. To expand functionality, the user has access to USB-host and microUSB.

The tablet from Chuwi has the lowest cost - $180 in China for the Atom version.

www.onda-tablet.com

This model is distinguished from others in this article by the eight-core Allwinner A80T platform with PowerVR G6230 graphics. Otherwise it's top-notch Chinese tablet with everything you need. The filling fully corresponds, for example, to the Teclast level, including 2 GB of RAM, 32 GB of main memory, Bluetooth 4.0 and a microHDMI port. True, the rear camera is already 8 megapixels, there is no 3G module and the battery is only 8,000 mAh. However, taking into account the fact that the only possible OS for the device to install is Android, this is enough to consume content. Moreover, Onda V989 costs a little less

Work and life push you to buy a tablet computer. Among the line of models and brands, I had to think about iPad tablet, where and models with Retina displays. Actually, what are their advantages and features over other models?
If, for example, you buy iPad mini 2 www.notus.com.ua/Apple-iPad-Mini, taking into account , then it is in it that you pay attention to the features of their display, or a screen with an official Retina display.

First of all, you need to keep in mind that Retina display is just a marketing term created by Apple and not a scientific term. A tablet with such a screen is packed as densely as possible with image pixels.

The benefits of the Retina display come in comparison to other previous models, particularly the iPad1 and iPad2, which have a resolution of 1024 x 768 pixels and a density of 132 pixels per inch. So, an iPad with a Retina-class display has screen parameters of 2048 x 1536 pixels at 264 ppi. In other words, the pixel density is twice as high as that of conventional class screens, and in some cases even four times higher.

You can similarly compare the iPad mini and iPad mini 2 with Retina display. The iPad mini 1 has a screen resolution of 1024 x 768 pixels at 163 ppi, while the iPad mini 2 has a Retina screen of 2048 x 1536 pixels at 326 ppi. In general, on the small screen we got the same characteristics as on the big screen.

Try to distinguish the inscriptions on books on the screens of others, even some. It is unlikely that it will work, but on the screen of the iPad mini 2 there is a very high chance of success. Of course, such a tablet also needs a more powerful battery, since such a display requires more energy. But another plus from the iPad mini 2, compared to the previous model, is that there is more fast processor. They also write that a scanner has appeared in the iPad environment.

Well, what about the rest of the features and benefits of the iPad tablet models for those who are not entirely aware of it?

Only the lazy didn’t write that the iPad is just a godsend for work, school and students, especially if you don’t want to carry a laptop with you. The iPad tablet computer is an excellent addition to a laptop, and very often replaces it, despite the fact that the thing itself is light and compact.

Most tablets in places remote from home or work, thanks to special technologies, can work not only in the area WiFi networks, but also in other places. The iPad is the “king” or “prince” of intuitive apps for work, study and entertainment that work anywhere in the world, such as the to-do planner.

What is important is that the iPad has exceptionally fast readiness for work, without any “warming up”, as well as output Email in active mode. Files in the iPad will not be lost, since it has an autosave mode. For busy people Tablet PC, like no one else, contributes to the rapid search for information, preparation of reports and reports. In general, most tablets have an intuitive interface, and for beginners it is always useful to learn mainly some general skills like.

Many of the iPad's features thus became a useful and pleasant discovery for me in making the right choice for purchasing a tablet.

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Take tablets, for example. Today the cost of a full-size iPad reaches 40,000 rubles. For this price, the user gets excellent performance and long battery life. And, of course, a Retina display with a resolution of 2,056 × 1,536, created based on IPS technology. Perhaps, for many, this is the main advantage of the Cupertino company’s product, and the operating system can be called both a plus and a minus. Let's try to find budget competitors based on this parameter. Where? Where most of the electronics come from is China.

The heart of the tablet is the Intel Z3736F processor, which is sufficient for all pressing tasks. There is also a more pleasant difference: the tablet has Dual Boot firmware. It allows you to choose one of two operating systems when rebooting: either Android 4 or the full-fledged Windows 8.1. A RAM capacity of 2 GB is enough to use the tablet as a replacement for a Windows desktop: photoshop pictures, run AutoCAD, and play FarCry 3 or third “Heroes”. An ideal student device that reboots into a regular means of consuming content on Android (phone functions are available in this OS and power consumption is reduced).

The average cost on Chinese trading platforms is $226 for the top version and $210 for a simplified version without a SIM card slot. You can find it cheaper in group purchases.

attachment.imp3.net

Suitable if you have concerns about a completely unfamiliar brand. The company has established itself well in the Russian market. The new product is almost completely identical to the copy of the iPad from Teclast, the differences relate only to the external design (Cube dark blue) and the processor version - Z3735D. In addition, if Teclast is sold with both Android and Dual Boot, then the standard Cube has an operating system Android system version 4.4. The battery is slightly smaller than the previous model - 8,000 mAh, but this will have virtually no effect on use. In addition, the weight of the top-end Cube is only 480 grams, which is quite a bit for a device with a full set of sensors, GPS and 3G in such dimensions. Other nice features include support for Miracast, operation in cell phone mode, Bluetooth 4.0.

The cost of the device is 12,350 rubles in Russia or $240 in Chinese online stores.

i01.i.aliimg.com

Available in two modifications, one of which is a device of the previous generation. Due to the sufficient characteristics and successful design, it is still in production and can compete with models from other manufacturers, despite the outdated Rockchip RK3188 platform (but the battery is 10,000 mAh). The more modern modification V99i is equipped with a processor Intel Atom Z3735D and 8,400 mAh battery. The hefty 590g device doesn't have a SIM card slot, but does support a range of external modems. Other filling is identical to other models presented in our selection: 2 GB of RAM, 16 GB for content storage, stereo speakers, 5-megapixel rear and 2-megapixel front cameras, a set of necessary sensors. To expand functionality, the user has access to USB-host and microUSB.

The tablet from Chuwi has the lowest cost - $180 in China for the Atom version.

www.onda-tablet.com

This model is distinguished from others in this article by the eight-core Allwinner A80T platform with PowerVR G6230 graphics. Otherwise, this is a top-end Chinese tablet with everything you need. The filling fully corresponds, for example, to the Teclast level, including 2 GB of RAM, 32 GB of main memory, Bluetooth 4.0 and a microHDMI port. True, the rear camera is already 8 megapixels, there is no 3G module and the battery is only 8,000 mAh. However, taking into account the fact that the only possible OS for the device to install is Android, this is enough to consume content. Moreover, Onda V989 costs a little less

Tablet
power unit
USB cable
Documentation
SIM card ejector (for 4G models)

Updated iPad mini: Retina display, A7 processor, slightly increased thickness, dark gray body instead of black, version with 128 GB of memory, but otherwise it’s still the same familiar mini.

Design

The design is practically no different from first mini, and that's good - I personally really liked the device, although I never became a user of the small iPad. The Air is closer, it’s more convenient to watch movies, websites and do other things, the screen size decides. But when I look at those people with whom I often communicate, the situation there is completely different. For one large iPad there are a dozen small ones. And everyone’s explanation is very simple: mini is much more convenient to carry with you, and in the cold season it’s generally easy to put it in a jacket pocket. And remembering last winter, I can confirm these words. I often left the house without a bag at all, taking only a mini with me - it just fit into the inner pocket of my down jacket. With its help I worked, if you can call it that, checking email, correspondence on Facebook, calls on Facetime. In any case, this won’t work with the Air; it won’t fit into your pocket.

In general, this story with the pocket still works as it worked before. Many advanced people can be easily hooked and caught by saying that this gadget, traditionally large, now, after our improvements, can easily fit into a pocket. Don't you believe it? Okay, remember Sony VAIO P. It would seem, who would need a pocket laptop with such weak characteristics? Well, who will buy it? And there were a lot of buyers then, it was the winter of 2009, sales began at the end of March, and P became one of the most popular new products from Sony. Just a year later the iPad appeared, and the second version of P turned out to be unclaimed. The pocket theme in Sony's work surfaced a little later, when a tablet appeared on Android based with the corresponding abbreviation, P - but only this P turned out to be of no use to anyone (almost no one, meager sales). To some extent and Sony Xperia The Z Ultra can be classified as a pocket tablet, but it’s hardly worth comparing with the iPad mini; each of these gadgets has its own purpose - by the way, I still like the Z Ultra, one of the best devices in the company’s line (in general, among all other devices) . At Apple, it seems to me, they also followed thin ice, introducing the iPad mini. Why won’t consumers try it? Why don’t they understand why they should pay a little less and lose diagonal? But consumers got it right, and it turned out that the iPad mini outsold the larger iPad. And many of my colleagues who are involved in retail generally say this: the iPad mini has killed sales of regular Apple tablets. At least before the release of Air, the situation was interesting; many stores even stopped ordering cases for iPad 2/3/4 - there was no demand for either accessories or the mentioned models. But the mini was and is being sold as if it were the only tablet in the company’s line. Why? The answer is simple, it’s all about the more than once mentioned “pocketability”, compactness while maintaining an acceptable display diagonal for a tablet. A regular iPad - only smaller, that's what captivates consumers. By the way, here's another interesting fact: I’m always interested in seeing what fellow journalists use; we meet periodically at presentations, exhibitions and similar events. For example, when you see a Sony RX-100 from several editors of publications about gadgets, this is a sure sign that the camera is worth buying. When we were at IFA, I noticed that almost every second person had an iPad mini (and I also had one in my bag, there was no Air yet), everyone said the same thing: it’s compact. Therefore attractive. The secret of success is very simple. And therefore, no one expected drastic changes from the presentation of the updated model.

The dimensions of the first iPad mini were 200x134.7x7.2 mm, weight - 308 grams (312 grams for the Wi-Fi + Cellular model). The thickness of the new product has changed slightly, 200 x 134.7 x 7.5 mm, weight - 331 grams (the version with 4G weighs 341 grams). Your old mini case may not be suitable for a new tablet; my colleagues and I tried several cases, but somehow managed to attach only the Vaja model.

The body is the same as the first mini, made of aluminum, made with love, pleasant to hold. The product, despite its size, is not perceived as some kind of toy, it is a stone in the garden of plastic Galaxy - they may have good characteristics, but outwardly they look like tablets for children. You can't say the same about mini, it's a thing with capital letters. The model with 4G has a plastic antenna cap on the top back, a microphone hole on it, and a camera lens next to it. At the top end there is a power button, on the right there is the usual set: a mute lever, volume buttons. At the bottom there is a Lightning connector, next to it there is perforation. By the way, the mini with Retina is very loud, you can watch a movie without using speakers, it literally screams - in the bathroom you can listen to music while you take a shower, and you can hear it quite well. The model with 4G has a SIM card tray on the right side, using nanoSIM. The 3.5 mm jack is on the top left, in the center there is another microphone hole.

The color has changed, instead of black it is now the signature dark gray, it looks great. Girls will like the silver tablet; the frame around the display is white, while the dark gray one has a black frame. I hope nothing will happen to the coating; on my black mini the paint has peeled off in some places, although the tablet was used mercilessly.

Display

Diagonal IPS display - 7.9 inches, LED backlight, resolution - 2048x1536 pixels, oleophobic coating on the display protection. The first mini had a resolution of 1024x768 pixels. If you expect that you will immediately see the difference, I hasten to disappoint you: thanks to iOS 7, the chances have been equalized, and not everyone can understand at first glance at the tablet’s desktop where the Retina display is and where the regular display is. And some even think that the display of a simple mini is better. If you look closely, you can see that the icons and signatures are clearer, and the image has more contrast. But the difference, nevertheless, is not too noticeable, it is not striking.

Once you open Safari and any website, you immediately understand why you should choose mini with Retina. The clarity of the image that is familiar from other such products, like cut out letters, wonderful colors, the picture is dense - a sight for sore eyes. The same can be said about games and programs; they all look much better on the Retina display.

But the difference cannot be called amazing, as is the case with laptops or large iPads; I personally expected more, but it turned out just fine. Apparently, it's all about the display diagonal and thin iOS7 fonts. They say that the display turns a little yellow, I didn’t notice it at first, but now I see it. Just look at the white icons for reminders or calendar - a slight, very slight tint is observed, but until someone tells you about it, you will not pay attention.

Performance

An A7 processor with 64-bit architecture plus an M7 coprocessor is used; this combination has already been talked about more than once - read iPhone reviews 5S, iPad Air. The results of testing in the Geekbench 3 program can be seen in the photographs. The tablet works faster than a simple mini, this is especially noticeable when launching familiar programs, such as a browser, camera, Google Maps and others. Yes, even Facebook works faster.

The case gets noticeably warm at the back when running serious applications like the Infinity Blade - in winter you can use the mini as a small stove. It doesn't burn, but it gets seriously hot.

A traditional set of wireless interfaces, Wi-Fi (802.11 a/b/g/n), support for two bands 2.4 GHz and 5 GHz, Bluetooth 4.0. By default, Bluetooth is turned on, this is due to the appearance of the AirDrop function in iOS7 - I’ll note once again that with Apple computers It won't be possible to exchange information, it's a shame.

Using iOS7, with review operating system can be found on the website.

Memory, modifications

As with the iPad Air, there are four versions: 16, 32, 64 and 128 GB, and there are also versions with Wi-Fi, Wi-Fi + 4G, and there are also two colors. I don’t recommend this to employees of online stores; there are a lot of versions, and there’s a lot of work to be done. In the case of tablets, it’s difficult to say which series to choose; they brought me a 64 GB modification, Wi-Fi + 4G, for testing, in a sense it’s best option, if there are a lot of applications, music, if you like to watch movies on your tablet. In AVplayer you can immediately download several seasons of a series or many, many films. If for you the iPad mini is just a device to replace a laptop at meetings, then 16 GB will be enough. It’s very good that Apple still gives this opportunity to choose.

LTE

LTE works in Moscow, this applies to both Air and iPad mini with Retina. Verified using my colleague’s card - by the way, I recently had a curious incident with the purchase of a 4G SIM card from Euroset, I’ll tell you separately. If you often work anywhere and don’t sit in the office, then it’s worth buying a mini with 4G support, the speed is impressive.

Working hours

The stated operating time is about 10 hours of video playback; in fact, these figures are approximately true. Simply put, even if you fully use the tablet during the day, it will only run out in the evening. It is optimal to use the included power supply for charging; via USB this takes a very, very long time. In general, the food here is in perfect order.

Camera

Not best device for taking photographs, but if you don’t have a smartphone or camera at hand, it will do just fine, especially if you later plan to post the photo on Instagram. Filters will help disguise what is not the most best quality. The camera resolution is 5 MP, the front one is 1.2 MP, it supports HD video recording, autofocus and push-to-focus, face recognition, geotargeting, HDR. I really want to believe that the next iPad will have a camera at least like the iPhone 5.

conclusions

What will happen to the iPad mini with Retina next year? I think you can guess it yourself. Firstly, they will work to reduce the weight and size of the device; this body has already served its purpose. Secondly, they will add TouchID, as in the iPhone 5S; the smartphone, as always, acts as a kind of testing platform new technology. Thirdly, they will improve the camera, you can expect at least the same characteristics as the iPhone 5. New processor (A8?), and one more thing. For some, such changes will not be enough - I personally don’t think so.

Even seemingly minimal changes to the iPad mini with Retina have revived interest in this product. Yes, there is no such shortage as with the iPhone 5S, but demand is stable, retail is stocking up on new minis, and in November-December this will be one of the most popular gifts.

Prices in official store You can see Apple in the screenshot, the cheapest tablet costs 15,990 rubles, the most expensive - 32,990 rubles. For myself, I chose the version with 64 GB of memory and 4G support; this mini costs 28,990 rubles. If you don't need 4G, you can save five thousand, not bad. The most popular tablets will be 16/32 GB Wi-Fi; we can already expect a shortage in the coming months.

In general about the device. Is the iPad mini any better? Yes, instead simple screen here Retina, a different processor (and the difference in speed is noticeable), a version with 128 GB of memory appeared. Is it worth upgrading your mini to a new one? Before doing this, I recommend going to the store and evaluating the display yourself. Only those who have already used mini will notice the difference; the rest will be satisfied with the first generation tablet.

Anyway, this is one of the best tablets on the market based on the totality of characteristics, and if you are not satisfied with the size of the iPad Air case, then feel free to buy an iPad mini with Retina.

P.S. We will add a video to the review tomorrow or the day after tomorrow, and by the end of the year we will try to publish the operating experience - if Artem has time, he will write this material. I know that Artem loves the iPad mini and can tell you a lot of interesting things.

The author expresses gratitude to the Computer Plaza store for providing the device for testing.

Design, convenience

In most cases, when describing Apple devices, this point can be reduced to a couple of words: “nothing has changed.” Indeed, why change something that is already perfect: no one has come close to the exterior and tactile sensations of the all-metal, matte cases of Apple tablets. Let me remind you that new Google Nexus, Samsung GALAXY Note, Nokia Lumia 2520 - all plastic.

The only thing you can notice is that the SIM card slot has moved a third of a centimeter, and another small hole for a microphone has appeared on the antenna insert; the first iPad mini does not have it.

The iPad mini Retina color has changed: black has become asphalt gray (Space Grey), similar to the iPhone 5s. This color looks better, does not show fingerprints, and the texture of the metal is clearer. In a word, the change is positive.

As for the dimensions, they are also indistinguishable from the first generation. The length and width are the same to tenths of a millimeter - 200 x 134.7, while the thickness has increased by an imperceptible 0.3 mm - to 7.5 mm. Weight increased by 20 grams (to 331 g). With these parameters, the tablet remains one of the thinnest in the world; it is the dimensions that attract many buyers to the iPad mini: the share of 10-inch models continues to decline.

The connectors and elements are in their places: lightning and stereo speakers are at the bottom, the lock button is at the top, and on the right is the volume control and silent mode.

Screen

After the emergence of 7-inch Android tablets with Full HD screens, it became obvious that Apple would also update its 8-inch tablet to Retina resolution (2048 x 1536 pixels), like the older one iPad models Air. The rumors came true, the iPad mini acquired a Retina screen and the main limitation of the previous generation was removed - in first iPad mini dot density was 163 ppi - less than all competitors.

Now at this resolution the picture turns out to be very smooth, the density is similar to the iPhone - 324 ppi, the pixels are completely invisible. In a word, a wonderful tablet screen. Brightness, maximum viewing angles and natural colors are all present. For anyone who wanted a lightweight and miniature Apple tablet, but was stopped by the low screen resolution, the new version is highly recommended for consideration.

Detailed testing iPad screen mini Retina conducted by our expert Mikhail Kuznetsov.

The Apple iPad mini now has a screen Retina screen. With a diagonal of 7.85 inches, the resolution reaches 2048 x 1536, which gives a pixel density of 324 ppi. Those who like to count pixels will be pleased - with such a density you can hardly see any hints of “pixelation” of the image; the resolution is more than enough.
The brightness reserve is up to 407 cd/m2 at maximum. The lack of brightness can only be felt in bright sun; in other cases, the reserve is quite sufficient. The contrast ratio was about 900:1, an increase from the previous iPad mini (where we measured a ratio of 687:1). The screen's anti-glare filter copes well with external light and prevents it from fading or fading in direct light. Viewing angles are quite wide, shades are slightly distorted, and the image remains legible at any reasonable viewing angle.

Gamma has an optimal value of 2.23, and the stability of the indicator is high. All midtones are displayed with the correct brightness, dark and light areas of the image have good detail - this is definitely a plus.

The average color temperature is about 6800K, the image tint is only a little cooler than the reference one. It is worth noting that at maximum brightness the image tint becomes even colder - the color temperature tends to 7000K.

There is a slight excess of blue component in the color balance, but the admixture is not that strong. The average Delta E error is about 5.41 units, which indicates a good quality of the factory settings. The main thing is that there is no obvious imbalance - which means it’s easy to get used to the extra shade.

The color gamut of the screen was disappointing. Like the previous version, the Retina screen of the new iPad mini does not reach the sRGB standard. Primary colors are offset in hue and lack depth. This makes images appear washed out and less true to life than on sRGB screens like the Google Nexus 7. And the shades aren't so bad, since the blue light is way too bright (+104%, Delta E=17.6). In general, there is an imbalance with individual colors. Hence the rather high color rendering errors Delta E - an average of 7.73 units. Color rendering is sloppy; you can usually expect more from Apple devices.

Overall, the Apple iPad mini's screen has one obvious improvement - its high Retina resolution. The slight increase in contrast is also pleasing. At the same time, one of the key drawbacks of the previous generation iPad mini remains in place - the reduced color depth, which does not reach sRGB and somewhat distorts the shades. Apparently, from the point of view of the screen, the iPad mini Retina is still one of the weaker devices in the Apple range. The screen is well suited for casual use (surfing and the like), but looking at photos or videos on a “full-size” iPad will be more pleasant, and not only because of the screen diagonal.

Hardware platform and battery

Before the announcement on October 22, many believed that the mini-tablet would have a weaker hardware platform compared to the 10-inch iPad Air. But Apple took a different path: the iPad mini is completely similar to its larger brother in the line. The most advanced Apple A7 processor (64-bit processor with two main cores with clock frequency 1.3 GHz, latest ARM v8 architecture). Let me remind you that the new cores are called Cyclone, and the entire Apple A7 chip is manufactured by Samsung using the new 28-nanometer High-K Metal Gate (HKMG) process.

A few words about 64-bit architecture. Apple did not choose the path of thoughtlessly increasing the number of cores, which creates inconvenience for application developers, but the path of unification with other devices - Macbook, iPhone. All Apple devices Now have a 64-bit architecture, creating cross-platform applications for them has become much easier. In the Android world, developers focus on averages so that the program works on the maximum number of devices. As a result, in most cases, additional cores in 4- and 8-core devices are simply unused. In the case of Apple, you can create programs for all devices without focusing on the differences between them in the number of cores, which saves both time and resources.

In addition, the new platform turned out to be not only faster than multi-core competitors, but also more energy efficient: the new Apple smartphone and tablets work as long as their predecessors did.

In the case of the iPad mini Retina, the indicators are exactly the same: 10 hours of operation when watching videos, Internet browsing via Wi-Fi. Due to high resolution screen battery capacity has increased: 23.8 Wh versus 16.3 Wh in the predecessor iPad mini. Let me remind you that the thickness of the tablet itself increased by only 0.3 mm: from 7.2 to 7.5 mm. I’ve always been surprised how Apple, while increasing its quantitative indicators, maintains its usual dimensions within the same limits, but the fact remains a fact.

Graphics accelerator in new iPad mini is also at its best - the quad-core PowerVR (Series 6) G6430 supports OpenGL 3.0, DirectX 10 and OpenCL 1.x. This is one of the most powerful mobile graphics chips on the market in this moment. The amount of RAM in the iPad mini Retina has doubled compared to its predecessor - it is 1 GB, as in the older iPad Air. In addition, more quick option LPDDR3 instead of LPDDR2.

So the mini-tablet is not inferior to the 10-inch iPad Air in terms of memory and processing power. If last year the first iPad mini was rather weak, now the new generation has taken 2 steps forward. And not only in comparison with Apple gadgets, but also with Android competitors: at the moment, none of the Android manufacturers use ARM v8 cores (devices with Cortex A53 and Cortex A57 will clearly appear no earlier than next year) or Imagination PowerVR Series 6 graphics. Apple is ahead here.

This fact will once again push many to think about what is better - a standard 10-inch tablet or a miniature 8-inch one. Apple has made them identical in terms of hardware platform and screen resolution, camera quality, amount of memory (built-in and RAM), operating time, so you can only choose the size. A very interesting step: when choosing an iPad mini, you won’t have to sacrifice either quality or performance. For example, I prefer a miniature tablet, as it is so compact that it fits in any bag. The appearance of a 128 GB option is also a plus for a miniature device.

Camera

The iSight camera has not been changed: 5 megapixels, autofocus and spot focusing. Despite rumors, 8 MP cameras from iPhone 5 are new Apple tablets I didn’t get it, apparently this is due to the fact that the resolution in the iPhone 5s was not increased either, it has the usual 8 megapixels (albeit with a larger pixel size - 1.5 microns). So the quality of shooting remained at the level of its predecessor - a completely adequate level. There is also a module on the front, this is an HD camera, which will be useful during communication sessions via FaceTime. It will also allow you to take a self-portrait.

Software platform

The tablet is controlled by itself latest version iOS 7.0.3. If on the iPad mini the software slowed down a little, now the tablet is no different in speed from the iPhone 5s, all built-in applications, as well as third-party ones, “fly”. Also in version 7.0.3 it became possible to disable animation in most menus, so you can make your tablet or smartphone even faster.

The main change in iOS 7 compared to the 6th version is the control center - a panel where switches for data transfer, network and wireless connections are collected, autonomous and night modes, player control buttons, as well as several fast applications(such as a calculator and a flashlight). The control panel is called up in the same way as the notification panel, only from the bottom of the screen. Personally, I have been waiting for its appearance for a long time; constantly going into the settings menu to enable the simplest functions was wrong, but better late than never.

The panel is not customizable, that is, you cannot remove unnecessary shortcuts (such as a timer) or add new ones, but you can choose whether it will be possible to call the panel on a locked screen or in open applications. In the control center there are AirDrop and AirPlay icons - wireless transmission information, multimedia to compatible devices. For example, if there is another user nearby with iOS 7, you can transfer a file or contact with one touch.

The notification center (the panel at the top of the screen) has received expanded functionality: it is divided into 3 parts, you can view either all notifications, or missed ones, or the “Today” screen, where the weather can be displayed. The weather application has also been updated, with much more animation of weather conditions.

Multitasking has been brought into a wonderful form: now there are not only program icons, but also window thumbnails, the information in which is updated in real time. Approximately the same principle as in MeeGo or Blackberry 10. Applications are closed by swiping up. Branded features have been improved: the Find My iPhone feature will now require authorization through an Apple ID and password to disable it. Additional protection your data in general. IN new version FaceTime now allows you to use it for voice calls without video.

Well, one of the most important innovations is the browser. The incomprehensible restriction on 8 has been removed open tabs, now you can open them unlimited amount. The appearance of the windows has also changed, the miniatures have become more visual and larger.

Opinion

The iPad mini with Retina screen is completely similar to the older iPad Air model - software, hardware, screen and operating time. You can choose the screen size you are interested in, and that’s it - now you don’t have to sacrifice anything. Let me remind you that in the first iPad generation mini had only 512 MB of RAM, and the screen had a modest resolution of 1024 x 768 pixels. The price increased slightly, from 329 to 399 dollars for the initial configuration. As I said, the tablet will officially appear in Russia at a price of 15,990 rubles for the Wi-Fi configuration (the predecessor started at 13 thousand). The LTE version will cost 20,990 rubles for 16 GB. This will happen tomorrow, November 15th.

The new iPad mini retains the key advantages of its predecessor: record thinness, the same design with narrow frames and an all-aluminum body, loud stereo speakers, a huge software base and the same battery life. It was a little disappointing that the tablet decided not to use a fingerprint scanner, like in the iPhone 5s (this would have increased the cost), as well as the same camera, although an 8 MP module would have been more appropriate. Otherwise, the tablet left the most pleasant impression; Android competitors do not have the same combination of size, quality of materials, speed and operating time, for which we can safely recommend the model for purchase.

We thank the company for providing the Apple iPad mini Retina First-Store.ru

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06.09.2020

Internet

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