Last year’s iPad Mini is not a bad thing 3 tablets, but it was too expensive, given that the only change from the tablet Apple iPad Mini 2 became fingerprint Touch ID. This year, Apple is back on the right track with the new tablet Apple iPad Mini 4, which becomes a full update a series of small plates in almost every aspect, offering users tablet Apple iPad Air 2 characteristics in a smaller package.
Build quality iPad Mini 4
The only area where tablet Apple has not had anything to improve – the build quality of the tablet, as well as all other products of Apple, the new tablet is designed beautifully. At this time, the manufacturer has outdone himself, retaining the title of tablet Apple iPad Mini 4 Mini-tablet really. Its aluminum casing (available in gold, silver and gray) looks fantastic but reserves the solid, reassuring feeling that you do not get with other plastic plates.
However, tablet Apple is making a few minor changes to the design of the tablet this year, like the tablet Apple iPad Air 2, for example, iPad Mini 4 no longer has a switch on the side, which can be used to lock the screen rotation or mute. Given that the screen rotation is locked in the Control Centre, and force the tablet to remain silent may be holding the volume down button, I do not think that this button will have a long time to get bored. In fact, nothing like I experienced with the iPad Air 2.
Apple also is reviewing the volume button on the side of the tablet Apple, which is now sunk in a small recess, instead of performing tablet, again mimicking the design of iPad Air 2.
The transition from the tablet Apple iPad Mini 2/3 marked by some differences in the arrangement of the speakers at the bottom of the tablet, as well as a slight change in dimensions: 203 x 134 x 6.1 mm. New iPad Mini 4 is slightly higher and thinner iPad Mini 3 (200 x 135 x 7.5). In his hand, I must point out the difference between the old and new models almost no tablet comfortable to hold and use in one hand.
Display tablet Apple iPad Mini 4
It displays the older tablet Apple iPad Mini 2/3 we have never had complaints, they are offered a bright and clear image. But put the old iPads next to any tablet, equipped with a new panel as the iPad Air 2, the differences become much more obvious, iPad Mini immediately lose image detail and color reproduction. We calibrate colors, for example, where the iPad Mini 3 could reflect only 67.1% color gamut SRGB. This time, Apple has used a brand new IPS-panel for its tablet Apple iPad Mini 4 and the results are brilliant. We found that the new display is much better, and our color calibrator demonstrated that the tablet Apple iPad Mini 4 is capable of displaying 94.8% of the color gamut sRGB. In real terms, this means that you will get more details in the photos, along with the accurate colors. Needless to say, the new display has become one of the best ones I’ve ever used.
Apple did not begin to change with the new screen resolution, preserving old 2048 x 1536 pixels of the previous model. With a density of 324 pixels per inch, this means that the picture looks very sharply. I note that the new and improved screen creates a tangible difference, besides, it’s nice to see that the weak point of last year’s model has been improved.
Performance and battery life of tablet Apple iPad Mini 4
We went through two generations of tablet Apple iPad Mini, which used the same old A7 chip, but Apple has increased the capacity of iPad Mini 4 review chip A8, which runs the iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus. Please note that this is not A8H which is used in the iPad 2 Air, with an expanded number of cores and better graphics performance. It is also not new A9, which uses the iPhone 6S.
However, the difference in performance compared to the previous generation is still very good. Running GeekBench 3, which measures the performance of the processor, I found that the iPad Mini 4 scored 1694 points in single-core test and 3058 points in multi-core, significantly improve the results of iPad Mini 3: 1385/2485 points. High performance served the iPad Mini 4 against its closest competitors, including Samsung Galaxy Tab S2, which won in 1244 and 4182 points – multicore performance is higher, because the tablet Samsung is equipped with quad-core processor.
Web-performance was also very good, thanks to a combination of the good browser (Safari), powerful processor, and operating system. PeaceKeeper browser tests showed extremely high praise, demonstrating that the new tablet can handle any web-site.
On tests GFXBench Manhattan, tablet Apple iPad Mini 4 scored 925 shots in native resolution. Thus, a tablet can do more than any existing play the game. Indeed, HeartStone, which is an amazing graphically intensive game, superbly played iPad Mini 4.
The battery life of the battery 5124 mAh was also very good, ensuring the tablet 10 hours and 43 minutes of battery life on the tests of continuous video playback with the screen brightness of 170 cd / m2. This figure is an hour more than the iPad Mini 3, mainly due to the efficient operating system and processor.
IOS operating system 9
One of the main advantages of Apple has always been the own development of hardware and software, iOS 9 is optimized to work perfectly on the iPad Mini 4. Each transition and animation executed smoothly, without any manifestations of slowing down and jerking than suffer while Android market products, even if work on the fastest processors.
And yet, to deal with the new iOS 9 should read the full review of the new OS, it is also worth noting that the iPad Mini 4 gets new mode Split View, which allows you to run two applications side by side at the same time. Excellent opportunity, which means that you can do much more with your tablet and operating system, and it makes the tablet feel really productive tool.
Camera iPad Mini 4
The tablet Apple iPad Mini equipped 4 × 8-megapixel cameras, for comparison, the previous tablet Apple was equipped with a 5-megapixel camera. This, of course, means that you can count on additional detail photos. Pictures outside, I was impressed. Photos from the outside showed a great amount of detail in all areas of the image, from bright to dark sky elements in the shadows.
Photos indoors out worse, showing the noise and muted colors. The new tablet Apple is not equipped with flash, so if it is too dark, you just can not take a picture. Given that, most people would carry a smartphone is not a problem; the important thing is that you can make some very good shots from the outside of the tablet when the need arises.
When it comes to the camera, we get the usual range of options typical for tablet Apple, the app offers a panorama camera, 1080p video and slow motion at 120 frames per second at a resolution of 1280 x 720 pixels. Video as photography, best shows itself outside, where there are plenty of natural lights, but the camera is also suffering from the noise in the room.
Scanner Touch ID on iPad Mini 4
Like the tablet Apple iPad Mini 3, a new tablet also offers fingerprint reader Touch ID, which is becoming more and more important part of iOS. For starters, the scanner becomes the fastest way to enter the iPad, instead of the six-digit code (the code length is the default on iOS 9). The scanner also uses more and more applications, such as sign-in Amazon. Finally, you can use it to pay bills with Amazon, that will save you from having to enter your credit card details.
Memory
In the tablet Apple is no memory card slot, which is normal for Apple, you need to choose a suitable model iPad Mini 4, based on the amount of memory.
Entry-level model offers only 16 GB of memory, which is often not enough. Next model offers 64 GB of internal memory, it will become the most popular among buyers. The older model Apple tablet will offer its customers 128 GB. Disappointment is again the absence of a tablet with a margin of 32 GB of memory, which was supposed to be an alternative to iPad Mini 4 16GB.
Wi-Fi and 4G
As with previous models of the tablet Apple, you get to choose from: Wi-Fi or Wi-Fi + Cellular (Cellular). The first offer Wi-Fi 802.11ac for fast wireless connection, you will be able to assess if dispose 802.11ac router and fast Internet connection and download more applications, files or movies. If you are willing to pay an extra $ 160 for a model with cellular communication, you also get a built-in 4G-receiver that will allow you to use the Internet when you want.
You can use any standard card MicroSim, although the iPad Mini 4 comes to Apple with a built-in SIM-card. It is also worth noting that this is a brilliant idea because the SIM-card, you can connect to any carrier and plan, and then you can go for the services of another company if you want.
Verdict
After the disappointment of tablet Apple iPad Mini 3, Apple returns to form with the tablet Apple iPad Mini 4, offering a great small tablet that you can only buy. If you want to bargain, the iPad Mini 2 (Retina) is still available.
Its screen is not as good, there is no scanner Touch ID and a processor slower, but it will cost you $ 410 for the version with 32 GB. There are also similarly sized Samsung Galaxy Tab S2 8.0, which is the only Android tablet that can come close to iPad Mini 4, although the fingerprint scanner slowly and build quality is not as good.
Source: Expert reviews