Manage updates with the Download AppApple iPad Mini
Manufacturer: Apple Part number: MD528LL/A
- More product information:
- Editors' review
- User reviews
- Specifications
- Manufacturer info
- Bottom Line:
- If you want the full, polished Apple tablet experience in a smaller package, the iPad Mini is worth the premium price. Otherwise, good alternatives are available for less money.
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Where to buy
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CNET editors' review
Apple iPad Mini price range: $278.00 - $329.99
- Reviewed by: Scott Stein
- Reviewed on: 10/30/2012
- Updated on:11/30/2012
The good: The iPad Mini's ultrathin and light design is far more intimate and booklike than the larger iPad, and its cameras, storage capacities, optional LTE antenna, and general functionality offer a full iPad experience. The screen's dimensions elegantly display larger-format magazines and apps.
The bad: The iPad Mini costs too much, especially considering the lower resolution of its 7.9-inch non-Retina Display. The A5 processor isn't as robust as the one in the fourth-gen iPad and iPhone 5. Typing on the smaller screen is not quite as comfy.
The bottom line: If you want the full, polished Apple tablet experience in a smaller package, the iPad Mini is worth the premium price. Otherwise, good alternatives are available for less money.
User reviews
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By far, the BEST portable tablet on the market !!! :)
by Techy1964 on November 20, 2012
Pros: 1. 200,000+ customized tablet apps run beautifully on this device from Day 1
2. It is super light, and weighs next to nothing.
3. Better resolution than iPad 2
4. Very intuitive operating system
5. GREAT gift for kids and grandparents alike!!!Cons: 1. Sure, a better processor might have been nice for some things, but it would have impacted battery life. My iPad 1 is STILL powerful enough for what I use it for, so this is an upgrade.
2. Retina would be nice but it would add $50 and drain batterySummary: Well, Steve Jobs was wrong.. there is a need for a tablet of this size. Over time I have often wished my iPad 1 was a little easier to hold ...
Summary: Well, Steve Jobs was wrong.. there is a need for a tablet of this size. Over time I have often wished my iPad 1 was a little easier to hold with one hand, and often do wish it wasn't almost the size of a small laptop. The iPad mini is small enough to fit in a purse or a jacket pocket and does everything--very well! This is compared to something like the Surface RT that does nothing very well, is bulky and confusing. In my opinion the iPad mini is the VERY best tablet that money can buy, dollar for dollar, and the iPad 4 is the second best. The Nexus 7 and 10 come in 3rd and 4th in my book, as Android 4.1 & .2 are definitely better than previous versions of Android.. but, there are just SOOOOOOOO many more cool apps for iPad and iPad mini. If you will ONLY use your tablet for internet and email, then, maybe get an Android, but if you're like me and want AWESOME apps that are only available for the iPad, like this: https://evernote.com/penultimate and these apps: http://www.omnigroup.com and these: http://www.algoriddim.com and these: http://www.korg.com/iPad_Apps ... Not to mention all the incredible apps for education and for kids!! For more on this check out.. listen to someone else's take on this: http://www.pcmag.com/article2/0,2817,2401676,00.asp In addition, if someone has an iPhone, it's realllllly nice to sync the iPhone and the iPad to iCloud so all your pics show up on the iPad instantly. Sure you can probably pull off this kind of thing with Android if you're a techy but most people I know, including this techy, don't want to work so hard to get their devices to "just work!" That's what you get with an iPad. It just works, and it's awesome.
2 out of 2 users found this user opinion helpful.
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Perfect size, super polished
by jmseight on November 17, 2012
Pros: Works with ipad apps, one hand operation, excellent size, smaller boarder than ipad, portable
Cons: long charge time (adaptor is not the same as ipad)
Summary: This is by far my favorite iOS device. We have the ipod touch 4G, ipad 2 and now the ipad mini. The size makes this device much more useful than ...
Summary: This is by far my favorite iOS device. We have the ipod touch 4G, ipad 2 and now the ipad mini. The size makes this device much more useful than the others. Apple reduced the boarders on the ipad mini proportionately compared to the ipad and it makes the device much smaller. I would have liked to have the retina display, but I think the cost will be higher.
2 out of 2 users found this user opinion helpful.
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This is the iPad i have been waiting for.
by j-land on November 17, 2012
Pros: Screen Size
Weight... or lack thereofCons: A5 chip - wish it was the faster chip...
Buttons close to edge when in portrait mode don't always work first timeSummary: I think this is a great tablet. Especially if you want to read books on it.
Obviously it can do all the things the 9.7' iPad can do, just ...Summary: I think this is a great tablet. Especially if you want to read books on it.
Obviously it can do all the things the 9.7' iPad can do, just in smaller size... so that a big plus.
I think it is a better gaming device than the 9.7' ipad as far as size and holdablity..., just wish they would have put the better chip in it since it will get dated as soon as new, more graphically intensive apps are released.
My other gripe is the buttons on the edges not working the frist time sometimes... It might be that i just have to get used to pressing them...
Very happy2 out of 2 users found this user opinion helpful.
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Ultra-Light, Perfect Screen Size, Best Tablet Ever
by BikuDAA on November 17, 2012
Pros: - Unbelievably light & thin
- Perfect screen size
- Battery Life
- Can be used by one hand
- thousands of apps
- StylishCons: - Price is too high
- No retina display
- Feels little slow for some applications; should have used A6 chips instead of A5Summary: I am loving it!!!!! The iPad should have always been like this one...It's just perfect in each and every aspect...It's worth buying!!
Summary: I am loving it!!!!! The iPad should have always been like this one...It's just perfect in each and every aspect...It's worth buying!!
2 out of 2 users found this user opinion helpful.
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Overall size is amazing!
by djzapp on November 10, 2012
Pros: Thin & Light
Snappy OS
Apps are abundantCons: Would like to have had a Retina Display
Summary: I have had all the iPads released and I must say this size and form factor is amazing. I have hardly picked up my 3rg Gen iPad since I purchased ...
Summary: I have had all the iPads released and I must say this size and form factor is amazing. I have hardly picked up my 3rg Gen iPad since I purchased this. I am a DJ and use the Mini for Wedding announcements and it is unbelievably light. Games and Text look good although I would have liked to have see them include the retina display. Performance is in no way sluggish although I do not play graphic intense games on it. The Mini will only get better in time, just like the Original iPad. If you are not an early adopter wait for the next one, either way this is a must have device!
2 out of 2 users found this user opinion helpful.
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The perfect device for travel.
by PatTheCat1948 on November 7, 2012
Pros: Perfect size for travel: bigger than an iPod Touch but smaller than an iPad 2. Light: It's the lightest of the small tablets but still has a bigger screen than the other small tablets. Lots of apps. And, being Apple, it "just works." Runs Kindle app.
Cons: Not retina. Apparently they cannot shrink the retina display and maintain the pixel count. It's still very sharp. Reading on it is not as nice as on my big Kindle DX, but it's acceptable for travel, and half the weight. Pages cannot read odt files.
Summary: I've been waiting for a travel device bigger than my iPod Touch but under a pound, as I do not like a heavy carry-on bag. I considered all the ...
Summary: I've been waiting for a travel device bigger than my iPod Touch but under a pound, as I do not like a heavy carry-on bag. I considered all the small tablets. The Nexus 7 looked very nice, but in the end the iPad Mini won out because, although it's $70 or $80 more expensive, it's also both lighter (which is worth money to me) and has a larger screen (also worth money to me). With the biggest screen and lightest weight of all the small tablets, for me it was the clear choice.
The big surprise was that reading with the Kindle app on the iPad Mini is surprisingly comfortable. Not as nice as the e-ink on my Kindle, but very acceptable for travel, where weight is an issue: The Mini is about half the weight of my big Kindle DX.
Then I downloaded the electronic version of a magazine I subscribe to, and the Mini is worlds better than reading the glossy print version. (I hate glossy paper!) And the videos are right in the magazine.
The two or three problems I had were just a matter of finding the appropriate functions, and Apple support was excellent, talking me through. There was even a free seminar at the local Apple store.
I use NeoOffice on my Mac, and although NeoOffice can read the Word format files Pages produces, Pages cannot read the Word format files that NeoOffice (optionally) makes. But I don't really need to move files from the mac to the Mini. I'll just be writing journal entries on the Mini and later saving them to the Mac.
I'm still learning the device, but I'm very happy with it. Normally I would not buy a new gadget the day it's released, but with a trip coming up soon I made an exception and I'm very glad I did. This is my first tablet (if you don't count the iPod Touch) and I'm very happy with it. Now I'm off for another free Apple seminar: Going further with iPad.2 out of 2 users found this user opinion helpful.
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I returned my iPad Mini in less than 24 hours!
by MindObix on November 4, 2012
Pros: iPad Mini has the potential to be great. But falls short.
Cons: iPad Mini Home Screen (software) is a disappointment and performance of A5 chip very sluggish.
Summary: I returned my iPad Mini in less than 24 hours!
I pre-ordered my iPad Mini and it came on November 2nd as excepted and returned it back to apple on ...Summary: I returned my iPad Mini in less than 24 hours!
I pre-ordered my iPad Mini and it came on November 2nd as excepted and returned it back to apple on November 3rd, 2012.
As usual when ever I unboxed an apple product my expectation is set very high and Apple has always delivered in past. Our immediate family and parents combined have 2 x iMacs, 1 x iPhone 4s, 1 x iphone 4, 3 x ipod touches, 2 x Original iPad,1 x ipad 2, 4 x Apple TV, 1 x MacBook Air and several apple accessories. Our family loves Apple.
So anyone who is going to read this blog please understand it breaks my heart to tell you iPad Mini is not a Steve Job's Apple product and the $329.00 price is not justified.
iPad Mini was a disappointment in many levels and here is my short lived experience with it:
When I opened the package I admired the hardware first before even turning the screen on. It was well finished and beautiful just like the new 5th Generation iPod Touch (4 inch). In fact I felt that outer design and hardware spec. is almost identical to the new iPod touch. I personally don't care for the anodized aluminum it feels very cheap compared to the original ipad or ipad 2's aluminum material.
After admiring the hardware for a minute I turned on the ipad Mini. I was instantly disappointed with the home screens icons and label sizes. It felt as if you were holding a bigger iPod touch (5th Gen.) with small tiny icons & text. Instead of making the icons and labels slightly bigger proportionate to the 7.9 inch screen size just like they have done it on the iPad 9.7 inch.
I thought ok the main screen of icons and labels was disappointing let me see if it will grow on me and tried to convince myself otherwise. Next I tried to surf the web using safari. I look at the address bar and search bar labels and text that you type it was so tiny you could barely see it. Here I felt may the Retina Display would have made the difference but I still feel Apple as company should have put lot more efforts to make the software design match to the hardware size spec. of the iPad Mini's 7.9 inch.
A5 chip performance was sluggish especially when you are trying to install apps from the App Store or launching books from the iBook's app. Screen paints slowly when you search for apps and you go to purchased tab the load of all the apps very slow. Here Apple is marketing the iPad Mini is just like iPad. Not true.
I tried news and rss feed app: Flipboard. iPad Mini as eReader is a fine device choice but $329.00 for a eReader?
Next I tested the video and audio by playing trailers and they were fine no disappointment there.
I started to type some notes and write on the tablets using the built-in Notes App and Penultimate. I felt screen size was fine for this purpose. I was trying to evaluate can I replace iPad 9.7 inch and use the iPad Mini more than just media consuming device. I think you can but I felt this iPad Mini fell short.
I configured my Mail and that worked fine. Than I thought I have my iPhone 4s why would I open this device and send email. Most likely I will probably use it for reading emails but most of the time my iPhone would do the job to read and write.
The biggest disappoint was the first gen. iPad Mini fell short of my high expectation that I have of Apple. I strongly feel if Steve was alive he would have stopped iPad Mini Project or would have pushed the team to another level to extract the perfection that he always aspired and demanded.
If the following improvements were made to iPad Mini I would pay $329.00 or even $349.00:
Retina Display is needed and make the home screen page's icons and text proportionate to 7.9 inch hardware size. When see iPad 9.7 the icons and text are beautiful. Apple team please put some thought and effort.
Please put a A6/A6x chip with 1 GB of RAM. The whole experience is sluggish and disappointing especially App Store and iBooks.
Improve Safari's experience with bigger address bar, search bar & tab labels bigger.
Please rethink using Anodized Aluminium it feels cheap. Lighter and thinner should not be the overarching focus but the overall experience and making the hardware more durable and pleasurable to hold even-though some times it might be heavier. Here I feel iPhone 4/4s, iPad (1st, 2nd, 3rd, 4th gen) and iPod (3rd, 4th gen) are far superior to hold and durable even-though they are thicker and heavier.
If all of the above is done I will definitely buy the iPad Mini and replace iPad 9.7 inch.
As it stands the current iPad Mini is worth only $299.00 same pricing as iPod Touch 4 inch. (5th Gen.). Even then I would personally buy iPad 2, iPad 3 refurbished or iPad 4 and that is money well spent.
I feel after this experience Apple needs to put lot more concentration on the Software iOS and be careful with the Hardware design (thinner and lighter should not be the primary focus).
I hope the recent Apple's Management shake up hopefully make the company stronger and up hold on Steve's maniacal pursuit of perfection of products that intersects Technology & Liberal Arts.
PLEASE GO TO YOUR NEAREST APPLE STORE TRY TO SPEND SOME TIME WITH
THE IPAD MINI BEFORE YOU DECIDE TO PURCHASE IT!14 out of 32 users found this user opinion helpful.
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A perfectly-sized iPad
by plogue87 on November 2, 2012
Pros: Beautiful, solid design,
Light,
Thin,
Stereo speakers,
Long battery life,
App selection,
iCloudCons: Non-retina display (*read below),
Non-updated internalsSummary: Just bought my iPad mini this morning and I love it! Those who say the non-"retina" display is a caveat that will prevent them from loving this device are ...
Summary: Just bought my iPad mini this morning and I love it! Those who say the non-"retina" display is a caveat that will prevent them from loving this device are blowing the issue way out of proportion... I have an iPhone 4 and am very accustom to "retina" displays and if you hold this device at a normal distance from your face (and not close enough to try to discern pixels) you will not notice this "con" in everyday use. The only thing that disappointed me was the omission of improved internals (processor and memory). While this has absolutely no effect on performance (its very fast) I was hoping for newer components to feel a bit more future-proof. None-the-less, I still recommend the device to those who want a small, light, and more portable iPad.
3 out of 5 users found this user opinion helpful.
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A mini revelation.
by Meni on November 14, 2012
Pros: Very light. Great size for casual consumption. Very portable. Fast. Buttery smooth OS. Impeccable build quality/design. Huge native app selection. Surprisingly capable rear facing camera. Did I mention that it's light?
Cons: Screen DPI a touch low. Harsh diamond cut edges. A bit tricky to hold vertically at times.
Summary: After 2 weeks with the iPad mini I can say with confidence that it's in most ways the best iPad yet. Why? Well since tablets are on the whole ...
Summary: After 2 weeks with the iPad mini I can say with confidence that it's in most ways the best iPad yet. Why? Well since tablets are on the whole still used mostly for casual consumption, the mini's ultra light and small form factor perfectly suit the casual need. And what a tablet it is. Exceptional build quality, shockingly light, and with a surprisingly large screen for a small tablet. Software-wise its huge tablet-specific app selection and buttery smooth OS make it every bit as pleasurable to use as a larger iPad. As for the screen, it's bright and sharp. Not as crisp as the full size iPad's Retina display or even the Nexus 7's, but sharp nonetheless. It's sharper than an iPad 1 & 2, and the same DPI as the iPhone 3GS (but on a much larger canvas of course). With pros and cons weighed in, the iPad mini is not only the best iPad, but the best tablet you can buy right now. As for the Android competition, its dearth of tablet apps, stuttery, inelegant OS, and cheep build quality make Google's options a distant second choice at best; this despite the lesser price points. If you're still on the fence about which tablet to buy, I suggest visiting an Apple store and checking one out in person. It's only when held and used that the iPad mini's many strengths can truly be understood.
2 out of 3 users found this user opinion helpful.
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Terrific tablet that's in a different class
by spinoza2 on November 6, 2012
Pros: IOS, IOS apps, weight, display, battery life, hardware ecosystem, Apple backing
Cons: No retina display
Summary: I've had mine for a week and it's become my go-to tablet. Because of its weight, it's really very different from my iPad 3. I can throw ...
Summary: I've had mine for a week and it's become my go-to tablet. Because of its weight, it's really very different from my iPad 3. I can throw the Mini in a smaller bag and have it with me all the time, whereas the iPad 3 is more like a laptop when deciding to take it along. So far I haven't noticed any limitations in terms of size, though, it can do everything the big one can. The display quality is very good, but you do notice the difference with the Retina Display, but only slightly. All in all a terrific device from Apple, again.
2 out of 3 users found this user opinion helpful.
Specifications
- Manufacturer: Apple
- Part number: MD528LL/A
- Description: iPad mini makes one thing clear: its 7.9-inch display more than measures up to the complete iPad experience. View web pages in Safari. See where you are and what's around you using Maps. Flick through your photos and watch videos in vivid detail. And wave hello to the family on a FaceTime call. The iPad mini display uses the same LED backlight technology as iPad to give you plenty of pop per square inch. iPad is known for its fast, fluid performance, and iPad mini doesn't disappoint. It features the powerful and power-efficient A5 chip, which makes everything you do feel smooth and natural. From the little things like switching from app to app and swiping from page to page, to the big things like editing photos, watching movies, and playing games. An impromptu performance on the subway, the winning shot at your daughter's soccer game, and an awesome 360-degree view from the top of the mountain - the iSight camera on iPad mini lets you capture all these unpredictable, beautiful, spectacular moments. In 1080p HD, no less. The spacious iPad mini display gives you a great view of whatever you're filming. And with automatic video stabilization, your recording is free of bumps and shakes. So your videos are instantly ready to share.
Display
- Type 7.9 in,
IPS TFT active matrix - LED backlight - Display Resolution 1024 x 768 ( 163 ppi )
- Touchscreen Yes
- Features Fingerprint resistant oleophobic coating
General
- Operating System Apple iOS
- Carrier AT&T ,
Sprint ,
Verizon Wireless Processor
- Processor Apple A5
- Number of Cores Dual-Core
Memory
- Flash Memory 16 GB,
32 GB,
64 GB Communications
- Wireless Connectivity Bluetooth 4.0,
802.11 a/b/g/n Camera
- Rear-facing Camera 5 megapixels
- HD Video Recording 1080p
- Features Video stabilizer,
Autofocus,
Tap to focus,
Photo and video geotagging,
Face detection in still images,
5-megapixel iSight camera,
FaceTime HD camera - Front-facing Camera 1.2 Megapixel
EBook Reader
- Supported Text Formats DOCX,
HTML,
PDF,
DOC,
RTF,
TXT - Supported Still Image Formats PPT,
TIFF,
JPEG,
GIF,
PPTX Multimedia
- Supported Digital Video Formats H.264 High Profile Level 4.1 (up to 1080p),
MPEG-4 SP (up to 640x480),
Motion JPEG (up to 1280x720) - Audio Microphone , Speaker
- Supported Digital Audio Formats AAC,
WAV,
AIFF,
Protected AAC,
MP3,
Apple Lossless,
Audible
Software
- Preloaded Software Messages,
Music,
Reminders,
Camera,
iBooks,
iTunes,
Maps,
Game Center,
Photo Booth,
FaceTime,
Videos,
Safari,
Photos,
App Store,
Newsstand,
Clock,
Mail,
Notes,
Siri,
iCloud,
Calendar,
Contacts System Requirements for PC Connection
- OS Required Apple MacOS X 10.6.8 or later,
Microsoft Windows 7,
Microsoft Windows XP Home Edition SP2 or later,
Microsoft Windows Vista,
Microsoft Windows XP Professional SP2 or later Expansion and Connectivity
- Interfaces 1 x Headphones,
1 x Lightning Battery
- Technology / Form Factor Lithium polymer
- Capacity 16.3 Wh
- Run Time 10 hour(s)
- Run Time Details Web browsing over Wi-Fi - up to 10 hour(s),
Video playback - up to 10 hour(s),
Audio playback - up to 10 hour(s) Miscellaneous
- Color Black & slate
- Sensors Accelerometer,
Ambient light sensor,
Three-axis gyro sensor,
Digital compass - Features Front camera ,
Rear camera ,
Bluetooth - Included Accessories Power adapter
- Cables Included 1 x Lightning to USB cable
Dimensions & Weight
- Width 5.3 in
- Depth 0.28 in
- Height 7.87 in
- Weight 0.68 lbs
Manufacturer Warranty
- Service & Support Details Limited warranty - 1 year,
Technical support - Phone consulting - 90 days Environmental Parameters
- Min Operating Temperature 32 °F
- Max Operating Temperature 95 °F
- Humidity Range Operating 5 - 95% (non-condensing)
- Min Storage Temperature -4 °F
- Max Storage Temperature 113 °F
- Max Altitude Operating 9840 ft
Manufacturer info
- Manufacturer profile
- Browse Apple products on Shopper.com
-
- Manufacturer:Apple
- Address:
One Infinite Loop, Cupertino, CA 95014 - Phone: 1-408-996-1010
