IPad mini 4 what's new

I am very closely following the compact tablet market in general and specifically for the iPad mini in particular. I remember that I was waiting for the first generation for a long time, even when there were only rumors about mini. And now, when it was released, I was in for a big disappointment, since Apple saved a lot on the display (1024x768 pixels). I forgot about their tablets for a year, until the second generation came out with a wonderful screen. By the way, I still use it. The third mini was not much different from the second, so I calmly continued to use the "outdated" version. But then there was an update to iOS 9, and mini 2 began to work much worse. Favorite company seemed to whisper: "Look, he is not the same, it's time to update." Literally a couple of months later, mini 4 arrived for the test. It's time to figure out whether you should update your tablets.

Specifications

• Class: compact flagship
• Form factor: candy bar
• Body materials: aluminum
• Operating system: iOS 9
• Network: GSM / EDGE, WCDMA, LTE (nanoSIM)
• Platform: Apple A8
• Processor: Dual Core 1.5 GHz
• Video accelerator: PowerVR GX6450
• RAM: 2 GB
• Storage memory: 16/64/128 GB
• Interfaces: Wi-Fi (a / b / g / n / ac), dual-band, Bluetooth 4.2 (A2DP, EDR), Lightning connector for charge / synchronization, 3.5 mm for headset
• Screen: 7.9 '', capacitive, IPS-matrix, 1536x2048 pixels, automatic backlight level control, oleophobic coating
• Camera: 8 MP, video recording at 1080p (1920x1080 pixels)
• Front camera: 1.2 MP
• Navigation: GPS / Glonass (support A-GPS)
• Sensors: accelerometer, position sensor, gyroscope, light sensor, barometer
• Battery: non-removable, Li-Ion, 5124 mAh
• Dimensions: 203.2 x 134.8 x 6.1 mm
• Weight: 299 grams
• Price: from 33,000 rubles

Equipment

• The tablet
• Charger
• PC cable (also part of the charger)
• Documentation
• A clip for removing the SIM card

The tablet comes in a small compact package, the package bundle is traditionally ascetic.

Appearance, materials, controls, assembly

Design has always been a strong point of Apple products, and the new iPad mini is no exception. There are no lurid elements or cheap inappropriate plastic here, the body is made of aluminum, three colors are available for sale: gray, silver and gold.

I would like to immediately draw your attention to the choice of color. Many may think that men should stop at the gray model, but it looks very boring, for me personally, the silver version is much closer, it looks better and creates a feeling of continuity between the iPad and MacBooks of the company.

On the front, above the screen, there is a light sensor and a front camera, and below it is a physical button with a built-in fingerprint scanner.

On the right, there is a volume rocker and a tray for nanoSIM, on top - a power button and a 3.5 mm headphone jack. Interestingly, this model has abandoned the button that switches the tablet to silent mode.

At the bottom you can see a grid of stereo speakers and a Lightning connector. The speakers have excellent sound quality and a large headroom, they do not wheeze, even if they are turned to the maximum.

The tablet is perfectly assembled, all parts are tightly fitted to each other, there are no backlashes, creaks and other assembly defects.

Dimensions

Throughout the use of the tablet, I got the impression that its dimensions have not changed at all in comparison with the previous generation. However, when I filled out the table above, I saw a very good difference in dimensions. While there are differences on paper, you won't notice much difference in size and weight with normal use.

Left mini 4, right - mini 2

The tablet is thin and light, the same weight is usually found in 7-inch models. It is convenient to hold it with one or two hands, but if we are talking about constant use, then you cannot do without both hands.

Screen

If you look only at the technical characteristics of the screen, you get the impression that it has not changed at all, but the devil is in the details, or rather, in one, but very important detail. The display in iPad mini 4 has been tightened to match the iPad Air 2 and the air gap between the screen and the protective glass has been removed. Thanks to this, the picture has become much brighter, clearer, the level of maximum brightness has increased.

The owners of past generations of mini know that on the street or in artificial lighting, the brightness in mini 2/3 was no longer enough, they wanted to tweak it even more. There is no such problem in the new generation.

It is one of the best displays in compact tablets at the moment, just behind the Samsung Galaxy Tab S2 8.0.

operating system

The tablet runs iOS 9 and receives the latest updates, just like other devices from Apple. We have a detailed overview of the innovations of this operating system, I recommend that you familiarize yourself with it at the link below.

One of the reasons why I like any iPad from Apple is a large number of applications optimized for large screens, and although Android is now gradually catching up with iOS, at the moment there are more good colorful games and beautiful programs for iPad.

Performance

Two key changes in the device's performance are the updated Apple A8 chipset (also used by the iPhone 6/6 Plus) and 2GB of RAM. However, they are only important on paper; in fact, operating system optimization plays a significant role. So, on iOS 9 mini 2 does not work very well, the same desktops scroll with strong slowdowns, the screen rotates with jams, etc. There are no such problems in mini 4: any programs work quickly and without jams.

There are also no problems with toys, you can easily play any, even the most productive games, including those with support for Metal technology.

Users of previous versions of iPad mini complained about periodic app crashes due to lack of RAM in their devices. To be honest, I myself have not encountered such problems, however, in theory, the increased amount of RAM should definitely solve them.

Autonomous work

Perhaps one of the significant advantages of any iPad over most Android smartphones is the minimum discharge when the display is off. At night I close the Smart Cover to 36% of the battery, in the morning I open it and see the same 36%, while on Android the night discharge can be from 5 to 20%.

The mini 4 also performs very well in everyday use. When playing HoMM 3 for about an hour a day at medium brightness, its charge was enough for five to six days. Chances are, you won't charge your tablet more often than once a week.

Camera

We've already compared the iPad mini 4's camera to the Galaxy Tab S2 8.0, so I recommend checking out that section in that article.

I'd like to add that, despite the low resolution, I really like the front camera in the iPad mini 4, and in Skype the picture is very good.

Wireless interfaces

All modules work fine and fast, there is not much to add.

Touch ID

I would also like to note the speed of Touch ID, it has significantly increased since the previous version. If on iPhone 6 / mini 3 it took about a second to unlock, then in mini 4 this time was reduced to 0.5 seconds. In words, it looks like a trifle, but in life it has become even more convenient to use the scanner.

New covers

For the new mini 4, the company also prepared updated branded accessories - a new Smart Cover and a separate silicone cover for the back. They can be used individually or together.

I liked the fact that the outer side in both halves is made of silicone, thanks to which the covers become much more practical, because in case of contamination, it is enough to simply wipe them. I remember the branded cover for mini 2, which completely lost its presentation after six months, and I see that the new models are much better and more practical.

A silicone case is sold for 5,000 rubles, and a new Smart Cover for 3,300 rubles. Of course, these are expensive accessories, but this is a price to pay for a good quality item that will serve you for a long time. Do not forget that we live in a world where the dollar exchange rate is already 75, not 35 rubles.

By the way, on the official Apple website you can see how the new cases for iPad mini 4 in different colors will look like. http://www.apple.com/en/ipad-mini-4/accessories/

Conclusion

Apple has a great update on an already pretty tablet. The company has worked on weak points (improved display, increased RAM) and improved existing advantages (Touch ID speed, dimensions). The updated mini 4 will delight the owners of any of the past generations, rest assured.

And now about the bad news. Moving on to pricing: iPad mini 4 comes in six different variants: 16GB, 64GB, and 128GB with LTE support and Wi-Fi Only options:

• 16 GB Wi-Fi - 33,000 rubles
• 64 GB Wi-Fi - 41,000 rubles
• 128 GB Wi-Fi - 49,000 rubles
• 16 GB Wi-Fi + LTE - 43,000 rubles
• 64 GB Wi-Fi + LTE - 51,000 rubles
• 128 GB Wi-Fi + LTE - 59,000 rubles

With great regret, I recall the times when the initial version of iPad mini could be bought for 15,000 rubles, since then prices have doubled more than twice! But this is an already existing reality, with which we can do little, so we will evaluate the novelty in accordance with its price.

In my opinion, the cost of mini 4 is very high, and the fact that the minimum version has only 16 GB of internal memory does not improve the mood, and the difference between Wi-Fi and LTE versions is as much as 10,000 rubles. What could Apple do to sweeten the pill for Russian customers? It seems to me that it was worth leaving 32 GB of internal memory in the minimum version, and reducing the difference between Wi-Fi / LTE to 5,000 rubles. Apple has a very loyal audience, people would grit their teeth and still buy a new product. But at current prices, the size of the potential audience has decreased significantly. It's still a good tablet, just very expensive.

Alternatively, it makes sense to look towards the Galaxy Tab S2 8.0, which is in no way inferior to the mini 4, and in some ways even wins over it and at the same time costs much less, and the memory in it can be increased due to the memory card slot. Another thing is that there are people who like exactly iOS. They will probably have to use their tablets for another year.

If you are not afraid of the price of mini 4, then I can safely recommend the tablet for purchase, because it has no other drawbacks.

New year is coming soon - time to please yourself or loved ones with a new gadget. What's better than the latest iPhone 6s? That's right, the new iPad mini 4! The format of a small tablet has already taken root quite reliably in the world of modern gadget lovers, besides, a small iPad is perhaps the cheapest entrance ticket to the wonderful world of Apple. But let's figure out how the iPad mini 4 can attract buyers, and how it differs from the iPad mini 3.

Doesn't it seem strange to you that iPad mini 2 is still available for purchase, and mini 3 has sunk into oblivion - it can only be found in leftovers from retailers? Let's explain. The third generation iPad mini was different from mini 2 ... except for the Touch ID fingerprint scanner. In turn, the release required a certain number of such scanners for the new model. In our opinion, this is why the iPad mini 2 was left as an inexpensive alternative, and production of the mini 3 was curtailed. But this is a review of the iPad mini 4 - it has much more than one difference from its predecessors, we will now tell you about this.

IPad mini 4 specifications:
Screen	7.9 '' 2048x1536 (326 ppi), Retina IPS, laminated with anti-reflective coating, capacitive sensor, up to 10 touches, oleophobic coating;
CPU	Apple A8 with 64-bit architecture and M8 motion coprocessor, up to 1.5 GHz;
Graphics accelerator	Apple A8 GPU (PowerVR GX6450);
operating system	iOS 9;
RAM	2 GB;
Built-in memory	16/64/128 GB;
Memory card support	No;
Communication	LTE / DC HSDPA / HSPA + / HSPA / UMTS / EDGE / GSM (data only);
SIM card	nanoSIM, compatible with Apple SIM;
Wireless interfaces	Wi-Fi 802.11 a / b / g / n / ac (2.4 and 5 GHz), MIMO support, Bluetooth 4.2;
Sound	stereo speakers on the bottom;
Navigation	GPS, GLONASS (only in models with LTE), support for iBeacon micro-location technology;
Cameras	main iSight - 8 MP (with autofocus), front FaceTime - 1.2 MP;
Sensors / td\u003e	Touch ID, accelerometer, gyroscope, light sensor, barometer;
Connectors	Lightning with support for USB 2.0, mini Jack 3.5 for headset or headphones
Battery	Lithium polymer, 19.1 Wh;
Dimensions	203.2 x 134.8 x 6.1 mm;
The weight	298.8 grams (304 grams for LTE models)
Color options	Space gray, silver, golden

Packaging and delivery set

Everything is laconic, as always. The box looks modest but expensive. The tablet is packed in a translucent matte film - this bag looks better than some tablet cases. Under the tablet there is a power supply unit and a flat box for stickers, pieces of paper with the legendary “Hello” inscription in several languages, as well as a key to open the nano SIM card slot. There is a Lightning cable under the box in a special recess for connecting to a computer and charging the battery.

There are still no headphones, headsets or other accessories included. Although what we are talking about - even the Pencil for iPad Pro is purchased separately, so for the "youngest" in the family nothing at all is required. The Rose Gold color option was also missing.

Appearance, features and finishing materials

So what about the design changes? They are, and the first thing that catches your eye - the body has become even thinner. You can feel it from the very first handshake of the tablet. But only if you've ever held an iPad mini of any other generation in your hands. Due to what the reduction in the thickness of the case was achieved, we will talk in the section about the display and the battery, but for now we are enjoying this wonderful new look.

The most observant readers will have noticed the lack of a hardware toggle to lock the screen rotation or enable silent mode - the expense of a thin case. This also includes the changed speaker holes. The holes are now larger in diameter, but in one row on the bottom edge. Yes, the location of the speakers has not been the best, although competitors have long put them on the front panel on the sides of the display or above it, so that the sound goes to the user's ears (left and right), and not to the feet or palm. However, it should be noted that the speakers in the new iPad are not bad and they are heard quite well.

As for the back of the tablet, everything is beautiful as always. A solid sheet of aluminum with a beautiful golden finish (in our case) and the familiar glossy black logo. They say that an apple is protected from scratches in the same way as a display, but it cannot be saved from fingerprints.

The central microphone of the camera has moved closer to the lens + a second microphone has appeared, like the iPad Air 2. Now the older and younger brothers have full parity in cameras, unlike everything else. But no, the thickness of the case is still the same and the SIM card slot ... and aluminum ... and paint. In general, there is little in common.

In front, nothing has changed at all, at first glance. Same as iPad mini 3. Home button with built-in Touch ID, FaceTime camera peephole and, of course, 7.9 ”screen. The key differences lie in the display - it is new, although all the key characteristics remain the same. We will talk more about this below in the corresponding section.

In general, the appearance has changed slightly, but lovers and admirers of Apple technology will definitely notice the difference. They will admire the slim body, and the lack of a switch will be explained by the phrase "it's even good that she no longer exists." The fact that the tablet has barely grown in other dimensions is hardly anyone's notice. No one is interested in a couple of millimeters in length, but in thickness is a completely different matter. The lack of a memory card slot does not scare anyone anymore - even huge Korean competitors have abandoned this "useless slot". The author of the article likes the appearance, but without fanaticism - there are other tablets, the design and execution of which can be admired no less, for example,. Direct competitor, by the way. But the key changes took place inside. And, if you buy a tablet for yourself, then the already flawless appearance of the new iPad mini should not worry you much - the main thing is how much the screen and hardware performance have improved. First, about the screen.

Screen

Retina display size and resolution remained the same - 7.9 ”2048x1536. In my opinion, a very advantageous size for a wearable tablet. Large enough and compact at the same time. The level of contrast and brightness also remained at the same level and even slightly increased, judging by numerous tests of our colleagues. To tell you the truth, the second-generation iPad mini's Retina display was already one of the best IPS screens for tablets. In the third generation, differences could not be found, for obvious reasons - they simply did not exist. In the fourth generation, the matrix was probably improved, because many notice better color reproduction, increased contrast and other manifestations of the improved matrix. However, in this case, the key change is the one-piece laminated display. That is, the matrix, sensor and protective glass were stuck together and laminated.

Now there is no air gap. Of course, the brightness, contrast have increased, the viewing angles have improved - all these improvements are available without major changes in the tablet matrix itself. Plus, there is a new anti-reflective coating and it really works. The display stays glossy in feel, but does not glare or fade, even in direct sunlight.

Another detail that pleases me is the two light sensors. It's not new to the iPad, but the very fact of having not one, but two sensors inspires respect for the manufacturer. Most tablets have only one light sensor (if any) and usually you can see exactly where it is located. If you close it with your finger, the screen dims due to the "feeling" that the tablet is in the dark. The same situation is observed if a shadow falls on the sensor. In general, one sensor cannot cope with the correct determination of the ambient light level. In two sensors in different corners and the backlight is adjusted to the maximum indicator of one of them. If one sensor is accidentally blocked with a hand, then the second will secure it and the display backlight will remain at the same level. The sensors are disguised, so it is not possible to show them in the photo.

Performance and battery

What about the processor? Everyone expected that it would finally become a real miniature copy of the iPad Air 2, that is, it will receive the same A8X processor with three processor cores. But no. This did not happen. The tablet received a processor from the previous generation of iPhone 6. It was slightly overclocked to 1.5 GHz, and a second gigabyte of RAM was added - a real breakthrough. Up to this point, only the Air 2 had two gigabytes of RAM.

	iPad mini 4	iPad mini 3	iPad Air 2
CPU	Apple A8 1.5 GHz (64-bit, 2 cores); Typhoon architecture	Apple A7 1.3 GHz (64-bit, 2 cores); Cyclone architecture	Apple A8X 1.5 GHz (64-bit, 3 cores); Typhoon architecture
Video core	PowerVR GX6450	PowerVR G6430	PowerVR GXA6850
RAM	2 GB	1 GB	2 GB

By the way, the story with the A8X and its three cores strongly resembles the situation with the well-known manufacturer of x86 processors - AMD. They also had processors with three cores in their lineup - these were rejects from quad-core processors. And the ill-fated letter X was also present.
But let's not talk about sad things. At the end of the day, Apple is trying to stick to the same stance as Rolls Royce, which called engine power with the one word "sufficient". The Apple giant has never focused on the technical characteristics of its devices - they prefer to use simple marketing steps, such as "Second generation A8 processor with 64-bit desktop-level architecture" or "Processor speed up to 5.2 times faster" (this is in comparison with the first iPad mini ). I am not a proponent of this approach, but consumers obviously like it. Some of the manufacturer's statements do not sound so crazy, for example, "the A8 processor is 30% more powerful than the A7, and the graphics are processed 60% faster." This is closer to a real comparison, but the testing methods have not been disclosed. By the way, a new API is now available for game developers - Metal. They promise to create more realistic games with smoother quality gameplay.

As a result, according to numerous tests of our colleagues, it turns out that the new one is much faster than its predecessors. Plus, it's not far behind the Air 2 - thanks to the second gigabyte of RAM and 100 MHz added to the clock speed. Oh yes, the battery. Its capacity has become less than that of previous generations of iPad mini - 19.3 Wh versus 23.8 Wh. That is why the case was made even thinner. But don't jump to conclusions. First, the mini 4 has a new processor that saves electricity better than the previous one. Secondly, iOS 9 also improves battery life. But let's dispense with the boring theory - in practice, iPad mini 4 can last longer than its predecessors! Shock. Despite the apparent contradiction, everything is logical. So, comparing the runtime of iPad mini 4 and iPad mini 3: Under equal conditions, iPad mini 4 lasts longer with a lower battery capacity - welcome to the wonderful world of the future! By the way, this tablet does a great job with 4K video, if anyone did not know.

Memory.

Built-in memory options remain the same, 16/64/128 GB. That is, the 16 GB version was left in spite of numerous statements like “Who needs an iPad with 16 GB of memory - that's awful little”. And the explanation is simple - iPad mini 4 16 GB is much cheaper than the others and is in demand. It will not work to expand the memory in the traditional way (memory card). However, cloud services for storing photos and similar heavy media content, the same iCloud or Google Drive, have already been widely promoted. Personal clouds (NAS servers) are also gaining popularity. There are mobile drives with built-in battery and WiFi. Even appeared. So the built-in memory will come in handy for you mainly for countless different applications and downloading system updates. This I mean that you can get by with 16 GB, but 128 GB, of course, is more honorable.

Operating system.

The new one is already preinstalled with the most current version of iOS 9 with many updates and improvements. Considering that all mobile devices will be updated to this version, it doesn't make much sense to talk about it in this review in terms of comparison with the previous generation of tablets. But we decided to show you some screenshots if you are not already familiar with the new iOS GUI.

Split View

As you can see, there is a new feature - two active windows mode. For owners of tablets with Android, this is no longer news, but it pleases that it appeared. In general, iOS is considered to be the most stable and functional mobile operating system. Since there are countless devices where it works, it is optimized much better than Android itself. The interface is really User Friendly, everything works smoothly and flawlessly. In general, there is already a lot of talk about iOS, so we will not focus on it.

Communication and sensors

There are also changes in wireless communication.
First, another WiFi adapter with 802.11 ac support is installed - WiFi will work faster if you have a router that supports the latest standard.
Secondly, Bluetooth version 4.2 has arrived - the latest version with improved power consumption, security, support for the Internet protocol IPv6 and the new GATT profile. Bluetooth 4.2 is focused primarily on the "Internet of Things (IoT)". That is, the new iPad mini 4 can be controlled “smart home” without any problems. By the way, a certain authoritative Internet resource believes that by 2020 there will be 28 billion “smart dummies”, refrigerators and other “things” connected to the global Internet. The forecast is optimistic, although it is not clear how much there is now and how to deal with a possible uprising of machines.
Thirdly, in addition to an accelerometer and a gyroscope, the M8 coprocessor has received, which will help you better navigate the terrain and measure atmospheric pressure, of course. Otherwise, everything is unchanged. I am glad that the LTE-modem is truly "omnivorous" - it supports a huge number of frequencies intended for 4G networks around the world. You can be sure that LTE will work even if the Russian iPad is brought on vacation to Europe or Asian countries. It continues to sadden the fact that the versions without LTE lack GPS / GLONASS. Also upsetting is the lack of an opportunity to call and receive SMS in the Cellular versions of the device - the same Samsung tablets do not deny their owners this pleasure. With the iPad, you can only make calls and exchange text messages over the Internet using the built-in iChat and FaceTime applications.

Camera

We already mentioned that the camera in iPad mini 4 migrated here from the Air 2, which means that now it is an 8 Mpx sensor, slow-motion video shooting, continuous shooting and time-lapse shooting with stabilization are available. The iPad mini 2/3 had a 5 Mpx camera with one microphone in the center. The lens, apparently, has remained the same - a five-lens with a sapphire glass protection. There is still no LED flash. On the other hand, it's like the ability to make calls and send SMS - the iPhone can do all this, and the iPad is, first of all, a big screen. By the way, the photos taken by the camera are best viewed on its own display. There they look very high quality and colorful, but in fact, on a regular monitor, everything is not so rosy. See for yourself:

The front-facing FaceTime camera hasn't changed. Only a burst mode has been added, so that you can choose the best one from several selfies. The camera is perfect for video communication and to take a picture on an avatar for another social network. For shooting high-quality selfies, it is still rather weak.

Conclusion

One of Apple's most compelling and in-demand products has truly gotten better. The changes affected both design and hardware platform. iPad mini 4 has become thinner, lighter, more powerful and, most importantly, reworked the display, which was already one of the best on the market. Of course, the iPad mini has a lot of competitors, but this is Apple - a completely different product that cannot be directly compared with other tablets on Android or Windows 10. Here, the operating system plays a primary role, and the hardware is secondary. Tablet design, screens, and app performance can be compared, but there will be no absolute winners or losers in this comparison. Subjective perception of the design and quality of the screen, as well as the optimization of the same applications for different platforms will play a role. I can find tons of buying arguments, and just as many for a competing tablet, but who needs it? In life, you have to try, if not everything, then at least a lot - so why not start with the 4th generation iPad mini? Plus, it doesn't cost much compared to the iPhone 6s or iPad Air 2.

pros		Minuses
+	Stylish design	-	Speaker location
+	Very slim body	-	No memory card slot
+	Excellent high resolution IPS display	-	Falls short in performance
+	Good camera	-	Front camera resolution
+	Battery life	-	3 hours to fully charge

The Apple iPad mini 4 tablet was presented together with the iPhone 6S (the first part of the review) and iPad Pro, without receiving a separate block in the presentation and special attention. Indeed, this is just a scaled-down version of the iPad Air 2, according to Apple's words from the scene. However, this is what makes the iPad mini 4 almost the only normal compact tablet on the market, almost completely occupied by huge smartphones. Whether the "kid" has what to oppose to competitors and how successful the iPad mini 4 has turned out - we will understand below.

Specifications Apple iPad mini 4:

• Network: GSM / EDGE (850/900/1800/1900 MHz), UMTS / HSPA (850/900 / 1700-2100 / 1900/2100 MHz), LTE (1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 7, 8, 13, 17, 18, 19, 20, 25, 26)
• Platform (at the time of announcement): iOS 9
• Display: capacitive, 7.9 ", 2048 x 1536 pixels, 326 ppi, IPS
• Camera: 8 MP, f / 2.4, autofocus, video recording [email protected] and Slow-mo [email protected]
• Secondary camera: 1.2 MP, f / 2.2, video recording [email protected]
• Processor: Apple A8 + M8
• Built-in memory: 16, 64, 128 GB
• Wi-Fi (802.11a / b / g / n / ac), MIMO
• Bluetooth 4.2
• 3.5mm audio jack
• GPS and GLONASS (Wi-Fi + Cellular)
• nanoSIM (Wi-Fi + Cellular)
• Lightning
• Accelerometer, gyroscope, light sensor, digital compass
• Working time in active use mode via Wi-Fi: up to 10 hours
• Operating time in active use mode via cellular network: up to 9 hours
• Dimensions: 203.2 x 134.8 x 6.1mm
• Weight: 298.8g (Wi-Fi) & 304g (Wi-Fi + Cellular)

Video review

Design and construction

miniature iPad Air 2 is truly the most accurate description of the device's appearance. The same thickness of the case (6.1 mm), the same arrangement and pattern of the speakers, the same absence of the volume lock slider. It took Apple one intermediate generation of iPad mini to come to its own gold standard. The previous iPad mini 3 turned out to be some kind of pass-through, intended for those who for some reason did not start upgrading to iPad mini 2. The release of iPad mini 4 in the form in which it is now released is a logical and correct decision, albeit a little belated. In a presentation next to the Air 2, it would have looked much more organic than with the iPad Pro. The rapid curtailment of sales of the iPad mini 3 immediately after the announcement of mini 4 seems to hint at which tablet really deserves attention right now.

Not only the design, but also the tablet screen has undergone an update. It retained the same dimensions and resolution (7.9 ", 2048 x 1536 pixels, 326 ppi), but stopped looking unimportant against the background of the Air-line. The image became juicier, more contrasting, the anti-glare layer does its job, but despite this in direct comparison you can see that the mini screen still falls short of the Air 2. In general, it is possible not to compare with the Air 2, but it is desirable to compare it with the previous mini in order to visually assess how much better the display actually became.

This is the thinnest and lightest iPad mini ever, while, as always, it is tightly assembled and tactilely pleases with an aluminum case in already standard three colors. Will the newfangled pink and gold be added to the next tablet update? It seems that there would be buyers for it. In addition, with new multi-colored cases and covers, among which there are many delicate shades (as in our review), it would be much easier to pick up something no less cute for a pink tablet than before.

Software

The tablet runs iOS 9 out of the box, when writing a review, the test mini 4 received iOS 9.0.1 and 9.0.2, which did not greatly affect the system and did not cure some bugs. For example, the tablet managed to slow down in the most noticeable and frequently used places, namely when switching between applications, flipping the interface and when calling Spotlight search. Perhaps they have already been fixed in iOS 9.1, unsubscribe in the comments if so. At the same time, all the new features of the system worked perfectly and did not cause any complaints. This is a split screen (the same as in the Air 2, that is, full-fledged with all possible options, not available for other mini), and picture-in-picture, and new keyboard capabilities, and multitasking of built-in and updated third-party applications for iOS 9. The power of the tablet is enough to work without brakes on the same screen with two full-fledged applications, for example, the Safari browser and native Mail, while simultaneously playing a movie in a small window from iTunes or from any other place. All the more surprising were the lags in other, more typical and familiar places for iOS.

Camera

Along with the design and screen, the tablet camera has also been updated. Now there is 8 megapixel with f / 2.4 aperture, all the same autofocus, 1080p video recording at 60 fps and Slow-mo 1080p at 120 fps. On mini it has always been convenient to take photos and even shoot videos (a frequent occurrence at concerts), now it can be done, as they say, even "better". In terms of photo and video quality, the camera does not match the iPhone 6, and it is mainly suitable for good sunny conditions, and it will allow you to capture something interesting.

Benchmarks and performance

iPad mini 4 is not only Apple's thinnest and lightest compact tablet, it's also the most powerful. It uses an overclocked version of the A8 chipset with 2GB of RAM, which makes it slightly more efficient than the iPhone 6 and only slightly weaker than the iPad Air 2 with its A8X. The benchmark results speak for themselves: this kid is not one of the timid ones.

With toys, too, everything is in order, but with some complaints. For example, Asphalt 8 suddenly became laggy in some places, although this was not observed on iOS before. Something simpler graphically, but more complex in terms of gameplay, like Shadowmatic, goes without any problems.

The company announced the traditional autonomy of 10 hours of work for most scenarios of use (Internet, listening to music, watching videos). Despite the fact that the battery in the tablet has decreased, these figures are close to real ones, and iPad mini 4 allows you to comfortably use it throughout the day, or even 3-4 with a quieter use. If you touch it once a week, then the mini 4, like any other iPad, will sit quietly for a couple of months.

conclusions

the iPad mini 4 is definitely Apple's best compact tablet and a real find for those looking for a convenient mobile solution to pair with their not-too-large smartphone. On the other hand, the Air 2 is not that much larger or heavier, just as thin, with a better screen quality and faster performance. In this case, the price plays on the side of mini 4, since for the same official 48,990 rubles you can get a 128GB modification of a tablet with Wi-Fi, in contrast to the 64GB version of Air 2 with Wi-Fi. Yes, with the old course, mini 4 would have been an even more advantageous offer, but it's time to forget about the old course and come to terms with the new realities.

One of the first details that catches your eye when using a tablet is the speed of operation. If on the iPad mini 2 in the interface of the operating system iOS 9 there were slowdowns and annoying bugs, then for several days of daily use in the iPad mini 4 this was not noticed.

All applications, including third-party applications from the App Store, launch as quickly as possible. Without a doubt, iOS 9.3 is perfectly optimized for the new 7.9-inch iPad. Inside the device is the second generation A8 chip. It's a pity that not the A8x from the iPad Air 2, but nevertheless, the power of this processor is enough for any task.

One of the key differences between the iPad mini 4 and the previous two generations, in our opinion, is 2GB of RAM instead of 1GB. Despite the fact that Apple tries not to talk about the amount of RAM at presentations of new products, this indicator is extremely important, since the functionality of the device and the number of programs running in the background directly depend on it.

Thanks to the fact that Apple has equipped the iPad mini 4 with two gigabytes of RAM, the tablet can work in multi-window mode, as well as keep 5-6 programs in memory at once without having to unload them from RAM. In this regard, the functionality of the tablet is significantly increasing, especially for those who like to actively communicate on social networks.

Tabs in Safari web browser now do not reload so violently, but this problem still persists. This indicator does not directly depend on the amount of RAM in the device. Apparently, Apple programmers decided that in this way the tablet could keep the battery charge longer.

The first introduction to the multi-window mode in iOS 9 is wildly delightful. It would seem that Apple just allowed two applications to be displayed on one screen, but how convenient and useful it is not to describe in words. The implementation of this mode of operation seems to have been worked through for years, since everything works just perfect without any bugs.

After launching any application in normal mode, you need to swipe from the right side of the frame across the screen, after which a list of applications will appear on the display, which can be scrolled using up and down swipes. At the same time, iOS 9 itself arranges the order of applications when scrolling. Surprisingly, the desired program is always displayed at the top of the list. How exactly Apple managed to add such a result is unknown, but the fact that it works great is a fact.

Suppose, using the “two applications on one screen” mode, you can easily surf the Internet through the Safari or Chrome browser, and on the right you can keep an open book or a translator that allows you to translate the necessary phrases from the browser. Previously, to add such functionality, you had to press the "Home" button every now and then, constantly switching between running programs.

Almost all applications in the App Store already fully support the new multitasking mode, and among the main ones are: Yandex.Translate, 1Password, Google Drive, Sberbank Online, Chrome, Enlight, Documents, Google Photo, Instashare, Pixelmator, Spark , Simplenote, Telegram, TickTick, Ulysses, YouTube and a number of others.

Just because of one new multitasking mode, it is worth updating any older generation of iPad to iPad mini 4, since this functionality allows you to consider the "apple" device not only as a gadget for content consumption, but also for its creation.

With the advent of full support for cloud storage iCloud Drive in iOS 9, the functionality of the iPad has increased significantly for many. The fact is that before, you could exchange files online only from your iPhone or iPad library, whereas now, using the Safari web browser, you can easily transfer any files from iCloud Drive.

Thus, by writing an article in the editor, you can easily find a thematic photo on the Internet using Safari, then crop it to the desired size using Pixelmator photo editor and immediately upload it to iCloud Drive in the desired format.

When the finished snapshot is in iCloud Drive, you can easily rename the file, and then, when transferring the finished article from Ulysses to the site, immediately add the snapshot from iCloud Drive, without having to use the device's library as an intermediate point. Undoubtedly, this is extremely convenient.

Multi-window mode lets you take a different look at writing articles on iPad. Now, to clarify some information, you do not need to double-click on the "Home" button, switch to the browser and search. The new multitasking mode is able to launch the text editor on the left and the browser to the right. Thus, work is much faster and more productive.

Another feature that iPad mini 4 has is the video display mode on top of other programs. For example, using the nPlayer video editor, you can turn on absolutely any video, and then press a special button to reduce the playback window and continue watching a movie or TV series in other programs.

The playback window can be zoomed with two fingers, as well as "sticky" to one of the four corners of the screen. This way of watching a video is a great way to pass the time in a boring conversation, when you have to wait five minutes for the interlocutor to answer.

Of course, you need to understand that the iPad mini 4 has a screen diagonal of only 7.9-inches, which means that when using multi-window mode, the interface of many programs becomes small. The larger the diagonal of the tablet screen, the more convenient it is to use the new multitasking mode. In the case of the iPad Pro 12.9, the display is effectively divided into two full iPad mini screens.

However, when buying an iPad mini 4, people need to understand the scenario for using this tablet. If the device will be used only at home, then you should look at the iPad Air 2 or iPad Pro 9.7, and possibly the 12.9-inch iPad Pro. A smaller version of the classic "iPad" was created for daily carrying of the tablet along with you and partial replacement of the smartphone.

Over the 6 years of its existence, the App Store has accumulated an uncountable number of programs and games for iPad. Due to the fact that in the last few years the screen resolution for all "apple" tablets is the same, developers do not have to redraw graphic elements.

The speakers in iPad mini 4 remain at the same level as the iPad mini 2/3. The device is capable of producing quite loud audio, but the Samsung Galaxy Note 5 still sounds 10-15% louder. The sound in the South Korean smartphone also feels clearer and more lively, but here it all depends on the specific listener.

The build quality of the iPad mini 4 is simply impossible to find fault with. The device is assembled at the highest level. Due to the fact that the new 7.9-inch "iPad" is in rather low demand around the world, marriage is very, very rare, unlike the same iPad mini 2, every second of which at the start of sales was with display defects in the form of broken pixels and highlights on a black background.

In the case of iPad mini 4, there is no light on the screen. All colors are especially bright and rich. Feels like the tablet display has become, as it were, closer to the glass, which creates the feeling that the picture is on the surface. In the same iPad mini 2, the image is slightly recessed inside the case. It only catches your eye if both tablets are next to each other.

The rear camera on iPad mini 4 has an 8-megapixel resolution, which allows you to take good pictures. The lighting in an ordinary room is not enough for high-quality photos. There are noises in the pictures, but should you "get" more light, or go outside on a bright sunny day, the tablet camera allows you to take good pictures, but you shouldn't expect miracles from it.

For the most part, owners of all generations of iPad use the rear camera of the tablet to photograph documents, writing and other things that they will need in the future. Only a few take pictures on tablets of more or less complex objects, such as ordering the sun, etc.

The fourth-generation iPad mini has a front camera resolution of 1.2 megapixels. In iPad mini 4, Apple engineers increased the aperture, thereby allowing the camera to "absorb" more light. Due to this innovation, iPad mini 4 owners can take selfies in low light conditions and the results will be tolerable.

One of the main trump cards of the iPad mini 4 over other representatives of Apple tablets of this class is the extremely low weight, equal to 304 grams, and the thickness of the case - 6.1 mm. If you put a cover on the tablet, then these advantages partially come to naught.

Due to the fact that Apple has reduced the thickness of the tablet and increased the height of the device by several millimeters, all accessories from iPad mini 1/2/3 do not fit the fourth generation. Even the branded Smart Cover is not attached to the iPad mini 4, as this tablet has changed the location of the magnets responsible for fastening the branded "smart" cover. If you try hard, you can buy the original Smart Cover and a branded silicone case specifically for iPad mini 4 on the market for a total of 5,000 rubles, but even this price tag is too high for a piece of silicone and leather.

On the Internet, there are quite a few cases for iPad mini 4, since the demand for this device is not great, which means that it is much more profitable for manufacturers of accessories to create and sell protective cases for the iPad Air 2 and other more popular Apple tablets.

Despite the fact that the battery capacity of the iPad mini 4 has become smaller than in previous generations, the tablet can actually work for about 10 hours. Charging time using the included 2.1A charging time is about 2-3 hours.

Outcome

Apple managed to create a new 7.9-inch tablet, which has a lot of advantages: light weight, small body thickness, an abundance of perfectly optimized applications in the App Store, support for splitting the screen into two windows, 2 GB of RAM, the ability to watch videos in any application and excellent screen. It all does iPad mini 4 the best portable tablets on the market, at least until the next generation.

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iPhone 6s and 6s Plus, iPad Mini 4, and iPad Pro ship with iOS 9. Users of older devices can upgrade to it on their own. The list of compatible models even includes the iPhone 4s, which is already a very middle-aged phone with 512 MB of RAM.

So what has changed regarding iOS 8.4.1? Actually, not much. The changes fit the description of evolutionary, but certainly not revolutionary. Added new multitasking capabilities that don't really add much convenience to an entertainment-centric operating system, and have been available in Android devices from Samsung and LG for quite some time. the animation of some regularly performed actions has been changed, in particular, the call of the screen of recent applications.

If you do not go into details, the user will not notice the actual benefit from switching to iOS 9, only a slight drop in overall performance (as opposed to Apple's announcement of its increase), as well as a slight "culture shock" from dubious visual innovations. There are also some, not too serious, flaws. The author of these lines noticed problems in Safari's work with some RTMP video streams and the inability to clear the list of recent applications (everything is restored after a restart, which is undesirable in many cases). One way or another, the update to iOS 9.1 may come out in the first half of October. Or maybe not.