Size makes a Difference
Both the iPad Air and the Mini 2 may not completely blow away the competition, but the devices are certainly superior to other recent Android and Windows offerings.
The iPad Air is a great all rounder, offering excellent performance and a great battery life. It has an advanced system to back it up and is aces on all counts, value, features, and performance. On the other hand, the iPad Mini 2 sports all the features that you find in the iPad Air, but these are available in a smaller or mini version. You can call the iPad Mini 2 the king of mini tablets. The major difference between the two devices is the size of the device and the screen. The iPad Air comes with a 9.7 inches screen, whereas the iPad Mini 2 comes with a 7.9 inches screen.
iPad Air – Light and Airy
The iPad Air comes at a slightly higher price, but it surely offers better value for money when compared to the Mini 2. The Air has been redesigned in such a way that is 180g lower in weight than the predecessor. It is a really light tablet that you can just throw its your bag or even hold in a single hand for long periods. The display is the same as the older model, at 9.7 inches with a resolution of 2048 x 1536 p, producing sharp and crystal clear pictures, offering great color balance as well as contrast.
iPad Air – Greater Appeal
The device runs on the iOS64-bit ARM A7 processor, with some new apps ready to take advantage of the upgrade. For instance, iMovie is now able to support greater number of video and audio tracks. You can also view editing changes at footage of 1080p in real time. It is quite easy to port developed apps into this 64 bit architecture.
iPad Mini 2
It seems unbelievable, but the internals of the iPad Mini 2 are almost on par with the iPad Air. Both the devices use similar CPU and GPU that is combined with 1GB RAM. However, the Mini 2 is a little slower, with 1.3 GHz with A7 processor. The device is a little heavier than the previous model and is now 340 g instead of 320 g. The screen is amazing along with the retina unit visuals. However, the text size is a little small on a 7.9 inches screen and the details might be a little blurred.
iPad Air – Better Screen Features
Those who specifically need a smaller or compact device can opt for the iPad Mini 2. Otherwise, the iPad Air’s bigger screen surely offers greater benefits, in case of watching videos, browsing, reading text and so on. The text is larger and is more legible. In addition, other elements on the interface, such as the keys on the keyboard can also be operated more easily on the iPad Air. By just paying a slightly higher amount, you could get all these benefits in the iPad Air. Both the tablets are, however, very competent and cater to different types of usages.
Verdict
The main case made out against the iPad Mini 2 was the price. It is considered quite expensive for the size and is quite high when compared to other devices. However, the Mini 2 has been upgraded with entirely new hardware, which offers some justification for the higher price. Yet, when comparing it with the Air, Mini 2 has a smaller size screen, so it does not offer as much flexibility. The iPad Air gives you a more immersive experience, but the iPad Mini 2 is cheaper and is also more portable.
Price of iPad Air – Ranges from $499 to $929
Price of iPad Mini 2 – Ranges from $399 to $829
Related ItemsiPad AiriPad Mini 2
