by The iPad mini with Retina display has arrived. As someone who dumped the full-sized iPad for the iPad mini a year ago, I’ve been excited to get my hands on this new model. Can its small size beat out the all-new, all-lightweight iPad Air for a place in my heart and my backpack? I’ve been using mine for half a day; here are some initial impressions ahead of my full review.
Fans of the original (now $299) iPad mini will be excited to know that the shape of the new version is essentially unchanged. This thing is a dead ringer for its non-Retina sibling. It’s three-tenths of a millimeter thicker than the old model, and if you pick up the original mini followed immediately by the new one, you’ll notice that it’s slightly thicker. Accessories for the iPad mini should generally fit this new model, unless they’re remarkably exacting in their size. Apple’s $69 iPad mini Smart Case, for example, is rated for either model. I was able to use my old, tea-stained iPad mini Smart Cover on the new model with no trouble. They’re the same, within a reasonable margin of error.
Image: Jason SnellThe new model (left) is imperceptibly thicker than the original.
The Retina iPad mini’s weight is a bit more noticeable. The new model is between 20 and 30 grams heavier than the non-Retina version, and that’s noticeable, though again I suspect that it’s a fine distinction that current iPad mini users won’t notice after a couple of days. (In comparison, the iPad mini with Retina display is nearly 140 grams lighter than the iPad Air.)
Though the new iPad mini with Retina display is lighter than the iPad Air, it’s actually more dense. Picking up the iPad Air feels a bit like picking up a movie prop; like the iPhone 5 series, it’s almost impossibly light. The Retina iPad mini definitely feels more solid, like a whole lot of technology got packed into a very small space.
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