iPad Air vs iPad Mini 2: Which Is Best For You?

The iPad Air and the iPad Mini with Retina are Apple's latest and greatest tablets. But which is best?

Apple is pretty much responsible for kicking off the whole tablet space. I know, I know – Microsoft did it first in the 1990s. But it was the iPad, which captured the hearts and minds of millions on consumers, forcing everybody from Huawei to Samsung into action. Apple’s tablet range consists of two products: the full size iPad and the smaller iPad Mini, which, of course, are now known as the iPad Air and iPad Mini with retina, respectively.
Later on this year Apple will release an updated version of the iPad Air and, potentially, although it’s not 100%, its iPad Mini 2. Between the years of 2010-2013 Apple dominated the tablet space – nobody else even got a look in.
In 2014, it started to become clear that Apple’s sovereign reign over the tablet space was drawing to a close; the company posted its first drop in year-on-year sales. A lot of this was to do with the rise (and sheer number) of cheaper Android tablets readily available in key markets like China. Plus, you have to bear in mind: Apple only makes two tablets… Compare that to Samsung, which makes about a million, for instance, and you get an idea about just how big a presence Apple is in the space.
Which iPad’s are the most popular though? Without a doubt it’s the iPad Air and the iPad mini with Retina display – although older models do still sell in pretty large numbers. But how do the two compare to each other? Choosing between an iPad Air and an iPad mini with Retina display is difficult. Both do different things for different people. Here’s our comparison to help you work out which of the Apple iPad’s is best for you.

Design, Specs, and Compatibility

Here’s the specs for the iPad Air:

Display: 9.7-inch Retina display with 2048x1536 resolution at 264 pixels per inch (ppi)
Dimensions: 240mm (H) x 169.5mm (W) x 7.5mm (D)
Weight: 469 grams (Wi-Fi model), 478 grams (4G model)
Storage: 16, 32, 64, or 128GB
Processors: A7 chip with 64-bit architecture and M7 motion coprocessor
Front camera: FaceTime HD camera. 1.2MP photos and 1080p HD video.
Rear camera: iSight camera. 5MP photos. ƒ/2.4 aperture.
Connectivity: Wi‑Fi (802.11a/b/g/n); dual channel (2.4GHz and 5GHz) and MIMO, Bluetooth 4.0. Optional GSM/EDGE, CDMA EV-DO Rev. A and Rev. B, UMTS/HSPA/HSPA+/DC-HSDPA, LTE.
SIM card: Nano-SIM
Power: Lightning to USB (Power adapter included)
Battery life: Up to 10 hours

And here are the specs for the iPad mini with Retina display:

Display: 7.9-inch Retina display with 2048x1536 resolution at 326 pixels per inch (ppi)
Dimensions: 200mm (H) x 134.7mm (W) x 7.5mm (D)
Weight: 331 grams (Wi-Fi model), 341 grams (4G model)
Storage: 16, 32, 64, or 128GB
Processors: A7 chip with 64-bit architecture and M7 motion coprocessor
Front camera: FaceTime HD camera. 1.2MP photos and 1080p HD video.
Rear camera: iSight camera. 5MP photos. ƒ/2.4 aperture.
Connectivity: Wi‑Fi (802.11a/b/g/n); dual channel (2.4GHz and 5GHz) and MIMO, Bluetooth 4.0. Optional GSM/EDGE, CDMA EV-DO Rev. A and Rev. B, UMTS/HSPA/HSPA+/DC-HSDPA, LTE.
SIM card: Nano-SIM
Power: Lightning to USB (Power adapter included)
Battery life: Up to 10 hours

Take a look at those specs again. Note what I’ve bolded. Yes, those are the only differences between the iPad Air and the iPad mini with Retina display: display size, pixels per inch, dimensions, and weight.
Every other single measurable metric is exactly the same between the two models – they have the same beautiful aluminum body (same thickness even!); the same OS; the same apps; same cameras; same connectivity; even the same battery life.
Besides differences related to size (weight and dimensions) there is only one difference between the two iPads: the ppi count. It may surprise some people to find that the iPad mini with Retina display actually has a (technically) better screen than the iPad Air. The resolution of both are the exact same, but in order to keep the same resolution (Apple did this so developers wouldn’t have to make their apps for multiple resolutions) they actually needed to pack more pixels into the iPad mini screen.
Technically this does make the iPad mini’s display (326ppi) slightly better than the iPad Air (264ppi). But in reality users are not going to notice one bit of difference because the average naked human eye can’t distinguish between pixels that are squished together at more than about ~220ppi.
Considering Apple has more physical space to work with in the iPad Air, it shows just how talented and resourceful its engineering teams are, in that they could fit all the latest tech that is inside their biggest tablet into their smallest one.

Cost

Here’s what the two iPads will cost you:

iPad Air Wi-Fi model: 16GB - £399; 32GB - £479; 64GB - £559; 128GB - £639
iPad mini with Retina display Wi-Fi model: 16GB - £319; 32GB - £399; 64GB - £479; 128GB - £559
iPad Air Wi-Fi + Cellular model: 16GB - £499; 32GB - £579; 64GB – 6559; 128GB - £739
iPad mini with Retina display Wi-Fi + Cellular model: 16GB - £419; 32GB - £499; 64GB - £579; 128GB - £659

So basically for virtually every model the iPad Air will cost £80 more than the iPad mini with Retina display. And for that extra £80 all you’re getting is a 9.7-inch display instead of a 7.9-inch one.

So, which is best for you?

Given that the iPad Air and the iPad mini with Retina display are virtually identical besides their size and cost, which is best for you? That’s a big question – but the easiest way to answer it is to ask yourself what you are using a tablet for.
Based on my own personal use of both tablets – and plenty of time talking to friends who own one or the other – here’s what I would say about which tablet is best for which type of person:

iPad Air

Given it’s larger screen size, I would recommend the iPad Air to users who are not just content consumers, but content creators. The iPad Air’s larger screen lends itself to more productivity work than does its iPad mini counterpart.
What this means is if you are using the iPad as a laptop replacement – or even just an additional work tool – the bigger screen will help you do a lot more, whether it’s writing documents and spreadsheets, editing photos, or working with some advanced industry applications like apps built for the medical, engineering, or creativity fields.
The iPad Air is also probably a little better for iOS gamers as the screen gives you more room for bigger controls and makes it easier to see small graphical details. It’s also one of the only devices KYM has ever awarded 5-stars in a review (check out the iPad Air review here) which is significant in and of itself. Apple started the tablet thing back in 2010 and while it has lost much of its strangle hold on the market, the iPad Air shows the company is still miles ahead when it comes to design, execution and content.
With hardware, the iPad Air comes fully loaded, with the one of the most advanced mobile chipsets every created, global LTE and super-fast Wi-Fi. Nothing else comes close to the iPad Air in this regard. Ditto for design and overall finish. And if that wasn’t enough: Apple’s App Store has more tablet-specific content than its two biggest rivals (Android & Windows) put together.

iPad mini with Retina display

Because of its screen size the iPad mini is best for content consumers. These are people who read and compose emails, check Facebook, browse the web, view photos, play casual games, and generally consume other types of media.
The iPad mini is especially good for eBook fans given its size is much closer to that of a physical book or Kindle reader. My female friends also seem to be much more fond of the iPad mini since they can easily slip it into their purses.
One thing I will note is that if you have an iPhone with a 4-inch screen (iPhone 5 or above), the iPad mini is almost pointless. Yes, the iPhone 5’s 4-inch screen is only half of the iPad mini’s 7.9-inch display, but content consumption on both displays is just as easy on the eyes. I always recommend anyone with the latest iPhone always opt for the bigger iPad.
But at the end of the day no matter which iPad you choose, you can run the exact same apps and get the exact same features on both devices. For this reason, size – and size alone – will dictate which you buy. My ultimate advice is, after considering what you will most use it for, is to go into an Apple store and hold each iPad in your hands for yourself before purchasing.

Ipad Air