Apple’s iPad Mini reviewed

The iPad mini goes on sale 2 November, and while specs and features won’t come as a surprise to many, I’ve been enjoying an early test run over the last week, using it in place of a  3rd generation iPad – the one with the Retina display – to see how it fits into my daily life.

Just like the iPhone 5, reading about the mini only goes part way to conveying how the device really feels once you have it in your hands. Measuring 200mm by 135mm, it fits comfortably in one hand, and the 7.2mm thick case lends an air of quality, while still being quite sturdy.

The iPad mini fits comfortably in the hand and is a pleasure to hold.

Also available in white and silver, the black and slate unit we tested is understatedly attractive, although the metallic slate finish on the back does retain some fingerprint smudging.

The front edging of the ‘unibody’ chassis has the same diamond-chamfered design as the iPhone 5, and it’s light too, weighing about half that of a full-fat iPad at 308 grams. Apple has remained consistent with the button layout, so the home button, power, volume controls and mute/orientation lock switch are in the same positions as they are on iPhones and the larger iPads.

All up, the device will be familiar for those migrating from other Apple gear.

The black / slate colour combo is attractive, although it does show some fingerprint smudges.

Of course, the big focal point of the mini is its screen. It’s 7.9 inches, which is larger than most tablets in the 7inch category, however another key difference is its aspect ratio. While the mini’s closest competitors (7-inch Android tablets from various manufacturers) have a form factor that follows their 16:9 ratio, the mini tracks a 4:3 form.

This is the same shape as the larger iPad 2 and iPad 3, which means all of the existing iPad apps will fit onto the mini’s screen without any jiggery-pokery. Another big plus is that the 4:3 aspect ratio is wider, which translates into a better viewing experience for web browsing, reading books and tablet magazines, mail and apps.

Also, when held in landscape mode, the onscreen keyboard doesn’t occupy most of the screen. Overall, the 16:9 shape used by Android tablets is optimal only for watching 16:9 videos, but is quite narrow when held in portrait mode, and fairly shallow in landscape mode.

The mini's 4:3 screen shape leaves enough width for a workable keyboard in both horizontal and vertical orientations.