Looking for a new tablet

[DarkBlade2117]

I'm looking for a new tablet as my iPad 2 seems to be getting slow, it's quite old now and it's slowly been falling apart, when the screen is black some parts look green, battery life isn't like it used to be and 720p isn't the best...

I want an iPad. I'm not a fanboy I very much enjoy my iPad ( it was free from a giveaway ) and I like iOS. I don't like Android OS or whatever it's called.

I was thinking if the iPas Air but the $500ish price tag hurts... Then I seen the iPad mini 2 ( did some research, found out it's not worth the extra money for the mini 3 ) The screen on my iPad 2 seems a bit to big. It's hard to stretch my fingers all the way across the screen and be comfortable. The iPad Air and mini 2 seems to be very similar specs wise the only big difference seems to be the screen size.

Do any of you have an iPad mini ( doesn't matter what one for this question ) and find the screen to be to small? It looks tiny compared to the iPad Air. Like does it bother you when watching a video or,playing a game or is it just fine.

[KemoKa]

If you're looking for a tablet, but you won't have Android, then you are asking a very redundant and pointless question. You literally have two options. An iPad or an iPad Mini.

 

Have fun with that.

Get a Nexus 7 2013 or a Nvidia Shield Tablet. Something with stock android. You'll be a very happy camper indeed, and you'll have a ton of money left over. Seriously, dude, the Nexus 7 is like, half the price of the iPad.

[d3sl91]

I'm looking for a new tablet as my iPad 2 seems to be getting slow, it's quite old now and it's slowly been falling apart, when the screen is black some parts look green, battery life isn't like it used to be and 720p isn't the best...

I want an iPad. I'm not a fanboy I very much enjoy my iPad ( it was free from a giveaway ) and I like iOS. I don't like Android OS or whatever it's called.

I was thinking if the iPas Air but the $500ish price tag hurts... Then I seen the iPad mini 2 ( did some research, found out it's not worth the extra money for the mini 3 ) The screen on my iPad 2 seems a bit to big. It's hard to stretch my fingers all the way across the screen and be comfortable. The iPad Air and mini 2 seems to be very similar specs wise the only big difference seems to be the screen size.

Do any of you have an iPad mini ( doesn't matter what one for this question ) and find the screen to be to small? It looks tiny compared to the iPad Air. Like does it bother you when watching a video or,playing a game or is it just fine.

 

I like 8" tablets for general portable use. My ipad mini works fine. But has been sitting in the corner for 6 months since I got my Android tablet. 

 

I don't play games, so, cant help there. 

[Curufinwe_wins]

I have had two different nook tablets in the 7 inch range (the original nook hd and the note 4 7.0) along with some larger iPad (and the like models) and here is my personal opinion on size (along with the 5.5in screen I have on my phone).

 

7.0 is unequivocally the ideal size for e-readers (not surprising since most books are in the size range) and anything that you want to do while holding the device with one hand outside of typing (it is large enough for playing movies, while not being uncomfortably big.) 

 

For net surfing using mobile websites anything over 5 inches is basically just as easy to work with, but for desktop sites, I really like bigger than 10 inches or so. My 7 inch tablet is a little to small imho for desktop websites as they don't use text very efficiently.

 

For games, all have advantages based on control scheme. If you have to hold the device then I would personally use 7.0 or smaller, but if you can do it on a flat surface then the larger the better.

 

I won't tell you to get android, because telling a apple user to try something else is pointless 99% of the time, but the above is my two cents on tablet sizes.

[Suika]

Get a Nexus 7 2013 or a Nvidia Shield Tablet.

Having been an owner of a Nexus 7 and an iPad Air 2, OP will not be a happy camper with the Nexus 7. The 7 is quite a bit outdated at this point and is very behind in build quality, total performance is lacking and for a tablet I find the iPad Air 2 to be vastly more functional. Granted I'm really not a tablet person, it's laptop or phone for me, but I really do enjoy the iPad Air 2 over any other Android tablet.

 

I use the iPad for movies and web browsing mostly, I want a bluetooth keyboard to take around with the iPad so I can replace my laptop as my daily driver, considering the only advantage my laptop has over the iPad is that when I visit somebody's home for PC diagnosing, the laptop is more useful.

[DarkBlade2117]

If you're looking for a tablet, but you won't have Android, then you are asking a very redundant and pointless question. You literally have two options. An iPad or an iPad Mini.

 

Have fun with that.

Get a Nexus 7 2013 or a Nvidia Shield Tablet. Something with stock android. You'll be a very happy camper indeed, and you'll have a ton of money left over. Seriously, dude, the Nexus 7 is like, half the price of the iPad.

What I was asking overall is does the smaller screen on the iPad mini or screen sizes around the same effect people in certain situations.

I've tried android... On my moms Galaxy tab for a few hours and after that couldn't stand it. I like the devices and some of the features they give but iOS so far to me is one of the best. I personally wouldn't get a iPhone so I'll stick with a windows phone but $280 for the iPad Mini 2 to me seems very reasonable.

[KemoKa]

Having been an owner of a Nexus 7 and an iPad Air 2, OP will not be a happy camper with the Nexus 7. The 7 is quite a bit outdated at this point and is very behind in build quality, total performance is lacking and for a tablet I find the iPad Air 2 to be vastly more functional. Granted I'm really not a tablet person, it's laptop or phone for me, but I really do enjoy the iPad Air 2 over any other Android tablet.

 

I use the iPad for movies and web browsing mostly, I want a bluetooth keyboard to take around with the iPad so I can replace my laptop as my daily driver, considering the only advantage my laptop has over the iPad is that when I visit somebody's home for PC diagnosing, the laptop is more useful.

Then OP can get a Zenfone 2 if performance is that much of an issue. Not a tablet but certainly a hell of a lot faster than any phone or tablet that Apple has ever come out with. I've also owned an iPad, I was sixth in line for it on launch day, and Apple has shafted support for it, because they now try to pretend like the iPad 1 doesn't exist. iPad 2 is next in line for that. The Nexus 7 on the other hand is still receiving updates to its OS, has actually a very good SoC which has kept up nicely, and twice the RAM of Apple's flagships. And then there's the Shield Tablet, which is even faster with NVidia's SoC.

 

If it's just for watching videos (which honestly, VLC is far more powerful an application to use if OP wanted it) then the iPad is totally fine. But for functionality as a whole, most modern android tablets are capable of far more than an iPad, like, I don't know, USB support? If used correctly, Android will be a much more open experience. And the Dev options are amazingly fun and cool. But if OP likes walled gardens, then fine, he can have his Apple, in which case he had no need to bring the matter here, which was my original point. Android tablets are literally a dime a dozen these days, there are tons to choose from, in which case this forum is a great place to ask for suggestions. However when someone wants to choose between an iPad and a smaller iPad and won't listen to anything else, then... why come here in the first place?

[KemoKa]

What I was asking overall is does the smaller screen on the iPad mini or screen sizes around the same effect people in certain situations.

I've tried android... On my moms Galaxy tab for a few hours and after that couldn't stand it. I like the devices and some of the features they give but iOS so far to me is one of the best. I personally wouldn't get a iPhone so I'll stick with a windows phone but $280 for the iPad Mini 2 to me seems very reasonable.

That's just a bad experience with Samsung's own version of android. Android is not to be judged as a singular operating system like iOS, there are a lot of other different versions of android that you can pick from ranging from stock android to whatever weird version some company out there gives you, and if there's something you don't like about the UI or whatever, you can flash your own version on it that has all the features that you enjoy. You can pick and choose with android, you're not forced to stay with whatever someone gives you if you are willing to learn about things. If you don't want to be given options but you still insist on having opinions from this forum, get the small iPad, because that's a lot more holdable for me than an iPad Air, which I find to be too large for my personal taste (but obviously that's subjective opinion and your own mileage may vary). At the end of the day, what I would suggest is going to an Apple Store or Best Buy or whatever, trying out different tablets or iPads, and seeing what size fits you the best. I'll stick with Android because I'm a shameless tinker and I like flashing the Linux kernel onto my toaster, but if Android has too many options for you, then stick with Apple.

[DarkBlade2117]

@KemoKa If you read my previous comment ( #6 ) You've seen I've tried android and I don't like it, not much else,to say I don't enjoy it. Already have a phone on a 2-year contract ( Lumia 735 ). All the performance charts say blah blah this one is faster blah get this one blah blah this is a better deal blah. The fact of the matter is when I first got the iPad 2 it felt sharper then most mobile devices I've used. It's just old now, I can see why Apple is gonna stop pushing updates to the iPad 2, it barely handles iOS 8. You mentioned choosing between two iPads, I wasn't really asking which one but more or less would the screen size bother me since I've gotten used to the iPad 2 but also said it feels uncomfortable. I'll admit Apple does stop,you from doing tons of stuff but it doesn't bother me what so ever.

[KemoKa]

@KemoKa If you read my previous comment ( #6 ) You've seen I've tried android and I don't like it, not much else,to say I don't enjoy it. Already have a phone on a 2-year contract ( Lumia 735 ). All the performance charts say blah blah this one is faster blah get this one blah blah this is a better deal blah. The fact of the matter is when I first got the iPad 2 it felt sharper then most mobile devices I've used. It's just old now, I can see why Apple is gonna stop pushing updates to the iPad 2, it barely handles iOS 8. You mentioned choosing between two iPads, I wasn't really asking which one but more or less would the screen size bother me since I've gotten used to the iPad 2 but also said it feels uncomfortable. I'll admit Apple does stop,you from doing tons of stuff but it doesn't bother me what so ever.

I can't really speak for what suits you, you've got to figure that out for yourself. I personally like small tablets. The nexus 7 is one of the most comfortable tablets for me to use, it's a good 7-inch tablet, and reading on it is a dream. The smallest iPad that Apple has is just too big for me and I can't do anything that Apple doesn't want me doing, and I really resent having my hand held.

 

The one thing I can suggest is getting an unlocked phone when your contract expires, because that's another walled garden that will bite you in the ass if you don't toe the line (But you're probably finding that out right now >.>) With unlocked phones like the Oneplus One or the x86-based Zenfone 2, you don't have that handcuff. but again, whatever works for you. And don't look at performance charts. Look at actual reviews of stuff, do your homework, and make your choices based on good studies and objective observations from other people because just looking at an info card at a store means absolutely nothing.

[vembutech]

Go for Nexus 7 2013.. 

[DarkBlade2117]

Go for Nexus 7 2013.. 

If you've read what I said before you'd know I don't like Android OS. I've tried I think two different ones,,the one in the S5 and the original one. I don't like it, can't stand it. I already have an iPad 2 and have had it for 3ish years. It simply is just slowly dying and I was asking pretty much does the size of the iPad mini or similar sizes effect your everyday use. I've tried messing around with different tablets in bestbuy but I always come back to the iPad. It feels and looks sharper then any tablet I've used.

[Curufinwe_wins]

If you've read what I said before you'd know I don't like Android OS. I've tried I think two different ones,,the one in the S5 and the original one. I don't like it, can't stand it. I already have an iPad 2 and have had it for 3ish years. It simply is just slowly dying and I was asking pretty much does the size of the iPad mini or similar sizes effect your everyday use. I've tried messing around with different tablets in bestbuy but I always come back to the iPad. It feels and looks sharper then any tablet I've used.

I'd call you crazy but that isn't helpful. Again since most people don't want to actually answer the question you asked.... my post remains valid, with one addition.

 

IMHO for watching videos it is significantly more important that the aspect ratio makes sense than the size of the screen (past like 5 inches). I personally hated watching videos on the original iPad because its aspect is so blocky, while a wide aspect ratio found on many current 7.0 inch tablets is ideal for the immersive experience.