Just Got Myself An iPad Mini 2!

I’ve only gone and got myself an iPad Mini 2!! So this is a strange time to buy this, but I can explain all! 😉

I have an iPad 2, and had it for a hell of a long time, over 4 years in fact which is a lifetime in technology terms. It’s been a great thing to have, but it’s getting a bit old, slow and tired, and although it’s been useable, it has seen better days. Even before I bought that I wanted a bigger iPad, but there was no such thing at the time. Last year the iPad Mini 3 was released, and the Mini 2 came down in price, I think it was £279 for a 32GB which was so tempting! There were rumours of a larger iPad in the works, so I held off.

iPad Pro Announced

Several months ago I got what I (thought I) wanted, a larger iPad was announced to be released in November. I was excited, and planned on getting one when they were released. But Apple just stated “November” with no actual date, and not even a price for the UK. The speculated price for a 128GB model is £799, and I was happy to pay that, until I got thinking (also with help from watching the Microsoft Surface keynote).

Hello iPad 2 Mini!

The iPad Mini 4 is now available, and they’ve kept the mini 2 going, with an even better price of £259 for a 32GB. This was now far too tempting, and after a few weeks of contemplating I have finally upgraded and got myself this brand new iPad Mini 2 and couldn’t be happier.

So Why The Change Of Mind?

It’s simple, the iPad Mini 2 fits my lifestyle. I wanted a big pro, but when I thought more and more about it, and what I would actually use it for myself (rather than what it can do for other people) I figured out that it would be a bit of a waste. What do I use my iPad for? Reading web pages, a few apps, and that’s about it. I love my iPhone, and use that a lot, and rarely use my iPad if I’m honest. I wanted a pro for the large screen and big space to put lots of films, but really, I watch films on my far larger and better TV via blu ray, so I don’t think I would watch many at all, even though it seems like a really good idea. The iPad Pro is also untried, and doesn’t have a few things that other new Apple products have such as 3D touch, so it’s almost old before it’s even been released!

It seems a bit odd to go from a regular size iPad, want a bigger one, and in fact buy a small one, but that’s how it’s happened! 😛 I’ve been using it for a little while and love it, it feels so much faster and all round better than my iPad 2, which has been good to me. Why not the Mini 4? I don’t think the higher price justifies it, other than the fact that you can get it in gold and it has slight performance benefits.

I will be using this as a reader, probably a few apps and that’s about it. It’ll be good for reading blogs and doing social media, and should last a couple of years, and for £259 you can’t really see better than that. I don’t think I took full advantage of my iPad 2, and used it sparingly, but I think with this one being smaller it fits perfectly as a coffee table device, and can live on a bedside table too.

As for the Pro? I’ll put the idea of getting one on the back burner for now. I may get one sometime in the future, it just won’t be now, or I may not get one at all, and get an ultrabook like a Dell XPS or a Surface Pro, or Surface Book which are proper computers for just a bit more money.