What iPad To Buy?

I'm currently looking into an iPad or tablet in general for our family and daughter. My daughter is turning 4 and it would be really nice to have tablet for her to use on trips, in the car and general use around the house (cooking, working on the car, ect.). I'm having a hard time deciding between the Mini and standard iPad. I like the size of the mini's because she can handle it better, easier to move around and cheaper price, but I also like the larger screen for movies, shows and general typing.

Any of you have young kids and iPads that have any suggestions?

 

I've got the full sized iPad right now and have been eyeballing the mini. The full sized is too big to be convenient when carrying it around for working on the truck or in the car in my opinion. You can find cheap mini (non-retina) used for 180-200. I'd pick that up for now and consider a full sized if it leaves you wanting.

 

I'm the opposite. I have a standard w/ retina and have no reason or desire to go to a Mini. To me, it's just a large cell phone. I would rather have a significant screen size difference.

 

Really comes down to what's acceptable to you/others for screen size. I have a full size iPad, and would not give up any screen size, but then again, my eyes don't like the mini and portrait orientation when reading anything. And for movies/video, I wouldn't do the mini.

Now, my wife has the Mini and would not do the full size....

Very hard decision to nail down. Keep in mind if you want to do any typing, as the mini has a smaller virtual keyboard. There are also lots of options for keyboards and cases depending on your use.

BTW, do not underestimate the memory required, especially if you are going to download videos. iPads have no ability to upgrade memory, so once you buy it, that's it. 32Gb is enough for some music and a couple of videos, I would think if you are going to use it for kids entertainment, I would want at least 64Gb.

 

My son who's 6 has a the iPad mini with retina display also and he loves it. I actually like the smaller size too. We bought it with the Otter Box on it for protection and it's held up great, cause you know they are going to drop it at some time. It's a perfect size for him. The 4G LTE is nice too so he can get a new game or watch the disney app on it when we're not near any wifi.

 

Not to make it more complicated, since it seems that there is a little bit more support for the mini, but I have the full size and would not trade it for the mini. I have an iphone if I want something small, and when I want to actually work on it or I (or the kids) want to watch a movie, the bigger screen is much nicer to have.

All personal preference.

 

Agree on the maximum memory. Mine is not big enough and there is no way to upgrade or add USB or SD card like some of the other tablets.

 

I would honestly wait a bit. The next gen iPad will be coming out soon.

Google iPad Pro

 

OP, just looking back over your starting post. Ummmm, I would not expect a single iPad to be a general use family device. Maybe y'awl are "different", but I have yet to see an i* device that wasn't someone's and someone's only

It may very well start that way, but quickly turns into "mine", and if someone else wants access, you end up buying more of 'em.

Good luck though!

 

True ^^^

Also, to complicate things even more, I will not buy an iPad again. I would rather do the Microsoft Surface. I am trying to find a use for the iPad, rather than just internet (TW) and e-mails, and can not get anything useful app-wise. The Surface comes with Microsoft Office which is what I use for 90% of my work files. I have tried all the iPad spreadsheets and nothing is really compatible with Microsoft.
This might not matter if the tablet is just for your child to play with, but if you are thinking of using it as an extension of your computer, consider this.

 

Thank you guys for the help! I've been racking my brain and looking into all of the details and trying to get my hands on both. Unfortunately the mini only goes up to 32gb, so that is something to think about. We have a Kindle Fire which is ok, but very limited and no memory (8gb). I think the Mini will be the best for now since it will be best for my daughter and easy for transportation. If I feel I need a full size, I will just get a cheap 1st or 2nd gen that I can mess around with. It will be just an extra device to have around and I don't need it for more than casual use.

Haha, well we only have one laptop at my house now and we all share it. It's a pain at times, but I think having an iPad around will solve some of the issues. We'll see though...

 

If you do buy used, or aftermarket, I would recommend getting at least one with the Retina display (makes a difference that I can see) and, as stated earlier, as much memory as you can throw $$$ at. Don't forget the cutoff between the old charge/sync ports and the newer Lightning ports. You don't want to invest in chargers/sync devices more than once if you can.

 

Good to know, thanks a lot for the help.

I was thinking about this one. http://sfbay.craigslist.org/scz/ele/4668533193.html

 

It's only 16 gb. Also, make sure between the wifi and 3g. Wifi is free while 3g might have a monthly contract that will cost you a lot over time if you dont need it. It seems like this one on Craigs list has an At&T contract.

 

Samsung FTW


Retina display is a must on iPads. I have every flavor of iPad at work and I always end up reaching for the Mini with Retina. Feels the best in the my hands and the display is nice. Not too heavy like the 10 inch version is.

 

I've had a couple of the full size iPads over the years but this time I thought I would try a mini with retina and I am so glad I did. The size is perfect for being able to take it any where with you. Also you are able to get more memory than 32gb in the mini. My mini retina is 64gb that I am typing this on.

 

I have an iPad Mini Wifi, which I only bought for the sole purpose of Kindle app, but I do browse with it sometimes if I have it, wifi, and no laptop since the screen is larger than my Galaxy S4.

It's the perfect size for what I want, the fullsize iPad is too fucking unwieldy. To me it was the first idea, and the Mini was the first idea made better (the iPad S if you will).

For not a lot more money than a regular Kindle reader I got internet, music, etc,. Best for me, and the battery lasts for a month between charges.