iPad Mini 4 Vs. iPad Mini 3: Is it Really Worth Upgrading?

In the Apple ecosystem, the iPad mini line holds an important spot, especially now that the iPhone Plus is out. It's designed to be a handheld pad with a bigger screen than an iPhone but more maneuverability than an iPad. The new iPad mini 4 is among the less-hyped announcements made from Apple's event that took place last September 9. The iPad mini 4 will serve as a replacement for the iPad mini 3, although the company will continue to sell the iPad mini 2. There's one main question: Is it worthwhile to get the newest iPad mini model?

When the iPad mini 3 hit the market, it included that Touch ID button that reads your fingerprint, bigger storage capacities (64GB and 128GB), and gold shell option. Other than that, it was virtually similar to the previous generation of iPad mini, which Apple is keeping in its lineup. It sports the same size and weight, as well as the same A7 chip with an M7 motion coprocessor.

Below is a comparison chart between the iPad mini 3 and mini 4.

	Apple iPad Mini 3	Apple iPad Mini 4
Price with Wi-Fi	$399 (16GB) $499 (64GB) $599 (128GB)	$399 (16GB) $499 (64GB) $599 (128GB)
Display Size (inches)	7.9	7.9
Display Resolution (Pixels)	2048x1536	2048x1536
Storage	16GB, 32GB, 64GB, 128GB	16GB, 64GB, 128GB
Processor	A7 + M7 coprocessors	A8 + M8 coprocessors
Weight (Pounds)	0.73	0.73
Dimensions (inches)	7.87 x 5.3 x 0.29	8 x 5.3 x 0.24
Cameras (Front/Back)	1.2MP/5MP	1.2MP/5MP
Wi-Fi	802.11a/b/g/n + MIMO	802.11a/b/g/n/ac + MIMO
Battery Life (Claimed/Tested)	9:10 (tested)	10:00 (claimed)

Just a simple yet important reminder to take note of is that the iPad mini 4 is replacing the mini 3 entirely, which means the latter will be discontinued going forward. For those who are considering to purchase one, the iPad mini 3s will sell out quickly, re-sellers will probably sell them at discounted prices, and then will become very hard to find. So those are some things you need to consider if you're thinking of buying one.

iOS Support

This may not be much of a big deal as some of the hardware specifications for the mini 3 vs. mini 4, but it's still as important to note that the mini 4 will be bundled with iOS 9, whereas you have to download iOS 9 to replace iOS 8 on a mini 3.

So why does this actually matter? It's because iOS features do make Apple products a bit time sensitive. In other words, the mini 3 will no longer support some apps or features of the latest iOS in a couple of years time, while the mini 4 will still be able to offer support for the latest software. In short, if you want to have a mini that will stay in the long run, then you better go for the mini 4.

Verdict

Since almost all features including the pricing is identical between the two mini models, if this is your first time to get an iPad mini, then there's no reason not to get the mini 4. But if you're planning on going for an upgrade, or choosing between the mini and another type of iPad model, it may not be worth the money and effort. The new model's main improvement is the A8 processor, which is clearly a lot faster than the old A7, but the mini 3 is good enough to last for a couple more years with you.