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iPad Mini Refurbs Now Available from Apple – Including Retina

Want to ipad-mini-retina[1]buy an iPad Mini but found them just too expensive? I have some good news for you.

Apple’s retail website was updated yesterday with new refurbs. It looks like enough customers have returned Apple’s expensive hardware that Apple is now selling refurbished models.

You can now pick up Apple’s iPad Mini Retina for about 16% off. That’s not a great discount, no, but it is about as good as you will get from Apple. They have both the regular and the Retina models in stock,  with the the iPad Mini (Retina/Wifi/32GB) starting at $419 and the non-Retina models starting at $339. (The 16GB models are out of stock already).

I have been thinking of getting one as an upgrade from my busted iPad 2, but I keep talking myself out of it. While I would benefit from the smaller screen (I don’t really like large tablets) I think the prices are just too high for me to see it as a good value.

I can pick up a very nice, very functional Android tablet for under $200 (or an adequate model for only $99). Why should I pay $300 or more that to get an iPad Mini?

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Comments


Paul April 18, 2014 um 9:13 am

I have a selection of andriod tablets and the iPad mini with retina display is the one I always grab first thing in the morning. The build quality is great, the screen is nice, but most importantly, unlike the android tablets, one charge can last for days. That’s the unsung killer feature of the iPads, battery life. (plus its very fast).

(please note, this isn’t to say all android tablets are bad, just the ones I own, like the Samsung Galaxy 3, Nook HD etc..)


Al the Great and Powerful April 18, 2014 um 3:24 pm

Really? The thing has a ten hour battery life, just like my much less expensive Nexus tablet. Which also has excellent build quality, perfectly fine display, and no Apple Tax. And no walled garden.


daffy4u April 18, 2014 um 4:30 pm

One of those refurbs is probably the Retina Mini I had to exchange because the mic stopped working after less than 3 months.

I also own a Nexus 7 and I agree that the Mini seems to have much better battery life. I’m not sure how to really test them equally since I use the Nexus much more than the mini.


Al the Great and Powerful April 19, 2014 um 12:20 pm

YMMV. Mine works all day, usually reading (with the brightness dialed down for indoors).

But if some one wants to loan me an iPad, I’ll subject it to the same test regime and report my findings…


bobm April 19, 2014 um 11:46 pm

I have a Nexus 7 and an iPad, (I had a Galaxy Tab 7.0 but changed to the Nexus to get a more pure Android experience (and bluetooth low energy).

The iPad is more stable and the battery lasts much longer. I personally like the extra width (4:3) vs the narrower (16:9)

I have to admit that the lightning connector is really nice.


Al the Great and Powerful April 20, 2014 um 4:00 pm

More stable? I don’t follow. I haven’t found the Nexus to be unstable.

With regards to the width/length ratio, or the lightning plug, it’s hard to debate issues of personal preference.

With regard to battery life, I’ll believe the difference when I see similar-sized tablets tested doing the same thing. So show me the iPad Mini vs Nexus running movies, or reading all day, or other identical tasks, so we can fairly judge the battery life comparison.


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