NEW! Cheapest iPads - article discussion

thelawnet

This article is awful....

"While prices don't vary much between stores, the iPad 2 is now significantly cheaper than the iPad Mini and the iPad with Retina display (the 4th generation iPad), which launched this year."


Wrong, the iPad Mini is cheaper than the iPad 2, and quite rightly so because the iPad Mini is basically an iPad 2 with a smaller screen.

"The iPad mini is approximately two-thirds the size of the standard iPad, sporting a 7.9in screen (the standard iPad is 9.7in). It doesn’t have Apple’s super high-definition (HD) Retina display, but it does have the same screen resolution as an iPad 2. It's just 7.2mm thick, and weighs only 0.68lbs (23% thinner and 53% lighter than the third generation iPad)."

Well of course it's thinner and lighter than the ipad 3 - it's smaller, and an inferior device.

"As the iPad 2 is still a fantastic device many will be content with it, especially as it's now much cheaper than newer models. Because of this, the rest of this guide focuses on the iPad 2."

Ridiculous advice.

The iPad 2 is obsolete technology that most companies would not have the cheek to still be selling, and by buying the iPad 2 you get an inferior device that will be confined to the technological scrapheap much sooner than if you bought an iPad 4.

The iPad 4 contains a screen that is FOUR times the resolution of the iPad 2, a GPU that is FOUR times more powerful, TWICE the RAM. a camera with SEVEN times the resolution, and a CPU at least TWICE as fast.

What does this mean? Well apps will run better on the iPad 4. In due course, many apps won't run at all on the iPad 2, because the GPU is too slow, or it lacks the rams or whatever.

If the iPad 2 was £150, fair enough, but it's not, and you need to think very carefully before buying old technology like this. The iPad 4 is the better buy, Apple should be embarrassed at still selling tech that they know they will dump in a few months time because it doesn't cut the technological mustard.

bzd

Nobody seems to have mentioned you can now buy a limited range of Apple hardware (including a few models of iPad) and iTunes vouchers on Tesco Rewards.

On the face of it the savings look very good, but they're not half price, so remember that your clubcard vouchers are potentially worth twice or even four times their face value (so if you can double up the vouchers for a different similar priced purchase you were going to make anyway then you should do that instead).

Here're the iPads (all seem to come in both black and white models if you search):

• iPad 2 16GB with WiFi
  £215 in Clubcard vouchers
• iPad 4th generation 16GB with WiFi
  £260 in Clubcard vouchers (this seems much better value than the above iPad 2 voucher price and definitely worth spending the extra vouchers if you have them)
• iPad 4th generation 16GB with WiFi and Cell
  £325 in Clubcard vouchers
• iPad 4th generation 64GB with WiFi and Cell
  £430 in Clubcard vouchers

but there are other Apple things too (at time of writing they are a MacBook Air, iPods shuffle and nano (not Touch, alas), Apple TV and £25 iTunes vouchers for £12.50 of Tesco vouchers).

I have to say an iPad 4 for £260 vouchers sounds like a great deal, but remember those vouchers might actually be worth £520 or more!!

Cheers,

Ben

mamaS

Carphone warehouse are selling 16gb ipad 2 standalone for £309. Out of stock in most shops but should be able to buy it online.

Goonie

I have a little problem with a HMV purchase and I'm not sure where I would stand, hopefully somebody can help?

Yesterday I read on here that HMV were selling iPad's with 20% off, including the Retina Display model. I went to the Trafford Centre after work and asked for said product which I bought for £319 (should be £399). However when I opened it I noticed it had the old style charger so I spoke to Apple and they confirmed my fears, it's an older model! It's a 3rd generation model from about a year ago, although it does have retina display it is not the new model which I was lookin for and I have now paid the same price for an older iPad which is not even produced anymore and with a slower processor!

The problem is I have opened the item and HMV have gone bust, so where do I stand on returning or replacing it?

Thanks in advance for any help

quacker1964

Goonie wrote: »

I have a little problem with a HMV purchase and I'm not sure where I would stand, hopefully somebody can help?

Yesterday I read on here that HMV were selling iPad's with 20% off, including the Retina Display model. I went to the Trafford Centre after work and asked for said product which I bought for £319 (should be £399). However when I opened it I noticed it had the old style charger so I spoke to Apple and they confirmed my fears, it's an older model! It's a 3rd generation model from about a year ago, although it does have retina display it is not the new model which I was lookin for and I have now paid the same price for an older iPad which is not even produced anymore and with a slower processor!

The problem is I have opened the item and HMV have gone bust, so where do I stand on returning or replacing it?

Thanks in advance for any help

A couple of things really. You say you paid £319 and got the Retina display model? Was it sold or advertised as the latest model?

Did you pay by credit card? ;-)

Can Apple themselves help (although I know this is not a fault or warranty issue).

Perhaps they were "sold as seen" but if you've paid for the 4th gen retina display etc. I'm sure there must be something amiss. Unless of course you merely assumed it was the latest model.

I'm more than a little confused as only the 4th generation or iPad 4 has the retina display. So not sure yours is a3rd generation, unless you're mistaken about the retina. If that makes sense lol.

VariousArtists

quacker1964 wrote: »

A couple of things really. You say you paid £319 and got the Retina display model? Was it sold or advertised as the latest model?

Did you pay by credit card? ;-)

Can Apple themselves help (although I know this is not a fault or warranty issue).

Perhaps they were "sold as seen" but if you've paid for the 4th gen retina display etc. I'm sure there must be something amiss. Unless of course you merely assumed it was the latest model.

I'm more than a little confused as only the 4th generation or iPad 4 has the retina display. So not sure yours is a3rd generation, unless you're mistaken about the retina. If that makes sense lol.

iPad 3 had retina display, but has a slower CPU, and uses the old plug.

prowla

Yep - you've really got to watch out for the "Retina" thing - the 3 has Retina but isn't a 4.
I nearly made the mistake.
I was in a HMV today and they only had two display ones left, at the 399 - 20%, but I didn't fancy one of them!

Darkangel

Goonie wrote: »

I have a little problem with a HMV purchase and I'm not sure where I would stand, hopefully somebody can help?

Yesterday I read on here that HMV were selling iPad's with 20% off, including the Retina Display model. I went to the Trafford Centre after work and asked for said product which I bought for £319 (should be £399). However when I opened it I noticed it had the old style charger so I spoke to Apple and they confirmed my fears, it's an older model! It's a 3rd generation model from about a year ago, although it does have retina display it is not the new model which I was lookin for and I have now paid the same price for an older iPad which is not even produced anymore and with a slower processor!

The problem is I have opened the item and HMV have gone bust, so where do I stand on returning or replacing it?

Thanks in advance for any help

You could argue that they sold and charged you for the wrong product and try to get a full refund that way, but I doubt you'll be successful with this because you have opened the box. Were there stickers on the box saying iPad 3 wifi?

Regardless, if HMV charged you an iPad 4 price when they actually sold you an iPad 3 then you should take it all back with your receipt so they can at least refund the difference.

Same thing happened to me; I bought the 16GB iPad 3 with wifi and the SEL said it was £369. When the SA put it through the till it came up as £399 which, after discount, brought it down to £319.20. It didn't occur until after I paid that it should have been £295.20, but I spotted this before I left the store and the SA refunded me the £24 difference.

If you really don't want the iPad 3 then you could always sell it on ebay. I think the average price they are going for (used) is about £280-£310, so you might make your money back by selling as new. Not sure what the final selling fees would be, but it's zero insertion fees this weekend.

Kite2010

Did Apple ever call the iPad 3 the iPad 3?

Didn't they call it "The new iPad", with the 4th gen being called "iPad with retina display"?

prowla

Kite2010 wrote: »

Did Apple ever call the iPad 3 the iPad 3?

Didn't they call it "The new iPad", with the 4th gen being called "iPad with retina display"?

I thought it was the other way around.