The Retina iPad mini has an LED-backlit LCD screen with in-plane switching (IPS) for a wide viewing angle. It also has a 2048x1536 display crammed down to 326ppi to fit into a 7.9-inch screen. That's the same pixel count as the iPad Air, the same density as the iPhone 5s, and the same screen size as the original iPad mini. (And yes, the same narrow color gamut as the original iPad mini as well.) So what does all this mean for the stuff we look at all day, the icons, the comics and graphics, and the text?
First, here's a comparison between raw pixel resolution and pixel density, for the iPad mini (red), Retina iPad mini (green), iPad 4 (blue), and iPhone 5 (purple) (from left to right). I've added 44x44 point squares (standard tap target size in iOS) over the screens, so you can see how the absolute pixel and touch sizes (top) change when the displays are at physical scale (bottom).
Here's how that translates into icons, the App Store icon to be specific. Retina iPad mini (top left), original iPad mini (top right), iPad Air (bottom left), and iPhone 5s (bottom right).
Graphics in general, including words bubbles on comic books, are similar. Retina iPad mini (top left), original iPad mini (top right), iPad Air (bottom left), and iPhone 5s (bottom right).
Text, on the other hand, scales and reflows as best it can to suit whatever density and screen size is available. Retina iPad mini (top left), original iPad mini (top right), iPad Air (bottom left), and iPhone 5s (bottom right).
Obviously, the difference between an original, standard density display, and a new, Retina display, is as striking as ever. If you're already picked up your Retina iPad mini, let me know what you think of the display. If you're still considering it, let me know how it looks to you.
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