iPad mini display is ‘terrible’, Nexus 7 and Kindle Fire HD are your choice to enjoy HD Videos

Apple release a new iPad mini at an event for media in San Jose, Calif. , costs $130 more than the two other best handheld tablets on the market of similar size, Amazon's Kindle Fire HD and Google Nexus 7. The new iPad mini tablet did not get the warm reception the company is used to when it unveils new products. Why?

Sites with early access to the device all seem to agree that the hardware is leaps and bounds better than other tiny tablets, and that the overall experience is smoother as well. But compared to other rival tablets, the display is terrible. The iPad mini's 1024 x 768 resolution was a big step backwards from the iPad's much-touted Retina display. That’s a problem.

“Ew, the screen is terrible,” was the initial reaction of John Gruber’s wife when he first handed her the iPad mini, and he writes that the response matched his exactly. “The hardware and software are fantastic but the screen is “terrible” compared to Apple’s Retina displays”, The Daring Fireball owner went on to say that his opinion after a week remains unchanged.

The iPad mini has a resolution of 1024x780, with 163 pixels-per-inch; the Kindle Fire HD has a 1280x800 resolution, with 216 pixels-per-inch; and the Google Nexus 7 have a 1280×800 resolution with 216 ppi-per-inch. In this case, higher is better, lower is worse; Apple's screen doesn't stack up, and it comes affixed to a device that is $130 more expensive than the competition.

Now In an effort to make the tablet "even more portable," a 32GB version with HSPA+ antenna (compatible with AT&T and T-Mobile) will be released November 13th, only priced at $249. Also, in a post on its CampusLife website, the company confirmed that the Nexus 7 Android 4.2 Jelly Bean update would be arriving soon for the tablet.

See also: Android 4.2: A new flavor of Jelly Bean

The Nexus 7 and Kindle Fire 7 HD have an aspect ratio of 16:10, closer to the 16:9 of the iPhone 5, which offers greater width (in landscape orientation) and height (in portrait orientation). That's better for HD video and single column lists. Here's an example of a popular movie on the iPad mini (left) and the Nexus 7/Kindle Fire HD 7 (right), in both widescreen (top) and full screen (bottom). test from imore have highlighted the interface chrome to better differentiate active content areas.

The iPad mini shows the wide screen version of the movie at a larger size, but downscales it from 1280 horizontal pixels to 1024 horizontal pixels (and vertically downscales from 720p to 585p). Full motion graphics, like movies and video games, however, are extremely resilient when it comes to screen density (just look at the variety of sizes 1080p television sets come in). So, it won't look terrible, but it won't look as good as the pixel-perfect Android tablets. At full screen, the iPad mini is much bigger, but also cuts off much more of the picture on both sides, an absolute deal-breaker for movie fans.

The lack of true HD gives the Nexus and Fire HD an advantage for video fans, Wall Street Journal columnist Walt Mossberg wrote.

Now, Sales of Google Inc. Nexus 7, made by Taiwan’s Asustek Computer Inc., are closing in on 1 million units a month, the Taiwanese maker revealed, while at the same time Apple's iPad Mini will hits stores on Friday. What will happen in the 7-inch tablet market? It remains to see.

Related article:

• Which iPad Mini To Buy? [Buying Guide]

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