ipad2 v. ipad mini?
 

I am leaning toward the ipad2 for the bigger screen, but it looks like the mini has some updated features & spec. What I can't figure out is whether these updates would be useful. The primary user would be my 7-year old who mostly plays games, watches youtube via wifi, and to download movies for airplane viewing.

Anybody who has tried both?

With EPP discount I can get the ipad2 for $379, no discount on the $329 mini.

Bring him to a store that has both and let him play around a bit. For a seven year old, the mini may be totally fine for him. The ipad may be a bit too big for him, he may not be able to hold it in one hand for example with his smaller hands.

I bet he will want the mini.

I suspect the mini would be better (smaller, lighter for smaller hands).

Go for the mini
 

I recently gave my iPad2 to hubby and got the mini....haven't regretted it for a minute. Can't imagine going back to what now seems like a big clunky tablet. I think your 7-year-old would find the mini much easier to manage.

I actually swapped a new gen iPad out for the Mini. Love the ergonomics. Accessories are plentiful, and it supports the smart covers (which I love). It won't disappoint.

I'll probably get a Mini when they are updated with the Retina display.

ipad2 v. ipad mini?
 

I prefer the mini. Ipad too big to carry around

With the coming iOS update, the Mini will have some features that the iPad 2 won't. That may already be true with the current iOS. I love my iPad 2, but it is over a year old, and seems sluggish from time to time.

I have iPad 2 and it is too big to carry. I'd go with the mini.

I had the opportunity to try both and prefer the portability of the mini .....

My 7yrs old loves the iPad Mini we got him for X'mas. The only problem is my wife also loves it, so they are fighting over it. My wife wants one for Mother's Day but I told her to wait for the Retina Display version. :p

Everyone I knows who owned both the iPad 2 and the Mini said the Mini is better. Just look above... EVERY reply said the Mini! LOL I have never seen anything so one sided. :p

I have both, I'd get the ipad mini in a heartbeat over the ipad 2. The smaller form factor is perfect.

Here here. I actually put my iPad Mini back in the mail for return to Amazon yesterday. The resolution was _that_ bad. Granted, my other two primary iDevices are a MacBook Retina and the iPhone 5, so I'm used to a more vivid screen - but wow, I forgot the screen on an iPad 2 looked so poor. As others have stated, the size and weight are just right. Perfect for travel. Did find the WiFi antenna lacking, though.

I'm toting the 7 inch Coby MID7065-8 around right now. It's heavy and bezeled beyond belief, but with an expandable memory slot, HDMI, decent resolution (better than the Mini, IMO, if just by a hair,) and strongish performance -- plus, at $120 it really can't be beat.

iPad Mini is 1024x768, the Coby is 1024x600 - which IMHO is really too low for a current gen device.

Well, my Coby (the 7 inch one) does ... but the 8 inch model, which is more comparable to the 7.9 inch Mini has 1024 x 768 too. I haven't played with it personally, so can't say for sure how the two stack up in that regard.

I will note, however, that the Mini only has 163 PPI (same as the 7 in. Coby, and less than Kindle Fire HD / Nexus 7 / Nook HD) which might ultimately be what turned me off from its screen.