

Retina is not a big deal - mijustin
http://justinjackson.ca/retina-is-not-a-big-deal/

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cmer
I feel like "retina" is the kind of thing that's just a "really nice to have"
at first, and then you simply can't go back. It just makes every non-retina
display look crappy and low quality, in my opinion.

For example, I'd love an iPad Mini but I just can't wrap my head around going
back to a non-retina display. I know _many_ people feel the same.

I felt the same way as Justin when I bought my first retina iPhone, curious to
hear his thoughts once he gets one.

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mijustin
I should have mentioned in the post that I do have an iPhone 4 (with Retina).
I regularly switch between that, an iPod touch, an iPad Mini, and 1st gen
iPad.

For me Retina feels "brighter and more crisp", but it does feel like "it's
nice, but not a game changer."

For me the form factor and weight of the iPad Mini wins over the higher
resolution display.

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justinvoss
Retina for games may not be a big deal, but Retina for text definitely is: I
notice the difference when reading on my iPad 2 vs my iPhone 4S. The
distinction doesn't seem like much when you're in the middle of reading, but
your eyes will definitely notice when you go from a screen that's Retina to
one that isn't.

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mijustin
Odd, I haven't really felt a difference between my iPad Mini and my iPhone 4.

I definitely don't have perfect eyes; I wonder if that's a factor.

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justinvoss
Well, the iPad Mini has a pixel density somewhere in the middle: it's higher
than an iPad 1 or 2, but lower than a Retina iPad or iPhone (in fact, it's
density is exactly equal to the pre-Retina iPhones)

The overall size of the screens affects your perception, too, I think: a large
iPad screen feels different than a pocket-size phone screen.

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marssaxman
I have a Retina MacBook at work and it is the biggest deal for me since the
switch to LCDs. For the first time ever, I cannot see the pixels! The curves
are just curved, the gradients are just gradients, the text is just.... text.
It's as sharp as if it were printed. It's like the computer is a Hollywood
movie prop - the experience of looking at text on a monitor and _not seeing
pixels_ is that strange. The machine feels like something dropped in from the
future. Every other computer display suddenly looks a bit old-fashioned.

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TannerLD
For me, I can definitely tell the difference between a retina and non-retina
iPad. However, I have trouble seeing the difference between a retina and non-
retina MacBook.

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mijustin
Likewise: when I was debating buying a Macbook Air and a Macbook Pro 13" with
Retina. To me, the higher resolution display wasn't worth it.

