Apple finally released a long-overdue upgrade to the iPad mini at its September event. The latest model is the sixth generation of Apple's smallest tablet, and for the first since being introduced in 2012, it comes with a complete redesign, Touch ID, and more.
If you're wondering what's new with the latest iPad mini, and whether it's worth the upgrade over the previous generation, we've covered the main differences between the iPad mini 5 (2019) and the iPad mini 6 (2021) below.
iPad mini Design
Design is often the primary factor behind purchasing a tablet. Users want their devices to look and feel modern, instead of using an outdated design. The iPad mini 5 had chunky bezels on the top and bottom and had the same familiar design iPad has had since its inception. Thankfully, the iPad mini 6 has been completely redesigned.
The new tablet features a flat-panel back and sides, crafted from 100% recycled aluminum. The updated design sits perfectly amongst its bigger brothers, the iPad Air and the iPad Pro, all of which now have similar designs.
The thick bezel has been replaced by a smaller, uniformed bezel, which looks much better. The Home button has also been removed, and Touch ID has been relocated to the Top button, something we also saw with the iPad Air last year.
As a result of these changes, the iPad mini 6 is approximately 7.8mm shorter and 7.5g lighter than the iPad mini 5. The device is also 0.2mm thicker, but that probably won't be noticeable.
iPad mini Display
A benefit of reducing the bezels of the new iPad mini 6 is that Apple was able to fit a bigger display in a smaller device footprint. The iPad mini 6 has an 8.3-inch Liquid Retina display with a resolution of 2266x1488 pixels and a pixel density of 326ppi. In contrast, the iPad mini 5 had a smaller 7.9-inch Retina display with a 2046x1539 resolution, and the same 326ppi pixel density.
Both models have a maximum brightness of 500nits, a fingerprint-resistant coating, are fully laminated, and feature True Tone.
iPad mini Performance
An iPad should look pretty, but it should also perform well. With that being said, the previous iPad mini was no slouch. It had Apple's A12 chip (also featured in the iPhone XS) and performed very well with the latest games and creativity apps.
The iPad mini 6 packs the brand-new A15 Bionic chip, which also powers the new iPhone 13 lineup. This makes the iPad mini 6 the most powerful tablet offered by Apple, after the M1-powered iPad Pro models. The latest mini tablet has a six-core CPU and a five-core GPU, which means it shouldn't be troubled by any graphics-heavy games or apps.
Apple claims the new processor setup is more efficient, promising an "all-day battery life" (as always). No detailed cell capacity stats have yet been published; however, Apple's website quotes "up to 10 hours of Wi-Fi web browsing," as it did with the iPad mini 5.
The latest iteration of the iPad mini also offers stereo speakers, as compared to the mini 5's single-side audio, which should offer a better audio experience for watching movies and videos.
iPad mini Camera
Tablet cameras aren't as commonly used as cellphone cameras, but they can come in handy for quick snaps or scanning documents. Similarly, the front-facing lens will always be useful for video calls, especially in a Zoom-dominated world.
Fortunately, Apple has upgraded the cameras on the iPad mini 6. The previous generation featured cameras that were just average: the main camera was 8 megapixels, whilst the front-facing FaceTime camera was 7 megapixels. For the iPad mini 6, both camera resolutions have been upgraded to 12MP.
The front-facing camera has an ultra-wide lens that can shoot 1080p footage at a smooth 60fps. It also has a 122-degree field of view, which is paired with Apple's Center Stage smarts to intelligently detect faces, zooming and panning automatically to keep them in the frame.
The rear camera has a wide-angle lens, with a larger f/1.8 aperture that should improve low-light performance and offer greater depth of field flexibility. The camera is also able to record 4K footage of up to 60fps. The trade-off is that the camera lens no longer sits flush with the case, sticking out from the otherwise flat panel.
iPad mini Connectivity
Apple has made quite a few changes on the connectivity side with the 2021 iPad mini. Firstly, the headphone port—which has been removed from nearly every other Apple device—has finally been removed from the iPad mini 6 as well. The iPad mini 5 still offers the jack, however.
The iPad mini 6 charging connector has also changed from Lightning to USB-C. That means it's easier to connect to countless accessories and you shouldn't need any more proprietary Lightning adaptors. You can also charge your iPad mini 6 with any USB-C charger, which is an easier option than before. Similarly, if you're a photographer, you can easily back up snaps directly from your camera to your tablet using a USB-C connector. The possibilities are endless.
The cellular version of the iPad mini 6 is also speedier than the previous generation. The latest mini ships with 5G connectivity, which is an upgrade over the iPad mini 5's LTE connectivity. Although 5G is only available in a limited number of countries around the world, it's bound to be useful to users who have access to it.
The iPad mini 6 also supports the second-generation Apple Pencil, which magnetically connects to the side of the tablet, as with the iPad Pro and iPad Air. This is also how you pair and charge the Apple Pencil. The iPad mini 5 only supported the first-generation Apple Pencil, which charged using a Lightning connector.
iPad mini Colors, Storage Options, and Prices
The iPad mini 6 comes in four different colors: Space Gray, Pink, Purple, and Starlight. The new colors look nice and offer more variety than the previous generation.
The latest iPad mini also costs more than the iPad mini 5 did. The iPad mini 6 starts at $499 for the entry-level 64GB Wi-Fi-only version, as compared to the iPad mini 5, which cost $399 for the same specs.
There's no 128GB version available. So if you want to increase your storage, you'll need to opt for the 256GB Wi-Fi iPad mini 6, which costs $649.
If you want to go for the cellular variant, be prepared to spend even more.
Should You Upgrade Your iPad mini?
There's no doubt that the iPad mini 6 is a significant upgrade over the previous iPad mini 5. It enjoys a much-needed design update, improved connectivity, better performance, and more capable cameras.
The question of whether to upgrade depends on what you're looking for. If you want to save money, need a reliable yet affordable tablet, and don't need the top performance or latest appearance, you may want to opt for the iPad mini 5. Although it's officially been discontinued, it should be available from third-party retailers for a discounted price. However, if you're after a flashier tablet with amazing speed and the latest design, the iPad mini 6 makes a compelling argument.