Apple's iPad mini lineup seemed forgotten for years despite the initial wave of popularity when it first came out. Well, we mostly blame the dated design for why the product lost its appeal over time. It never looked as modern as the more expensive iPad Air and iPad Pro models.
Well, Apple has addressed this concern with the new iPad mini 6. It doesn't look anything like the outgoing model and brings many new features to the table. If you're interested in buying one, here's a look at the five best features of the iPad mini 6.
1. All-Screen Design
The first thing you'll notice is that the new iPad mini 6 sports an all-screen design, with a display that goes from edge to edge. It looks more like the costlier iPad Air and iPad Pro models with its flat-edged design, although the bezels are slightly on the chunky side.
Thanks to the all-screen design, the iPad mini 6's display measures in bigger, at 8.3 inches compared to the 7.9 inches on the outgoing model. Apple brought the Liquid Retina display from the iPad Air and the iPad Pro models to the iPad mini 6. It now supports True Tone, P3 wide color gamut, and has a peak brightness of 500 nits.
2. Touch ID Is Here to Stay
Apple had to sacrifice the Home button, which housed the Touch ID sensor, for the all-screen design. However, Apple didn't replace it with Face ID on the iPad mini 6. Instead, it integrated the Touch ID sensor into the button at the top, just like it did with the iPad Air 2020 model. This makes sense because the iPad mini 6 is a budget-oriented device, and Face ID hardware is expensive.
3. Apple Pencil 2 Support
So far, only the more expensive iPads offered support for the Apple Pencil 2, whereas the budget iPad and iPad mini owners had to use the original Apple Pencil, which came out in 2015. While it isn't bad by any means, charging the original Apple Pencil is quite frustrating as you need to plug it into the Lightning port.
Well, thanks to its flat-edged design, the iPad mini 6 now fully supports the flat-edged Apple Pencil 2. You can wirelessly charge it by magnetically attaching it to the side of the iPad mini, which is much better from a usability standpoint. However, don't forget that the second-generation Apple Pencil costs $30 more than the original variant.
4. 5G Connectivity
We didn't expect Apple to bring 5G connectivity to the budget-oriented iPad mini this early, considering the technology is still new, but we were pleasantly surprised. With 5G cellular, you should be able to get up to 3.5 Gbps download speeds under ideal conditions. So, you'll have access to super-fast internet even without Wi-Fi.
Note that 5G isn't available everywhere yet. Hence, you need to first check with your carrier and pay for a 5G data plan before you can take advantage of these insane speeds. This shouldn't matter if you're looking to purchase the Wi-Fi-only variant of the iPad mini 6, but we'd like to point out that even that model supports the new Wi-Fi 6 standard for improved download speeds.
6. USB-C Connectivity
Apple has been replacing the Lightning ports on its iPads with USB-C since the iPad Pro 2020 models. Now, the iPad mini 6 is getting the same USB-C treatment, which should unlock compatibility with a vast array of USB accessories. For instance, you can now connect your camera directly to your iPad and transfer photos and videos within minutes.
Apple claims the USB-C port will allow up to 10 times faster data transfers than the iPad mini 2019 model.
The iPad mini Gets the Redesign It Deserved
Apple's design refresh for the iPad mini finally brings it up to par with the rest of the iPad lineup. It no longer looks like an outdated device, which should help get back its appeal among mainstream audiences. And with features like 5G, USB-C, Wi-Fi 6, and Apple Pencil 2 support, the iPad mini 6 is a tempting option for its $499 starting price.