iPad mini review roundup: Superior speed but missing a critical feature
The first reviews for the iPad mini 6 are out, and they all follow the same line that it is a remarkable device, yet not meant to be used for serious work.
The reviewer also said that the new design of the volume buttons "take some getting used to," as they've been repositioned to the "top if you're holding the tablet in portrait."
"It's more of a portable gaming/video/reading machine than, say, something you'd want to pull out and attach a keyboard to for work or school," says CNBC. "The screen is too small for that. And Apple doesn't even make a keyboard for it."
Equipped with the A15 Bionic chip and an edge-to-edge 8.3-inch Liquid Retina display, the 2021 iPad mini (6th Gen) also supports the second-generation Apple Pencil.
The small size means it can be used nearly anywhere
"The iPad mini's spec sheet has changed quite a bit, but the appeal of the tablet remains the same," continues Engadget. "It looks and feels different thanks to the redesign and the handful of new features Apple brought to it."
"What it will come down to, as always, is size," concludes the review. "The iPad mini remains the best small tablet out there and you probably already know if an 8-inch tablet has a place in your life."
"I love this thing," says the review. "It's an iPad that isn't trying to be anything other than what it is-- and best of all, I feel absolutely no pressure to get work done on it."
Gizmodo argues that the iPad mini can't replace a computer, "nor is it trying to." Instead, it's a reading, games, and video device.
"Prior to the 6th-gen model, the Mini lineup's only real selling point was its portability," concludes the publication. "It's still the marquee feature, but the Mini is no longer the runt of the iPad lineup-- at least when it comes to performance."
Additionally, the review praised the iPad mini's new USB-C capabilities, allowing users to connect external drives and accessories to the ultra-portable tablet.
Battery life was average, with the reviewer noting, "The battery life is rated for 10 hours on Wi-Fi and nine hours on cellular, the same as previous iPad Minis... With more casual use-- including a short FaceTime call, podcast listening, article reading, some YouTube-ing-- on a mix of both cellular and Wi-Fi, the tablet lasted two full days on a charge, with about seven hours of active screen time."
As far as criticism goes, WSJ had concerns over storage sizes. The base model, priced at $499 for the Wi-Fi model or $649 for the 5G cellular model, only features 64GB of storage. The reviewer quickly pointed out that roughly 14GB of storage is dedicated to system files, leaving users with a scant 50GB left.
"And the pricing increases don't include a storage bump... The new iPad Mini still starts with just 64 GB. And you have to pay $150 to get to the next level, an unnecessarily large 256 GB."
The review also pointed out that the iPad mini is still the only entry into the iPad lineup lacking the Smart Connector, which would allow the iPad mini to connect to accessories like the Magic Keyboard.
"The new mini is essentially the 2020 iPad Air hit with a shrink ray," the reviewer writes. "It has the same home button-less look, Touch ID fingerprint reader in the power button, USB-C for power and a great set of stereo speakers, just with a screen that is only 8.9in on the diagonal compared with 10.9in on the Air."
The reviewer praises the A15 Bionic processor, calling the iPad mini "one of the most powerful tablets you can buy," and stating that it "performs excellently all around."
Again, there are concerns over the pricing. They point out that the new 10.2-inch iPad is significantly cheaper, and the 2020 iPad Air may function better as a computer replacement. They state that the best use case for the iPad mini may be a user who needs a secondary, smaller tablet or someone who wants a premium tablet experience in a small footprint.
Still, The Guardian commends Apple for its long software support for tablets, inferring that while buying an iPad mini may be more expensive than a comparable tablet, it should be seen as an investment.
However, Tom's Guide also wishes that the pint-sized tablet was compatible with Apple's Magic Keyboard.
"What's missing is support for the Magic Keyboard, and it's something that I can't ignore, especially after spending a whole month with my 4th gen iPad Air," the reviewer writes. "Ever since I got my hands on the Magic Keyboard and started using it with my iPad Air, I can't imagine going back to using a keyboard-less tablet, be it small or large."
However, they are quick to point out that the lack of support for the a non-Bluetooth keyboard does not intrinsically make the iPad mini a bad tablet. Instead, they anticipate that many will tick all the boxes for many prospective buyers.
Read on AppleInsider
CNBC: Exciting, but expensive
CNBC's review of the iPad mini 6 is mostly a rave, but comes with huge caveats. It calls this device "the more exciting" of the two latest iPad releases, but "if you're not dead-set" on the smaller device, "you can save a lot of money" with the regular iPad.The reviewer also said that the new design of the volume buttons "take some getting used to," as they've been repositioned to the "top if you're holding the tablet in portrait."
"It's more of a portable gaming/video/reading machine than, say, something you'd want to pull out and attach a keyboard to for work or school," says CNBC. "The screen is too small for that. And Apple doesn't even make a keyboard for it."
iPad mini 6
Equipped with the A15 Bionic chip and an edge-to-edge 8.3-inch Liquid Retina display, the 2021 iPad mini (6th Gen) also supports the second-generation Apple Pencil.
Engadget: The best iPad, but with niche appeal
"It finally looks fresh, but the niche appeal remains the same," says the Engadget review of the iPad mini 6.The small size means it can be used nearly anywhere
"The iPad mini's spec sheet has changed quite a bit, but the appeal of the tablet remains the same," continues Engadget. "It looks and feels different thanks to the redesign and the handful of new features Apple brought to it."
"What it will come down to, as always, is size," concludes the review. "The iPad mini remains the best small tablet out there and you probably already know if an 8-inch tablet has a place in your life."
Gizmodo: Freeing, but not for work
Gizmodo also raves about the iPad mini 6, but it also repeats the same issue that it is a niche device, specifically that it isn't intended for work."I love this thing," says the review. "It's an iPad that isn't trying to be anything other than what it is-- and best of all, I feel absolutely no pressure to get work done on it."
Gizmodo argues that the iPad mini can't replace a computer, "nor is it trying to." Instead, it's a reading, games, and video device.
"Prior to the 6th-gen model, the Mini lineup's only real selling point was its portability," concludes the publication. "It's still the marquee feature, but the Mini is no longer the runt of the iPad lineup-- at least when it comes to performance."
The Wall Street Journal: Bigger screen, blazing speed
WSJ's review of the iPad mini praises the new A15 Bionic, calling its performance "smooth and zippy." The edge-to-edge screen also encourages users to side-by-side their favorite apps. The reviewer even stated that she felt like the iPad mini "practically begged me to turn it into a little laptop."Additionally, the review praised the iPad mini's new USB-C capabilities, allowing users to connect external drives and accessories to the ultra-portable tablet.
Battery life was average, with the reviewer noting, "The battery life is rated for 10 hours on Wi-Fi and nine hours on cellular, the same as previous iPad Minis... With more casual use-- including a short FaceTime call, podcast listening, article reading, some YouTube-ing-- on a mix of both cellular and Wi-Fi, the tablet lasted two full days on a charge, with about seven hours of active screen time."
As far as criticism goes, WSJ had concerns over storage sizes. The base model, priced at $499 for the Wi-Fi model or $649 for the 5G cellular model, only features 64GB of storage. The reviewer quickly pointed out that roughly 14GB of storage is dedicated to system files, leaving users with a scant 50GB left.
"And the pricing increases don't include a storage bump... The new iPad Mini still starts with just 64 GB. And you have to pay $150 to get to the next level, an unnecessarily large 256 GB."
The review also pointed out that the iPad mini is still the only entry into the iPad lineup lacking the Smart Connector, which would allow the iPad mini to connect to accessories like the Magic Keyboard.
The Guardian: Power, but at a price
The Guardian's review of the new iPad mini also focuses on the speed and power of Apple's latest iteration of their smallest tablet, drawing obvious comparisons with the recently released iPad Air."The new mini is essentially the 2020 iPad Air hit with a shrink ray," the reviewer writes. "It has the same home button-less look, Touch ID fingerprint reader in the power button, USB-C for power and a great set of stereo speakers, just with a screen that is only 8.9in on the diagonal compared with 10.9in on the Air."
The reviewer praises the A15 Bionic processor, calling the iPad mini "one of the most powerful tablets you can buy," and stating that it "performs excellently all around."
Again, there are concerns over the pricing. They point out that the new 10.2-inch iPad is significantly cheaper, and the 2020 iPad Air may function better as a computer replacement. They state that the best use case for the iPad mini may be a user who needs a secondary, smaller tablet or someone who wants a premium tablet experience in a small footprint.
Still, The Guardian commends Apple for its long software support for tablets, inferring that while buying an iPad mini may be more expensive than a comparable tablet, it should be seen as an investment.
Tom's Guide: Fantastic upgrades, but no support for the Magic Keyboard
Like other reviews, Tom's Guide is quick to praise the blazing-fast speeds of Apple's A15 Bionic processor, which is 80% faster than the A12 Bionic in the previous iPad mini.However, Tom's Guide also wishes that the pint-sized tablet was compatible with Apple's Magic Keyboard.
"What's missing is support for the Magic Keyboard, and it's something that I can't ignore, especially after spending a whole month with my 4th gen iPad Air," the reviewer writes. "Ever since I got my hands on the Magic Keyboard and started using it with my iPad Air, I can't imagine going back to using a keyboard-less tablet, be it small or large."
However, they are quick to point out that the lack of support for the a non-Bluetooth keyboard does not intrinsically make the iPad mini a bad tablet. Instead, they anticipate that many will tick all the boxes for many prospective buyers.
Read on AppleInsider
Comments
Take tableside POS order entry and payment in a restaurant: iPhones are expensive and too small (iPod touches are essentially gone), and full sized iPad are too big and clumsy.
similar things can be said for using the device for inventory tracking, bed-side health data entry (iPad mini fits into a lab coat pocket) etc.
Unfortunately iPad Mini is useless as a network testing device, since Apple won’t allow access to MAC addresses, not even as something users can allow on a per-app basis in privacy settings.
You can use cellular for data, but won't have a phone number. You can really overcome this with an app like Skype which will generate a phone number for people to reach you.
Favorite FREE VOIP app available for it: Google Voice. It takes and makes calls (rings iPad when called) and it sends and receives texts from non-Apple people (and also gives me notifications of new texts). With Apple people I text through Messages and video conf through FaceTime, just like anyone does with iPhone.
Other VOIP apps I've used/like: Talkatone and Comcast Voice... the latter when I had their landline service. Anyone anti-Google-everything certainly has plenty of other options. There's also some cheap-but-paid apps with more features.
Like many people, my pure "phone" usage of these devices is not that heavy, so this is like we use iPhones for everything else... except with a bigger screen.
Key Negatives: it doesn't fit in a pocket as well as iPhone (suit pocket works, bag/purse, or I just tuck it under an arm when I need it with me but am not in a full suit), if you like Watch or CarPlay full functionality, BOTH of those need to be married to an iPhone, cameras are superior in iPhone, you can't use Messages for texts from non-Apple people, so you basically are texting through 2 apps instead of one (I just park both apps in the iPad dock for quick access), 911 functionality is not there (but I just put in my local emergency contacts as a single button click instead of having to click 3), a few entities like Uber and Ticketmaster, etc don't recognize Google Voice numbers as "cell" numbers (so I also have the Talkatone app which creates a dynamic cell number which will satisfy text-based authentication. Since that's often about what will then be lots of text spam, I'm not giving them my main number so I somewhat see that as a positive).
Key Positives: ONE device to carry instead of two. Since iPads seem to "keep up" longer, the upgrade cycle can be slower without getting behind on iOS features (so not feeling strong compulsion to buy new ones every year or two saves a lot of money), still full Apple/iOS, cellular data services for iPad can get down to as little as $5/month so the annual cell bill can get down to $60 if one does not need gobs of cellular data (I'm in wifi most of that time, so that applies to me), all the benefits of a screen bigger than iPhone.
Is this for everyone? NO, nothing is for everyone. But I can offer it has worked very well for me since MINI 1. Nobody on the other end notices that I don't have an iPhone and the money savings is sizable over time (vs. buying new phones every year or two and ongoing cellular cost differences).
BONUS: if you do have or need a landline at home (alarm system, still need to fax sometimes, etc), look up the Obihai device. It will also use Google Voice for landline calls. When someone calls my "phone", my home phones also ring. When I call out from either, I'm using the same phone number. That also "just works" and has for years. Cost of local & long distance this way? $0 if all calls are in North America.
When I first went this way, I transferred my old landline through a few days of Tmobile to (be able to transfer it to) Google Voice. So that was keeping my main number but getting to use it in more ways. People already using a mobile number can direct transfer if they want... or setup a new (free) number with GV and have it auto-forward to their existing number.
Impending Mini 6 will also be my new "phone." I look forward to the big upgrade over the existing Mini... then doing it again in about 4-6 years to about MINI 9 or 10 or maybe iPhone Fold 2 or 3.
As I'm sure you feel, my expectations are HIGH with such a big jump. Looking through countless threads where there are so many gripes about this and that, I'm (and you) are hopping over many generations of technology improvements. I'm expecting to be relatively dazzled in a few days. Goodbye 2. Hello 6.
This, essentially, is the wisdom of the Apple tech press bestowed on us about the iPad Mini 6. Warning us, in a "Danger Will Robinson!" style, that a tablet with an 8.3 inch screen isn't a serious work computer. Really? Well, thank you, Captain Obvious. The truth, of course, it that it can be a perfect light work computer for quick travels when you'd like to leave a full-size laptop behind. A couple of folio cases with keyboards are already available, and in the numbers I expect the IPad mini 6 will sell, others are sure to follow quickly.