The Apple iPad mini 6 (2021) tablet is the most significant update to the iPad mini line since the introduction of the first generation in 2012. A complete redesign has been carried out, the display has been enlarged, a powerful processor has been added and much more.
Apple's path to creating a small tablet was quite long. According to Steve Jobs, 7-inch tablets were not large enough and were inconvenient for using tablet applications. Plus, having a smartphone reduces the need to buy a small tablet.
But there's a lot to be excited about for iPad mini fans this year, and there's certainly no reason to stick with the previous generation model.
iPad mini 2022 specifications
| OS: | iPadOS 15 |
| CPU: | A15 Bionic |
| Memory: | 64 GB, 256 GB |
| Screen: | 8.3 inches (2266 x 1488 pixels) Liquid Retina |
| Rear cameras: | 12 MP (f/1.8) |
| Video: | up to 4K at up to 60 fps |
| Front-camera: | 12 MP FaceTime HD |
| Connection: | Wi-Fi 6, optional 5G (Sub-6) |
| Battery life: | 10:29 |
| Size: | 195.4 x 134.8 x 6.3 mm |
| Weight: | 293 g |
| Price: | 47,990, 61,990 rubles |
Performance and autonomy: A15 is powerful
In terms of performance, it cannot be said that the tablet is not a professional one. A15 Bionic is a powerful chip. The Air with A14 is capable of rendering video in 4K; the mini with an even more advanced processor obviously has no problems with this. Connect a physical keyboard and a wireless mouse, and you are ready to work.
The battery capacity is 5124 mAh, the same as the mini of the previous generation, although the display has become larger. In practice, the charge is enough for one day of moderate use (social networks, browser, music from Bluetooth headphones, brightness at a medium level).
Design
If the iPad mini 6 had cheeks or a nose, I'd try to pinch them because they're adorable. But looking at it next to a regular iPad, you might think its name is misleading. Sure, it's smaller, but it's not a "mini" version of the regular iPad—as I mentioned above, it's a smaller version of the iPad Air (2020).
It has almost the same edge-to-edge design, a Touch ID-enabled power button on the side, no Home button, flat edges, and a USB-C port—all key components of the iPad Air. "iPad Air mini" may be too long a name for Apple, but it is what it is.
Likewise, the iPad mini 2022 is similar to the iPad Air in that it comes in more interesting colors than the iPad. Instead of silver and space gray, Apple offers the mini in purple, pink, starry and space gray, the colors of our review unit.
The frame of the iPad mini 6 takes up much less space than the iPad Air 4 or iPad 9. The Samsung Galaxy Tab A7 Lite is almost imperceptibly larger.
And at 227g, the iPad mini 6 is lighter than the Galaxy Tab A7 Lite (367g), iPad Air 4 (458g) and iPad 9 (494g). This lightness makes it incredibly easy to use with one hand, something that most flagship-class tablets don't have, unless you have the massive biceps of Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson.
The iPad mini 2022's Touch ID biometric sensor is in the Lock/Power button (like the iPad Air 4) since it doesn't have a Home button where the iPad 9 hides its Touch ID. However, the Galaxy Tab A7 Lite does have facial recognition login, something that no other iPad has except the expensive Pros.
Setting up Touch ID on the iPad mini was easy, and both devices quickly unlocked the tablet and verified my identity for Apple Pay.
The new iPad mini does what we wish Apple would do with the regular iPad: ditch the Lightning port in favor of USB-C. The relevance of the Lightning port continues to narrow down to the iPhone, AirPods Max, and AirPods cases.
Unfortunately, the iPad mini 6 doesn't have a headphone jack, another design change it "inherits" from the iPad Air. This is fine for anyone who uses Bluetooth and loves AirPods, but my wired headphones still work and I wish the iPad mini 6 would support them without a USB-C adapter.
Design and construction
From 2012 to 2022, five generations of mini-tablets from Apple were released. The design has remained the same as specs have improved, but the iPad mini 6 (2021) breaks that tradition.
The current year's model is similar to the previously released Apple iPad Air and iPad Pro, which means a complete redesign for the mini line. The back panel and sides have acquired a more modern look, typical of the premium iPad lines.
There are four body colors to choose from – space gray, pink, purple and starlight. All colors are quite muted; purple, for example, often looks gray. The updated Apple iPad mini 6 (2021) remains very light, weighing only 293 grams.
There's a Touch ID button like the iPad Air, although Face ID isn't supported. This is most likely due to the cost and physical size of the tablet. Touch ID works great, but iPhone 13 and iPad Pro owners who are used to face unlock may find it inconvenient.
Another feature that the iPad mini 6 lacks due to its size is the use of a trackpad or Magic Keyboard, since there is no Smart Connector.
The volume buttons, which were located on the side of the predecessor, have moved to the top. This frees up space for wireless charging of the Apple Pencil stylus. The purpose of the volume buttons automatically changes when you change the orientation from “portrait” to “landscape”. The top button increases the volume, and the bottom button decreases it.
Screen
The iPad mini 6 has one of the best screens for a tablet of its size, which I noticed while watching the Spider-Man: Far From Home trailer. Not only did Peter Parker's red suit stand out in the exact shade, but the amber glow of Doctor Strange's powerful spell looked great, as did the green glow of the goblin grenade on the freeway. Details like Strange's spells, the crumbling highway underneath Parker, and the snowy winter wonderland textures in the living room looked beautiful.
The iPad mini 2022's 326 ppi (8.3-inch, 2266 x 1488 pixels) screen is sharper than the 264 ppi (10.2-inch, 2160 x 1620 pixels) iPad 9 and iPad Air 4's 264 ppi (10.9 inches, 2360 x 1640 pixels) and Samsung Galaxy Tab A7 Lite at 179 ppi (8.7 inches, 1340 x 800 pixels).
But while it's sharper, one issue I've noticed with such a small screen is that splitting the screen between apps can result in tiny text in Safari (try the 66% split vs. 33% split for a 50/50 split to improve this) or incredibly small touch buttons. This makes the iPad mini 2022 less of a multitasking device and more of a device that can handle apps one at a time.
However, when it comes to color reproduction, the iPad screen is the iPad screen, as the iPad mini 6's 103.1% sRGB output (according to our colorimeter) is very close to that of the iPad 9 (105.3%) and iPad Air 4 (102 ,9%). Galaxy Tab A7 Lite (81.8%) is less colorful.
However, the iPad mini 6 is much brighter than all of these tablets, with a maximum brightness of 520 nits. The iPad 9 (472.7 nits), iPad Air 4 (440 nits), and Galaxy Tab A7 Lite (315 nits) aren't as bright.
Accessories: can connect ultrasound
The most important innovation in terms of functionality is the USB-C port. At the presentation, Apple said that it can even connect an ultrasound to the tablet. I don’t know what needs to happen for at least one person in the world to use this scenario, but the possibility itself is extremely important.
For example, you can create a PowerPoint presentation on a tablet, and then display it on a large screen by connecting it to a monitor or computer. Or in any other application. If you transfer it to a computer, then in 99% of cases it is PowerPoint that is needed, but if you display a picture from your device, then it makes no difference what software you create the file in, the main thing is that everything is clear to the audience.
Keyboards have not been officially added to the tablet. This is a minus of the tablet compared to its competitors. iPad (2021) supports Smart Keyboard, Air and Pro - Smart Keyboard and Magic Keyboard.
However, this does not prevent you from connecting a Bluetooth keyboard to it. The covers allow you to place it vertically. It’s convenient to type in this position, although it looks like crutches and limits usage scenarios - if you type on the iPad mini using a Bluetooth keyboard on the subway, most likely they will look at you like an idiot.
Performance A15 Bionic
iPad mini 6 boasts the power of the A15 Bionic SoC with a six-core processor, five-core GPU and 16-core Neural Engine. And since the iPad Air 4 A14 Bionic is impressively fast, I wouldn't be lying if I said that the iPad mini 2022 is a pretty fast tablet. After I split my screen between 12 Safari tabs and a 1080p YouTube video, I didn't notice any lag.
In the Geekbench 5 overall multi-core performance test, the iPad mini 6 scored 4,540, which even beats the iPad Air 4 (4,262, A14 Bionic), iPad 9 (3,387, A13 Bionic), and Galaxy Tab A7 Lite (MediaTek MT8768T 907).
After playing a quarter or two of basketball in NBA 2K21 Arcade Edition, I saw the Knicks take a hit and everything went smoothly. The irritation on coach Tom Thibodeau's face was natural and similar to what I remember when Trae Young beat New York in the first round of the playoffs.
This speed will also come in handy for Apple's machine learning features like Live Text. This iPadOS 15 feature (one of my favorites) lets you highlight text in images by simply holding your finger on it. This worked just as smoothly on the 2022 iPad mini as it did on my iPhone 12 Pro Max and 2022 iPad Pro models.
Software
The Apple iPad mini 6 (2021) is not without its shortcomings. Third-party developers have not yet released updates to their applications and games for the new tablet size.
In landscape mode, black letters are displayed around the edges of the screen. This is understandable, since the sixth mini has changed its aspect ratio, which was not known before its announcement. But the problem also applies to all Apple Arcade games.
Disadvantages include small application and widget icons on the home screen. At the same time, there is enough free space on the screen. The setting partially helps, but it does not affect the size of the icons in the Dock. So if there are more than eight of them, then in portrait orientation the icons will be tiny.
The iPad mini 6 (2021) on-screen keyboard is also inconvenient to use in landscape mode – it takes up half the screen.
In multitasking mode, applications on the screen quickly become crowded. In landscape orientation, two applications somehow fit, occupying 50% of the entire screen, but with an increase in the number of applications or in “portrait” mode, Split Screen practically loses its meaning.
Additionally, iPadOS 15 on iPad mini 6 doesn't support the three-column view we're used to on larger iPads for some apps (like Notes and Mail).
Audio
The iPad mini 6's stereo speakers can produce amazing sound quality for such a small tablet. I learned this by listening to it accurately reproduce Hayley Williams' vocals on Paramore's "Hard Times," where the guitars and percussion sounded clear.
When I played Grandtheft and Keys N Krates' EDM track "Keep It 100" to test the bass, I noticed some (but not too much) low end in the audio spectrum. The bass also rumbled on Pusha T's "Come Back Baby."
Like the iPad Air 4, the iPad mini 6 has stereo sound when you use it in landscape orientation (but not in portrait orientation).
Bottom line
The iPad mini is the most obscure, but most versatile tablet. We found that it is suitable for almost anyone, but at the same time it does not have a specific target audience, so each group will take a long time to weigh the pros and cons before purchasing.
The front camera is convenient for conferences, but the Bluetooth keyboard is inconvenient to work with; The processor is very powerful, but the screen is too small for working with photos and videos - the tablet is full of such compromises.
I'll be returning to the iPad Air after this review, I'm just one of the few users who consider tablets from a work device perspective. In addition, I have a double professional deformation - I am a device reviewer, and I need to test new scenarios for their use, and I am also a freelancer, accustomed to working from anywhere except the office and home.
Another part of the fans doesn’t care about compatibility with keyboards, stylus and the like, their iPad is purely an entertainment device. And in their eyes, this is the ideal tablet: compact, stylish, loud, productive.
The miniature body will allow you to carry it even in the pocket of a jacket or hoodie, the performance of the A15 Bionic is sufficient to use games and applications without restrictions, and the battery capacity will last all day with moderate load.
Apple is developing tablets, trying to make them an alternative to laptops, but has not forgotten their original purpose. In this regard, the iPad mini is an ideal device.
Apple Pencil 2, without Apple Keyboard
While the iPad mini 6's flat edges allow it to support the fantastic Apple Pencil 2 ($129 extra), it lacks another favorite accessory for the iPad Air 4 and iPad Pro: the iPad Magic Keyboard. This is likely because the 8.3-inch iPad mini 6 is too small for a keyboard with decent-sized keys.
However, we like the iPad mini's 2nd generation Apple Pencil support because it's easier to use. The first generation Apple Pencil needs to be charged by inserting the Lightning port into the bottom of the iPad, which is always awkward. The 2nd generation Apple Pencil instead charges by being magnetically pressed against the flat edges of the iPad mini 6.
As always, Apple Pencil 2 delivers fast input with low latency. This performance is also useful when using iPadOS' Scribble feature, which turns handwritten text into a font. This is the ability to write in text fields using the Apple Pencil, and your handwriting turns into real text. And it even works with my chicken doodles.
And as much as I wish the iPad mini 2022 had Apple's original Magic Keyboard, it supports Bluetooth keyboards like all tablets. After testing it with Logitech MX Keys and MX Master 3, I found it worked well as I thought the iPad mini 2022 was the perfect size for a second screen on my desk.
Accessories, biometrics, battery and interfaces
If initially only older iPad models could work with the stylus, then gradually younger models also received support for the accessory. iPad mini 6 can work with the second generation Apple Pencil. The stylus can be magnetized to the tablet body, so it will always be at hand. Drawing tools can be easily switched by double-tapping above the tip. The stylus is charged from the tablet.
The new Smart Folio covers match the colors perfectly with the iPad mini 6. They not only protect the device and its screen from damage, but can also serve as a convenient stand.
The Touch ID sensor, which has moved from the front side to the top button, is still responsible for biometrics. Face ID support remains exclusive to the older iPad line.
The autonomy of the device has remained at the same level; in fact, there have never been any special complaints here. iPad mini 6 can work up to 10 hours when connected to Wi-Fi networks or watching videos, up to 9 hours when working via mobile networks.
The tablet has received an important innovation - it is now equipped with a universal USB Type-C port of the USB 3.1 standard for charging and synchronization. This made it possible to increase the data transfer speed by 10 times (up to 5 Gbit/s), and the ability to connect various accessories has significantly improved.
♥ BY TOPIC: Do they take your iPhone when you sleep? How to check.
Cameras
The smaller a tablet gets, the more I understand people wanting to use it as a camera, and the iPad mini 2021 is a good case for this purpose. Its 12-megapixel front and rear cameras produce fairly good image quality, with the latter capturing the greenery and many spines of the cacti in my living room, as well as the deep purples of a protea nearing the end of its life.
Equally, if not more, big news is that the iPad mini 5's 7-megapixel camera has been replaced by a 12-megapixel FaceTime HD camera. Not only did my colleagues say that I looked very sharp during a morning Google Meet call, but the camera uses Apple's Center Stage technology, which keeps you centered in the frame if you move in front of it. It's neat and (in my experience) works better than Logitech StreamCam's auto-crop tool.
I noticed that the selfie camera also took accurate photos, correctly reproducing my skin tones as well as the blue color of my T-shirt. It's not the sharpest sensor I've ever seen, but it did pick up a small amount of stubble with some detail.
The iPad 9 (12MP front, 8MP rear) has a less sharp rear camera, the iPad Air 4 (7MP front, 12MP rear) lacks a center stage, and the Tab A7 Lite (2MP front 8 MP rear panel) does not compete with any of these sensors.
Apple claims "all-day battery life" of up to 10 hours on a charge, and our testing suggests they're modest (again). The iPad mini 6 lasted 10 hours and 56 minutes in our Wi-Fi-based battery test (constant web browsing at 150 nits until the tablet died), which is impressive when you think about how many pixels there are to backlight.
The iPad mini beats the Air 4 (10:29) and Tab A7 Lite (10:07), while the larger iPad 9 (11:59) runs about an hour longer. We assume it has a larger battery.
Camera: ideal for calls
The tablet received a 12-megapixel ultra-wide-angle front camera. Its feature is support for the Center Stage function. It's designed to keep you in the frame even when you're walking, and works for FaceTime, Zoom, and other video apps. In addition, if a second person appears in the frame, the camera will automatically increase the viewing angle.
The rear camera has also changed compared to its predecessor. Its resolution is 12 MP, ƒ/1.8 aperture, supported by Smart HDR 3. For comparison, its predecessor had 8 MP, ƒ/2.4 aperture, auto-HDR. Of course, there is an increase in quality, although I still don’t understand why a tablet needs a rear camera, especially for the sake of ergonomics - it sticks out, which is why the tablet lies unevenly on the table.
Impression
I love the new iPad mini. It has the power of a laptop, but it's smaller than an A5 laptop, and you can take it with you anywhere - it's so light you can throw it in your bag, whether or not you need it.
A powerful drawing tool, musical instrument, video editor or note-taking tool - one you can always have on hand.
It's incredibly fast, has a great screen, and some improvements in usability and flexibility thanks to the design change.
The downsides of the iPad mini are mostly things that are simply unavoidable - the screen will feel too small in some cases, and the battery isn't as strong as the larger iPad. But those are the trade-offs you make for a sub-300g digital marvel, and they're fair enough in my opinion.
I think the iPad mini is the best small tablet, the only question is whether a small tablet is the best buy for you.
The tablet is about entertainment
Starting in 2022 with the redesigned iPad Pro, Apple reimagined the role of tablets in our lives, and I couldn't agree more. If you make it more powerful, add professional software and a physical keyboard, you will get an alternative to a laptop.
In September I became convinced of this. The iPad Air completely replaced my laptop and turned out to be even better in terms of convenience - it weighs three times less, is more compact in size, and is easier to carry in a bag.
The iPad mini is the only Apple tablet that doesn't fit the description, and that's why I gave it up. iPad Air and Pro with Magic Keyboard are ideal for this, iPad (2021) with Smart Keyboard without a touchpad will do.
However, this application scenario will not be the main one now and in the coming years. Even in my case, to get an alternative to a laptop, you have to pay for a full-fledged laptop. Only a few are ready to do this.
While the tablet is about entertainment. Watching movies, games, social networks, instant messengers - you don’t need a physical keyboard to interact with all this. But losing a few grams of weight and becoming more compact won’t hurt; the device will be more comfortable to wear.
Sound
Finally, the iPad mini now has full stereo sound (in horizontal mode). The iPad mini 5 also had two speakers, but they were located on one side, and when watching movies, the sound was actually mono.
The iPad mini 6 has two speakers, despite 4 groups of holes, this is not an iPad Pro. In fact, one speaker is located behind the grille near the volume buttons, and the second is located to the left of the USB-C interface.
The remaining two grilles contain microphones, a wi-fi module and other components.
Cheapest iPad 2022
Apple's cheapest tablet will be iPad 9
The basic “just iPad” is a direct successor to the very first iPad, introduced by Steve Jobs in 2010. This year the design of its next version will also change. Screen from edge to edge, covering the entire front surface. The fingerprint sensor, Touch ID, will be built into the on/off button. The Apple A12 Bionic will be replaced in the eighth generation iPad by the Apple A13 Bionic.
Why is the iPad the only normal tablet?
Prices for the base ninth-generation iPad are expected to be the same as its predecessor, starting at $329 (in the US, excluding taxes and fees). We won’t guess how much it will cost in Russia. The code name for the ninth generation iPad is J181. Also only one thing. Sources are silent about whether the new basic iPad in the “Wi-Fi and Cellular” version will support 5G.
Chips
The familiar Lightning has given way to universal USB-C. It transmits data 10 times faster over cable (up to 5 Gbps), so photographers, musicians and other professionals will be delighted.
The tablet has become friends with 5G, the speed of which can reach up to 3.5 Gbps. Of course, Wi-Fi 6, Bluetooth 5.0, GPS and Glonass are supported. You can insert a Nano SIM card or install an eSIM.
We delivered a pair of speakers - now in horizontal orientation. One on top, the other on bottom - stereo effect for.
We developed our own Smart Folio cases specifically for the tablet. This is a case with the legendary Smart Cover. Fold it to the side and use it as a stand. If anything, there will be no keyboards for the Mini as with the Pro version. Apparently, the dimensions do not allow adequate placement of the keys for comfortable typing.
iPadOS 15 and external monitor
According to the adaptation of iPadOS 15 for iPad mini 6: both in vertical and horizontal orientation, the desktop space is not fully used. Icons and widgets could be made larger, space allows it.
The system display settings don't have the enlarged view that other iPads have.
The keyboard in landscape mode takes up more than half the screen. You have to either divide it into 2 parts, or use portrait mode.
In general, the operating system works the same as on other iPads, just the interface is a little more compact.
When connected to an external monitor, resolutions up to 4K are supported. Thanks to the new aspect ratio, the image is larger than any other tablet with a 4:3 aspect ratio.
Autonomy
The battery capacity of the iPad mini 6 has practically not increased - 19.3 Wh. Battery life has decreased . For example, when watching YouTube at medium volume and brightness, the tablet worked for 7 hours. This is very little; the previous generation iPad mini lasted up to 12 hours of watching videos online.
In heavy games at maximum settings, the tablet lasts up to 4 hours. And with normal use of the device, when you play games and surf the Internet, I only got 5 hours of screen time .
