The star of the show for many at the recent Apple Event was the iPad mini, which has been given a complete design overhaul for its sixth iteration.
Apple has somehow managed to cram a larger 8.3in display into the same-sized frame as its predecessor.
That’s because the frame has been reimagined in the sleek industrial design language of iPad Pro, iPad Air and the latest iPhones.
The new iPad mini also gets support for the second-gen Apple Pencil, which can magnetically attach to the tablet when not in use.
And it gets a USB-C port which means faster charging, quicker data transfer speeds and more compatibility with an array of external accessories such as multi-port hubs, storage devices and cameras.
It also gets the A15 Bionic processor that makes it one of the fastest and most powerful tablets you can buy.
I’ve been testing one for about a week now, and here is what I found…
Design and build
The form factor of iPad mini is what makes it such an enjoyable and fun device to use.
Even after just a few days, I know that this tablet will be coming everywhere with me. It’s so thin and light and comfortable to hold in the hand.
My review unit is in a gorgeous lilac/purple hue and there is a new range of complementary smart folios to match the new colours.
The almost bezel-free 8.3in display is dazzling. It is the perfect size for gaming and large enough for viewing YouTube videos, movies and TV shows.
The resolution is 2266 x 1488 and the pixel density is 326ppi. The mini has 500 nits of peak brightness and support for the P3 wide colour gamut.
The screen has full lamination and an anti-reflective coating. Both combine to make it more resistant to glare and fingerprints.
Apple’s True Tone tech is on board. This means the device adjusts screen content to the colour temperature of the room you’re in to provide the most comfortable viewing experience, whatever the lighting environment.
Unlike the iPad Pro models, the display refresh rate is 60Hz not 120Hz.
But unless you have used an iPad Pro, you won’t notice. Try a graphically intense game such as Asphalt 9: Legends and immerse yourself in how super smooth an experience it is.
The removal of the home screen button means Touch ID is now embedded in the top power button.
Performance
The iPad mini’s A15 Bionic chip has 64-bit desktop class architecture and a 16-core neural engine.
I encountered no stutter or lag whatsoever in everyday use and its Geekbench 5 benchmark test scores are only surpassed by iPad Pro.
Yes, iPad mini is more capable than last year’s iPad Air which uses the A14 chip, though in fairness you would not notice much difference in everyday use.
The power and speed when using popular apps for creatives such Lumafusion, Procreate, Affinity Photo, Photoshop and Lightroom is super impressive.
It also works well with the dJay Pro app which now has ShazamKit support.
And the CPU is powerful enough to run Foreflight, the app which pilots use for planning, briefing, filing and logging flights.
Connectivity
It’s the first iPad mini to use a USB-C connection rather than the slower Lightning port which is on the new entry-level iPad ninth-generation.
The USB-C port also enables much faster importing and editing of my video files, at up to 5Gbps, and by connecting an adapter with HDMI out you can view and edit your footage on a large external 4K monitor.
Camera
The new iPad mini houses the same 12MP ultra-wide front camera which Apple also employs on its flagship iPad Pro models.
This amazing front camera has a 122-degree field of view and an aperture of ƒ/2.4. It can capture up to 1080p HD video at 25 fps, 30 fps or 60 fps and it takes brilliant HDR selfies.
But best of all, it can support the Centre Stage tech first introduced on this year’s top-end iPad Pro.
Centre Stage works by starting with the widest-angle video camera capture and then zooming in digitally as needed. It follows a person's face around while they talk. You can even get up and walk around, and Centre Stage follows you.
It works well with Zoom and other similar video call apps.
The 12MP rear camera has a wide f/1.8 aperture and can capture both high-resolution photos and video at up to 4K resolution at 60fps. It has a quad-LED True Tone flash.
Apple Pencil
The second-gen Apple Pencil is such a useful tool when using photo-editing apps and works like a dream with digital illustration apps such as Procreate and Adobe Fresco.
It's also useful for editing videos on LumaFusion.
I find it great for jotting down ideas in Apple’s Notes app. The new Quick Notes feature is excellent too. You just swipe up from the bottom right corner of iPad to create your Quick Note.
iPadOS and App Store
The latest iteration of the dedicated tablet operating system, iPadOS 15, is fast and fluid.
The new multi-tasking menu improves efficiency greatly.
An array of new widgets which are adjustable in size and can be placed anywhere on the home screen.
I love the way your App library can be accessed directly from the dock.
And I’m finding the new Live Text feature so useful. It allows users to send an email, make a call and even look for directions on maps just by tapping on the text in the camera frame or any image you have saved in your gallery.
For more than a decade, iPad has been streets ahead of any Android or Windows touchscreen tablets, thanks to the range of iPad-optimised software available in its App Store.
All of the major media apps and magazines are available, along with lots of educational apps and children’s apps.
There is an extensive array of productivity apps. Microsoft’s Office Suite, for example, is as fully functioning as any of the desktop versions of its programs.
Battery life
Apple iPad mini continues the great iPad tradition of fantastic battery stamina – you can enjoy ten hours of video streaming or web browsing before you’ll need to recharge.
Apple iPad mini takes about two hours to fully charge with the included 20W USB-C power adapter but can also be charged from more powerful Apple or third-party USB-C chargers.
Other features
The iPad mini supports 5G, eSIM, WiFi 6 and Bluetooth 5.0.
If you buy one of these machines you will get software updates for four or five years.
It would be nice to have multi-user support, but some apps such as Prime Video now feature multiple profiles.
The admittedly loud stereo speakers don’t match the immersive power of the Pro models’ quad speaker set-up.
The device will work with Bluetooth keyboards but there is no Apple Smart Keyboard accessory.
The mini’s form factor means it is a great device to use as a controller for any of the recent DJI consumer drones.
Verdict
As well as being a fantastic multimedia entertainment centre for consuming movies and music and a superb gaming device, iPad mini also has to power to be both a productivity machine and a creative artist’s powerhouse on-the-go.
It is a beautifully designed and constructed tablet that fulfils so many of my mobile computing needs brilliantly, and is capable of so much more besides at a quite incredible price.
Pricing and availability
Apple iPad mini costs €569 for the 64GB WiFi model and €739 for the 256GB WiFi model. Apple Pencil (second gen) costs €135. Smart Folio for iPad mini costs €65.
Key specs
Dimensions: 195mm x 139mm x 6.3mm
Weight: 293g
Display: 8.3in, 2266x1488 resolution, 326 ppi
Processor: A15 Bionic
Storage: 64GB/256GB
Cameras: 12MP f/1.8 rear / 12MP ultra-wide front
Speakers: Stereo
Charging: USB-C
Security: Touch ID
