It’s been a lean few years for the iPad. Tablets have fallen out of favor with Apple as the company has shifted its focus to other categories such as mobile, content, wearables, and mixed reality. The same could have been said about Macs a few years ago, but thanks in large part to the arrival of Apple Silicon, this laptop/desktop group has made a comeback in Cupertino.
Some would argue that the iPad is having a moment of its own. Apple did indeed make a statement in May when the M4 debuted in the new iPad Pro. This was the first time M-series desktop processors were debuted on a non-Mac device.
At various points in its history, the iPad has become more similar to the iPhone or Mac. News in May made it clear that at least Apple thinks the high end of its tablet product line will move closer to the laptop side. At the same event, Apple introduced M2 to the iPad Air. Granted, it was a two-year-old chip, but it still provided plenty of firepower for a small tablet.
Last week, the company updated the iPad Mini for the first time since 2021. Unlike the Pro and Air before it, the smallest member of the iPad family didn’t have an M-series chip. Instead, Apple has opted to include the A17 Pro in its 8.3-inch tablet. This is the same silicon found in the new iPhone 16 Pro models.
This move allows the Mini to leapfrog the base iPad in computing power. However, this is because the slate hasn’t received an update since the 10th generation arrived in 2022. Because of that difference, the standard iPad is now several generations behind the Mini. Under the hood is the A14 Bionic.
As a result, the Mini has leapfrogged the iPad in terms of cost. Wi-Fi versions of the tablet will cost $499 and $349, respectively, while cellular/5G models will cost $649 and $499. A $150 difference isn’t small, especially considering the notable difference in screen size: 8.3 inches versus 10.1 inches.
However, despite its smaller size, the Mini is a more premium device than the 10th generation iPad. First, the Mini manages to pack in nearly as many pixels at a resolution of 2,266 x 1,488 as the iPad’s 2,360 x 1,640. This is thanks to a significantly higher pixel density of 326 ppi compared to the iPad’s 264 ppi.
In fact, the new Mini has higher pixel density than any other iPad. Smaller screens are important because higher pixel density allows you to fit sharper details into a smaller space. So it’s no wonder that even the iPad Mini is significantly lower than the iPhone 16’s 460 ppi.
Apple’s iPad release schedule is erratic, so the line is in flux. But as it stands, the Mini outperforms the base iPad in almost every metric except screen size. Of course, that’s not an irrelevant detail. In fact, the iPad Mini’s 8.3-inch screen size is about halfway between the iPad (10.1) and iPhone 16 Pro Max (6.3).
The Mini also occupies that liminal space as a tool. For example, its relatively large screen makes it better suited for watching TV shows and movies than an iPhone. But if entertainment is your primary motivation, it’s hard to argue with the Mini over the Air, Pro, or even the base iPad.
To its credit, Apple is focusing on several key customer use cases with the welcome addition of Apple Pencil and Pencil Pro compatibility. At 7.69 x 5.3 inches, the tablet is the perfect size for taking notes and drawing. It has definitely been enhanced by the completely improved version of Calculator, making it a much more powerful math lesson partner.
In fact, tablets are very well suited for the education market in general. Its small size makes it very easy to throw it in your backpack and take it out during lectures. It’s also the ideal size for reading. However, if your primary use for such a device is reading, it may ultimately be wiser to invest in a dedicated e-reader like the new Kindle, as it’s easier on the eyes. It has significantly longer battery life than a tablet.
The A17 Pro chip makes the Mini an interesting proposition in the education sector. There is another important reason for this. That’s Apple Intelligence. As of this writing, current iPads, except for the base model, will be able to run Apple’s small model generation AI platform. Along with this, iPadOS has also added the ability to rewrite letters and other documents.
Incorporating this type of functionality into the operating system only further blurs the lines when creating term-end reports. That said, there’s nothing Apple Intelligence can accomplish in terms of text generation that students can’t access through platforms like ChatGPT.
For non-students around the world, the role of the iPad Mini is less obvious. I’ve certainly found a use for the form factor that integrates well into my life. For example, for next week’s event, I plan to save notes from the Disrupt panel on a small tablet. But personally speaking, I don’t think there are enough use cases in my own life to justify buying a smaller tablet over a larger iPhone or standard iPad.
If you do, the upgraded silicon, compatibility with Apple Intelligence, and the use of Pencil are all compelling reasons to upgrade.
