Important points
- The 7th generation iPad Mini uses the same 60Hz LCD panel as the previous generation model.
- Apple also doesn’t make the Magic Keyboard for the iPad mini. This does not apply to other iPad models.
- Overall, the iPad Mini still has a following, but it feels like the tablet lacks both the features and price point to attract new entrants.
It’s great to see Apple showing some love to products outside of its flagship products, and I’m not alone in wondering if it could do that with the iPad Mini. more love. As a potential buyer who’s “curious about iPads,” the 7th generation iPad Mini didn’t fascinate me.
same old lcd panel
My biggest complaint with the iPad Mini is that it has a worse display than almost every other Apple device I currently own. My iPhone 13 Pro (which I don’t plan on replacing for at least another year) has an OLED display, and the iPhone X it replaced used the same technology.
Nothing can match the contrast ratio of an OLED display. Because you can turn off pixels completely to achieve pure black. However, the 2024 iPad Mini has a similar (if not the same) “Liquid Retina” display as the 6th generation model that came before it (released in 2021).
It remains to be seen whether Apple will “fix” the jelly scrolling phenomenon associated with that model, but either way, it would have been great to see the iPad Mini get the OLED treatment this time around. .
My MacBook Pro also has a Mini-LED display, which you probably can’t achieve on such a thin tablet, but thanks to grid-based local dimming zones it achieves OLED-like black performance. . The new iPad Mini feels like a step down in terms of display compared to the three-year-old device I own.
True, the iPad Air doesn’t have an OLED display either, but the base model iPhone 16 does…
No 120Hz refresh rate yet
Apple doesn’t consider the iPad Mini to be a “Pro” product, and that’s okay. But some may be annoyed by the company’s insistence that its 120Hz panels be reserved for high-end devices under the guise of the “ProMotion” name. The iPhone 16 didn’t even have a 120Hz display, even though higher refresh rates are becoming a standard feature on most mid-range Android smartphones.
My iPhone 13 Pro and MacBook Pro both have 120Hz displays, and I’m not the only one who now thinks Apple should have extended this technology to most new products. There are rumors that the iPhone 17 will finally move to a 120Hz panel, so things may finally be changing.
However, the iPad Mini is not updated every year. There was a three-year gap between the 6th and 7th generation refreshes. Apple missed a great opportunity to make an underdog company not just “future-proof” but truly stand out. A high refresh rate makes everything from scrolling through the OS to playing games more comfortable.
The move to a 120Hz panel may have been a special sauce to get existing iPad owners and potential new iPad owners interested in the Mini, in turn. This is also a relatively easy “fix” to the jelly scrolling issue mentioned above.
Accessory choices are limited
Apple Pencil aside, accessories for the mini are a little harder to find than Apple’s full-sized and super-sized tablets. That’s not to say that iPad Mini keyboard cases don’t exist, but they all come from third-party manufacturers and can vary widely in quality.
I have large hands, so I’m not the first candidate for a small keyboard. But by the same token, the touchscreen keyboard isn’t great either. When you buy an iPad, you get a cover, so why not add a keyboard as well? Unfortunately, Apple doesn’t manufacture it.
Tablets have been able to completely replace netbooks, and for good reason. Tablets are more versatile, more portable, and have optimized operating systems. The Mini is the closest thing to a pint-sized Apple netbook. It would be great if the company produced a Magic Keyboard cover for those who value an ultra-portable work machine.
price is not an issue
The iPad Mini feels like an expensive machine in its own right. This is true as the price has not changed at all this time. Despite its smaller screen and increased processing power, it costs $150 more than a base-level iPad (which definitely feels older).
Perhaps most egregious is the $100 difference between the iPad Mini and the 11-inch iPad Air. For an additional fee, you get a much more powerful M2 chip (two additional CPU cores and four GPU cores), more RAM, hardware-accelerated video decoding and encoding, and the optional accessories mentioned above. compatibility.
The M2 chip is probably overkill for an 8.3-inch tablet, but that’s okay. But at this price point, it’s hard to justify the Mini over the base iPad.
Apple should try harder to sell Mini
It’s no secret that the iPad Mini is a niche device, and in many ways it’s lucky that Apple even went to the trouble of making it. It could easily have gone down the same path as the iPhone Mini (and the same fate could befall the iPhone Plus).
The iPad Mini is noticeably larger than the iPhone (even the Plus and Pro Max models), and while it’s not as heavy or unwieldy as the larger models, it could be the perfect companion for your couch. The iPad Mini can be held comfortably in one hand and takes up much more space than an iPhone.
I like the idea of having a larger second screen experience without sacrificing the pocket space of a larger iPhone.
I have a MacBook for serious work on the go, and an iPhone for true portability. The Mini could be the perfect “in-between” device for many people, myself included. But without doing anything Je ne sais qui Whether it’s a better display or a more attractive price point, the iPad Mini remains a tough sell.
Mini is perfect for some people
I wasn’t too keen on it myself, but I don’t hate it (I thought the 6th generation iPad Mini was a solid upgrade). We still think the iPad Mini is a great option for many people. Suitable for people with small hands or those who don’t want to carry around a dinner plate-sized tablet everywhere they go. It’s also a great e-book reader.
It’s good to have a viable upgrade path for core users, especially those who want to run Apple Intelligence features on a tablet. But it’s no secret that even longtime iPad Mini fans are a little disappointed because the 2024 upgrade had so much unrealized potential.
Luckily, iPad Mini owners don’t need to upgrade just yet. The 6th generation iPad Mini runs iPadOS 18 and will likely be supported for at least another year.
