Apple’s new iPad mini is the reviewer’s favorite tablet in the company’s lineup, thanks to its bright OLED display, compact design and strong performance. The trade-off is its $699 starting price, which puts it close to the iPad Air and makes it difficult to recommend to budget-conscious buyers.
The tablet measures 5.4mm thick and is described as Apple’s lightest tablet yet. Its smaller form makes it comfortable to hold for browsing, streaming and gaming. Apple has also replaced the bottom speaker openings with Acoustic Display technology and added IP67 water and dust resistance. The device uses Touch ID rather than Face ID.
Its OLED Super Retina XDR display delivers sharp detail, vivid colors and deep blacks, with peak brightness of 1,200 nits for HDR content. The reviewer found it a clear step up from the iPad Air’s display, while noting that it lacks the iPad Pro’s tandem OLED technology and ProMotion refresh rate.
The iPad mini runs on Apple’s A20 Pro chip, also used in the iPhone 18 Pro Max and iPhone Duo. In Geekbench 7 testing, it scored 4,001 in single-core performance and 11,422 in multi-core performance. The reviewer said apps remained responsive during multitasking and noted that the chip supports Apple Intelligence features and local AI models. For demanding work such as video editing or photo retouching, however, the larger iPad Air and Pro screens are better suited; the mini also does not support Magic Keyboard.
The base model costs $699. The tested configuration, with 512GB of storage, a Nano-texture display and cellular connectivity, would cost $1,249. The Nano-texture finish adds $200 and reduces reflections, while cellular and higher storage are optional. The reviewer said most people could choose Wi-Fi and 128GB to keep the price at the starting level, but still questioned whether the tablet offers enough value at that cost.
The review’s verdict is that the iPad mini offers an excellent design, display and performance, but its price makes it a premium choice rather than a small, affordable alternative. Buyers who prioritize those features may find it compelling; others can find capable tablets for less than $500.
Sources: Mashable.