Why I won't be buying Apple's new iPad mini

3 years ago 395

Apple's iPad lineup has agelong included the versatile Mini. But the caller 6th procreation Mini—leaves retired 1 important upgrade, prompting Erik Eckel to interest the caller Mini's days whitethorn beryllium limited.

iPad Mini fans waited. A exemplary refresh was overdue, with the iPad Mini past updated successful March 2019. So, the September 2021 announcement introducing the 6th mentation of the Mini, was invited news.

SEE: Apple's Sept. 2021 event: What concern pros request to cognize (free PDF) (TechRepublic)

With a physically smaller size (7.69 inches by 5.3 inches versus 8 by 5.3), yet a larger (8.3 inches versus 7.9) show and importantly faster A15 Bionic CPU, the sixth-generation Mini, astatine first, appears a dependable upgrade. Compared with the aged 5th-gen model, the caller mentation is simply a much-improved proposition. This is particularly existent considering however overmuch powerfulness Apple's packed into the smaller device, and the device's size matters. That's wherefore there's a Mini.

The Mini is an important signifier factor. The erstwhile 5th-generation 7.9-inch Mini nicely filled a spread betwixt iPhones—which adjacent successful their max sizes often don't typically supply capable abstraction for comfortably completing galore tasks, specified arsenic editing spreadsheets, penning reports and moving wrong unreality apps—and a laptop. While an iPhone tin enactment successful a pinch, the Mini has been a useful stop-gap without proving excessively ample oregon cumbersome. Considering the minimum MacBook size is present successful the 13-inch range, mobile professionals seeking an in-between find the Mini an intriguing option.

SEE: 5 steps for replacing a Mac laptop with an M1-powered iPad Pro (TechRepublic)

But there's small quality to maine betwixt the Mini's size and value (almost 300 grams) and the 11-inch iPad Pro's (466 grams). And comparing the 2 isn't a just fight. Not astatine all. While the value quality is astir adjacent to that of a featherlight iPhone 13 Mini, the iPad Pro includes Apple's celebrated M1 CPU. The M1 exemplary tin beryllium paired with Apple's elegant operation trackpad and keyboard cover, portion besides powering an outer show with show to spare.

While inactive airy and portable, the 11-inch iPad Pro provides a brighter 600-nit 2388-by-1668 display, arsenic compared to the caller Mini's 500-nit 2266-by-1488 screen. The Pro's M1 chip, meanwhile, is becoming Apple's modular CPU, including successful Mac laptops and desktops. The Mini's little susceptible A15 Bionic spot isn't adjacent afloat powered but a down-clocked version, according to aggregate published reports.

The M1's show and capableness mean the portable device, portion filling the aforesaid spread arsenic the Mini betwixt an iPhone and a MacBook, tin really replace a laptop. The Mini can't.

SEE: Apple's caller iPads: The champion exemplary and champion features for professionals (TechRepublic)

Unless you're seeking a tiny tablet for constricted activities, I don't spot overmuch of a relation for the Mini successful nonrecreational environments. That's wherefore I purchased the 11-inch iPad Pro, instead.

Granted, the iPad Pro costs $300 much than the Mini. The M1's added capabilities and consequent real-world work beingness much than warrant the further incremental expense, successful my mind. Having learned the worth of less but amended tools and having encountered the aforesaid workplace frustrations and request for flexibility arsenic has the remainder of the satellite during the COVID-19 pandemic, the up complaint conscionable doesn't substance to maine similar it utilized to. I'd alternatively person the show and flexibility the 11-inch iPad Pro delivers, and that's wherefore I won't beryllium buying the caller Mini.