David Hanak A few weeks ago, Apple expanded its range of iPads to the current 5 models. Those interested in a tablet from Apple thus have a relatively wide choice in terms of functions and price range. Two of the latest models have landed in our editorial office, and in today's review we will look at the smaller of them.
Many users object that the current range of iPads is chaotic, or unnecessarily comprehensive and potential customers may have a problem choosing a suitable model. After more than a week of testing the two latest innovations, I am personally clear about this. If you don't want (or simply don't need) an iPad Pro, buy one iPad mini. At the moment, in my opinion, it's the iPad that makes the most sense. In the following lines I will try to explain my position.
Gallery
At first glance, the new iPad mini certainly does not deserve the nickname "new". If we compare it with the last generation that arrived four years ago, not much has changed. This can be one of the biggest negatives of the new product – the design could be described as classic today, maybe even a little outdated. However, the most important thing is hidden inside, and it is the hardware that makes the old mini a top device.
Performance and display
The most fundamental innovation is the A12 Bionic processor, which Apple introduced for the first time in last year's iPhones. It has power to spare and if we compare it to the A8 chip that is in the last mini from 2015, the difference is really huge. In single-threaded tasks, the A12 is more than three times more powerful, in multi-threaded ones up to almost four times. In terms of computing power, the comparison is almost meaningless, and you can see it on the new mini. Everything is fast, whether it's normal movement in the system, drawing with the Apple Pencil or playing games. Everything runs absolutely smoothly, without any jams and fps drops.
The display has also received certain changes, although it might not be immediately clear at first glance at the specifications. The first big plus is that the panel is laminated with a touch layer. The previous mini generation also had this, but the cheapest current iPad (9,7″, 2018) does not have a laminated display, which is also one of the biggest ailments of this device. The display of the new mini has the same resolution as the last one (2048 x 1546), the same dimensions (7,9″) and, logically, the same fineness (326 ppi). However, it has a much higher maximum brightness (500 nits), supports a wide color gamut of P3 and True Tone technology. The subtlety of the display can be recognized at first glance, from the initial setting. In the basic view, the user interface is slightly smaller than on the larger Air, but UI scaling can be adjusted in the settings. The display of the new mini can hardly be faulted.
Apple Pencil
Apple Pencil support is connected to the display, which, in my opinion, is both a positive and somewhat negative feature. Positive in that even this small iPad supports the Apple Pencil at all. You can thus make full use of all the possibilities offered by drawing or writing notes with the "pencil" from Apple.
However, certain negatives also appear here. Any work with the Apple Pencil will not be as comfortable on the small screen as on the larger screen of the Air. The new mini's display has a refresh rate of "only" 60Hz, and the typing/drawing feedback is not as good as the more expensive Pro models. Some may find it annoying, but if you're not used to ProMotion technology, you won't really miss it (because you don't know what you're missing).
Another minor negative relates more to the first generation Apple Pencil as such. The design is sometimes infuriating, as the Apple Pencil likes to roll anywhere. The magnetic cap hiding the Lightning connector for charging is very easy to lose, and speaking of connectivity, charging the Apple Pencil by plugging it into the iPad is also a bit unfortunate. However, these are known issues with the first generation Apple Pencil that users have to be aware of.
The rest of the device is more or less what you'd expect from Apple. Touch ID works reliably, as do the cameras, although they are not champions in their category. The 7 MPx Face Time camera is more than enough for what it was intended for. The 8 MPx main camera is nothing short of a miracle, but nobody buys iPads to take pictures of complex compositions. It's enough for vacation snapshots. For scanning documents, the camera is sufficient, as well as for emergency photos and video recording for augmented reality. However, you only have to put up with 1080/30.
The speakers are weaker than in the Pro models, and there are only two. However, the maximum volume is decent and can easily drown out a car driving at highway speeds. The battery life is very good, the mini can handle the whole day without any problem even with frequent gaming, with a lighter load you can get almost two days.
Finally
A huge advantage of the new mini is its size. The small iPad is really compact, and that's one of its biggest strengths. It fits comfortably almost anywhere, be it a backpack, a handbag or even a pocket of pickpockets. Due to its size, it is not as clumsy to use as larger models, and its compactness will make you more willing to carry it with you, which also means more frequent use.
And it is the ease of use in almost all conditions that makes the new iPad mini, in my opinion, the ideal tablet. It's not so small that it doesn't make sense to use it given today's smartphone sizes, but it's also not so big that it's clunky anymore. Personally, I have been using iPads of classic dimensions for almost five years (from the 4th generation, through the Airy and last year's 9,7″ iPad). Their size is great in some cases, not so much in others. After working with the new mini for a week, I am convinced that the smaller size is (in my case) more of a positive than a negative. I appreciated the compact size more often than I missed a few extra inches of screen.
In combination with the above, I believe that if the user does not need extreme performance and some specific (advanced) functions, the iPad mini is the best of the other variants offered. The surcharge of two and a half thousand crowns compared to the cheapest 9,7″ iPad is worth it just from the point of view of the display itself, let alone considering the offered performance and dimensions. The larger Air is basically three thousand dollars, and in addition to Smart Keyboard support, it also offers "only" 2,6" diagonally (with a lower fineness of the display). Is it worth it to you? Not for me, which is why it will be very difficult for me to return the new iPad mini.
I would never buy a device that looks the same as a device released four years ago. I don't care what's inside. I am of the opinion that if something is new, it should also look new on the outside. And not to confuse it with a 4-year-old iPad at first glance. And this applies to all brands.
You know that even the wheel already has the bead and you don't need to change the shape ;-)
In the review, I would expect the performance to be published in antutu and compared with other devices...
I owned a first generation iPad mini, I have fond memories of it. At the time, I couldn't imagine working on an iPad 2. It was too big. But that was 6 years ago and I think the new iPad mini is unfortunately a thing of the past. If they released it in a different design, e.g. in a frameless jacket, it would be different!