4 Disappointing Things You Need to Know About iPad Mini 6

The iPad Mini 6, was released in September 2021, and I bought it. I’m here to share my experience with the device, my thoughts, and more.

I love Apple devices. The Operating System is just perfect for any user. All of them are so easy to use and navigate, truly remarkable. When it comes to iPad Mini 6, I just couldn’t find the place for it, and I feel like Apple could have done a better job. Don’t get me wrong, it’s a cool device, but for $499, I expect more.

Let me dig in on the flaws.

Too Small For Note Taking & Drawing

The iPad Mini 6 offers support for the Apple Pencil 2, which has sparked excitement for note-taking and artistic endeavors. I, too, fell into this category. However, reality quickly set in – the device’s 8.3-inch screen just doesn’t measure up. As it turns out, size does matter. When attempting to take notes on the iPad Mini 6, nearly half of your hand occupies the screen. While it boasts palm rejection technology, there’s simply insufficient space for free expression.

I also own an iPad Pro, and comparing these devices for note-taking purposes feels like night and day. If you intend to use your iPad for taking comprehensive notes during classes or work, as opposed to quick sketches in meetings, I wouldn’t recommend the iPad Mini 6. The screen real estate is sorely lacking, and you may come to regret your decision – I certainly did.

No Official Keyboard Support

If you’re a professional or a student, there will inevitably come a time when you need to write an essay, create a business plan, or even compose a lengthy email. Trust me, doing these tasks on an iPad’s touchscreen is far from convenient – you’ll need an external keyboard.

For those with an iPad Pro or iPad Air, the Magic Keyboard is a fantastic option. The iPad 10th generation offers the Magic Keyboard Folio. Unfortunately, the iPad Mini 6 doesn’t have an official keyboard accessory. While you can find unofficial keyboards on Amazon, my experience with them has been less than stellar. They tend to make the tablet bulkier, lack adjustable angles, and overall provide a subpar typing experience.

Jelly Scroll

You might have heard about this issue on iPad Mini 6 – Jelly scroll. You can see this issue on most iPads, but you can really see and feel it on iPad Mini.

It’s a visual effect that occurs when scrolling on your device. It’s characterized by a noticeable distortion or stretching of the content on the screen as you scroll. This effect can make the content appear wobbly or jelly-like, hence the name.

It happens when the device isn’t perfectly synchronized with the scrolling motion. It’s considered a minor error, but once you see it you can’t unsee it, and it bugs you. At least, it bugs me. But to be perfectly fair – most of the tablets have this issue. But every other Apple iPad I have owned – I have never noticed it.

Here’s a video that shows you how Jelly scroll looks in real life:

There’s a simple fix to this – don’t use iPad Mini 6 in portrait mode. If you use it in landscape mode, it works perfectly. Apparently, that’s because of how Apple repositioned the LCD controller.

Build Quality

I know it’s not a premium tablet from Apple, but it still costs $499 and I expect a great quality. What bothered me the most was the imprints on the screen. Sure, all of the touch screens have imprints when you push your finger hard enough, but it’s very noticeable on iPad Mini even when you barely touch the screen. That just feels cheap.

iPad Mini has relatively thick bezels surrounding the screen. While it provides a better grip it makes the tablet appear less modern compared to models with thinner bezels.

Okay, I’m done railing and being critical, let’s look at some other aspects of iPad Mini 6.

iPad Mini 6 Overview

When I tested this product, I noticed that Apple changed the design compared to their usual small tablets. If you’re familiar with different iPads, you’ll see that the iPad Mini 6 looks a lot like the iPad Air 5 and iPad Pro models. It’s so similar to the iPad Air that you could almost call it the “iPad Air Mini.”

Despite a few significant variations, it supports the same almost bezel-free appearance, Touch ID-enabled Power button, and other features that are a staple of the iPad Air.

With an 8.3” LCD display and less than 0.66lbs(300g) of weight, the iPad Mini 6 takes the meaning of portability to a new level. You can hold this iPad in a single hand, and its slim appearance allows you to use it anywhere.

Stereo speakers are located at both top and bottom. This allows you to experience great quality audio, no matter if you’re attending a Zoom call or watching a movie on Netflix/Disney+. It must also be said that with its screen size and Apple Pencil compatibility.

This iPad seems to be a great choice for students and for people who want an iPad for their business but don’t want to get an iPad Pro mini version. It’s sort of like a compact notebook.

Another thing that I felt was most peculiar in an iPad Mini was the location of the TouchID. The TouchID interface of this iPad has its sensor located on the power button in the upper corner. The volume buttons are also located on the top of the iPad, which is quite peculiar itself, not to mention a bit trippy for new users.

I found out that the reason for this change in location for the volume buttons is because the side of this iPad is dedicated to securing the Apple Pencil Gen 2 that is used with this iPad. When you attach the Pencil to the iPad’s side, there isn’t any space left for the volume keys, which is why they have been bumped to their current location.

iPad Mini 6 Ratings

How Good Is iPad Mini For Note-Taking?

What’s Inside the Box

The iPad Mini 6 comes in a box pack which has

• iPad Mini 6 itself
• Power brick/charger
• A USB-C charging cable
• SIM ejector pin for cellular models
• Apple Stickers
• Manuals and Papers

iPad Mini 6 vs. iPad Mini 5

What’s New Compared to iPad Mini 5?

Now that we’ve discussed all the features provided in the new iPad Mini 6, there arises a question: what exactly is different in the iPad Mini 6 as compared to its predecessor?

Display:

The iPad Mini 6 has an 8.3” LCD Liquid Retina display with a resolution of 2266 x 1488. In comparison, the iPad Mini 5 had a 7.9” Retina Display, with a resolution of 2048 x 1536. The pixel density of both iPads turns out to be the same at 326ppi.

Design:

The iPad Mini 6 has the dimensions of 7.7 x 5.3 x 0.3 inches, weighing 293g. The iPad Mini 5, in comparison, has a larger footprint with dimensions being 8.00 x 5.31 x 0.24 inches, weighing a little more than the Mini 6. Besides that, the iPad Mini 5 has its TouchID at the bottom of the screen(with the button), while the Mini 6 has it on the upper corner.  

Cameras:

The next point of difference in both iPads is the cameras in these iPads. The iPad Mini 6 has a 12 MP rear and a 12MP front camera. The iPad Mini 5, on the other hand, is equipped with an 8MP rear camera and a 7MP front camera, making the Mini 6 better in this aspect too.

Processor and Hardware:

Speaking of the processor, the iPad Mini 6 has an A15 Bionic Chipset with either 64 or 256 GB of storage. The Mini 5, on the other hand, has an earlier A12 Chip with storage options being 64GB and 256GB. The Mini 6 also has a cellular version that supports 5G internet, while the Mini 5 is limited to 4G. Another point of difference is that the Mini 6 has a USB-C charging port while the Mini 5 still uses a Lightning cable to charge.

Pros & Cons of iPad Mini 6

For some people, my pros will be cons, and my cons will be pros, so the list is subjectively from my perspective.

60Hz screen(iPad Pro has 120Hz) if you’re a professional artist, you will feel the difference if you want to create art on it, but for note-taking, 60Hz is enough. If they had put in the 120Hz screen, it would be really awesome for gaming. For note-taking, I would still say the screen is just not big enough, but for gaming, it’s the perfect size.

The base model only has 64GB of memory. It might be problematic if you want to download movies or YouTube videos while traveling, assuming you will fill the memory with other apps, pictures, media, etc.

Find Out How Long It Takes To Charge iPad Mini

Who is the iPad Mini 6 For?

The iPad Mini 6 caters to those who seek the convenience of a compact and ultra-portable tablet, ideal for activities such as web browsing, reading, video streaming, and even basic productivity tasks.

For gaming enthusiasts, the iPad Mini 6 offers an enjoyable experience, although it lacks the smoothness of a 120Hz screen found in some competitors. Nevertheless, its compact size makes it comfortable for extended handheld gaming sessions, unlike the bulkier iPad Pro, which can be cumbersome during bedtime gaming sessions.

iPad Mini 6 Alternatives

It’s good to check some alternatives before making a decision. just to have a different perspective.

iPad Air 5 (2022)

The iPad Air 5 (2022) is a great alternative to the iPad Mini 6. Considering the fact that the Mini 6 is almost a scaled-down version of the Air 5, you will get pretty much the same tablet–just a bit bigger than the Mini.

It runs on the Apple Silicon M1 chip instead of the A15 present in the Mini 6, which gives it a huge boost in power. So if you want a tablet that’s comparable in size but with better specs, the Air 5 is exactly what we would recommend.

The Air 5 also has a USB-C port for fast data transfer. The battery timing in the iPad Air 5 is also better than in the Mini 6, but conversely, it also weighs much more than the Mini 6. It does have a larger screen at 10.9”, which can be a great thing depending on your usage.

Even the price of the iPad Air 5 is only about $100-$150 more than the iPad Mini 6, so this tablet can be something you can consider if you do not wish to buy a Mini 6.

Samsung Galaxy Tab A8

The Samsung Galaxy Tab A8  is a good option for you if you want to use an Android tablet that can keep up with the functionality offered by the iPad Mini 6. Since many people try to avoid switching operating systems, it is an understandable situation, especially since the A8 is quite bigger than the Mini 6.

This tablet comes with a 10.5” screen, which is considerably more than the Mini 6. This tablet currently runs on Android 11 and also supports further updates in the OS. With a bigger battery and an Octa-core processor compared to the hexa-core one of the Mini 6, the A8 can be a great option for you to choose.

You should keep in mind that the display quality and the cameras on the A8 are not as good as the ones in the iPad Mini 6. It also costs quite less than a Mini 6, being priced at around $250 as compared to the $499 price tag for the Mini 6.

Microsoft Surface Go 2

Microsoft Surface Go 2 is one of the best alternatives to the latest Apple iPad Mini 6. It comes with lots of great features such as a 11” display 4 GB of RAM, an external memory slot, a detachable keyboard etc.

The Surface Go 2 has been made with high-quality damage-resistant glass which gives it quite a bit of resilience.

Perhaps the biggest advantage of using the Surface Go as an alternative to the iPad Mini 6 is that it runs on Windows, so Windows and PC users don’t need to acclimate to a different OS when using this tablet. This tablet is priced at around $399, making it a great alternative to the Mini 6.

Exploring Additional Features of the iPad Mini 6

	Yes	No
Does the iPad mini 6 have face ID?		√
Does the iPad mini 6 have wireless charging?		√
Does the iPad mini 6 have a headphone jack?		√
Does the iPad mini 6 have a SIM card slot?	√
Does the iPad mini 6 have GPS?	√
Does the iPad mini 6 have 120hz?		√
Does the iPad mini 6 have NFC?		√
Does the iPad mini 6 have an M1 chip?		√
Does the iPad mini 6 have 5g?	√

Is iPad Mini 6 Bad?

The iPad Mini 6 boasts impressive specifications and a modern, sleek design. However, in my personal experience, its compact size poses a challenge in finding a niche within my device ecosystem. With my iPhone and MacBook already at my disposal, I questioned the specific role the iPad Mini would play.

In contrast, the iPad Pro offers a versatile canvas for tasks like drawing and note-taking, enhancing productivity. On the iPad Mini, I found these activities more cumbersome due to its smaller screen size, limiting my overall efficiency compared to the iPad Pro or iPad Air.

I acknowledge that for those seeking entertainment, such as gaming or watching videos while on the go, the iPad Mini 6 provides a compelling option. However, as someone who doesn’t travel frequently and doesn’t engage in extensive gaming, I may not align with the target audience for the iPad Mini 6.

Related Articles:

Best 8-inch Tablets
Best Cases for iPad Mini 6
Which iPad Mini Is Still Supported? (List)
Why is The iPad Mini More Expensive Than The Regular iPad?