Wi‑Fi 6E (802.11a/b/g/n/ac/ax); 2.4GHz and 5GHz; simultaneous dual band; speeds up to 2.4 Gbps Wi‑Fi 6E (802.11a/b/g/n/ac/ax); 2.4GHz and 5GHz; simultaneous dual band; speeds up to 2.4 Gbps Wi‑Fi 6 (802.11a/b/g/n/ac/ax); 2.4GHz and 5GHz; simultaneous dual band; speeds up to 1.2 Gbps Wi‑Fi 6 (802.11a/b/g/n/ac/ax); 2.4GHz and 5GHz; simultaneous dual band; speeds up to 1.2 Gbps
Wi‑Fi 6 (802.11a/b/g/n/ac/ax); 2.4GHz and 5GHz; simultaneous dual band; speeds up to 1.2 Gbps Wi‑Fi 6 (802.11a/b/g/n/ac/ax); 2.4GHz and 5GHz; simultaneous dual band; speeds up to 1.2 Gbps
Wi‑Fi 6 (802.11a/b/g/n/ac/ax); 2.4GHz and 5GHz; simultaneous dual band; speeds up to 1.2 Gbps Wi‑Fi (802.11a/b/g/n/ac); 2.4GHz and 5GHz; simultaneous dual band; speeds up to 866 Mbps
Wi‑Fi (802.11a/b/g/n/ac); 2.4GHz and 5GHz; simultaneous dual band; speeds up to 866 Mbps Wi‑Fi (802.11a/b/g/n/ac); 2.4GHz and 5GHz; simultaneous dual band; speeds up to 866 Mbps Wi‑Fi (802.11a/b/g/n/ac); 2.4GHz and 5GHz; simultaneous dual band; speeds up to 866 Mbps
iPad Mini vs iPad Air: What’s the difference?
But with the more recent models sporting a significant redesign and new features, the price has risen quite sharply. The iPad Air, conversely, is the better tablet for split-screen multitasking and gaming, with a much larger display than its Mini brethren. That won’t be that noticeable in day-to-day use, but it could make all the difference when running processor-hungry apps like LumaFusion Pro or Procreate. While the two tablets may sport the same overall design, accessory support is one key area they differ.
The iPad Air, like the new iPad 10, offers support for the second-gen Apple Pencil, allowing it to snap to the side of the device when not in use, as well as its own Magic Keyboard, Apple’s premium keyboard and trackpad system. On the other hand, the latest iPad Mini only boasts support for the second-gen Apple Pencil with no dedicated Magic Keyboard for the small-screen tablet.
That’s likely down to the dimensions of the tablet and the fact that the keyboard would need to be pretty cramped – and that wouldn’t be great for the typing experience. That means that you can split-screen multitask, use the same apps, or even use the tablet as a second display when connected to a Mac, though whether that experience will be better on a small or large screen will depend on what you’re doing.
However, the latest iPad Air 5 has a trick up its sleeve in the form of supporting external monitors, allowing you to run different apps on different displays – the only non-pro iPad to offer the functionality.
iPad mini vs iPad Air: which should you buy?
That means both devices have now ditched the Home button and replaced it with an all-screen design that uses gesture controls. If you’re looking to do a lot of drawing or designing on your tablet, the iPad mini’s smaller frame will be much more restrictive. They both also use Apple’s True Tone tech, which adjusts the white balance according to your ambient lighting conditions.
Because the Air has a larger display to power, its bigger battery doesn’t offer any extra usage time.
The iPad Air – showing off its Smart Connector (Image credit: Future) On the other hand, the iPad Air comes with Apple’s Smart Connector, which lets you wirelessly connect to keyboard cases and other peripherals.
That’s one point for the mini if you need faster cellular speeds, but one for the Air if you want to use it like a small laptop. The iPad mini pulls ahead here, as it offers a 12MP ƒ/2.4 camera on the front compared to the Air’s 7MP ƒ/2.2 lens. The mini can shoot in a wider variety of frame rates, has extended dynamic range and a newer version of Smart HDR, and packs in Apple’s new Centre Stage tech. On the back, the rear cameras are both 12MP ƒ/1.8 lenses with much closer features, but the iPad mini still has the advantage. It offers more frame rate options for 4K and 1080p video and also includes extended dynamic range. The iPad Air doesn’t have quite a good a chip as the mini (Image credit: Future)
When you run demanding apps like Adobe Photoshop on your iPad, you want a device that can take your beefy workloads in its stride. That difference translates to an extra graphics core in the A15 (five versus the four in the A14), but both chips have a six-core CPU and 16-core Neural Engine. Based on previous launch dates, there’s a decent chance Apple could update the iPad Air in spring 2022. That should bring it some feature parity with the iPad mini while retaining its designer-friendly proportions.
iPad Mini (5th generation)
[citation needed] Its predecessor, the iPad Mini 4, was discontinued on the same day. It shares a similar design to the iPad Mini 4 and features the Apple A12 Bionic chip, 64 or 256GB storage, a more modernly upgraded 7.9-inch Retina Display with support for Apple Pencil (1st Generation), True Tone display and Bluetooth 5.0. iFixit’s teardown shows this iPad Mini is equipped with an upgraded 3GB of LPDDR4X RAM, the same as the iPhone XR. It has a True Tone display, which allows the LCD to adapt to ambient lighting to change its color and intensity in different environments. The Apple A12 Bionic chip powering the fifth-generation iPad Mini has a 66% higher clock speed than its predecessor, which had a 1.5 GHz dual-core processor; (the Apple A8 in the previous generation was clocked higher than in the iPhone 6). The Verge rated the Mini 5 as a 8.5 out of 10, praising that it has the same specs as the larger iPad Air and had solid performance while noting that it had a “seven-year-old exterior design with huge bezels” and uses a Lightning port instead of USB-C.[10]
iPad – Compare Models
Up to 10 hours of surfing the web on Wi‑Fi, watching video, or listening to music Up to 10 hours of surfing the web on Wi‑Fi, watching video, or listening to music Up to 10 hours of surfing the web on Wi‑Fi, watching video, or listening to music Up to 10 hours of surfing the web on Wi‑Fi, watching video, or listening to music
Up to 10 hours of surfing the web on Wi‑Fi, watching video, or listening to music
iPad Mini vs iPad Air: What’s the difference?
But with the more recent models sporting a significant redesign and new features, the price has risen quite sharply. The iPad Air, conversely, is the better tablet for split-screen multitasking and gaming, with a much larger display than its Mini brethren. That won’t be that noticeable in day-to-day use, but it could make all the difference when running processor-hungry apps like LumaFusion Pro or Procreate. While the two tablets may sport the same overall design, accessory support is one key area they differ.
The iPad Air, like the new iPad 10, offers support for the second-gen Apple Pencil, allowing it to snap to the side of the device when not in use, as well as its own Magic Keyboard, Apple’s premium keyboard and trackpad system. On the other hand, the latest iPad Mini only boasts support for the second-gen Apple Pencil with no dedicated Magic Keyboard for the small-screen tablet.
That’s likely down to the dimensions of the tablet and the fact that the keyboard would need to be pretty cramped – and that wouldn’t be great for the typing experience. That means that you can split-screen multitask, use the same apps, or even use the tablet as a second display when connected to a Mac, though whether that experience will be better on a small or large screen will depend on what you’re doing.
However, the latest iPad Air 5 has a trick up its sleeve in the form of supporting external monitors, allowing you to run different apps on different displays – the only non-pro iPad to offer the functionality.
iPad Mini vs. iPad Air Buyer’s Guide
Apple introduced the fifth-generation iPad Air last year, featuring the M1 chip, 5G connectivity, and an upgraded front-facing camera system. The iPad mini and iPad Air share a large number of key features, such as design, a rear 12MP Wide camera, and a USB-C port: Even so, there are meaningful differences between the iPad mini and iPad Air that are worth highlighting, including their A-series chips, front-facing cameras, keyboard compatibility, and more.
The compact form factor and low weight of the iPad mini make it much more portable than the iPad Air, being far easier to fit in a small bag or even a large pocket and use on the go.
Users may feel more comfortable walking around with the iPad mini and using it discreetly in public spaces than the iPad Air, and it is also a great size for kids. This means that the iPad mini’s display is 2.6-inches smaller diagonally, which translates to an almost 45 percent reduction in total screen area.
The iPad Air’s larger, 10.9-inch display is much more suited to productivity, multitasking, and watching videos, with considerably more screen space to fit app windows, UI elements, and more. The iPad Air will clearly be more capable than the iPad mini, especially in multi-core tasks and activities that are reliant on more memory, but both chips are very proficient so it is unlikely to have a strong bearing on which device most people should buy. Both devices feature an identical front-facing camera setup, with a 12MP ƒ/2.4 front-facing Ultra Wide camera with 2x zoom out, Center Stage, Retina Flash, Smart HDR 3, cinematic video stabilization, and 1080p video recording.
The iPad mini’s form factor may make it a great match for note-making with the Apple Pencil, while the larger display of the iPad Air may be better for illustration and graphic design. The iPad mini is still workable with Bluetooth peripherals for occasional emails or word processing, but its size is simply not practical for use as a complete laptop replacement. If the iPad Air is out of your price range but you would still like an iPad with a bigger screen, there is the ninth-generation iPad, which starts at $329 and serves as an entry-level model in the iPad lineup.
This undercuts the price of the $499 iPad mini and $599 iPad Air, but still offers important features like an Ultra Wide front-facing camera with Center Stage, first-generation Apple Pencil compatibility, a Smart Connector for use with an Apple Smart Keyboard, the A13 chip, and more. Overall, the iPad Air is the best all-around option for the majority of users, providing a large screen for productivity and consuming entertainment in a slim, portable design.
The additional $100 needed to buy the iPad Air over the iPad mini is more than justified for the benefits that come with a larger display, not least the ability to practically use it as a laptop replacement. The iPad mini is ideal for comfortably reading books, playing handheld games, and unobtrusive storage. Those who buy the iPad mini will likely have a specific use case in mind for how they will use the device, such as for note-taking on the go, throwing into a small backpack to use on public transport, or sliding into a large pocket to use while working. If you want more of an all-around device that works as a potential laptop replacement, with the added bonuses that come with a bigger screen for productivity and entertainment, the iPad Air will be the better option for you.
Apple iPad Air (2022) vs. Apple iPad Mini (2021)
These include the powerful M1 chip, a gorgeous Liquid Retina display, and the new Center Stage feature, which keeps you in the middle of the frame when using the front-facing selfie camera. iPad Mini (2021) iPad Air (2022) Size 195.4 x 134.8 x 6.3mm (7.69 x 5.31 x 0.25 inches) 247.6 x 178.5 x 6.1 mm (9.75 x 7.03 x 0.24 inches) Weight Wi-FI: 293 grams (10.47 ounces) LTE: 297 grams (10.47 ounces) Wi-Fi: 461 grams (16.26 ounces) LTE: 462 grams (16.29 ounces) Screen size 8.3 inches 10.9 inches Screen resolution 2266 x 1488 pixels (327 pixels per inch) 2360 x 1640 pixels (264 pixels per inch) Operating system iPadOS 15 iPadOS 15 Storage space 64GB, 256GB 64GB, 256GB MicroSD card slot No No Tap-to-pay services No No Processor Apple A15 Bionic Apple M1 RAM 4GB 8GB Camera Rear 12MP, front 12MP ultrawide Rear 12MP, front 12MP ultrawide Video 4K at 60 fps, 1080p at 240 fps 4K at 60 fps, 1080p at 240 fps Bluetooth version Bluetooth 5.0 Bluetooth 5.0 Ports Lightning Lightning Fingerprint sensor Yes, side-mounted Yes, side-mounted Water resistance No No Battery 5,178 mAh TBC App marketplace Apple App Store Apple App Store Network support All major carriers (cellular version only) All major carriers (cellular version only) Colors Space Gray, pink, purple, Starlight Space Gray, Starlight, Pink, Purple, Blue Price $499 $599 Review score 4 stars out of 5 4.5 stars out of 5 Like the iPad Mini, it uses an LCD-based Liquid Retina display, with a similar level of brightness (typically 500 nits). It also has a similar resolution, but the iPad Mini’s smaller display means it packs more pixels per inch and therefore looks sharper.
Neither tablet has an official IP rating, which is something of a disappointment, although we’ve never heard of anyone wanting to take their iPad for a swim. All in all, this puts both devices on a more or less equal footing, yet the bigger screen size of the iPad Air does make it a little more attractive.
This is the same processor you’ll find in the iPhone 13 series, and when combined with the Mini’s 4GB of RAM, it will do a great job of handling everyday tasks and the latest apps. When you combine that with a generous 8GB of RAM, you’ll find that the iPad Air excels as a work device, something which can’t quite be said for the Mini.
64GB is pretty parsimonious in this day and age, so you could argue that both tablets are more expensive than they seem, assuming you intend to do lots of different things with them.
That said, our review of the iPad Mini showed that its battery life was surprisingly decent, giving about a day and a half if you’re a lighter user. This makes the iPad Air a little bit more usable in terms of just picking it up to quickly take photos, without worrying about having to perfectly frame everything. Both 12MP ultrawide lenses are also compatible with Apple’s new Center Stage feature, keeping you in the middle of the shot when streaming with the front lens, even if you get up and move around.
This is the latest version of the iPad operating system, providing such useful new features as refined multitasking, floating windows, and a neat Quick Notes function. The bigger screen is more impressive, it benefits from a dizzyingly fast processor, has a slightly better camera, and is compatible with the Magic Keyboard.
Nevertheless, if you don’t plan to use your tablet for professional purposes and prefer something more compact, the iPad Mini is certainly a great choice.
Forget the iPad mini 7, I traded my iPad Air 5 in for the 6th gen model anyway
Apple made that painfully obvious by even including the Finder icon in the teaser for the event. However, there was a late rumor that the company — in addition to unveiling new chips and new Macs — might also mention an update to the iPad mini. Specifically, I’ve been hoping that Apple would finally upgrade the mini from an LCD display to an OLED one.
The iPad Air started to sit, encased in the Magic Keyboard, slowly draining battery life.
That made it pretty easy to know that the iPad’s role in my life had changed. I love reading and even subscribe to Apple News+ through my Apple One subscription, but I found myself barely using any device to read news, books, or magazines — even my iPad Air felt weird since it felt huge.
I can’t deny that the iPad Air with the Magic Keyboard was a fantastic laptop replacement for flying, so this will be the one area in which I will lose some previous functionality. However, if I’m being honest, it wouldn’t be the end of the world if I used that time to relax and read rather than find another way to keep working. While time will tell, I think the iPhone, MacBook Air, and iPad mini are the perfect setup for me.
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