iPad mini Is 5 to 6 really an upgrade? Feels mostly like a form factor change.

[Digitalguy]

Huh?

• Larger screen (7.9” -> 8.3”)
• New design (from the design that went basically unchanged since 2012 -> updated design with a rounded display and Touch ID in the top button)
• Three generation leap in CPU / GPU (A12 -> A15)
• New colors
• Significantly improved FaceTime camera (7MP -> 12MP) with support for Center Stage
• New connector accessory support and data transfers (Lightning -> USB-C)
• Significantly improved cellular connectivity (4G -> 5G)
• Support for the vastly superior 2nd-generation Apple Pencil, can now just snap onto the side
• Dramatically improved rear camera (8MP f/2.4 -> 12MP f/1.8 with a new flash)
• 4K video recording
• Landscape stereo audio speakers

I mean… how would that not be a massive upgrade? Almost every component of the tablet was significantly overhauled and improved.

Massive on paper, and definitely for some, but do those improvements matter to everyone? No.
Let me answer point by point
1. Minor difference, around 5% more surface, less than what the 0.4" would indicate, because of different aspect ratio
2. Can be a downgrade if you prefer the 4:3 aspect ratio and you don't care about symmetry....The bezels are still relatively thick (air 4 style). It's a better device for videos, but can be worse for portrait use and some landscade document use too.
3. Yeah, with barely any noticeable difference in speed in normal use, contrary to mini 4 to mini 5, which was day and night
4. Matters only if you care about those colours
5. Matters only if you use the camera (I don't use the camera/facetime)
6. Big point for people like me, for others it may be not a big deal or even a downgrade if they are all lightning
7. Not significant, only basic 5G (more like 4G+) not millimeter wave (and even then only for those who care)
8. Big deal if you use the pencil regularly, not if you rarely use it.
9. Matters only if you care (I don't care about cameras on iPad)
10. Same as above (I use my phone for filming in 4k60)
11. Nice improvement, matters if you watch videos, I don't since I use the pro for videos and anything less is not enough (the pro is already inferior to my Tab S7+ in terms of audio)

And then things not so great like no audio jack and the new magnetic cover than I don't like and are heavier (I much prefer the previous smart cover).

Again, it all depends how much the changes are important to someone

 

[Digitalguy]

They changed the internals, they changed the formfactor they changed the port. What else could they change? You could argue that it's not enough. But I think that would be unrealistic.

It's more to ask the question: does your current iPad Mini still fit all you need it to do? Or do you like the new design and features of the new Mini more? Those two questions can only be answered by yourself, so..

For me, I upgraded from the 5th gen to 6th gen. I also sold my old iPad on the second hand market.

I think the main point here is hype. If you look all over the internet the mini 6 is (over-)hyped. Game changer, biggest change ever... Much more than the mini 5 was, which was probably under-hyped despite being a much bigger jump in performance (from sluggish to extremely fast vs from extremely fast to even faster, but barely noticeably so), without even and increase in price (which is not the issue, I am fine with higher price if I get much more).
As far as I am concerned, that change in performance made all the difference, including the possibility to use the pencil, much more than a move from 5 to 6 would make (main advantage would be USB C and to a much lesser extent pencil 2), I don't really care about the screen, which is basically the same size in the end...

 

[ericwn]

Removing the headphone jack seems ridiculous for thing people use for music and video production. Then upping the price and keeping it at 64gb? No thanks

I fully expected this to happen with the redesign just like the other iPad models and iPhones of recent years. The writing for the headphone jack was on the wall.

 

[Digitalguy]

I fully expected this to happen with the redesign just like the other iPad models and iPhones of recent years. The writing for the headphone jack was on the wall.

yeah, removing the headphone jack was a USD 12 billions / year move for Apple... the is no going back from that.... https://www.hardwaretimes.com/apple...-total-revenue-and-2x-more-than-amds-revenue/

 

[UltimateSyn]

Massive on paper, and definitely for some, but do those improvements matter to everyone? No.
Let me answer point by point
1. Minor difference, around 5% more surface, less than what the 0.4" would indicate, because of different aspect ratio
2. Can be a downgrade if you prefer the 4:3 aspect ratio and you don't care about symmetry....The bezels are still relatively thick (air 4 style). It's a better device for videos, but can be worse for portrait use and some landscade document use too.
3. Yeah, with barely any noticeable difference in speed in normal use, contrary to mini 4 to mini 5, which was day and night
4. Matters only if you care about those colours
5. Matters only if you use the camera (I don't use the camera/facetime)
6. Big point for people like me, for others it may be not a big deal or even a downgrade if they are all lightning
7. Not significant, only basic 5G (more like 4G+) not millimeter wave (and even then only for those who care)
8. Big deal if you use the pencil regularly, not if you rarely use it.
9. Matters only if you care (I don't care about cameras on iPad)
10. Same as above (I use my phone for filming in 4k60)
11. Nice improvement, matters if you watch videos, I don't since I use the pro for videos and anything less is not enough (the pro is already inferior to my Tab S7+ in terms of audio)

And then things not so great like no audio jack and the new magnetic cover than I don't like and are heavier (I much prefer the previous smart cover).

Again, it all depends how much the changes are important to someone

Lol, you could say these unnecessarily nitpicky things about any upgrade in history. The point is the device has been overhauled and nearly every aspect of its usability has been enhanced.

 

[Digitalguy]

Lol, you could say these unnecessarily nitpicky things about any upgrade in history. The point is the device has been overhauled and nearly every aspect of its usability has been enhanced.

you can also say that it's over-hyped... ?

 

[jsmith1]

It is a major redesign

 

[Digitalguy]

It is a major redesign

it is, like the pro 11 was from 10.5 and air 4 from air 3

 

[turbineseaplane]

It is a major redesign

yes it is

“upgrade”, however, comes at it from a different point of analysis.

 

[Crow_Servo]

For me, design change alone was pretty much enough. Everything else is a bonus. Center Stage is a great feature. A flash on the rear camera (which can be used as a flashlight) is very nice. Having the latest processor is always welcome. As far as what we expect from the Mini, it ticks all the boxes IMO.

If they had released it last year alongside the Air 4, I would've gotten it instead of the Air 4, but they didn't, so I upgraded last year from my Mini 5 to the Air 4. Now I have the somewhat frivolous desire to also have this Mini 6 on top of the Air 4. I can't seem to get over my interest in this portable device. It's so accessible.

So for me, it's definitely worth upgrading from the Mini 5. Not for performance. The performance of the Mini 5 is just fine. But for the newer design and larger display, plus some of the added bells and whistles as a bonus.

 

[rkuo]

yes it is

“upgrade”, however, comes at it from a different point of analysis.

But you seemingly do pretty much nothing besides the basics on your iPad Mini, so coming at it from that perspective it's hard to justify any upgrade at all, isn't it? It sounds like you just want a 329 dollar budget iPad Mini Basic, but unfortunately the market demand to justify that SKU probably isn't there.

For anyone that pushes their iPad Mini even a little harder than that, virtually every aspect of the Mini was upgraded. I think it's completely ridiculous to characterize it as a form factor change.

 

[Nozuka]

The 6 will feel and look like a new device.

The 5 was a big hardware upgrade, but didn't seem much like a new one, just faster. But looked outdated compared to other iPads

At least for me it's always hard to buy a device that looks like i'm buying the same old device again.

 

[Digitalguy]

I think looks and marketing will play a big role. The 6 design looks more appealing and the marketing choice to make a screen that is longer and narrower than the current one will make people believe they are getting a significantly bigger screen, when, the increase is pretty small (only 5%, while if you maintained the ratio, at 8.3 you would get a 10% surface area increase). And it will attract a lot of Android users too, since small Android tablets are crap and now Apple finally has a new small device with USB C. I think it will be a big hit in sales despite the increased price. The only people for whom this may not be worth it are mini 5 users, as they already have the same storage options and plenty of speed and a similar screen size, unless they really want to get rid of lightning and/or use the pencil a lot (or simply did skimp on something on the mini 5, like storage and cellular, and want to correct this by upgrading). Those people are probably better off upgrading when a mini 7 arrives in a couple of years with other improvements, including probably more RAM, which will make it more future proof.

 

[taneff]

Speaking of the value.
It’s amazing how much they screw you on trade ins if you bought anything but the base model.

We have two iPad mini 5’s. One is base 64gb WiFi only and the other is the opposite - LTE and full 256gb.

Both would net the same $225 trade in value from Apple despite many hundreds of dollars difference at MSRP.

OUCH.

Totally. I never do a trade in as I never have lowest available capacity. I also do own a Mini 5 256GB LTE. Need to sell it on ebay ....

So TO ME it is a big upgrade. But it ALWAYS depends on your personal needs and preferences and use case.

Like you I don't really need USB-C nor an Apple Pencil. I own 3 tech devices. iPhone 12 mini, iPad mini 5 and Macbook 12. Macbook almost always at home, Mini almost always on the go.

I use my iPad mini mostly for some quick browsing at home and mostly on the go. I travel all the time for work, every day, often sleeping in hotels. iPad mini is my main portable device besides the iPhone 12 mini. I use it on the go mostly for browsing, checking something and video playback/streaming. And here comes the main reason for me to love the new Mini 6 with it's new display ratio. Watching and streaming videos. 16:9 will look so much better and bigger on the iPad mini. And as it is a small tablet by itself that difference will be huge. 4:3 classic movies and tv shows of course will be smaller compared to the Mini 5. But I mostly watch 16:9 stuff, sometimes 4:3, sometimes the other way. Plus stereo playback from both sides for better audio quality.
Then there is 5G. Which means Qualcomm modem. Another big upgrade for me as a traveler.

Plus lighter and smaller and just a fresher design over all makes it so worth it to me. But if I wouldn't travel so much with the iPad mini 6 being my main device for media consumption and browsing, I wouldn't care THAT much about the new Mini as I do now.

 

[taneff]

Massive on paper, and definitely for some, but do those improvements matter to everyone? No.
Let me answer point by point
1. Minor difference, around 5% more surface, less than what the 0.4" would indicate, because of different aspect ratio
2. Can be a downgrade if you prefer the 4:3 aspect ratio and you don't care about symmetry....The bezels are still relatively thick (air 4 style). It's a better device for videos, but can be worse for portrait use and some landscade document use too.
3. Yeah, with barely any noticeable difference in speed in normal use, contrary to mini 4 to mini 5, which was day and night
4. Matters only if you care about those colours
5. Matters only if you use the camera (I don't use the camera/facetime)
6. Big point for people like me, for others it may be not a big deal or even a downgrade if they are all lightning
7. Not significant, only basic 5G (more like 4G+) not millimeter wave (and even then only for those who care)
8. Big deal if you use the pencil regularly, not if you rarely use it.
9. Matters only if you care (I don't care about cameras on iPad)
10. Same as above (I use my phone for filming in 4k60)
11. Nice improvement, matters if you watch videos, I don't since I use the pro for videos and anything less is not enough (the pro is already inferior to my Tab S7+ in terms of audio)

And then things not so great like no audio jack and the new magnetic cover than I don't like and are heavier (I much prefer the previous smart cover).

Again, it all depends how much the changes are important to someone

It is always a matter of perspective and usage. Everything is. I f.e. have the money to spend on a new Mini 6. And have enough reason for my kind of usage, see above post.

But this thread seems strange in comparison to all the iPhone threads f.e. There you get the question 12 vs 13 upgrade which indeed is a disappointment. But again, maybe not to some users. But this really is a big upgrade. And you almost always have some reason against something. But that doesn't make it a big upgrade in general.

And regarding point 7 and 5G: Maybe it isn't even 5G by itself but the upgrade from a very old intel modem to a quite new Qualcomm modem. The modem upgrades of the iPhone 12 generation last year were really superior. But the upgrade from an even older intel generation on the Mini 5 to a newer Qualcomm modem is even bigger. And of course again we are talking about kind of usage. Using an iPad mini 5 4G intel modem in a big city is enough for almost everyone. Using it while traveling through a country, including many low signal areas, is a totally different story. And here the Qualcomm modem will be a significant upgrade, not even considering 5G.

 

[jsmith1]

yes it is

“upgrade”, however, comes at it from a different point of analysis.

nah

 

[Rafterman]

Latest processor, 1GB more RAM, 5G, Wifi 6, USB-C, better cameras, a flash, and yes, the form factor, with the touch ID in the power button.

So, yes, a very major upgrade.

 

[IJBrekke]

Look, we knew the Mini was going to either end up as a shrunken Air or not receive an update at all - there really wasn’t another outcome besides these two. The Air 4 has been on the market for a year and it’s strengths and weaknesses are well-documented. The Mini 6 is going to be extremely similar.

As always, we have the power of consumer choice. Try the 6 in-person - is it appealing? If so, buy it. If not, keep the 5 or whatever else you’re using. It’s not all that difficult, we just got used to lack of tactile experiences before purchases because of quarantine last year.

 

[Realityck]

Given that this upgrade has many things people have been wanting in the iPad Mini for years, even if you have a mini 5 like I do, you are very likely to upgrade to the mini 6. For example I’ve always thought the rear camera was a joke, along with speakers only present next to the lightening port when watching content in landscape mode. Now both have been remedied in the mini 6, along with many other upgrades.

 

[turbineseaplane]

nah

Such cutting analysis with incredible supporting arguments

lmfao

 

[ElectronGuru]

The problem too is proportion and scale. Were minis the only iPad this would only be compared relative to the 5. But it’s not and our scales are calibrated to the larger feature set of the iPad Pros. On the pro scale of say 20 units, this feels like ‘only’ a 15.

 

[Mac47]

I own a 2020 iPP 12.9 and an antique iPad Mini 2. I just bought the Mini 6. Why? Because it will be able to share the same pencil and charging cable as my Pro 12.9.

I don’t know what the OP is talking about. There is not a single feature of the Mini 6 that isn’t better than the Mini 5.

- liquid retina screen vs regular retina, whatever that difference means.
- 5G vs 4G cellular.
- Pencil 2 vs 1st gen Apple Pencil.
- USB-C charging port vs Lightning.
- Higher resolution: 2266‑by‑1488 vs 2048‑by‑1536
- Better aspect ratio for watching movies.
- Power-button TouchID vs homebutton TouchID.
- all-screen design vs big-ass bezels.

Yeah, the Mini 5 was a good device for its time, but there is nothing about it that is even equal to the 6.

 

[IJBrekke]

Yeah, the Mini 5 was a good device for its time, but there is nothing about it that is even equal to the 6.

The OP’s point about the aspect ratio change is super valid - making the screen slightly more narrow could be a downgrade depending on how you use the device.

The original Mini form factor has always had a “rightness” to it, so it is yet to be fully seen if the update can sustain and/or improve on this. There’s a lot Apple got right about Minis 1-5 and the 5 is still quite relevant today.

 

[rkuo]

The OP’s point about the aspect ratio change is super valid - making the screen slightly more narrow could be a downgrade depending on how you use the device.

The original Mini form factor has always had a “rightness” to it, so it is yet to be fully seen if the update can sustain and/or improve on this. There’s a lot Apple got right about Minis 1-5 and the 5 is still quite relevant today.

The aspect ratio is highly subjective preference and isn’t really a valid way to assess the worth of the upgrade in the general case. Either you like it or you don’t.

The new physical size of the iPad mini 6 is actually SMALLER (height wise) than previous iPads, which maybe is a minor thing for most but is hugely welcome from my end. I always felt the removal of the bezels should be used to trim the size of the iPad, not just add screen space. And by golly they actually did it.

 

[ofarlig]

Since my Mini 5 is stuttering a lot with just transitions and reloading a lot I would say getting 40% more CPU power, 80% more GPU power and another GB of RAM is a huge update. And that at a decently low price, did I wish for a mini Pro for $200 more? Yes but this update had more than I though.