iPad mini Returning my iPad Mini 6

[Shanghaichica]

Because of the new screen ratio & the mini is in portrait mode.

In landscape mode everything would look a tad bigger but also have less information on the screen for the same reasons.

So how is that an upgrade?

 

[Attirex]

Mini 6 is a fail, iPhone 13 is a fail, Apple Watch 7 is MIA.

So much fail.

 

[Macalway]

So...You return the Mini 6, then what? You buy a Mini 5 with the much slower CPU, dated design, and same 'type of' screen for a few bucks less?

I understand if you don't need the form factor, but my question is for those who want a Mini size in general. I have a very nice Galaxy Tab S7, but it's huge compared to the Mini. (android also, but that's another story).

 

[MhaelK]

So how is that an upgrade?

The design has been updated with a new design and screen ratio, making the display-area about 5% larger.

Depending on how you use the device you might consider it an up- or downgrade. Watching movies on the new mini is more likely to provide a better experience while some apps/use-cases will provide lesser content than on the old mini.

 

[sparksd]

The design has been updated with a new design and screen ratio making the display-area about 5% larger. Depending on how you use the device you might consider it an up- or downgrade. Watching movies on the new mini is more likely to provide a better experience while some app/use-cases will provide lesser content than the old mini.

Right. "Upgrade" is generally objective but it can also be subjective.

 

[Qu1ckset]

So...You return the Mini 6, then what? You buy a Mini 5 with the much slower CPU, dated design, and same 'type of' screen for a few bucks less?

I understand if you don't need the form factor, but my question is for those who want a Mini size in general. I have a very nice Galaxy Tab S7, but it's huge compared to the Mini. (android also, but that's another story).

Save my money and wait till something better comes out

 

[Libertine82]

I have the iPhone x oled and iPad Pro 12.9 2020 and honestly the new mini is the perfect companion device, display is bright and sharp only thing I’ve found hard is adjusting to no Face ID. marvel unlimited is perfect for this form of iPad

 

[Digitalguy]

I’m just not having the same experience that some of you are having. With the hardware that is. ipados 15 is a buggy mess. With that said there is nothing that Mini 5 is better at.

The larger screen is welcomed. Also the bezels are just right for me on the 6. A complete edge to edge would likely make the device awkward to use. it’s blazing fast. It’s basically a smaller more powerful air. My battery was a bit bad on the first couple of charging cycles, as I chalk that up to downloading and installing. Since I got that squared away it’s on pace for over 9 hours of mixed usage currently.

Edit - And when I stated that complete edge to edge would be awkward think of how you hold the mini. You don’t palm it the whole time as you would a phone. I hold mine with the my left hand with my thumb resting on the bezel for stability. Look how you hold it. If it were any less bezel my thumb would be unintentionally tapping the screen. Heard a lot of folks saying the bezel is too thick.

The iPad can make a difference between you holding the device, including with your fingers on the screen, and you intentionally touching it. This is a great advantage of the iPad. Samsung tablets don't have this and accidental touches are very frequent (and annoying). I have never had any issues with the smaller side bezels of the mini 5 when holding in portrait mode... So bezels of that size would have been nicer in the mini 5.

 

[AllergyDoc]

The biggest issue with this new Mini is the “jelly scroll” problem which has ruined the experience of using it for me. I’m having to return it which sucks because I love the form factor.

See the thread on Macrumors about it. Also now being covered by 9to5Mac.

iPad mini 6 exhibits 'jelly scrolling' display refresh issue - 9to5Mac

The iPad mini 6 launched this week to much fanfare, thanks to its radically modern redesign and latest-generation A15 processor....

9to5mac.com

Now that I’m aware of this, I can’t NOT see it! I’ve been on the fence about returning my Mini 6 and getting an Air 4. This may be the deciding factor.

 

[thadoggfather]

Always trade in your device after you give the new one a good run down

you have 14 or 30 days or something to do it

you’ll be remised if you forego a perfectly working one for a subpar one, prematurely

this makes me wanna hold onto my mini5 longer. I don’t mind the classic design either it’s classic

I wanna see more mini 5 and 6 display comparisons. The one posted here is unacceptable. Honestly at any price point but especially 499. IMO.

even continuing to use LED screens they could’ve been much better quality it seems

 

[Infinitewisdom]

I’ve got the new iPad mini in my hands and I’m trying my darndest to find fault with the display. I know it’s no OLED and if I keep that in mind, I’m really not sure what people are complaining about. Colors are vibrant, the screen is bright. Seems perfectly fine to me for what it is.

 

[thadoggfather]

I’ve got the new iPad mini in my hands and I’m trying my darndest to find fault with the display. I know it’s no OLED and if I keep that in mind, I’m really not sure what people are complaining about. Colors are vibrant, the screen is bright. Seems perfectly fine to me for what it is.

there could be bad screen lottery in play too

the mini5 was panned as a junky display and I’ve always been fine with mine

but I’ve seen some pics I wouldn’t be fine with,
Too

 

[KPOM]

Sadly I too am going to return my mini 6. I have purchase most of the ipads since 2012 and this is the first one that doesn't live up to expectations. It's lots of little things that ruin the experience for me. The screen seems worse and less sharp than my mini 5 especially for pdfs. The battery life is shorter by about 1.5 hours compared to the mini 5. Safari is so ugly, the big font in the tabs drives me crazy. I have about a dozen usb c cables and none of them work to charge the mini, they work fine with my ipad pro and my lg laptop so the mini must do something to require you to buy a genuine apple cable. Sadly wifi drops off about once or twice a day (just enough to be irritating). Touch id doesn't work with my light fingerprints so I have to type in the code every time, I have tried reprogramming it several times. I read a lot on my mini and the kindle app looks washed out and is laggy. Most of the cases for the mini 6 have lots of heavy magnets so it winds up heavier with a case (except for the apple case) than the mini 5. I miss the button to exit and kill apps and the white boarder. Lastly in portrait mode it doesn't show the % charge left at a glance, you have to rotate it into landscape in order to find it out if you need to charge it. Maybe the mini 7 will be better and have face id.

I’ve not had any of those issues. It charges from plenty of non-Apple cables I have. And it shows the percentage charge in portrait mode. See attached. Perhaps you got a defective unit if it isn’t charging right.

 

[Shanghaichica]

The design has been updated with a new design and screen ratio, making the display-area about 5% larger.

Depending on how you use the device you might consider it an up- or downgrade. Watching movies on the new mini is more likely to provide a better experience while some apps/use-cases will provide lesser content than on the old mini.

No I understand the upgrades to the design, processor etc but if the screen is bigger it should display the same amount of information at least or maybe more. However if it shows less information and everything is shrunk down I don’t if that’s an upgrade. Maybe the settings app hasn’t been updated to take into account the aspect ratio because there is a lot of wasted space and things look more cramped compared to the older iPad mini in this picture.

 

[*~Kim~*]

I had cancelled my AC+ when I decided to get the 6 but have since taken the option to continue for this reason. Had I let it not renew on the 1st I wouldn’t then have been able to go back. An extra month is worth it to ensure I get a 6 I’m happy with.

I’d rather have my OS 13.7 back but should my battery fail a diagnostic I can get it replaced under the AC+ by having continued it.

 

[KPOM]

No I understand the upgrades to the design, processor etc but if the screen is bigger it should display the same amount of information at least or maybe more. However if it shows less information and everything is shrunk down I don’t if that’s an upgrade. Maybe the settings app hasn’t been updated to take into account the aspect ratio because there is a lot of wasted space and things look more cramped compared to the older iPad mini in this picture.

My guess is that apps will be updated to take advantage of the additional screen space. This is a new aspect ratio for the iPad. I do wonder whether Apple should have kept the width at 1536 pixels vs 1488.

 

[Shanghaichica]

I’m still on the fence. I saw the iPad mini at the store earlier today. I had no issues with the bezels when seeing it in person. It looks nice. My issue is how will I like the new aspect ratio of the 6 compared to the 5 as there are some unflattering pictures in another thread where the layout on the 6 appears to be cramped and things look a lot smaller compared to the mini 5. Unfortunately I did not have my mini 5 with me as it was a spur of the moment decision to go and check it out in person. I’d only gone out to grab a few groceries. Next week I will go back with my iPad mini 5 and see what I think.

 

[Shanghaichica]

My guess is that apps will be updated to take advantage of the additional screen space. This is a new aspect ratio for the iPad. I do wonder whether Apple should have kept the width at 1536 pixels vs 1488.

It’s shocking that they didn’t even update their own settings app. Yes I understand that third party apps Will take time. I remember it was the same when the iPhone X came out. However I thought Apple’s first party apps were updated out of the box.

 

[bluespark]

Screen looks fine on mine. What are yall comparing it to? This isnt an LG OLED so if youre expecting perfect blacks on a $500 device youll be dissappointed

To me, this would be a really good device for an OLED screen, or at least a very high quality screen like the one on the iPad Pro. I haven’t yet seen one and was planning to buy, but this thread is making me hold off until I have a chance to see them in person.

 

[profets]

It’s shocking that they didn’t even update their own settings app. Yes I understand that third party apps Will take time. I remember it was the same when the iPhone X came out. However I thought Apple’s first party apps were updated out of the box.

The settings app looks fine to me in person. What feels odd and throws me off is the Messages app, where the right column / text thread is narrower than the left column / list of threads.

In the end the width has dropped by 24 points (768 to 744) and the height has increased by 109 points (1024 to 1133). Some might prefer the additional height for scrolling and video use when in landscape, others the previous width.

 

[rui no onna]

My guess is that apps will be updated to take advantage of the additional screen space. This is a new aspect ratio for the iPad. I do wonder whether Apple should have kept the width at 1536 pixels vs 1488.

Would've preferred that myself. I've got small hands/short fingers so I hold the mini with two hands anyway so an extra 0.15" wouldn't have bothered me.

I expect the extra width could've been problematic for customers who one-hand their mini such as this.

 

[profets]

To me, this would be a really good device for an OLED screen, or at least a very high quality screen like the one on the iPad Pro. I haven’t yet seen one and was planning to buy, but this thread is making me hold off until I have a chance to see them in person.

I'm happy with the display. Its not perfect, but its nice. If I use my iPad Pro or iPhone 13 Pro for a bit with promotion and then pick up the iPad mini, then the scrolling and animations start to look real janky in comparison.

 

[bluespark]

I'm happy with the display. Its not perfect, but its nice. If I use my iPad Pro or iPhone 13 Pro for a bit with promotion and then pick up the iPad mini, then the scrolling and animations start to look real janky in comparison.

Thanks. I’ll look at it in the store. I’m one of those people who has never noticed a huge difference with ProMotion, so that part may not bother me so much. I do want something that looks vibrant with photos, though.

 

[profets]

Ok, fired up an old mini running iPadOS 14. I think its a combination of the older aspect ratio plus the change in 15 v 14 that is throwing me off. More so the Home Screen change with 15.

A few comparisons (not the best since each has a different number of icons on the home screen and dock):

Landscape with larger icons

Landscape with smaller icons

Portrait with larger icons

Portrait with smaller icons

The other thing is iPadOS 15 switches to 4 icons across in portrait when you start adding widgets.

Just my opinion, but holding them both in the hand, the iPadOS 14 feel of icons more uniformly filling the Home Screen feels more natural or iPad like. Good thing is its software and I'm sure over time they'll update and tweak it.

 

[thadoggfather]

Damn I absolutely hate that. Garbage looking Home Screen IMO

this change for the sake of change thing has to stop