iPad mini (2019) Review: The Verdict
If you'd prefer an iPad that complements your computer instead of trying to replace it, the iPad mini is the tablet for you. While it may look a little dated compared to Apple's Pro line-up, the iPad mini is small and lightweight enough to make an excellent companion device.
What we love
- Excellent performance
- Small and light
- Great display
What could be improved
- Dated design
- Only supports first generation Apple Pencil
The essentials
- Performance: Excellent. One zippy little tablet.
- Battery: Fairly standard for an iPad. About 10 hours of usage per charge.
- Screen: Lovely. Doubly so thanks to Apple's colour adaptive True Tone tech.
80/100
Apple's vision for the iPad keeps expanding. What was once a companion device is now being pitched as a full-on laptop replacement. The fifth generation iPad mini eschews this, harkening back to simpler times, when an iPad was just an iPad. And this is for the best.
The iPad mini has a clear purpose: it's a companion device. It's small and light enough that you won't mind lugging it around alongside your phone and laptop. It's also unique enough to warrant doing so. The iPad mini isn't trying to replace anything, it's a different device entirely.
The tasks the iPad mini excels at - web browsing, notetaking, videos, games, ebooks, email - aren't exclusive to it, but it often does a better job than alternatives. It's more comfortable to read an ebook on an iPad mini than on a phone, even if your phone has a massive display. It's easier watching Netflix on an iPad mini than on a laptop, especially on the go. It's nice to play games on the iPad mini without worrying about whittling down your phone's battery.
The iPad mini also manages to fill an industry-wide niche as one of the few small tablets left, and quite possibly the only small tablet with high-end hardware. Despite its diminutive stature, the fifth generation iPad mini is powered by the same A12 processor you'll find in a top-of-the-line iPhone. It's a fast little device. Further improvements include a True Tone display and Apple Pencil support, but the iPad mini is otherwise cut from the same mould as its predecessors - home button, headphone jack, and all.
True Tone displays have been a standard fixture in top-end iPads and iPhones for a few years now, and it’s a great addition to the iPad mini. The feature automatically adjusts the colour temperature of the iPhone's display to match the ambient lighting of your environment. This makes colours appear natural, and can make the screen easier on your eyes. It's especially welcome if you're wanting to use the iPad mini as an e-reader.
Apple Pencil support is also useful, and makes the iPad mini a nice little note-taking device. However, the mini is only compatible with Apple's original Pencil, rather than the slicker second generation model built for the new iPad Pro. Instead of charging wirelessly, you'll be plugging the Pencil into the bottom of your iPad for a top-up. There is a little dongle in the box that lets you connect the Apple Pencil directly to a Lightning cable, if you'd prefer a less embarrassing recharge. Of course, the Apple Pencil isn't included in the box: you'll pay an extra $145 if you want one.
It's easy to be nostalgic about the iPad mini's design - I sure am, the original mini was my first iPad - but at the same time, the tried and true aesthetic is kinda dated. Comically chunky bezels make it clear that it's a relic from another time. Surely it wouldn't be too hard to make the iPad mini look just a little more modern? The same design may help with accessory compatibility, but I'd have preferred a larger screen in the same form-factor or a reduced footprint. As it stands, it's easy to think of the fifth generation iPad mini as a bit of a lazy refresh.
That's not to say the new iPad mini is bad by any standard, it's just a shame Apple didn't do more.
Who is the iPad mini (2019) for?
The new iPad mini is the pragmatic device in Apple's current iPad line-up. It's not going to replace a traditional computer, but for most, no iPad truly will. As such, it makes sense to buy the iPad that's designed as a companion device, the iPad that will complement your smartphone and your laptop rather than take their place.
It helps that the mini is one of the more affordable iPads. The iPad mini starts at $599, which is less than half of what you'll pay for an entry-level 11-inch iPad Pro. If you're just using your iPad for typical iPad things, the premium for the Pro is pretty hard to justify.
And hey, it's kinda nice that Apple is still making a small tablet that doesn't compromise on power. If you're after one of those, the iPad mini is pretty much your only choice.
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