After spending a paltry few minutes with the new iPad mini and its first OLED display last week, I could tell I would enjoy this version of Apple’s new tiny tablet. What I didn’t expect to find was that the new iPad mini is now somehow nearly as capable as the larger iPads. If you’re used to working on a small display, or you’re lucky enough to have tiny hands, you don’t actually miss much by opting for the smallest tablet in Apple’s tablet bandolier.

Achieving that status is especially important this time around, because the eighth-generation iPad mini costs $699 (for the model with only 128GB of storage), which is $100 more than the A17 Pro iPad mini and only $50 less than a base M4 iPad Air. It literally needs to meet a certain bar, and thankfully—for the most part—it meets and even beats my expectations.

With a prettier screen and surprising performance, the iPad mini may be the best tablet for most users, so long as you don't need high refresh rates.

Combining that surprise performance with a pretty OLED display seems like it should create the best version of an iPad. It’s never that simple. 5-inch display gets bright, but it lacks the 120Hz variable “ProMotion” refresh rate you expect from a tablet that costs close to $700 with only 128GB of storage. It’s also constrained by its thin frame. It’s more than capable of completing most creative tasks, though that doesn’t mean it’s best for every single activity you can dream up—unless you’re keen on developing a strained back, bleary eyes, and cramped hands.

Source link