The star attraction of the new iPad Mini is its 8.5-inch display. That’s a slightly larger screen than the previous generation, yet the overall dimensions are barely bigger. But the change from IPS to OLED is what matters. It’s a Tandem OLED Super Retina XDR display, based on the same technology as the iPad Pro—though it doesn’t have the 120-Hz refresh rate. Nor is it quite as bright: It can reach 600 nits in SDR and 1,200 nits in HDR, which is 400 nits less than the iPad Pro. It’s more or less similar to the M6 MacBook Pro, though. Not the OLED MacBook Pro, but the Mini-LED model.
The iPad Mini OLED’s brightness is sufficient for most uses, even in bright lighting conditions. But you can take it to the next level by opting for a nano-texture display, which is totally worth the extra $100 it costs. (It’s the model I tested.) It’s not an antireflective coating or a matte layer; it’s actually etched into the glass. The result is a surface that almost entirely diffuses outside light without reducing the screen’s perceived brightness. Reading outside with the iPad Mini is particularly enjoyable, as the nano-texture display not only resists reflections but even gives it a paperlike crispness. This option is also available on the MacBook Pro and iPad Pro, and there’s really nothing else like it.
The iPad Mini one-ups its siblings in sharpness. Its smaller size gives it 19 percent higher pixel density than every other iPad. And yes, it really does look incredibly clear and sharp.
There’s more to it than the display. Part of the magic is how lightweight it is—barely over half a pound, and it doesn’t feel much heavier than my phone in my hand. One-handed use feels completely natural. That’s always been true of the iPad Mini, but this latest version emphasizes that even more.
Lastly, the color options have been pared down from four to just two. The lighter goldish Starlight is still available, but now there’s the introduction of the blackish, navy-blue Midnight. This is a finish carried over from the MacBook Air. The more playful Blue and Purple color options are both gone, as is Space Gray. More options are always better, but for a device that costs $700, I can see why these more professional colors make sense.
Meant for the Road
Apple has also completely redesigned the iPad Mini’s four-speaker sound system, and a couple of interesting changes are happening. As part of its process of making the device IP67 water-resistant, Apple removed the speaker grille from the sides to create a completely sealed enclosure. Instead, the tweeters sit behind two small slits on the edges of the display glass. And then bass drivers are built directly into the display. Apple calls it an Acoustic Display.
The stereo image sounds fullest when you hold the device in portrait, as long as you keep your fingers away from the display. The vibration caused by the location of the speakers isn’t terribly noticeable unless you have the volume on full blast. Overall, the audio sounds decent for a device this size, but it won’t compare well to larger devices like an iPad Air or MacBook Air. But for watching videos or the occasional movie, it suffices.