iPad mini Returning my iPad Mini 6

[Shanghaichica]

I’ve mentioned it before, but I have a 12.9 as my primary device and was excited to add the mini as a companion device for light reading, books, more casual use.

Every time I pick up the mini there’s something delightful about its size. But I’m starting to wonder about returning it and getting an 11” Pro instead. The 256GB mini was 849 CAD + tax. A refurb 128GB 2020 11” Pro is 769 CAD + tax.

Of course really not fair to compare them directly since they’re completely different size classes. But for the casual/tablet use I’ve been giving the mini I feel like something a bit larger would be more comfortable.

In terms of specs, definite downgrade going to A12Z from the A15. But the combo of Face ID + 120 Hz with the display would feel like a huge improvement. But then having two iPad Pros feels like a waste somehow.

I thought the A15 was supposed to be faster than the A12X/Z. I have an 11 pro anyway but I thought the A15 was supposed to be only second to the M1 chip.

 

[sparksd]

I thought the A15 was supposed to be faster than the A12X/Z. I have an 11 pro anyway but I thought the A15 was supposed to be only second to the M1 chip.

Comparison with the M1 -

 

[Shanghaichica]

Comparison with the M1 -

View attachment 1858176

Yes as expected the M1 comes on top.

 

[uandme72]

Yes as expected the M1 comes on top.

Your comment implies M1 chip is an underperformer or there were doubts over it being coming out on top, rather than A15 of Mini 6 being a super performer.

 

[sparksd]

Yes as expected the M1 comes on top.

No surprise - just providing a measured comparative.

 

[webbuzz]

Your comment implies M1 chip is an underperformer or there were doubts over it being coming out on top, rather than A15 of Mini 6 being a super performer.

Not how I read her comment at all.

 

[Shanghaichica]

Your comment implies M1 chip is an underperformer or there were doubts over it being coming out on top, rather than A15 of Mini 6 being a super performer.

No my original post was in response to the A15 chip being worse than the A12Z. And my assumption was that it was like this

1. M1
2. A15
3. A12x/Z

 

[profets]

I thought the A15 was supposed to be faster than the A12X/Z. I have an 11 pro anyway but I thought the A15 was supposed to be only second to the M1 chip.

That's what I meant, definite advantage to the mini having the A15 (vs A12X/Z in the 2018/2020 Pros).

 

[Shanghaichica]

That's what I meant, definite advantage to the mini having the A15 (vs A12X/Z in the 2018/2020 Pros).

Oh I see sorry. I understand now.

 

[profets]

I had both the 11” and 12.9” Pros for a time but ended up selling the 11”. It was useful at times as a companion device, but the new Mini is much better suited to that task. I just wish it didn’t have the issues it does.

It’s a purely personal decision, but at one point I had both 12.9” and 11” iPads and felt they weren’t different enough imdize or weight. YMMV.

These are my thoughts as well. The mini is definitely a good companion device, truly different size class. At times I'm tempted to switch to the 11 (from the 12.9) for a more casual / classic iPad experience, but I use the 12.9 for so much that I find it hard to give up that display size.

 

[newellj]

These are my thoughts as well. The mini is definitely a good companion device, truly different size class. At times I'm tempted to switch to the 11 (from the 12.9) for a more casual / classic iPad experience, but I use the 12.9 for so much that I find it hard to give up that display size.

The 12.9 literally opened up new (and actually productive) uses for me. I’d never give that up. Otoh, it’s a big device, even though quite lightweight.

Some people find the PM iPhone overlaps the Mini. That’s not my view at all. The UIs are very different for me, so a PM iPhone, Mini and 12.9” are perfect complements.

 

[sparksd]

The 12.9 literally opened up new (and actually productive) uses for me. I’d never give that up. Otoh, it’s a big device, even though quite lightweight.

Some people find the PM iPhone overlaps the Mini. That’s not my view at all. The UIs are very different for me, so a PM iPhone, Mini and 12.9” are perfect complements.

Same here - 2021 12.9, Mini 6, & 12 Pro Max.

 

[profets]

The 12.9 literally opened up new (and actually productive) uses for me. I’d never give that up. Otoh, it’s a big device, even though quite lightweight.

Some people find the PM iPhone overlaps the Mini. That’s not my view at all. The UIs are very different for me, so a PM iPhone, Mini and 12.9” are perfect complements.

I agree. I use it most of the time on the Smart Keyboard, but its such a beautiful device to lift up and hold on its own.

 

[orange23]

Thanks. Although I've never had difficulty like this before, it seems a difficult argument. Pursuing the return as based upon a defect, they will argue they can't 'see' the defect in the scrolling and in any case Apple have said there's no defect.

The 5ghz WiFi issue is difficult to demonstrate, and they may not agree the loose power button is sufficient.

Under any other legal provision they point to their terms and conditions where they refuse to accept an item that has been opened. Seems to me their terms of sale cannot override the law, but they don't listen. It'll be 14 days on Saturday, so the clock is ticking.

Welcome to the joined class action lawsuit against Apple....

 

[arubinst]

So I received my Mini and really can't find anything wrong with it... besides the steep price that I paid.

It is true that the screen does not "pop" like the one on my iPad Pro, but it is an amazing device. It is so light! As I said in another post, I have a very particular use case (which by the way explains why this model is so expensive). And I think it is going to be a fantastic device for that application.

 

[MrGimper]

The 12.9 literally opened up new (and actually productive) uses for me. I’d never give that up. Otoh, it’s a big device, even though quite lightweight.

Some people find the PM iPhone overlaps the Mini. That’s not my view at all. The UIs are very different for me, so a PM iPhone, Mini and 12.9” are perfect complements.

The mini 6 UI on iOS 15 is a cluster-F currently. I have a 12.9 and a 13 max. I bought a mini 6 as I thought it would fit in the gap but it doesn’t for me. I find I grab the phone more than the 6 for any quick browsing or messaging and the 12.9 for everything else. The mini just feels like a downgraded experience compared to the other devices, especially screen-wise.

 

[ofarlig]

Yeah I had to return the Mini 6 now, was getting used to the jelly scrolling but somehow I got eye fatigue by reading books on it. Called the wife over to compare it to the Mini 5 and we both saw that text was clearly less sharp on the Mini 6 compared to the Mini 5. It was almost like a monitor not running on a perfect multiple of it’s native resolution, it was very close but not quite. Don’t know if it was just a specific problem with my unit or not but since reading was the main use of it I had to return it.

So now my options are keeping the Mini 5 or switching both that and my 12 Pro Max for a Galaxy Fold 3…

 

[twynne]

The mini 6 UI on iOS 15 is a cluster-F currently. I have a 12.9 and a 13 max. I bought a mini 6 as I thought it would fit in the gap but it doesn’t for me. I find I grab the phone more than the 6 for any quick browsing or messaging and the 12.9 for everything else. The mini just feels like a downgraded experience compared to the other devices, especially screen-wise.

On top of all the issues (confirmed or not), I was finding the same. A lot of applications optimised for iPadOS are *not* optimal on the Mini 6. I was finding I often had to tap controls 4-5 times before the tap would register, often the wrong element on screen gets selected instead. I loved the size/weight/portability of it, but in the longer term I think the use cases (for me) would have proven too few.

Ended up swapping for an iPad Pro 11, and in a day's use it has addressed all the concerns I had with the Mini with the bonus of the M1 processor. Cost about £200 more for the same configuration, but I think money well spent.

 

[profets]

The mini 6 UI on iOS 15 is a cluster-F currently. I have a 12.9 and a 13 max. I bought a mini 6 as I thought it would fit in the gap but it doesn’t for me. I find I grab the phone more than the 6 for any quick browsing or messaging and the 12.9 for everything else. The mini just feels like a downgraded experience compared to the other devices, especially screen-wise.

i didn’t mind the iPad mini always having the same display resolution and even point resolution of the 9.7, but these days it’s starting to feel odd. iOS 15 has just made it worse.

 

[MrGimper]

On top of all the issues (confirmed or not), I was finding the same. A lot of applications optimised for iPadOS are *not* optimal on the Mini 6. I was finding I often had to tap controls 4-5 times before the tap would register, often the wrong element on screen gets selected instead. I loved the size/weight/portability of it, but in the longer term I think the use cases (for me) would have proven too few.

Ended up swapping for an iPad Pro 11, and in a day's use it has addressed all the concerns I had with the Mini with the bonus of the M1 processor. Cost about £200 more for the same configuration, but I think money well spent.

I have a 10.5 pro that I used for years before I got my 12.9. I promised it to my son but wish I hadn’t now. Perhaps I’ll grab an older 11” instead of the mini 6

 

[IJBrekke]

Reading through several of these initial user reactions, it’s clear that the Mini 6’s biggest issue/rival is the existence of the Mini 5. A bunch of those satisfied with the 6 didn’t already own the 5. Not all, but several.

An upgrade of this magnitude should not come with any downgrades from the previous model, and especially with a steep price hike attached. It’s unfortunate, and especially because the downgrades seem like simple engineering decisions that could have been easily avoided.

 

[turbineseaplane]

Reading through several of these initial user reactions, it’s clear that the Mini 6’s biggest issue/rival is the existence of the Mini 5. A bunch of those satisfied with the 6 didn’t already own the 5. Not all, but several.

An upgrade of this magnitude should not come with any downgrades from the previous model, and especially with a steep price hike attached. It’s unfortunate, and especially because the downgrades seem like simple engineering decisions that could have been easily avoided.

You absolutely nailed it here ^^^

 

[klasma]

Yeah I had to return the Mini 6 now, was getting used to the jelly scrolling but somehow I got eye fatigue by reading books on it. Called the wife over to compare it to the Mini 5 and we both saw that text was clearly less sharp on the Mini 6 compared to the Mini 5. It was almost like a monitor not running on a perfect multiple of it’s native resolution, it was very close but not quite. Don’t know if it was just a specific problem with my unit or not but since reading was the main use of it I had to return it.

So now my options are keeping the Mini 5 or switching both that and my 12 Pro Max for a Galaxy Fold 3…

Apps not optimized for the new mini 6 screen resolution are downscaled by ~3 % to fit the narrower width (reduced by 48 pixels compared to the previous models), which may explain that it appears less sharp.

 

[ofarlig]

Apps not optimized for the new mini 6 screen resolution are downscaled by ~3 % to fit the narrower width (reduced by 48 pixels compared to the previous models), which may explain that it appears less sharp.

Well it was obvious in iBooks and Safari, would hope Apple fixed their own apps at least.

 

[Sanlitun]

Apps not optimized for the new mini 6 screen resolution are downscaled by ~3 % to fit the narrower width (reduced by 48 pixels compared to the previous models), which may explain that it appears less sharp.

This. It will take some time for apps to represent the new screen size. YouTube just got edge to edge in landscape mode. Netflix still hasn't been fixed yet.