iPad Air 5 vs iPad Mini 6, The Budget Tab for You
The iPad Mini 6 had some distinct advantages over the iPad Air 4. But now that we have an updated and more powerful iPad Air 5, can the Mini 6 still compete?
Form Factor
The first thing that most people are going to consider is the size. The iPad Mini 6 features an 8.3-inch display, while the iPad Air 5 has a significantly bigger 10.9-inch display. We’ll get to have this impact on watching content, gaming, and productivity later on in this video. But clearly, the Mini gets the edge when it comes to portability. It’s smaller and lighter, but I do want to point out that I still have to put it in a bag. So it’s not a huge advantage, although it takes up less space and adds less weight.
Display
When it comes to the actual ergonomics of holding and using both devices, the iPad Air 5 offers a larger display, which is better for watching content and multitasking. On the other hand, the Mini is comfortable to hold for more extended periods. And I love gaming on it. And when we get to the gaming session, you’ll see that it’s going to come down to the types of games you play. As far as the actual quality of the displays, both are Liquid Retina. The iPad Air 5 has a 10.9-inch display with 2360 x 1640 and 264 pixels per inch.
The iPad Mini has a smaller 8.3-inch display with a slightly lower resolution of 2266 x 1640 but a much higher pixel density of 326. What’s strange is that both displays have a maximum brightness of 500 nits. But when I use them, the iPad Air 5 seems brighter for some reason. And it also seems more saturated and likes it has better contrast. In both cases, we’re getting 60-hertz displays. So Apple is still keeping the 120 hertz for the two iPad Pro models. And I would’ve liked to see 120 hertz on the iPad Air 5, mainly because other manufacturers offer this feature in similarly priced tablets.
How overall, I like the iPad Air 5 display a little better. And I want you to consider what types of things you plan on doing before making your choice. The slightly higher resolution on the iPad Air 5 didn’t make a significant practical difference in how I could use it, but the actual size of the display did.
When watching the video, I was getting a significantly larger image. When working with various productivity apps or browsing the web, I could see more on the screen at once without scrolling. And then, of course, things also looked bigger. With its smaller form factor, the Mini was great for mobile gaming.
And it was also much more convenient when I wanted to read in bed while laying on my side because it’s much more comfortable to hold. Ultimately, even though I think the Air has a better display, this is a case where I would consider how and where I plan on using this tablet. And then choose based on which size is better for what I need rather than choosing based on the absolute best image quality.
Design and Aesthetics
Both iPads are made of machine aluminium as far as the actual design. They have squared-off edges, tiny bezels, and rounded corners. The most noticeable difference is that the volume up and down controls are on the side of the iPad Air 5, whereas on the iPad Mini 6, they’re at the top. And that’s because Apple had to keep the side of the iPad Mini clear for storing and charging the 2nd Generation Apple Pencil.
Ports and Buttons
Both devices use Apple’s new Touch ID for biometric authentication, which is incorporated into the power button.
Both iPads have a USB-C port at the bottom for charging and connecting to accessories. But the port on the iPad Air 5 supports faster data transfer of up to 10 gigabits per second.
And it supports external displays of up to 6K resolution. This isn’t going to matter to most users. Still, if, for example, you’re someone who transfers files from something like an extremely fast SSD, then you’ll benefit from this upgraded port.
Sound
Both iPads have four speaker grills, but they only have two speakers, one on each side. The speakers have pretty good audio quality, considering the size of the iPad. Still, I will give the edge here to the iPad Air 5. If you want to use wired headphones or a wired headset, you’ll need to get a USB-C to 3.5-millimeter adapter or a hub because neither of these comes with a headphone jack. Now let’s talk about the camera systems where the two iPads are virtually identical with one exception.
Camera
Both iPads have a 12 megapixel ultra-wide on the front, and both offer Center Stage. If you haven’t seen this by now, it’s a feature that uses this ultra-wide camera to track a subject as it moves through the frame and then zooms in and out to ensure that it’s properly framed. At first, I have to admit that I thought it was somewhat of a gimmick, but now that I’ve used it for a few months, it does make video calls look and feel more dynamic. Both iPads have a wide 12-megapixel camera with a five-time digital zoom and Smart HDR 3 for photos on the back. But surprisingly, only the Mini 6 comes with a flash. I don’t use the rear-facing cameras on my tablets very often
for anything other than scanning documents because I have better cameras on my phone, and it’s much more convenient to use.
But if you do plan on using these cameras, the iPad Air 5 should have slightly better image quality because of the new ISP or image signal processor on the M1 chip.
Accessories
Both devices are compatible with the 2nd Generation Apple Pencil, which pairs, charges, and is stored on the side of each iPad. And the feel of the Apple Pencil is the same as both iPads.
And since both have fully laminated displays, there is no air gap. And the tip of the pencil looks like it’s touching the content that’s being created. When it comes to using a keyboard case, there is no question that the iPad Air 5 is the way to go. And it’s compatible with Apple’s smaller Magic Keyboard, and there are many great options for manufacturers like Logitech and ESR.
I have seen a keyboard case for the Mini, but it was very small and uncomfortable to type. So if you plan on getting a keyboard case, definitely go with the iPad Air 5. Now let’s get to processing power, where Apple made a massive splash by giving the iPad Air 5 the same M1 chip that we have on the 11 and 12.9-inch models of the iPad Pro.
Performance
The iPad Mini 6 comes with the A15 Bionic chip, so let’s quickly look at how they stack up and discuss the real-life implications. For single-core performance, I quickly got 1730 for the iPad Mini versus 1740 for the iPad Air 5.
And for multi-core performance, I got 4320 versus 7220. So we’re seeing similar single-core performance but then significantly improved performance for tasks that would benefit from multi-threading.
So how will this impact your day-to-day use?
The truth is that it won’t, at least not anytime soon for most users. The A15 Bionic is already more powerful than what most users need. So unless you’re rendering video or performing other resource-intensive tasks, your everyday use with both devices will be virtually identical; where you are getting with the M1 chip on the iPad Air 5 is additional headroom in terms of performance. So as apps and games become more advanced and iPadOS continues to evolve, you have more room to grow. So if you want to choose the more powerful iPad, that would be the iPad Air 5 with the M1 chip.
Gaming
Now, what about the actual gaming experience? Is there a meaningful difference there? The answer is yes, but it may not be how you think.
In terms of actually playing the game smoothly, I did notice a difference. I played “PUBG,” “Asphalt,” “Genshin Impact,” and several other less-demanding games, and all of them ran great.
The iPad Air 5 does come with 8 gigabytes of RAM versus 4-GB on the iPad Mini 6. So again, we’re getting more resources for games to use, but it hasn’t made a significant difference so far.
Keep in mind that just like with processing power, having more RAM is never going to be a bad thing as time goes on. When playing “PUBG, “both iPads can go up to balanced for graphics if I want an extreme frame rate. And then, I can move to ultra HD graphics and ultra frame rate. The difference that I mentioned in gameplay had to do with the ergonomics.
So the iPad Mini 6 is smaller, and it’s lighter, so it’s incredibly comfortable to hold for more extended periods. And my hands weren’t getting tired after a few hours of “PUBG.” It’s also really convenient to bring with me if I want a game on the go.
The iPad Air 5 has a larger display, so naturally, everything looks more prominent,
and the gaming experience is more immersive. It’s also easier for me to see small details like someone peeking from behind a rock or a tree or any other subtle movements. For a different gaming experience, I connected my Xbox controller to both iPads. I streamed some games with the Xbox Game Pass app. The gameplay itself was smooth and responsive on both devices. Still, I will give the edge to the iPad Air 5 because the larger display is just more fun for this use case.
Battery
Whether or not you plan on gaming, battery life will always be an essential factor. Both devices are rated for up to 10 hours of surfing the web on Wi-Fi or watching a video and then nine hours when using cellular data. My personal experience with both has been pretty similar. And like with any other device, it depends on what I’m doing. So unless I sit down to play hours of games or if I edit and render a long video, I can get through a full day of typical use with both. And a typical day for me includes watching YouTube videos, reading and answering your comments, spending some time on social media, browsing the web, and doing some administrative work for the channel, like replying to emails or working with sponsors.
On the other hand, if I sit down and play “PUBG” for a couple of hours, that’s going to take a big chunk out of the battery life of both. Now, at least in my case, I always have 15 or 20 minutes during the day where I can charge my iPads, so it hasn’t been an issue. And when I’m on the go, I always have a power bank because I wouldn’t say I like worrying about battery life.
Multitasking
Another vital area to consider when choosing between these two is multitasking. Now both come with iPadOS 15, so they’re identical in terms of the actual multitasking features. But I prefer the iPad Air 5 because it has a higher resolution display. The display itself is also more prominent. Another area where I feel like the iPad Air 5 has the advantage is with Sidecar. If you’re not familiar with Sidecar, it’s an Apple feature that allows you to use your iPad as an additional display for your Mac, your iMac, or your MacBook. And I end up using it at home and for multi-display setups when I’m on the go. It’s probably no surprise that I will give the edge here to the iPad Air 5 again because the larger size makes it a more useful external display.
Pricing
And before I get to my recommendation, let’s talk about the price because that’s always a consideration. Now I’m going to use the official prices from the Apple Store, but you can usually find better prices by using the links in the description. And also, let me know in the comment section if the prices are different where you live. Now both iPads are offered in 64 and 256-gigabyte options. The iPad Mini 6 sells for $499 and $649, and the iPad Air 5 sell for $599 and $749. Both are also offered in cellular models with 5G. Now, if you watched my iPad Air 5 review, you know that I think it should have been offered with 128 gigabytes and 512 gigs. But it is what it is, and you get the same amount with both iPads. All right, so then how do you choose? The iPad Mini 6 is smaller. It’s lighter and it’s more portable. The A15 Bionic chip has plenty of processing power for most users.
It has the same camera system but with the addition of a flash, has the same multitasking capabilities, and it’s compatible with the 2nd Generation Apple Pencil. The iPad Air 5 has a larger display, and it’s a better option for multitasking. It’s compatible with some excellent keyboard cases and the 2nd Generation Apple Pencil. And it has a more powerful chip with twice the RAM.
Now the rest depends on your personal choice and comfort. Feel free to like and comment on your thoughts about my articles. There’s always this saying,
“Buy Nice or Buy Twice.”
