Recently Apple launched two brand new tablets for those who want to save money instead of going for those powerful iPad Pros with Apple Silicon M1. We are talking about the 9th generation of the Apple iPad 10.2 which is actually the most affordable last-generation tablet by Apple, and the new iPad Mini 6 providing high-end specifications in a very compact body. The iPad Mini 6 is smaller but more expensive, however, it can still be considered a “budget tablet” by Apple. Are you wondering which one is the best for you? This comparison between the specifications of Apple iPad 9th gen and Apple iPad Mini 6th gen should clear your ideas in regards.

Apple iPad 9th gen vs Apple iPad Mini 6th gen

Design

The Apple iPad Mini 6th gen has probably the best design ever seen on a tablet. It is very compact, it has a very high screen to body ratio, it is very thin and very lightweight. The bezels around the display are narrow and the borders are flat, just like the most recent iPhones. On the other hand, the Apple iPad 9th gen has a very old design: the bezels around the display are so thick that there is space for the old Touch ID. Nothing changed if we compare it to the previous 8th gen Apple iPad in terms of aesthetics, but the new model retains a great build quality just like the iPad Mini 6th gen. Both the tablets are entirely made of aluminum.

Display

The only important differences between the displays of Apple iPad 9th gen and Apple iPad Mini 6th gen are the size and the pixel density. The Apple iPad 9th gen has a wider display with a diagonal of 10.2 inches, while the iPad Mini 6th gen has a diagonal of just 8.3 inches and it is the smallest tablet by Apple. The pixel density is higher on the iPad Mini 6th gen because it has a smaller display, but the resolutions are similar. Both are Retina IPS LCD panels with a 500 nit typical brightness and scratch-resistant glass. Do not expect big differences when it comes to image quality. These tablets do have fingerprint readers, but in different positions: the iPad 9th gen has the Touch ID below the display just like the older iPads, while the iPad Mini 6th gen has a side-mounted fingerprint scanner on the power key. You can connect a stylus and a keyboard to these tablets, but while the iPad Mini 6th gen allows using 2nd gen Apple Pencil, you can use only the first generation with the iPad 9th gen.

Specs & Software

If you are looking for the strongest hardware department, then go for the iPad Mini 6th gen without thinking twice. It is fueled by the Apple A15 Bionic mobile platform built at 5 nm: the same chipset as the iPhone 13 series, paired with 4 GB of RAM and either 64 GB or 256 GB of native storage depending on the chosen variant. With the Apple iPad 9th gen, you get an Apple A13 Bionic chipset which is the same as the iPhone 11 series, as well as 3 GB of RAM and 64 or 256 GB of native storage. The performance boost you can get with the iPad Mini 6th gen is very important. The handsets run iPadOS 15 out of the box with all the latest new features.

Camera

The iPad Mini 6th gen is a better camera phone for a simple reason: it provides an upgraded rear camera. On the rear, it has a 12 MP sensor with a bright f/1.8 focal aperture, while the iPad 9th gen has an old 8 MP sensor with an f/2.4 focal aperture. The front cameras are the same: 12 MP f/2.4 sensors with 1080p video recording at 60 fps. The iPad mini 6th gen is the only one that can record 4K videos at 60 fps.

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Battery

Given that the iPad 9th gen is bigger, it has room for a bigger battery and that is the reason why its battery life is longer. Alongside the price and the display size, this is the only big advantage of the iPad 9th gen over the iPad Mini 6.

Price

The 9th gen iPad has a starting price of $329, while the iPad mini 6th gen starts from $499. Does it make sense to spend more? If you want to get better performance, a superior camera, and more compact dimensions, yes it does.

Apple iPad 9th gen vs Apple iPad Mini 6th gen: PRO and CONS

Apple iPad 9th gen

PRO

• More affordable
• Touch ID
• Wider display
• Bigger battery

CONS

• Inferior hardware

Apple iPad Mini 6th gen

PRO

• More compact
• Best chipset
• eSIM
• Fingerprint reader

CONS

• Small display

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