iPad mini (A17 Pro): Apple Intelligence, 8.3-inch Liquid Retina Display, 128GB, Wi-Fi 6E, 12MP Front/12MP Back Camera, Touch ID, All-Day Battery Life — Space Gray

Got this for my wife, who's an avid eBook reader and casual mobile gamer. We're not getting any younger, so even if our eyeballs were still as sharp as ever (and they're not), regardless of zoom settings, there's something to be said for not having to scroll or turn the (digital) page as quite as often, when you're really into a good story. At the same time, she didn't want some cumbersome lunch tray of-a-device to worry about breaking. The Mini is the happy medium she needed: Good and manageable screen size, good battery life, performant, dead-simple to use esp. for veteran iPhone owners. Her games look great on it, too.

I love iPads. I’ve had one ever since they came out because of the ease of use, good connection, and speed. The battery life makes it a good value. So this smaller version was purchased as a Christmas present for my 10-year-old daughter. She uses my old iPhone 7 to play games and text. So with all my experiences with Ipads, I'm confident the mini will be the same great quality with the same durability, clear screen and ease of viewing pages as the bigger Ipad. I like the way it looks, because it’s smaller, lighter, can easily fit in ny purse. I might have to get one for myself as well. I'm not ready to allow her to have a phone connected for calls. She can engage in learning apps for school and feel like it's her own device that we still keep at home without the worry of her losing it. I hate seeing kids constantly glued to their devices. So I know time management, self control, discipline, and many conversations about how to use it for education are going to be a part of the our learning process. Plus it’s going to be a good punishment reminder if rules aren’t followed. I will be buying a good screen protector and case to insure a lasting durable product.

This IPAD Mini has become my primary go-to mobile device for media and reading kindle books. The screen is over twice the size of my Iphone 15 pro, yet it is still fairly easy to hold in my hand. When I decided to buy the IPAD Mini, I was originally thinking of a newer larger iphone, but I still have payments on my iphone 15 and high-end new iphones are easily twice as expensive as the mini. The speakers are decent, certainly better than an iphone. I bought and use the cellular option, to me it's worth the price. I regularly use it at the gym, or take it along if I have waiting time at an appointment. It easily sits on the kitchen window sill when I am washing dishes, and I frequently use it while in bed, it's not much more trouble to hold than an iphone. No, it does not have the latest and greatest technology, but it is more than adequate. For those looking for something larger than an iphone but still relatively portable, I highly recommend it.

Bought this to replace my iPad mini 4 that became permanently obsolete, unable to upgrade past iOS 15. Priced well, through Amazon warehouse deal, with small damage spot on outer box. A no brainer to save $60. This is the most powerful small sized tablet I’ve used and loving it. Easy and convenient, with awesome battery life and easy charging. Secure and easy to use with fingerprint recognition tech. Prefer this over any phone ever. I’ve become an Apple fan, even though I haven’t bought any Apple products before my first iPad mini.

I got an iPad Mini to replace my Kindle Colorsoft for reading and it has been awesome. I was worried at first because I always enjoyed reading on an e-ink display and have used a Kindle since 2021. It did take me a week or so to adjust to the LCD screen on the iPad but now I don't notice it at all and it is well worth the switch to me. I made a list of pros because I wanted to be sure the money I was spending on an iPad was worth it. Here's my list broken into two parts - the first is specific to the iPad Mini and the second is based on the Kindle app vs reading on a Kindle device. iPad Mini Pros -Font is crystal clear and sharp with no ghosting -Better auto-brightness (I never have to fiddle with the brightness!! I hated this on the Kindle!) -Auto-warmth (I set mine to sundown to sunrise) -Integrated Audible control (can control via the Control Panel or in the Kindle app, and can access Audible app) -Integrated music control (don't have to pick up my phone every time I want to set/control background music) -Great for reading manga (images are clear and you can turn the iPad sideways to show 2 pages at once) -Maps are a lot easier to see and you can zoom in on them -Device is more responsive overall (faster page turning, faster highlighting, faster loading times) -The ability to access other apps (I use OneNote and Notes when I read, nice to have Goodreads app too) -Aluminum backing is comfortable, durable and easy to clean and there are fun color options -Very comfortable to hold in your hand and feels premium -The lock button is on the top rather than on the bottom of the device -More customization for lock screen and home screen (can incorporate character art, quotes, book covers, etc.) -All the additional built-in functionality of an iPad not related to reading Kindle App Pros (these functions are not available on the Kindle devices) -Continuous scroll option -Page turn animations -You can customize the information that shows when you tap bottom left of page -You can show a reading progress bar on the lock screen (I prefer a progress bar to a percentage) -"Search in book" function (can highlight a word/name and search the book rather than using Search function) -"Search on web" function (helpful to me when there's a word I want a visual of, such as a castle "crenulation") -Can view your reading streaks and challenges The things I miss from the Kindle is the always-on display that shows the cover of the book, the ability to import custom fonts, the ability to bold the font (idk why this isn't a thing on the Kindle app), and the longer battery life. The battery life on the iPad Mini is the only con I have, but it isn't as bad as I thought it would be. I read about 1-2 hours a day and can get 4-5 days out of the battery before I have to charge it if I'm only reading. If I use the iPad for other content like watching videos in addition to reading, I get 2-3 days of battery life. I don't mind charging it because I have a charger always out and ready to go and it charges quickly so it doesn't impact my experience much. Overall, I'm glad I tried the iPad Mini and don't plan on going back to a Kindle device. I'm hoping Apple continues to update the iPad Minis with features like the always-on display and OLED screens.

After debating between the regular iPad and the mini, I’m very glad I chose the iPad mini. The size is perfect. It is easy to hold, easy to carry, and much more usable for everyday tasks. It’s powerful, fast, and the display looks fantastic. I use it for reading, browsing, streaming, and travel, and it fits seamlessly into all of those use cases. Battery life has been excellent, and performance is smooth across the board. If you’re on the fence about size, the mini strikes the ideal balance between portability and capability. Highly recommend.