I purchased my iPad mini at a discount a while back primarily to use as an eReader for books and manga as well as playing emulated games via Delta. It's nice, but I found I would go days without touching the Mini which didn't feel great. I was curious how the Duo would compare.

Obviously the Duo is smaller - even more so than the rumored OLED iPad mini - but I found that it was still quite usable. There is a middle-ground before I think the display is too big for manga which is why I don't use my 11" iPad for it. Both the current Mini and Duo are in that range though I would want to go smaller on the Duo side. Minimal pillar or letterboxing on both.

The larger change is honestly the Duo's nano texture. There is definitely a subtle lose of fine detail, but I find the screen overall a bit more natural and pleasing to use indoors and actually usable outdoors. This is my first hands-on with nano texture, but I think I would certainly recommend for reader-first devices. There *is* a sharpness loss of text, but it's subtle and I stopped noticing it when I stopped looking for it and I've read quite a bit this weekend.

Normal books are what you'd expect - reflowing text - so I didn't include an image of that.

Raging here but I have to buy my first iPad Mini 🫠 I’ve been whole heartedly waited for it.
If you’re a reader and artist specifically:
128gb or 256gb?
Nano or Standard?
Cellular or WiFi only?
Please enlighten me your best choice 🥹

According to Macrumors, “Extended external display mode with iPadOS 27.2” is only for the A20 Pro mini.

https://www.macrumors.com/guide/ipad-mini-2024-vs-2026/

I use my iPad mini 5 mostly to read. Emails and the web, but also books and scripts.

Watch movies and TV on it as well when I’m traveling.

Upgrading to the 8. Will the nano-texture option be good for me? Is it helpful for long reading sessions?

Are there any downsides (beyond the extra $100)?

None have the new generation iPad mini listed, and Vodafone’s website is down for maintenance. Optus doesn’t even have the iPad mini listed at all.

We're approaching 24 hours of ridiculousness here. None of you have even touched this device yet. And 99.999% of users of this device will NEVER know the difference between 60 and 120. Further, the 0.001% that would will acclimate to the screen in under a day of use and never think about it again.

For the love of god, move on.

No 120hz and $700 on the new mini with same horrible bezels and starting 128gb storage is so lame. Imma trade in my iPhone 15 to att and get $1200 off the duo with oled 120hz and starting 256gb.

Not only do I have the iPad mini seven to trade-in I also still have my iPad mini five. I looked on Apple‘s website and the combination of the two would be a 500 credit. Does that make it a no-brainer for me to get the iPad mini eight at $299? i’m looking at the 256 gb version with a regular screen.

I was about to get the iPad mini A17 when i found out that there was a new one coming in the following weeks so i decided to wait to compare the two models and make a better decision.
But now that it’s been announced, I don’t know which one i should get.
It will be my first iPad, I’m a designer and teacher and the size and it’s capabilities fit my lifestyle. But I’m thinking about the long time usage and updates since three new one is all new components compared with the a17

Ok, I’ve been seeing a lot if fight/debate here sinceini 8 doesn’t have 120hz. I’m not here to invalidate anyone’s wants since at the end of the day, it’s your money and your own preference/uses. I’m just genuinely curious.

Personally, I don’t mind the 60hz on my use cases. Reading, photo editing and side device for watching movies/series/videos on my desk. So, OLED is the only checklist I need for buying 8.

TL;DR: I've spent two years trying to turn an iPad Mini into a Kindle, and the new OLED iPad Mini gets closer than any before it. Apple fixed a lot of what kept it behind my Kindle: there's a nano-texture option for glare, 1-nit brightness for bedtime reading, IP67 for the pool, and it's 38 grams lighter. But it still lasts up to 10 hours to my Kindle's 12 weeks, OLED still isn't paper, and Apple Books still needs love. Meanwhile, the Apple device I actually read on when I'm out is my iPhone Duo, though at US$1,999 I'd point most readers to the Mini instead. Fiction? Kindle. Non-fiction with a Pencil? iPad Mini. Apple is coming for the Kindle; it just hasn't arrived yet.

According to the press release:

"With iPadOS 27.2, iPad mini also supports extended display mode when connected to an external display, great for users multitasking with windowed apps."

Any idea if the older iPads will get this with the new iPad OS?

Being able to take this on a trip and bring a dongle to hook up to a hotel TV if needed sounds great!

I have an iPad Pro M1 since it came out and I’ve been wanting to get something new for a while. Part of it is bc of battery degradation, part of it is needing something with more storage, and part of it is just wanting something with a smaller footprint.

Mostly use my iPad to consume media, browsing internet, and only occasionally to draw now. Also, been using my iPad for ebooks (particularly ones with photos or color images) recently so a mini would be a little easier to hold for long periods. I do however do some split screen multitasking, but mostly a lot of PIP, watching videos while internet browsing.

I’m not ruling out getting another Pro, but wonder if it would be overkill. At the same time, I don’t want a downgrade in specs either just in case I end up utilizing it for something different in the future.

I need opinions I have a ipad mini 5 that I use for art only and I'm torn about upgrading. I keep hearing since it's not 120 refresh its not a good idea.. But I refuse to carry around anything much larger 😅

for those who love the iPad mini like me, what are your thoughts? was the update enough for you?

did this refresh exceed your expectations?
what else would you add?

So I have the mini 7 256gb cellular, only got 40 charge cycles

This is my ipad for work ( m5 pro home use )

I only do basic things quote invoices media etc

In the real world differences is there any point upgrading to the new mini 8 ( same spec as my 7)

Many thanks

someone posted these same case requirements a few years ago and I’m still in search of a case that fits the bill for my ipad mini a17

1. has a shell to protect the back and edges

2. has a folio cover

3. this is the really important part: the cover has to adhere magnetically not just in front but in *back*, so you can fold it over when reading and not have it hanging loose. THIS is the feature I’m having a really hard time finding.

I know the original thread recommended ESR but I don’t think their case is available anymore (at least not one with all 3 requirements)

please help me find a case!

I assure you this is a true story. A few years ago I had my iPad Mini 5 stolen. Stupid me, I had an easy passcode on it. Whoever stole it, also broke into an took over my Apple account. My iPad Mini 1 was tied to the same Apple account. I recently factory reset the Mini 1, and can't use it because of an activation lock that I can't deactivate. (BTW, Apple was no use a few years ago in trying to regain access to my Apple account) I heard there were ways to hack a Mini 1 and get past the activation lock? Can anyone help?

It’s telling me people who want the most absolute power out of an iPad mini, complete with the full Siri AI experience, will need to shell out more money and get the 512GB variant for the lot.

According to Siri AI, list is as follows…

• 128GB model: 8GB RAM
• 256GB model: 8GB RAM
• 512GB model: 12GB RAM

That’s a waste to only give the top tier capacity 12GB RAM. But hey, I guess most people use their iPad minis to do tablet things, so 8GB RAM might be more than enough power for them, leaving data hoarders and professionals to push the 512GB variant to its absolute limits.

I’m going 512GB, I’m going 12GB RAM, but let me know your thoughts on this matter.

Also feel free to let me know when you think I should remove the spoiler tag.

I was looking at the specs and when comparing it to the mini 7 it only says acoustic display? Does it even have speaker holes and if not how would that work?