iPad mini vs iPad: How the cheapest iPads compare

Price When Reviewed

1: From $499

Apple iPad 10.2in (2021): From $329

Best Prices Today: 1

$399.99

$499.99

$639.99

$649

Apple introduced a new iPad in October 2022. The 2022 iPad (10th gen) gained a new colorful design with no Home button, USB-C instead of Lightening, a better camera, and a larger screen (10.9-inches up from 10.2-inches), but the price is higher than the previous generation, which remains on sale.

This increase in price for the standard iPad closes the gap between it and the iPad mini, which costs just $50/£70 more and offers a better processor and a slightly better display, and comes in a smaller package (which will either be a advantage or a disadvantage, depending on your preference).

In this guide we will assess whether you should spend extra to get the iPad mini, spend less to buy the 9th gen iPad, or go for the middle man and settle on the 10th gen iPad. If you are on the market for a new iPad and are wondering which one will be best for you read on to find out how the cheapest iPad options compare.

There are various factors likely to impact on your decision, including value for money, cameras, and how well the iPad in question will do the tasks you need it to do. There are also some pretty obvious differences: size, weight, and design – specifically the lack of a Home button on two of the three models we are considering here.

We’ll start off by examining what you get for your money.

iPad mini vs iPad: Which is the best value for money?

When Apple introduced the 10th gen iPad in October 2022 it kept the 9th gen iPad (introduced in September 2021) on sale. In the U.S. the price of the 9th generation iPad remained the same, while elsewhere it actually increased in price. So, if you choose the iPad introduced in 2021 or in 2022, you will be paying more for it if you live outside the U.S. Read: Is Apple ripping off the rest of the world with inflated prices?

Regardless of the price increase outside the U.S., the 10.2-inch 9th gen iPad is still the cheapest iPad you can buy, starting at $329/£369. You’ll need to pay another $120/£130 to get the 10.9-inch 10th gen iPad, or $170/£200 more for the iPad mini.

Here are the iPad prices: (You can buy from Apple here.)

There are a few things worth keeping in mind when it comes to price. First up, the price Apple quotes may not be the price you need to pay: resellers frequently discount all iPads, so you may find you can buy a iPad mini for practically the price Apple charges for the 10th generation iPad. Be sure to look through our deals round ups so you don’t miss out on the best prices. See: Best iPad deals (9th and 10th gen) and Best iPad mini deals.

You should also consider whether you want to pay for more storage, because that can really close the gap between the different iPads. For example, a 256GB 9th gen iPad only costs $10/£50 more than the 64GB 10th gen iPad, leading us to recommend the 256GB 9th gen iPad over the 64GB newer model. However, the 256GB 10th gen iPad costs $100/£110 more than the 64GB iPad mini, so in that case there’s less reason to pick the higher capacity iPad over the iPad mini.

Perhaps the biggest question though is whether it is worth spending more to get a more powerful iPad. What does the extra $120/£130 or $170/£200 get you compared to the 9th gen iPad? To investigate this we’ll look at the various specs offered by the iPad and iPad mini.

iPad mini vs iPad: How the specs compare

From the table above you can see there are a number of features that the iPad mini has that the iPad lacks, however, the gap has closed somewhat with the introduction of the 10th gen iPad which gained a number of the features missing from the 9th gen model.

The key differences between the iPad and iPad mini are as follows:

Color choices

The 9th gen iPad has the least ‘fun’ color options, coming in only Space Gray or Silver, but for some these are the ideal color choices: color is very much a matter of taste. A pink option is available on the iPad mini and 10th gen iPad, but the iPad’s pink is much bolder. Blue and yellow are reserved for the 10th gen iPad, purple for the iPad mini. If you are lead by the color choices these options may swing it for you. But by this point you may want to consider the iPad Air, which comes with the same color choices as the iPad mini, with the addition of blue.

Apple, Foundry

Home button

The 9th gen iPad is the last iPad to feature a Home button. There is no Home button on the iPad mini or the 10th gen iPad. This doesn’t mean they use Face ID, Touch ID is still the simplest way to unlock the device, but now you tap your finger on the on/off switch at the top of the device. We think this is a superb solution, allowing Apple to give the iPad a larger display without increasing the size of the iPad. Relocating Touch ID from the Home button to the Power button will also be considered a bonus by those who prefer Touch ID over Face ID because of the simplicity and speed of using it. We wonder why Apple hasn’t done this with the iPhone as a secondary way to unlock the device.

However, for some people the Home button is a familiar and simple way to navigate the iPad, and while it is possible to create a software version of the Home button in accessibility settings, some people won’t be prepared to wave goodbye to the Home button yet. If you aren’t ready to give it up then the 9th gen iPad is the only iPad with a Home button now.

Display

The removal of the Home button does mean that both the iPad mini and the 10th gen iPad now have bigger displays than they did. The iPad mini increased from 7.9-inches to 8.3-inches, while in 2022 the iPad screen grew from 10.2-inches to 10.9-inches. Despite the screen size increase, Apple has managed to keep the dimensions of the devices pretty much the same as the older models, so there is no real trade off. You get a larger screen, but the device itself is practically the same size and weight. We’ll discuss the dimensions in more detail below.

Obviously the screen of the iPad mini is still smaller than that of the 10.2-inch and 10.9-inch iPads, but as we said above, some people will be looking for a smaller screen on a lighter device for a variety of reasons. If the thing that matters to you is screen size then the choice will be relatively simple, but if you are concerned about screen quality then there are differences to be considered.

The iPad mini screen is superior to that both the 9th and 10th generation iPads. For one thing, the iPad mini benefits from a fully laminated display and anti-reflective coating – something shared with the iPad Air and iPad Pro. The standard iPad is the only iPad that lacks these features and we have always thought it is at a disadvantage because of it. The non-laminated display just doesn’t give the same impression of quality. We were disappointed that Apple didn’t upgrade to a fully laminated display on the 10th gen iPad.

The iPad mini screen also trumps both iPads with denser pixels (326ppi compared to 264ppi) and it also boasts Wide colour (P3) while both iPads are just sRGB.

But all three iPads are limited to 500 nits max. Only the iPad Pro manages more than that.

Cameras

Of the three iPads we are considering here the 9th generation iPad lags behind with a 8MP camera on the back with ƒ/2.4 aperture, while the other two have a 12MP camera with ƒ/1.8 aperture. If you think you’ll be using the iPad to take photographs this is a good reason to avoid the 9th generation iPad. And the picture is even worse for video recording with the 9th gen model lacking 4K video recording and extended dynamic range, both of which are offered by the 10th gen iPad and iPad mini.

There is a more level playing field when it comes to the camera on the front that is used for FaceTime calls or selfies increases. All three iPads offer an Ultra Wide 12MP front camera with ƒ/2.4 aperture, 2x zoom, and support for Centre Stage (an AI feature that keep you in the frame even if you move around.) The 10th gen iPad and iPad mini do offer Smart HDR 3 rather than HDR (so will be better in low light), but other than that the three are pretty similar. The 10th gen iPad has relocated the front camera for a better landscape view – this is much better suited to how people use their iPads during FaceTime calls.

Apple

Dimensions

Despite every bit of technology in the iPad mini, if the screen is too small for you then you may prefer the iPad.

However, for some the compact dimensions of the iPad mini are the main benefit.

Recapping on those dimensions:

iPad mini
7.69 x 5.3 x .25 inches, .65 pounds
195.4 x 134.8 x 6.2mm, 293g

10th gen iPad
9.79 x 7.07 x .28 inches, 1.05 pounds
248.6 x 179.5 x 7mm, 477g

9th gen iPad
9.8 x 6.8 x .29 inches, 1.07 pounds
250.6 x 174.1 x 7.5mm, 487g

If it’s a light iPad you want then the mini is clearly the way to go.

Ports & Connectivity

• And the iPad mini has better connectivity: Bluetooth 5, WiFi 6, and 5G.

One final difference to mention. The iPad mini and the 10th gen iPad have a USB C port, like the iPad Pro and Air models, while the 9th gen iPad still uses the Lightning port. If you are anything like us you probably have a house full of Ligntning connectors and very few USB C plugs, but there are benefits to USB-C, such as being able to plug in to an external display.

The iPad mini and iPad 10th gen also offers better connectivity options including Bluetooth 5.0 (5.2 on the 10th gen iPad), WiFi 6, and 5G. The 9th gen iPad only offers Bluetooth 4.2, the older Wi‑Fi (802.11a/b/g/n/ac) and 4G. The last thing to mention is that the iPad mini works with the Apple Pencil 2, both the iPads are still only compatible with the Apple Pencil 1.

Verdict

Our advice is that, if you have the money, buy the iPad mini, but if you don’t need the additional features that model brings, and you want to save $170/£200 the 9th gen iPad is still a great option (and if there are any deals on that model you’ll see them below).

$299.00

$329

$329.99

$349