Apple iPad mini (2021) review: A15, Pencil 2 support, better cameras, and USB-C, but no keyboard case support and the screen feels too small for some apps
CNETScott Stein
Context & Ripple Effects
The prior mini generation paired solid performance with a Lightning port and large bezels; the 2021 model replaces that connector with USB-C and adds Pencil 2 support, shifting the mini closer to Apple’s higher-end tablet accessories. The same day’s standard iPad refresh still carried an aging design, making the mini’s update a clearer point of differentiation within the range.
Later coverage shows Apple retained the compact formula while moving to an A17 Pro chip and Pencil Pro in the 2024 mini. That continuity matters: performance and stylus capability are improving, while the small display remains the product’s defining constraint.
First-order effects
Mini buyers gain USB-C, Pencil 2 compatibility, faster A15 performance and improved cameras, but lose a straightforward Apple keyboard-case option for turning the device into a typing-focused setup.
Apple gives the mini a more premium accessory and port profile than the contemporaneous entry iPad, while preserving a size that limits some app experiences.
Second-order effects
Accessory makers can address the mini’s keyboard-case gap, but its smaller display narrows the audience for productivity-focused add-ons compared with larger iPads.
USB-C expands the mini’s appeal as a more flexible device connector, yet the documented move away from the prior Lightning-equipped mini also places buyers in the compatibility ambiguity associated with USB-C implementations.
Third-order effects
The mini line is being positioned as a compact, stylus-capable iPad rather than a universal laptop substitute; the later A17 Pro and Pencil Pro update reinforces that product split.
If Apple continues upgrading chips and Pencil support without resolving the keyboard and screen-size trade-off, iPad differentiation will rest more on form factor and accessory fit than on raw performance alone.
The trend: Apple is increasingly differentiating iPads by how their size, ports and accessories fit distinct use cases, while extending higher-end chips and stylus features across the lineup.
[Update: split keyboard mode still works on iPad Mini, still does not on the iPad Pros that are more in need of it.] https://daringfireball.net/... https://twitter.com/...
I'm far more excited for my iPad mini to come Friday than my iPhone. Yes, I want a better camera and a ProMotion display on my iPhone, but the mini is such a great companion device for reading, games, movies, and TV as @viticci explains in his review. https://www.macstories.net/.…
Also, reviewing the 9th Gen iPad, which is boring and familiar and is very affordable and works very well and is extremely versatile and has a headphone jack and should be your first family choice https://www.cnet.com/...
I got mine for reading and taking notes because sometimes, iPad Pro is just too big. I love my iPad Pro for doing work and reading (sometimes) but the iPad mini is the right size for it. Would use my Fold3, but honestly, I've tried and I'm not feeling it https://twitter.com/...
My iPad mini is basically the only reason I have work life balance. It's perfect for reading and browsing but not big enough to do real work on. I leave it in DND mode so I don't get any notifications. https://twitter.com/...
“Prior to the 6th-gen model, the Mini lineup's only real selling point was its portability. It's still the marquee feature, but the Mini is no longer the runt of the iPad lineup—at least when it comes to performance.” https://gizmodo.com/...
Spoke too soon. The new iPad mini is even faster! Not by much, but consistently across a three-try average. Fastest single-core performance for JS in any computer at any price is the $499 iPad mini A15 🤯 https://t.co/Z7N1yKKasv
Here is is slow-mo video of scrolling on the iPad Min i slowed down EVEN MORE in a frame-by-frame step through. Notice how the right moves up faster than the left. In normal usage you barely see it, but every now and then it become noticeable. In landscape it goes away entirely h…
And no, I don't think a Mac will ever fit into that missing slot, even with access to the iOS ecosystem. They're different products, for different people. iPad is the hero device with all the new shiny, and the Mac is the workhorse with classic app support & deep workflows
iPad mini really highlights the range of user experiences across the iPad line, and how the OS can grow to fill or shrink down as it needs to. I'm totally fine with not having keyboard, mouse, or windowing at this end. Use cases, apps are different
The middle section of the iPad line is iPadOS+, with trackpad, heavy keyboard navigation & shortcuts, multitasking, and more advanced usage. I 100% think there's a missing high-end section of the iPad lineup that doesn't yet exist, with windowing, menu bar, and external displays
Apple's dependability & performance makes impulse buys so much easier, as you just know if you bought an iPad mini that it would be fast & powerful machine for years. Try that with e.g. a Surface Go, and it'll barely be able to run the OS it comes with, never mind years on 😪
Every single iPad mini video review I've watched has had the Pencil attached upside-down on the device and I'm sure that's driving somebody at Apple PR bananas 😂