Apple announced several new items during the September 14, 2021 “California Streaming” event, and one of those items was a new iPad mini. The newest iPad mini has a completely new design, one that mirrors the 4th generation iPad Air. The iPad mini also has several new features.
Keep reading to learn more about the 6th generation iPad mini.
Apple iPad mini release date
Apple began accepting pre-orders for the 6th generation iPad mini on September 14, 2021, immediately after the announcement. The 6th generation iPad mini will begin shipping on September 24, 2021.
How much does an Apple iPad mini cost?
The 6th generation iPad mini will be available in two versions: WiFi and WiFi + Cellular. Each of these versions has an option to get 64GB or 256GB of internal storage space. Overall, the retail price of the iPad mini starts at $499 and tops out at $799, depending on the configuration.
| iPad mini (6th gen) with WiFi | iPad mini (6th gen) with WiFi + Cellular | |
| 64GB | $499 | $649 |
| 256GB | $649 | $799 |
Apple iPad mini features
The 6th generation iPad mini is a follow-up to the now-discontinued 5th generation iPad mini, which was released in March 2019. Apple managed to pack several key improvements into the new iPad mini — which includes a new exterior design. The 6th generation iPad mini mirrors the design of the 4th generation iPad Air, and that brings new features such as an all-screen design, Touch ID in the power button, a USB-C port, and compatibility with the 2nd generation Apple Pencil.
- Display: The display on the iPad mini is an 8.3” Liquid Retina with True Tone. And, due to the all-screen design, Apple was able to increase the size of the display while also decreasing the height of the iPad mini (as compared to the 5th generation model).
- Colors: The new iPad mini is available in four colors: Space Gray, Pink, Purple, and Starlight. For comparison, previous generations of the iPad mini were available in Silver, Space Gray, and Gold.
- Processor: The processor chip in the new iPad mini is an A15 Bionic chip with Neural Engine. This should bring a notable improvement as compared to the A12 Bionic chip that powered the previous-generation iPad mini. For reference, the A15 chip launched in September 2021, and the A12 launched in September 2018.
- Connectivity: The 6th generation iPad mini now supports 5G connectivity, along with 4G LTE. Previous generations of the iPad mini only supported 4G LTE connectivity.
- Rear camera: The rear-facing camera got a boost on this newest iPad mini. The rear camera went from an 8MP wide on the 5th gen iPad mini to a 12MP wide on the 6th gen iPad mini. The rear camera features an f/1.8 aperture, Smart HDR 3 for photos, digital zoom up to 5x, and a Quad-LED True Tone flash.
- Front camera: The front-facing camera went from a 7MP FaceTime HD camera on the 5th gen model to a 12MP ultra-wide on the 6th gen model. In addition, the new front-facing camera also brings Center Stage, which was previously only available on the 2021 iPad Pro. Center Stage allows the front-facing camera to automatically adjust to keep everyone in view during video calls.
Apple iPad mini (6th gen) vs iPad mini (5th gen) vs iPad mini (4th gen)
The 6th gen iPad mini is a notable improvement compared to the previous generation models, though there are some similarities in the specs. For example, storage options remain the same, the battery life is the same, and the new iPad mini only supports external Bluetooth keyboards. You can see how the 6th generation iPad mini compares to the 5th gen and 4th gen models in the table below.
| iPad Mini (6th generation) | iPad Mini (5th generation) | iPad Mini (4th generation) | |
| Display | 8.3″ Liquid Retina display with True Tone (2266 x 1488) | 7.9″ Retina display with True Tone (2048 x 1536) | 7.9″ Retina display (2048 x 1536) |
| Processor | A15 Bionic with Neural Engine | A15 Bionic with Neural Engine | A8 |
| Storage | 64GB, 256GB | 64GB, 256GB | 16GB, 64GB, 128GB |
| Front Camera | 12MP Ultra-Wide | 7MP FaceTime HD | 1.2MP FaceTime HD |
| Rear Camera | 12MP Wide | 8MP Wide | 8MP Wide |
| Network Connectivity | 5G, 4G LTE | 4G LTE | 4G LTE |
| Power & Battery | Up to 10 hours of web surfing on WiFi, and up to 9 hours of web surfing on cellular | Up to 10 hours of web surfing on WiFi, and up to 9 hours of web surfing on cellular | Up to 10 hours of web surfing on WiFi, and up to 9 hours of web surfing on cellular |
| Charging | USB-C | Lightning | Lightning |
| Size / Weight | 7.69″ x 5.3″ x 0.25″ 0.65 pounds (WiFi) 0.66 pounds (Cellular) | 8.0″ x 5.3″ x 0.24″ 0.66 pounds (WiFi) 0.68 pounds (Cellular) | 8.0″ x 5.3″ x 0.24″ 0.65 pounds (WiFi) 0.67 pounds (Cellular) |
| Colors | Space Gray, Pink, Purple, Starlight | Silver, Space Gray, Gold | Silver, Space Gray, Gold |
| Accessories | 2nd generation Apple Pencil, Bluetooth keyboards | 1st generation Apple Pencil, Bluetooth keyboards | Bluetooth keyboards |
The 5th gen iPad mini included support for the Apple Pencil, but that support was limited to the first-generation Pencil. If you use an Apple Pencil with your iPad mini the second-generation Pencil support will be a welcome addition. The second-generation Apple Pencil has some added features, but the key improvement is charging, which happens magnetically instead of using the Lightning charging port.
Read more: Apple iPad lineup: Which iPad should I buy?
Sell your Apple iPad mini on Swappa
If you happen to be a fan of the iPad mini — the 6th generation model is a must-have upgrade. Of course, with prices starting at $499 and going up to $799 (depending on your configuration), you’re going to want to offset that cost by selling your current iPad mini on Swappa.
Read more: Best places to sell your iPad for the most money in 2021
It is quick and easy to get started with selling on Swappa. The Swappa marketplace is an active marketplace, which increases your odds of getting a quick sale. Swappa is also the safest marketplace to sell your gently used tech so get started by tapping the green button below.
