iPad Mini 2021 Review: Pocketable Power! 

PILOTS! Pilots buy them! Thank you for confirming early in this video, that it is a key thing for us.

Intro was so smooth

As a person who flies single engine piston planes, you're 100% right. Having your own plane and flying it is pretty expensive and you wouldn't believe how expensive it is to upgrade the panel with modern screens. if you have, for example, a Cessna 177 RG, which might run you $75K, you can easily spend $75K just upgrading the screens that show how fast you're going, your altitude, etc (called "avionics"). If your plane isn't fancy (and you don't have the budget), it's not uncommon to not upgrade it and instead use an iPad mini as the screen. Believe it or not, even in commercial airlines, pilots use the iPad mini!

I've been a long time iPad mini fan. I've used other iPads, including the current gen iPad Air and 11 inch iPad Pro. I keep going back to the mini due to the size and pocketability. Thanks to all of the supply chain issues it was next to impossible to locate in stores. I stumbled upon one at Costco the other day and snatched it. I'm replacing my 5th gen Mini, and I'm so grateful for the redesign. My biggest complaint with any of the iPads with the home button was the aspect ratio while watching widescreen content.... This is so much better!

As an iPad mini user, I find that the iPad mini is the perfect size for reading ebooks. That’s what I’ll be using it for

Everyone else: Uses the Mini for flying, note taking, medical tasks, art, editing Me: It's a bigger screen to watch RU-vid and shows in bed lol

im currently in school for physician assistant and this is an absolute game changer instead of constantly running out of pages on small notebooks and having a stack of them in my backpack. Also easily can store the ipad mini in my lab coat as i would a small notebook. Use it solely for notetaking and reading research articles

I bought the iPad Mini 5 with 256gb. I basically use it as my primary computer and video editing machine. It took a lot of practice to make it my primary computing device, but even now it still crushed all of my 4K content creation and file management needs.

I don’t need one but dammit I want it.

Also, it fits perfectly in the pocket of a doctor's apron and comes really handy while taking care of patients.

I have the iPad Pro and picked up the mini and I’m just blown away by how ,Cush more I use it. The fact you can type in portrait mode almost like an iPhone is game changer for me. Means I can actually use the device completely away from a keyboard so I don’t really need to carry the case anymore. This is the perfect coffee shop companion. I’m also using this in my pouch alongside my fuji camera to edit some, pics on the go. No backpack needed to carry this thing. :) the screen isn’t great like the iPad Pro but it’s honestly fine as you said. I already forgot about the 120hz. The perfect iPhone and Mac companion.

I’m a pilot and I use mine for navigation and flight planning. Having the smaller screen isn’t ideal, but when you don’t have a lot of space to work with and still need to keep checklists and stuff somewhere secure, you can’t beat an iPad mini 6 on a kneeboard. I think pilots were specifically considered in the decision to redesign, too. They used touchID instead of faceID, which is super hard to use from a kneeboard (though I’d prefer both and to have a choice, but it is what it is) and Tim specifically mentioned it being strapped to the leg of a pilot in flight along with flying being in one of their ads. Honestly for that use case, at least in small planes, this thing is incredible. The GPS for the internet is basically necessary for ForeFlight, and you can even get good signal a few thousand feet up sometimes, and download new weather and such.

I watched the intro like 5 times to get it.

Yeah, Civil pilots pretty much always have an iPad nowadays, they call it their EFB (Electronic Flight Bag) and replaces pages and pages of Airport charts, flight plans, weather reports etc. Updates in real time whenever the next AIRAC cycle is out (flight plan updates), and are the main way that an airline will inform a civil pilot of the routing. iPad is now pretty important for any pilot's life, not just private light aircraft pilots.

As a retired person who has used a macbook pro for years I have been toying with the idea of using an iPad for my main computer. Getting emails, RU-vid and Twitter would be my main use. The easy portability and quality of the mini appeals to me.

The iPad Mini is a fantastic Emergency Management tool, with cellular. Even in a rugged case, it fits neatly in bunker gear pockets, and is able to provide live weather mapping, quickly pull up FEMA info, run WebEOC, have HazMat info at a glance and fill out ICS-214 paperwork on the go, along with EMS charting on the fly. I use it with a a knee board, which is used primarily by pilots.

As a physician rounding in the hospital, the mini fits my use case as the larger models are too big to fit in my white coat or scrubs pocket. I have the mini 5 currently and have been waiting 3 years for the refresh we have all been requesting!

Those bird drawings were really incredible.

I just ordered one for my mom to use for college classes. She can have all her files organized and can take notes. She’s excited and I’m excited to see how she she likes it😍

‘and that screen is… fine…’ That one line had me laughing for like TWO minutes!!!!

That intro though 😳

Damn that intro!

As a teacher, it’s far more useful than a pro (had the most recent). The reason comes down to actual real world usage. I have an M1 Pro 16 inch to do all my work, the iPad functions as my note taker, schedular etc. Honestly, it does everything I need effectively.

Late to the party but it makes for a really good portable second display. Especially while traveling. I have a 13 mbp and this worked out perfect for me without taking too much room in a bag or in a small workspace environment

I’ve been using this for school with the pencil for around a week now and all I can say is that it’s amazing. It does everything you need for college and is a lot bigger than I expected!

iPad mini is HUGE in aviation. It’s great that they included ForeFlight in the demo. The iPad has revolutionized professional and hobby aviation by replacing all paper publications/maps with an iPad, and the mini is the go-to size.

I chose Mini over Air or Pro. Mini is perfect sized for gaming, extremely powerful and i just love how lightweight and easy to handle it is. This little guy also has better battery life than Air 5 or 12.9 Pro. Mini also has the highest screen PPI...even higher than the pro versions so everything looks crispier.

this is just such an awesome review, you hit all my key questions and in a format that outlines how you, (Marques) go about your decision-making process which is super useful. giving a man a fish vs teaching him how to fish himself. you're the man.

I am getting one for the simple reason my iPad Pro is too big and heavy to always have with me. The 10” does just fit in my sling bag but the extra weight that it adds means I generally leave it at home. I love having an iPad on me for editing photos and videos on the go which is a bit fiddly on a iphone pro max and will be great for that plus it has USB C which instantly makes it more useful if I need to plug in an SSD or something :)

"it's possible people out there buy these for their smart home hub and use them as switches" I'm financially jealous af

I'm a pilot and when I saw this I knew it would be perfect to use inside the cockpit my family just bought for me on Christmas and I love how foreflight looks

iPads have always had a special place in my heart. I never use to really be an apple guy but over the years that’s changed. When I was in junior high 7 years ago, they gave all students an iPad mini. I remember using it so much to watch movies, and RU-vid and seeing this video reminds me of that nostalgia. I stopped using apple products until midway though high school when I switched from Samsung to iPhone and slowly but surely I seeped into the Apple Ecosystem. I now own the 2021 iPad Pro, iPhone 12 Pro Max, and 2021 M1 pro MacBook Pro as well as an Apple Watch Series 7 and AirPods Pro. Will continue using Apple products for years to come!

Smaller tablets make for amazing e-readers. Have you ever walked around with a tiny tablet in your hand for note taking? It just feels right.

I’ve honestly always preferred the mini’s personally. It’s just so convenient to use. I don’t necessarily use it for productivity, but being a college student now, doing writing assignments in a nice convenient little device sounds very nice. But I mostly use iPads for media consumption and games, but I’ve found that larger iPads are so cumbersome to use for those things. I mostly game and watch entertainment on a phone or tablet while I’m just sitting in bed. Holding up a massive tablet to do that is so so sooooo inconvenient, but the iPad mini, especially the new one, is so perfect for that. I really want one.

Always an excellent review, Marques! Love watching and listening to you.

Great review! Like your "cut to the chase" approach. You pointed out specs, comparing with specs of the other iPads and was very non-judgmental about others preferring a mini to the full size iPad. Loved how you emphasize the importance of a buyer knowing how they intend to use the iPad, and being aware of its capabilities and limitations. Kudos to your ability to overlook negativity, including comments of a condescending nature, projecting preference on others. Anonymity gives many people the outlet to be unkind. SMH

I’m a pilot and I usually tell people to get the 11” iPad Pro as it’s the perfect size and has the power to run ForeFlight without lagging. But of course, it’s expensive so having this as an alternate is great and having the Apple Pencil to right down clearances or route amendments is is also awesome.

I'm SUPER excited about the iPad Mini. I'm thinking book reading and using it with my Drone. Maybe some quick photo editing as well.

As a business owner, I use it a lot for note taking and drafting a plan. It doesn't take too much space and for me the size is perfect. I gave up my iPad Pro 12.9 inch, because I don't need to have a big size iPad when I already have a laptop. It is also good in reading ebooks, and perfect for watching MKBHD videos. :)

Yup, getting one with specific uses in mind! Using mine for reading and quick note taking at a job where I have to move to different offices throughout the day.

This is the ipad mini we wanted back in 2019.

Oh boy, the starting sequence it's like apple made it themselves

I have the 12.9 in, 11in and the mini. All have their purposes and I use them all constantly. 12.9 to watch movies, digital art and planning. The 11in was my very first iPad and is my back up for when my 12.9 in is charging, used it for school. The mini is for work purposes and love how compatible it is to carry around. Love them all

I've always used my Mini for reading books and quick reads for emails and the like. Since starting med school, I use my iPad Pro 12.9 or MB Air to create Anki flashcards and use the Mini to study while on the go. It's easier to pull it out of my bag and do some quick refreshers as opposed to the MB Air or the iPad Pro. I ended up getting the simple Apple Cover for it since it mostly sits either on the nightstand or in a bag when not used so I don't have much fear of dropping it.

Yep. That's getting mounted on my wall as a homekit control center.

Commuting dude! It’s the perfect size for reading while on a crowded subway train! I use my mini that way for 10 years now, since gen 1.

I love that it feels like holding a book. And just the right size for videos. I’ve used regular iPads and I don’t need all that screen. I use it for entertainment and some light note taking, not intense work!

I just got one yesterday and no regrets, I love the size as I can hold it in one hand. I’ll probably use this for media consumption.

I‘m working as a flight attendant alongside Uni and in my airline every single flight attendant got an iPad mini for work and we use it A LOT there, it‘s the perfect device for the job. Also for in-flight shopping the payment computer is an iPad mini with a card reader strapped to it. So yeah, iPad minis are amazing - in their niches.

I love the mini’s. I’ve bought every one. The main reasons - as a woman it fits better in the hand, I can fit it in my handbag, can still play games and watch YT and as a reader it’s similar in size to a book.

Best intros on youtube. Your graphics team is insane.

Just adding my reason for having an iPad mini (Gen 2), I also have an iPad pro (Gen 1 from 2016, and the 2020 model from 2021 on), and they compliment each other perfectly in my life. I use the mini as a eReader most of the time, and I like to take it along everywhere I go. I generally like to have tech for everyday and tech for actually working on something intensely (like my old sony point and shoot camera that I just toss in my backpack everyday and my most prized possession, my Sony Alpha mark ||| for actual work). I love that the mini is so small but can run most apps I need, like basic photo editing and sketching apps. Super Handy. I also use it to play music on speakers that have an aux cord, because my phone doesn't have a headphone jack, boo hiss. So if I'm gonna upgrade my mini, I'm definitely gonna get the last one that still has a headphone jack. So probably Gen 4 when the price drops under $120 used. But man, that Apple pencil support on this new model really is a great draw. We'll see what the prices will be like when my trusty old Gen 2 breaks.

That honestly looks more like an IPhone Mega when Marques is holding it

My mom uses an iPad mini. She had several standard models, ended up going to the mini models as her choice. She loves the mini because her Main uses are reading with big Text, she found the normal size to be good for reading but uncomfortable to hold for long periods of time, and she finds the mini to help simulate holding the size of a book without the weight. She also finds it much easier to travel with, she can throw it in her stuff with no issues. She also likes the cheaper price, and for her she can get the bigger Text size for reading she needs without it being awkward to hold. There’s definitely more of an audience than you think for it!

Picked one of these up to replace my old galaxy tab s5e, I mainly use my tablet to consume media while laying in bed and the small form factor is perfect since my old tab would always fall on my face while holding it due to the weight and size. Gave my old tab to my dad and now we’re both happy lol

Almost 6 months using this ipad mini as my dedicated textbook reader/media consumption tool and I haven't looked back since. I have a iPad pro that I use to take heavy duty notes during class, and do intensive drawing projects/video and photo editing, and I found that it was really uncomfortable to just use it as a "entertainment tablet." so this iPad mini gets to take up that duty, and the form factor is perfect for lounging or just taking it out for a moment or two to relax out.

As a pilot, the mini is awesome and im glad that Apple showcased it being used by pilots quite a lot. It shows that they have recognised a customer base that uses the product and that the demand is there

honestly i've always loved the mini- it's so much more portable and is the same size as my other journals/notebooks and feels kinda like an incredible lil notepad

I’m an artist/photographer, and I have the iPad Pro which i love for editing photos & video as well as drawing on with the apple pencil. But I got the iPad mini for when I want to travel light. So happy I can FINALLY use the Apple pencil 2 with it! Glad it got the USB-C port as well. Still hoping Apple brings the USB-C to the iPhone Pro as well. Then I’ll only have to bring ONE cable with me when traveling. I’ve experienced no scrolling issues with the screen. Love this little iPad! 👍🏼

Excellent review. I plan on using the iPad Mini to read ebooks, draw and take notes.

As a medical student, I can imagine it being very useful for bedside teaching cuz it fits into our white coats 👨🏻‍⚕️

Got my wife a mini 2 years ago for reading books when you couldn’t get books in person when the libraries closed. She LOVEs it because it is small enough and light enough to hold with one hand for a long time. Much better than ereader in many ways because one device does everything, just need to keep it plugged in at night.

designer/illustrator/comic book creator here ... As a person who murders close to 15 sketchbooks a year jotting down ideas that pop in my head... the iPad mini has been a godsend. I take this everywhere. I sketch things on impromptu, notes, look up things, and I love to read so I use this as a kindle as well. This fits everywhere ... even in my tiny clutch purses for those... formal events that I have to go to for networking purposes.

The songs you use at the beggining of your videos are amazing! Greetings from Argentina

On the go drawing and reading books would be my use case. It’s the same form-factor as my sketch pad and I love not just how easy it is to carry, but how easy it is to move around when actively using it.

My use case: note taking, digital art, reading e-books and manga (especially manga), watching Netflix on bed or couch. Portability is most important. I'm not carrying my laptop to class or group meetings. Too big. I would love to bring this everywhere; on a trip, coffee shop, class, meetings etc. No other small tablets come close to this.

Never bored on this channel!!

EXCELLENT review and tips. You really helped me decide if I need this or not. Well done.

iPads are also common with airline pilots for storing charts, getting weather, dispatch information, etc. I believe Air Canada actually issues a standard iPad to all of their pilots.

I’ve only ever had Mini’s, love the portability

The mini’s refresh is what made me go for it and it’s a fantastic tablet

Marques Brownlee makes the cleanest RU-vid videos I have ever seen. The time and attention put into every detail of every shot, its just fun to watch! You could make a video about dirt that would be the best looking video about dirt I've ever seen. No doubt

Its the perfect size for Doctors/Med Students. I had one during Med School because it fit perfectly in coats/scrubs pockets, so I used it for studying in between rounds and during the day

I just looked at this review as a formality. When it was announced, I already planned on getting it. I’ve only owned iPad Minis. The other iPad models were always bigger than I wanted. I use mine while traveling and with my job. The size is more maneuverable to me, and easier to put in my bag.

Using the iPad Mini for flying the drone can be an amazing use case. Thinking of getting one very soon!! 😀

Well, they didn’t announce the Mini 7 so here I am considering the 6 again 😅

I’ve been an iPad mini user for years and find it’s great for reading (it fits in my small hands), note taking and it’s excellent for legal work. Generally, I use the mini for notes while on telephone conferences with clients, send to text to my assistant, who files it electronically in the client file. It’s incredibly useful in depositions, too. I admit that I use my Pro for trial work, simply because of the volume of information needed. But both are excellent tools.

Now every kid will have this. Size is good, price is not 😂

I got this today. Love it I would be using for public commute and I can watch something on the go and it’s lighter and easy to hold in the hand

I’m using it for drawing, gaming, watching videos and editing. I’ve used it for a year now. I like the smaller screen, it’s easier to hold.

I love how you add the gadgets in the background. makes your objective look cool. Like refreshing.

My first iPad was the mini 2. My favorite thing about the size is that it can fit in my hoodie pocket. I use it mostly for media consumption and rhythm games

I like it for sitting in front of the TV, bigger them my phone and can hold it in one hand without hurting my wrist. Perfect just for reading eBooks, going on the web, and playing games.

The best ipad Brownlee, thank you brow!!

I’m happy with my 2019 mini that I got last year, but I like using the mini as something easy to carry around. I also read comics/manga/books and enjoy having the smaller form factor for my usage. I’m glad they’re still making them so if I need a upgrade in the future I can still get this size.

I'm a general aviation pilot and most pilots that I know use a mini to run Foreflight. I personally use a 12.9" in the cockpit. It is a bit too large, but I personally like the larger screen for using Foreflight.

I love how you support 4K! recently got a 4K monitor and am really enjoying it with your videos 😄

I got an iPad mini in October. It was my first big purchase with my money and I still love it 6months later

As a specialist I have to perform many quick ultrasound examinations in the ER it’s almost like cheating your way to diagnosis. It has always been a hassle to either drag a massive heavy Ultrasound machine, that doesn’t have a battery and needs 2 Minutes to start up or walk a sick patient to the US Room. This is the magical solution. An iPad mini combined with a portable ultrasound probe like Butterfly. There are even wireless double sided probes with curvilinear and linear sides with decent image quality and like 4 different modes. Apple even mentioned that in their keynote. We’re in the future man!

I like how Marques throws subtle shade (7:07) at Apple for not having the weather app on iPadOS. 💯

I use my mini for everything. I have owned all of them, and for Christmas my wife got me this new iPad mini! Love it!

Welp, I practically sleep with my 11" iPad Pro and magic keyboard, but even it can be heavy and clunky to carry everywhere so today I picked up a Mini 6 and am already enjoying the fun form factor. But habits die hard so instead of picking up an Apple pencil to go with it I ordered a bluetooth keyboard case for it even though I know the keys are tiny. I do have a special use for it though as a wireless remote video camera controller -- my iPhone is too small and 11" pro too big, so the mini gets the goldilocks award!

I was thinking about getting this for my dad. He’s a teacher and the mini would be a perfect handheld wireless device that he can write on while projecting with airplay. Instead of sitting and pointing from a computer he can be up at the screen and do all his highlighting, writing, and pointing with the pencil. A lot cheaper than interactive white boards at that price.

People who use the iPad Mini aren’t super concerned with the “display” quality, its the form factor that speaks to most people.

Your impressive, been watching u at least since 2016 phone awards and I’ll keep watching

I'm the same way, our managers at work used iPad mini for viewing schedules and doing quick-tap operations on the fly, but the employees on the floor would use standard iPads for our inventory and transactional operations. I couldn't picture using such a small screen at the time. When COVID hit, I switched to working at home. After Apple released the very impressive M1 Pro MBP, I found myself using my iPad for less and less work, and more and more casual things. When I took a good look at the package, I realized I had spent like $1500 on an iPad Pro with a Magic Keyboard, but every time I wanted to use the iPad, I was pulling it off the keyboard and just holding it to watch RU-vid or surfing the web. Basically, I swapped to this iPad mini as it got the 2nd gen Pencil support and the expanded display. It's been an absolute delight. I actually WANT to pick it up around the house and move it. From the bedroom watching Twitch streams to the kitchen pulling up recipe apps to my desk for sketching, it's a great size. Top that off with the massive cost savings? Huge win. I honestly wouldn't mind if Apple released a more cramped and smaller keyboard case for this, just for the cases where I'd want to type up a pile of notes on the go.

I had an iPad mini when I was in University. That was the best upgrade from my original iPad. It's lightweight and it fits into the pocket of my coat. I carry it around all day and have all my ideas and lecture notes on it. That played a very important role in my life.

Marques: “I was imagining an iPad Mini Pro, or maybe it would be an iPad Pro Mini, but you know what I mean…then you get the Pro camera system on the back…” Also Marques: “I’m never gonna advocate for taking photos on the iPad. It’s just..it’s just not gonna happen.”

Thanks for the information. This iPad makes a prefect planner. 👍🏾

That thing fits in to your pockets. Perfect use case