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iPad mini vs iPad: How the Cheapest iPads Compare

Umito November 8, 2024

Apple’s 10th generation iPad was introduced in October 2022. It got a colorful new design with no home button, USB-C instead of Lightning, a better camera, and a larger screen (10 .9 inches versus 10.2 inches).

The iPad mini was updated in October 2024. It costs $150/£170 more and offers a better processor and slightly better screen, and comes in a smaller body (which will either be a plus or a disadvantage, depending on your preference).

In this guide, we’ll evaluate whether you should spend more to get the iPad mini or spend less to buy the 10th generation iPad. If you’re in the market for a new iPad and wondering which one will be best for you, read on to find out how the cheapest iPad options compare.

There are a few different factors that might influence your decision, including value for money, cameras, and the ability of the iPad in question to perform the tasks you need. There are also some pretty obvious differences: size, weight and design, including the lack of a Home button on two of the three models we’re considering here.

We’ll start by looking at what you get for your money.

We also compare the 10th generation iPad and iPad Air and for even more help, read our iPad Buying Guide.

iPad mini vs iPad: which is better value for money?

When Apple introduced the 10th generation iPad in October 2022, it kept the 9th generation iPad (introduced in September 2021) on sale. But in May 2024, Apple discontinued the 9th generation iPad and lowered the price of the 10th generation iPad to $349/£349, making it the cheaper option. (Apple has since dropped the price in the UK to £329.)

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

iPad	Wi-Fi	Cellular
iPad (10th generation, 2022, 64 GB)	$349/£329	$499/£479
iPad (10th generation, 2022, 256 GB)	$499/£479	$649/£629
iPad mini (A17 Pro, 2024, 128 GB)	$499/£499	$649/£649
iPad mini (A17 Pro, 2024, 256 GB)	$599/£599	$749/£749
iPad mini (A17 Pro, 2024, 512 GB)	$799/£799	$849/£849

There are a few things to keep in mind when it comes to pricing. Apple’s quoted price may not be the price you need to pay: Resellers frequently offer discounts on all iPads, so be sure to check out our deal roundups so you don’t miss out on the best prices. See: Best iPad (10th generation) deals And Best iPad mini deals.

You should also consider whether you want to pay for more storage. For example, Apple only offers two options for the 10th generation iPad, and upgrading to 256GB costs $150/£170. For the iPad mini, the upgrade from 128GB to 256GB is $100/£100. This is not a trivial increase.

iPad mini vs iPad: Specs Comparison

In the table below, you can see that there are a number of iPad mini features that the iPad lacks.

	iPad mini (A17 Pro, 2024)	iPad (10th generation, 2022)
Colors	Blue, Purple, Space Gray, Starlight	Blue, pink, silver, yellow
Screen size	8.3 inches	10.9 inches
Display	Liquid Retina display (2266 by 1488 resolution, to 326 ppi), 500 nits max, fingerprint-resistant oleophobic coating, fully laminated display, anti-reflective coating, wide color (P3)	Liquid Retina display (2360 x 1640 resolution, 264 ppi), 500 nits max, fingerprint-resistant oleophobic coating, sRGB
Security	Touch ID on the top button (no Home button)	Touch ID on the top button (no Home button)
Dimensions and weight	7.69 x 5.3 x 0.25 inches, 0.65 pounds 195.4 x 134.8 x 6.2 mm, 293 g	9.79 x 7.07 x 0.28 inches, 1.05 pounds 248.6 x 179.5 x 7mm, 477g
Processor	A17 Pro	A14
Storage options	128 GB256 GB, 512 GB	64 GB, 256 GB
Rear camera	12 MP wide, ƒ/1.8 aperture, five-element lens, True Tone flash, Smart HDR 4	12 MP wide, ƒ/1.8 aperture, five-element lens, True Tone flash, Smart HDR 3
Front camera	12 MP ultra wide, ƒ/2.4 aperture, center scene, Smart HDR 4	12 MP ultra-wide landscape, ƒ/2.4 aperture, center scene, landscape orientationSmart HDR 3
Video	4K video recording at 24 fps, 25 fps, 30 fps or 60 fps; 1080p HD video recording at 25 fps, 30 fps or 60 fps; wide dynamic range for video up to 30 fps; Slow motion video support for 1080p at 120fps or 240fps	4K video recording at 24 fps, 25 fps, 30 fps or 60 fps; 1080p HD video recording at 25 fps, 30 fps or 60 fps; extended dynamic range for video up to 30 fps; Slow motion video support for 1080p at 120fps or 240fps
Loading	USB-C	USB-C
Support for Apple accessories	Apple Pencil (USB-C); Apple Pencil Pro	Magic Keyboard Case, Apple Pencil 1
Battery life	Until 10 a.m.	Until 10 a.m.
Bluetooth/WiFi	Bluetooth 5.3, Wi-Fi 6E (802.11ax) with 2×2 MIMO	Bluetooth 5.2, Wi-Fi 6
Cellular support	5G	5G

Choice of colors

Both the iPad and iPad mini come in “fun” colors. If that’s not your style, the iPad comes in silver and the iPad mini comes in space gray. The iPad and iPad mini are considered mainstream products and Apple offers these products with colorful choices.

Home button

There is no Home button on the iPad mini or 10th generation iPad. They still use Touch ID (not Face ID) and it’s still the easiest way to unlock the device, but now you press 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 screen without increasing the size of the iPad. Moving 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 due to the simplicity and speed of use.

However, for some people, the Home button is a simple and familiar 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 ready to say goodbye to the Home button yet. If you’re not ready to give it up, the 9th generation iPad is now the only iPad with a Home button. It’s no longer available, but you may be able to find it at third-party retailers or on the Apple site. Certified Refurbished Store.

Display

Removing the Home button means that the iPad mini and 10th generation iPad now have larger screens than before. The iPad mini has grown from 7.9 inches to 8.3 inches, while in 2022 the iPad screen has increased from 10.2 inches to 10.9 inches. Despite the increase in screen size, Apple has managed to keep the dimensions of the devices roughly the same as older models, so there’s no real compromise. You get a bigger screen, but the device itself is virtually the same size and weight. We will discuss dimensions in more detail below.

Obviously, the iPad mini’s screen is still smaller than the 10.9-inch iPad’s, but as we said above, some people will look for a smaller screen on a lighter device for a variety of reasons . If what matters to you is screen size, the choice will be relatively simple, but if you’re concerned about screen quality, there are differences to consider.

The iPad mini’s screen is superior to the 10th generation iPad. On the one hand, the iPad mini benefits from a fully laminated screen and anti-reflective coating, shared with the iPad Air and iPad Pro. The standard iPad is the only iPad without these features and it is at a disadvantage because of it. The unlaminated screen simply doesn’t give the same impression of quality.

The iPad mini’s screen also outperforms both iPads with denser pixels (326 ppi vs. 264 ppi) and it also offers P3 wide color gamut support while both iPads are only sRGB.

But both iPads are limited to 500 nits maximum. Only the iPad Pro manages more than that.

Cameras

The iPad and iPad mini have a 12MP camera with an ƒ/1.8 aperture. However, the iPad mini supports Smart HDR 4, an Apple technology that combines multiple shots at different exposures to create an ideal image. The iPad uses Smart HDR 3, which is an older version of the technology.

Both the iPad and iPad mini have a front-facing camera for FaceTime calls or selfies. Both offer a 12 MP ultra-wide front camera with an ƒ/2.4 aperture, 2x zoom, and support for Center Stage (a feature that keeps you in frame even if you move.). The iPad moved the front camera to the landscape side, which is much better suited to the way people use their iPads during FaceTime calls. The iPad mini still has the camera on the portrait side.

Apple

Dimensions

Despite all the technology in the iPad mini, if the screen is too small for you, you may prefer the iPad. However, for some, the iPad mini’s compact dimensions are the main advantage. Let’s recap on these dimensions:

iPad mini A17 Pro
7.69 x 5.3 x 0.25 inches, 0.65 pounds
195.4 x 134.8 x 6.2 mm, 293 g

iPad 10th generation
9.79 x 7.07 x 0.28 inches, 1.05 pounds
248.6 x 179.5 x 7mm, 477g

Ports and Connectivity

One last difference to mention: the iPad mini and 10th generation iPad have a USB-C port, like the iPad Pro and Air models. The Lightning port is gone. If you’re like us, you probably have a house full of Lightning connectors and very few USB-C jacks, but USB-C has its advantages, like the ability to connect an external display.

Both the iPad mini and iPad have connectivity options including Bluetooth, WiFi, and an option for 5G cellular.

The last thing to mention is that the iPad mini works with the Apple Pencil (USB-C) and Apple Pencil Pro. The iPad is only compatible with the Apple Pencil 1.

Verdict

Our advice is, if you have the money, buy the iPad mini, but if you don’t need the extra features that model brings and want to save money, the 10th generation iPad is still a great option (and if there are any deals on this model, you’ll see them below).