Wired
> Video loading, please wait… Autoplay
Play iPad mini review: Everyone talks about productivity, but I use it to play games. Forward and backward
Sina Digital Ruihao
I believe that many people are fans of the iPad Mini series. The tight body can be held with one hand. For reading enthusiasts, the 7.9-inch screen is more suitable for reading. The supported Apple Pencil allows you to take temporary notes or Inspiration flashes, and creativity is swayed on the iPad mini. In spite of its many advantages, the only shortcoming is the use of chips from 4 years ago. It is inevitable that there is “more than enough energy but not enough energy”!
Therefore, users are increasingly calling for the iPad mini update. Users are asking, and the industry will guess again, who would have thought that the sixth generation iPad mini will be here at this fall conference! This time we will talk about the unexpected joy of Apple’s autumn conference-the sixth-generation iPad mini.
The sixth generation iPad mini
Just like the previously exposed information, the appearance of the iPad mini has changed. Of course, this is the first major change in the appearance of the iPad mini series since its launch. A constant-width frame surrounds the screen. The touch ID is placed on the home button from the bottom of the original screen. The screen lock or payment is done on this button at one go. This new design finally forms a full-screen iPad mini.
The sixth generation iPad mini
The iPad mini has a full-screen design, but the screen feels unchanged from 7.9 inches to 8.3 inches. In addition, the same Liquid retina screen as the 11-inch iPad Pro supports P3 wide color gamut and original color display. The picture quality is more delicate. For reading enthusiasts, the effect of displaying text definitely makes you feel a qualitative leap. Of course, for friends who like to write and draw on the iPad, the colors of the screen are also more gorgeous. However, this screen is the same as the iPad Air. The refresh rate only stays at 60Hz. If you are an iPhone 13 Pro user or iPad Pro user, you may be a little uncomfortable when you see this screen.
In terms of sound, the sixth-generation iPad mini has been upgraded from one side sound to both sides to form a stereo sound. Although it does not have four speakers like the iPad Pro, which allows you to dance on the grass, the sound of the speakers is not Weak, can also let you enjoy a song quietly in the afternoon drinking afternoon tea.
Looking at it this way, the audio and video functions of the iPad mini are similar to those of the iPad Air, and its advantage lies in its size.
Weight comparison of the sixth-generation iPad mini
I believe that a part of the reason why friends who bought the iPad mini must be greedy for its size, which is still the case on the sixth-generation iPad mini. We compared the iPad products currently on sale. The iPad mini squeezed the iPad Pro, iPad Air and even the iPad released at the same time with a weight of about 300 grams. Products that are similar to those from other vendors have almost won. It can be said that currently in the field of 8-inch tablets, only the iPad mini can claim the title of “thin and light”.
The sixth generation iPad mini
Lightness is on the one hand, and small hand feel is on the other hand. It can be held with one hand, and even the iPad mini can be held with one hand. It is almost stress-free in a girl’s bag.
The sixth generation iPad mini
This time I also prepared two accessories for the iPad mini, an Apple Pencil and a smart double-sided clip. Unfortunately, the small mini does not fit the Magic Keyboard. Therefore, Apple’s positioning of it is also very clear. The iPad mini is not suitable for typing production, but as a convenient “notepad” and “drawing book” that is suitable for being around you and can be held at hand.
Performance: The residual blood version of the A15 bionic chip is actually not bad
The iPad mini’s positioning has jumped from the previous “usable” to the “flagship”. The flagship is not only the appearance, the inner A15 is also one of the highlights. That’s right, the iPad mini surpasses the iPad Air released last year and is equipped with the same A15 bionic chip as this year’s iPhone 13/13 Pro. But the difference is that the main frequency of the iPad mini is limited to 2.9GHz, while the iPhone 13/13 Pro all use 3.2GHz main frequency, only the GPU part is distinguished.
Performance comparison of the sixth-generation iPad mini
After actual measurement, it is found that the single-core score of the iPad mini is 1589 and the multi-core score is 4536. Compared with the single-core 1738 multi-core 4771 of the iPhone 13 Pro, there is indeed some gap, but the gap between the two is not big.
The A15 Bionic is on, and the large memory is also on. Looking at the sixth-generation iPad mini in this way, it is a productivity tool! We look at its strength from the two aspects of gaming and multimedia productivity.
Let’s talk about the game first. We all know that iOS accounts for a large proportion of games, and I believe that friends who buy iPad mini are also interested in games. The screen is too small to play with the iPhone, and the handle is not equipped for playing with the iPad Pro. The screen is too big, so the “sacred” task is left to the iPad mini!
The sixth generation iPad mini
The 8.3-inch screen is between the iPhone 13 Pro Max and iPad Air. It can be held vertically with one hand. Using two hands horizontally gives you the most comfortable feeling, just like holding a game console in your hand. , Whether it is a virtual joystick, or dragging the screen rotation angle, it will give you smooth and natural flow. There is no need to take out the handle anymore. For gravity-sensing games, the iPad mini is more handy and more flexible than the iPad Pro. However, games like Primordial God and Asphalt have not been adapted to the iPad mini, and may have to wait until the progress of the developers behind.
The sixth generation iPad mini
The experience is up, and the performance is unexpectedly good. Although the main core performance is not as good as the iPhone 13, the GPU performance is the same as that of the iPhone 13. According to the running points, the GPU of the iPhone 13 Pro is 2969 points, the GPU of the iPhone 13 is 2574 points, and the iPad mini is 2680 points, which is basically similar to the iPhone 13. We used “Yuan Shen” to test. When the high image quality is turned on, the iPad mini can be stabilized at 60 frames for comparison with the iPhone 13 Pro, and the stability is significantly higher than the latter. One of the reasons that the iPad mini can stabilize at 60 frames is that it has better heat dissipation. After an hour of gaming, the stability of the iPad mini is basically maintained at about 35 degrees.
Unexpectedly, the sixth-generation iPad mini has become the most suitable device for playing games among iPad and even iOS devices.
The sixth generation iPad mini
Of course, “creative power” is also one of the values of A15. The iPad mini is replaced with the same USB-C interface as the iPad Pro and iPad Air this time, and supports USB 3.1 transmission rates up to 5GB/s. This also means that cameras and other devices that support USB-C transmission can be connected to the iPad mini to realize file import. Use the powerful App resources of iOS to edit, edit, or process simple content on the iPad mini. For example, when we open Luma Fusion, we can directly edit and open Lightroom to edit the pictures by importing the video clips taken by the camera.
The iPadOS 15 on the iPad mini can also support the cruise function and can be used as an extended screen for Mac. However, the experience is naturally not as good as the large screens of iPad Air and Pro.
Take pictures: support the function of centering characters
The front camera of the iPad mini is upgraded to 12 million pixels, which is higher than that of the iPad Air. It supports the same character centering function as the iPad Pro, and the focus is always online when making video calls with netizens. Although the rear lens is not as good as the iPhone 13, it can basically meet our daily needs. The 12-megapixel wide-angle camera supports HDR 3, and the video shooting supports 4K up to 60fps shooting. Unfortunately, the Dolby Vision format is not within the scope of this support.
Summarize:
The sixth-generation iPad mini configuration went up all at once, from an entry-level product to the flagship list, of course, the price also went up. The entry-level 3799 is topped with a price of 6199 yuan, which may have blocked the desire of many students to buy the iPad with a higher price-performance ratio. The positioning of the new iPad mini has also undergone some changes. For example, for iOS game lovers, this iPad mini can stand shoulder to shoulder with the iPhone in terms of feel and performance. The 8.3-inch screen is perfect for playing games and reading e-books. In addition, painting and video editing are not a problem. Of course, the experience may not be as good as the iPad Air or the larger-screen iPad Pro.