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Deals: iPad Mini 6 Drops to All-Time Low Prices Starting $399.99 ($99–$109 Off)

thadoggfather said:
Did you end up getting a 6?

cant recall
Click to expand...

I did not. My cousin has one though, and I've used it a bunch helping her out.

Device is "fine" to me. Shouldn't have raised the base price by 25% ($399 to $499), nor should they have changed the panel orientation (subjective, but that's my opinion).

Very much a lateral move vs pure upgrade depending upon how one uses their Mini and what for.

I don't think anyone is going wrong with a mini 6 if they are ok with the tradeoffs Apple made.

I'm personally riding my 5 until I see what a 7 might look like.

People say things like "faster processor!" -- I can tell you that I've felt my Mini 5 was slow, exactly "zero" times, so that sort of update rationale is lost on me, particularly for a device like the Mini.
 
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turbineseaplane said:
I did not. My cousin has one though, and I've used it a bunch helping her out.

Device is "fine" to me. Shouldn't have raised the base price by 25% ($399 to $499), nor should they have changed the panel orientation (subjective, but that's my opinion).

Very much a lateral move vs pure upgrade depending upon how one uses their Mini and what for.

I don't think anyone is going wrong with a mini 6 if they are ok with the tradeoffs Apple made.

I'm personally riding my 5 until I see what a 7 might look like.

People say things like "faster processor!" -- I can tell you that I've felt my Mini 5 was slow, exactly "zero" times, so that sort of update rationale is lost on me, particularly for a device like the Mini.
Click to expand...

I wouldn't get rid of my mini5 since its on 14.3 and untethered jailbreak, and the last of the style, but contemplating a $364 open box base wifi 64gb.

Still, I have the 2021 11" M1 iPad Pro, on 15.1 already, and having three iPads would be rather gluttonous for me haha

Will admit though wasn't tempted at all @ MSRP, now a bit more.

I agree with you on panel orientation too and mini5 not feeling slow at all either. Its the least long in the tooth mini between iterations, old style aside. Mini 1 needed retina, mini 3 needed anything but just a touchID add on and number generation increment in name only, mini 4 'needed' P3 gamut and TT... mini 5 feels pretty solid still.

I wonder if ProMotion will ever come to mini. or if we'll see an OLED mini sooner than later / or a mini 7 at all

Mini is such an unpredictable product line
 
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Good things to remember when comparing to a Mini 5:

The M6 display is shorter, but wider -- the "screen size increase" is a bit deceptive in that way.
There is technically a little bit more of it, but the shape is different.

Losing landscape height isn't great with the keyboard up on screen.


Mini 5 and 7.9" display:
Display size: 6.32" × 4.74" = 29.96in²
at 324.05 PPI, 0.0784mm dot pitch, 105009 PPI²


Mini 6 and 8.3" display:
Display size: 6.94" × 4.56" = 31.61in²
at 326.61 PPI, 0.0778mm dot pitch, 106676 PPI²
 
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jeffpeng said:
Although, in all fairness, it's not as pronounced with 120hz. But aside from making it a 120hz screen there really isn't much to be done engineering wise about "jelly scrolling". You'll get it one way or another. The only thing I could think of is a controller that changes how it addresses individual pixels based on orientation. But I'm not hardware-savvy enough to know if this is even possible.

I think there is a "can't unsee" factor to this. Colleague got a mini day one. Looked at the thing, was like "nice, but not my form factor", but didn't notice the jelly at all. After "jelly-gate" became public I looked at it again, spotted it right away. At least for me this goes to show how much of human perception is altered by sheer expectation. Like a dead pixel. Takes years for you to notice - but once you do it'll bug you forever.
Click to expand...
It’s funny because although I have noticed it on iPads in the past (most obviously on my first iPad, a mini 4), I don’t ever see or notice it with my current iPad (9th generation). Pretty ironic given the price point.
 
thadoggfather said:
Will admit though wasn't tempted at all @ MSRP, now a bit more.
Click to expand...

I’ve been watching local sellers on CL/FB really struggle to move new in box versions, to say nothing of used ones.

A base Mini6 I’ve watched has gone from “$460, firm!” down to “$350, first come first serve”

I’ve “thought about it”… but then I run through my own feelings, postings, comments about it and the thought process…and it continues to be a lateral move (and downgrade in some ways) for me…. Just no real point.

It is interesting to see how much “consumerism” creeps into my mind.

I have analyzed this newer model and decided against it…but my brain still can’t help but get impacted by price drops, sales and good local deals.

It’s weird….
It’s like being an “alcoholic” in the consumer space.
Lots of “bargaining with myself”
 
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turbineseaplane said:
It is interesting to see how much “consumerism” creeps into my mind.

I have analyzed this newer model and decided against it…but my brain still can’t help but get impacted by price drops, sales and good local deals.

It’s weird….
It’s like being an “alcoholic” in the consumer space.
Lots of “bargaining with myself”
Click to expand...

aint that the truth
 
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Channan said:
Cool, thanks for the useless reply. I’m not about to research a problem that doesn’t affect me. I was just asking for a quick answer.
Click to expand...

You are too lazy to use the site search but you wan't others to take their time to type out replies to exactly what "you want to know"?

wtf

At least put in some modicum of effort on your own first.
 
I was so excited for the mini 6. However when I did go check it out in store I noticed the Jelly Scroll right away and it did bother me so I cancelled my order. However for $399 I might now reconsider! :)
 
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turbineseaplane said:
You are too lazy to use the site search but you wan't others to take their time to type out replies to exactly what "you want to know"?

wtf

At least put in some modicum of effort on your own first.
Click to expand...
I’m not too lazy to do it. It’s just not that serious. It was a basic question that needed a basic response. This is a discussion forum for people to talk about things like this and some people are happy to share their knowledge.

I couldn’t imagine being the type of person that has the information someone seeks but still tells them to find it themselves. I hope no one does that to you.
 
I'd love one of these, but honestly I just don't think I would get much use out of it. OLED on my TV and iPhone has spoiled me for all other screens, I'm sorry.
 
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I haven't bought a mini 6 to replace my mini 4 yet because I primarily use it for streaming music through the 3.5mm jack to my receiver. I would need to get an adapter or dock to do that with the mini 6. So even at $100 off I'm still on the fence.
 
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MisterAndrew said:
I haven't bought a mini 6 to replace my mini 4 yet because I primarily use it for streaming music through the 3.5mm jack to my receiver. I would need to get an adapter or dock to do that with the mini 6. So even at $100 off I'm still on the fence.
Click to expand...

Removing the headphone jacks on new style iPads is such a crap move.
It's totally unnecessary in terms of space and makes the device ever so slightly less flexible and "worse" as a result.
 
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LawJolla said:
I don't get the "jelly scrolling."

I'm a pilot with 20/10 and 20/20 vision. I have a Mini 6 and iPad Pro 12" with Promotion (and iPhone 13 Pro Max). I hardly ever use my Pro anymore, and I don't use my Mini thinking "if this was only 120hz!" I don't notice it.

Great iPad, great deal, do buy it!
Click to expand...
I just bought 5 of them. I think it's a great device.
 
Been wanting to grab a mini6 for a while now, so this is great! I had the original mini for a long time and loved it as a grab-and-go device that was perfect for reading and perfect for travel. I love my regular iPad and for art the 12.9 Pro is killer. But, reading on screens that big is cumbersome and uncomfortable for me. But, the mini is great for it. Ordered yesterday, arrived this morning, and I'm already pumped on it!
 
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turbineseaplane said:
If you are used to OLEDs, these devices are a hard pass
Click to expand...

So I tried it and ... returned it hours later

Screen is dimmer yellower in a noticeable way and really narrow viewing angles I will get a pic or two up shortly showing it But I think it looks worse in person

Also looking at mini5 then 6, on 6 I could see faint runny horizontal lines in solid colors for a few seconds before my eyes adjusted me no likey. Wasn’t present on mini 5 at all. The text on mini 5 was subtlely crisper than mini 6 as well I could see it causing some strain I wouldn’t know where it’s coming from. Possibly.

Jelly roll was actually surprisingly the least of my issues with the panel though without is always preferred, but I tried mostly on light mode I heard dark it’s even more apparent. But oddly if everything else was sorted I wouldn’t consider this a deal breaker alone. Personally.

Came with iOS15.4 and I dunno it felt unoptimized. No faster and maybe even slower than 14.3 on my mini 5 I understand people griping about iPadOS now. It’s weird though my m1 11” pro on 15.1 is better than 14.5 was but14.5 was the shipping os so maybe more kinks to work out with m1 out the gate. Or m1 has so much overhead that iPadOS 15 can’t stop it

But even app drawer animation is terrible even disregarding a 60hz display just so chunky in movement it was gross. And not jelly related. And sliding into some overlay widgets not that graceful.

New style Mini will eventually be awesome but I can’t cope with those compromises.

iPad mini 5 and 11” M1 is the combo for now until maybe mini 7? Maybe?

If the panel was even on par with mini 5 it would be a contender for a keeper but it’s silly to regress really

The display reminds me of how mini 1 was inferior quality wise to iPad 2 though same res and specs on paper size aside,

Same with mini 2 compared to air 1 / iPad 4 at the time

It reminds me of mini 1 in that the draw is the form factor and the screen is a concession

I Thought mini 4 looked a lot like air2 equivalent
And mini 5 close to 9.7 pro though a slight regression but not in super glaring ways for the unobservant eye

I won’t fault anyone for loving the device though and not seeing a difference or having a bad panel mini 5 next to it or upgrading from a model prior to mini 5 without the reference point.

I really think it’s shameful charging 500 Msrp for it and my hope is they hiked it to give it some breathing room for spec bumps in later generations. We’ve seen this with iPhones and pro pads. Granted I don’t like price increases but if they set a base for higher standards it’s alright

The $100 increase for 9.7 pro was justified IMO from air 2. This, nah

Same with $800 for a12x 11” in 2018. Now it’s $800 for an m1 11” not a steal but it’s packed

Same with iPhone X $1k. Now the oled screen is top notch and three cameras and better build. It cozies up to the price, some breathing room for specs. In theory.
 

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turbineseaplane said:
Removing the headphone jacks on new style iPads is such a crap move.
It's totally unnecessary in terms of space and makes the device ever so slightly less flexible and "worse" as a result.
Click to expand...
Thanks for that bit of information. I had been tempted to update my (recently purchased) Mini 5, just as a "midlife crisis" purchase. But gratuitously eliminating the headphone jack does not make the 6 seem like an upgrade, more like a side-grade that is slightly faster but comes with compromises.

I'll wait until my AppleCare runs out on the Mini5, then hope for an awesome 7 or 8.

I must say, the Mini 5 has been a great device. I have a 12.9" iPad Pro that I rarely use, a large Samsung S20 Android phone that I constantly use, and unexpectedly, the Mini 5 has become my go-to device of late. It's so sharp and clear that it's superior to my Kindle when it comes to reading, and has so much else packed in that it's just all around very useful. I'm still pretty wedded to the Google/Android ecosystem but trying to wean myself off everything Google.
 
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My Mini 2 is slow as molasses so I've been using a larger iPad the last few years but I really miss the smaller form factor when I travel so I caved and picked up a base model iPad mini 6 at $399, what the base price should have been all along. The jelly scrolling in portrait mode is very obvious when scrolling through web pages but it actually doesn't bother me. I just used it for an hour site hopping and reading Apple News articles and just forgot about it. When I read e-books and comic books in portrait mode I paginate and don't scroll so it's a non-issue with that content. 64GB is a bit tight though, had to delete a bunch of content and apps that I transferred over from my iPad that had more storage. A 128GB version would have been perfect as 256 GB is overkill for me. Anyways, happy camper so far.
 
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