Feb 28, 2016 3 min read

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Apple’s iPad has been around since the summer of 2010, quickly becoming a staple for work productivity and home entertainment. Over the years, many improvements have been made through new iterations of the original iPad and eventually, Apple began creating completely different versions of the product.

One of those versions is the iPad Mini.

The iPad Mini 4, the newest model of the iPad Mini, measures about 8 x 5.5 inches, which is much smaller than the iPad Air 2, which measures about 9.5 x 6.5 inches. Both of these are only a quarter inch thick, making them extremely lightweight and easy to hold. It uses the Apple A8 processer, which is only slightly slower than the iPad Air 2. I recently purchased the iPad Mini 4, and I have found that it still provides a great experience, despite its smaller size. In my opinion, it is the definitive iPad.

The iPad Mini 4 comes with one of three different storage options: 16 GB, 64 GB, and 128 GB. The smallest option is priced at $400, and all models are available in three different colors, each with a glossy finish on both the front and back.

Like other tablets before it, the Mini 4 features a wide variety of apps designed to relieve boredom and help with many tasks. Almost any app or game released for the normal sized iPad can be played on the iPad Mini 4. It can also download iPhone apps and upscale them for the bigger screen. It is even possible to multitask with some apps, allowing them to run simultaneously and avoiding the hassle of sorting through menus.

In addition, the Mini 4 has many features not included with older models. The home button has a built in fingerprint reader known as TouchID, which can be used in place of traditional passwords. The cameras on the front and back are big upgrades. Photos are high quality and contain no noticeable blurriness. Audio and video quality are excellent as well, with speakers providing clear sound and the anti-glare retina display providing great picture.

While there are a lot of positives about this new iPad, there are still downsides. The outer shell of the iPad is pretty at first, but not for long. Because of the glossy finish mentioned earlier, the screen smudges with every tap or swipe. The battery life isn’t so great, either. When used infrequently, the Mini 4’s battery can last all day. However, multiple charges may be required for long sessions of binge watching or gaming. Thankfully, this is countered by a quick charge speed. Furthermore, some might argue that the screen size is an issue for watching movies and streaming shows, but I found that it isn’t a serious problem. Finally, while I feel that the iPad Mini 4 is great for me, people with larger hands may have a hard time holding it comfortably.

Overall, I feel that the iPad Mini 4 is a great purchase. It has all the capabilities of the full sized iPad, only compressed into a smaller package. Even though there will always be slight downsides to Apple products, an iPad is still an iPad, and it will always be a fun and useful tablet for all ages.

iPad Mini 4:

Pros: Huge app store, audio/visual quality, TouchID, portable size, fast processer, appealing design, great for gaming.

Cons: Smudgy screen, battery life, expensive, small size inconvenient for some.

By Aaron York

Seventh grade, Commonwealth Connections