Device hub · Tablets · Desk research
iPad mini (6th generation)
mini (6th generation) is the September 2021 $499 8.3-inch Liquid Retina slate: A15, landscape stereo, USB 3 at 5Gb/s, Pencil 2nd gen.
Product images
Placeholder — OEM press not licensediPad mini (6th generation)
Credit: GadgetShowdown labeled placeholder (not an Apple asset). View official product image
Studio still only. Manufacturer press JPEGs are not hosted here. See the official product page for the real product photo.
Placeholder — OEM press not licensediPad mini (6th generation)
Credit: GadgetShowdown labeled placeholder (not an Apple asset). View official product image
Studio still only. Manufacturer press JPEGs are not hosted here. See the official product page for the real product photo.
In short
mini (6th generation) is the September 2021 $499 8.3-inch Liquid Retina slate: A15, landscape stereo, USB 3 at 5Gb/s, Pencil 2nd gen. Buy leftover if you want the first USB-C mini. Skip it if you want current A17 Pro silicon — that is iPad mini (A17 Pro).
Who it is for
- Leftover / refurb shoppers who want the first all-screen 8.3-inch USB-C mini with landscape stereo and magnetic 2nd-generation Pencil.
- People comparing mini 6 vs mini (A17 Pro) on silicon (A15 vs A17 Pro) and USB speed (5Gb/s vs later 10Gb/s) — not on case size.
- Color-sensitive shoppers: Space Gray, Pink, Purple, Starlight.
Who should skip it
- Anyone who wants the current mini. That is iPad mini (A17 Pro) at /tablets/ipad-mini-a17-pro/.
- Buyers who want Pencil Pro hover, USB 3 at 10Gb/s, or a published RAM figure.
- People who want an 11-inch or 13-inch canvas.
Key differentiators
- First USB-C iPad mini; 8.3-inch Liquid Retina at 326 ppi — denser than 10.86-inch Air/base 264 ppi.
- A15 Bionic: 6-core CPU (2P+4E), 5-core GPU, 16-core Neural Engine. RAM is not published on Support 111886.
- USB 3 up to 5Gb/s and one external display up to 4K/30 Hz — later mini (A17 Pro) Support lists USB 3 at 10Gb/s and 4K/60.
- Wi-Fi 6 / Bluetooth 5.0. Landscape stereo + dual mics. 19.3Wh pack.
Caveats
- Every nits and battery-hour line is an Apple claim. GadgetShowdown has not lab-tested this mini.
- RAM is not on Support 111886 — keep the tablets-v1 memory key and write “not published.” Do not invent 4GB from a teardown.
- Pencil Pro is not listed. Hover is not on the Support 111886 display block we pulled.
- Apple product photography is not hosted here.
Tablet-category specs
Same rows on every tablet page (iPad Pro / Air / mini, Galaxy Tab S, Pixel Tablet).
| Attribute | Value | Source / note |
|---|---|---|
| Display size | 8.3-inch rectangle diagonal (Apple rounded-corner footnote) | Apple Support 111886 |
| Display type | Liquid Retina; LED-backlit IPS Multi-Touch | Apple Support 111886 |
| Display resolution | 2266 × 1488 at 326 ppi | Apple Support 111886 |
| Peak brightness (OEM) | 500 nits | Apple Support 111886 |
| Refresh rate | Not published | Apple Support 111886 |
| Display features | Wide color (P3); True Tone; oleophobic coating; fully laminated; antireflective coating | Apple Support 111886 |
| Sold size(s) | One size: iPad mini (6th generation), 8.3-inch | Apple Newsroom, 2021-09-14 |
| Dimensions | 195.4 × 134.8 × 6.3 mm | Apple Support 111886 |
| Weight | Wi-Fi 293 g; Wi-Fi + Cellular 297 g | Apple Support 111886 |
| Finishes | Space Gray; Pink; Purple; Starlight | Apple Support 111886 |
| Chassis / enclosure | Aluminum iPad mini enclosure (Apple Environment block language on Support if present; not a detailed recycled-content table on the cells we pulled) | Apple Support 111886 |
| Chip / processor | A15 Bionic: 6-core CPU (2 performance + 4 efficiency), 5-core GPU, 16-core. | Apple Support 111886 |
| Memory (RAM) | Not published | Apple Support 111886 |
| On-device storage | 64GB or 256GB (no microSD) | Apple Support 111886 |
| Operating system | iPadOS (Apple Support names the OS family). Newsroom at launch highlighted iPadOS 15. Confirm the current signed iPadOS on apple.com/ipados — do not freeze 2021 launch software. | Apple Support 111886; Newsroom 2021-09-14 |
| Pencil / stylus | Supports Apple Pencil (2nd generation) and Apple Pencil (USB-C). Neither Pencil is in the box. Hover is not listed on the Support 111886 display block we pulled. | Apple Support 111886 |
| Keyboard / cover (OEM) | Not published | Apple Support 111886 |
| Biometrics | Touch ID in the top button | Apple Support 111886 |
| Speakers | Landscape stereo speakers | Apple Support 111886 |
| Microphones | Dual microphones for calls, video recording, and audio recording | Apple Support 111886 |
| Cellular | Wi-Fi models: none. Wi-Fi + Cellular: 5G NR (model A2568 band list on Support); nano-SIM + eSIM; data only. | Apple Support 111886 |
| Wireless (Wi-Fi / Bluetooth) | Wi-Fi 6 (802.11ax) 2x2 MIMO; simultaneous dual band; Bluetooth 5.0. Some regional Support sheets add “speeds up to 1.2 Gb/s.” | Apple Support 111886 / regional 111886 |
| Ports / expansion | USB-C with charging and DisplayPort; USB 3 (up to 5Gb/s); magnetic Pencil connector; SIM tray on cellular SKUs. One external display up to 4K at 30 Hz. | Apple Support 111886 |
| Rear camera | 12MP Wide, ƒ/1.8; Quad-LED True Tone flash; 4K video up to 60 fps | Apple Support 111886 |
| Front camera | 12MP Ultra Wide front camera, ƒ/2.4; Center Stage; 1080p video | Apple Support 111886 |
| Battery (OEM) | 19.3Wh. Up to 10 hours Wi-Fi web or video; cellular models up to 9 hours web on cellular | Apple Support 111886 |
| Charging (OEM) | USB-C Charge Cable (1m) and 20W USB-C Power Adapter in the box. Charging via adapter or USB-C to computer. | Apple Support 111886 |
| Durability / ingress | Not published | Apple Support 111886 |
| Location / GNSS | All models: digital compass, Wi-Fi, iBeacon. Cellular models add GPS/GNSS | Apple Support 111886 |
| US MSRP (launch) | Wi-Fi $499; Wi-Fi + Cellular $649 at the 14 September 2021 launch (64GB start) | Apple Newsroom, 2021-09-14 |
| Price band | Previous compact Apple tablet ($499 US launch before Pencil) | Derived from Apple launch prices |
| Announced | 14 September 2021 | Apple Newsroom |
| Availability | Announced 14 September 2021. Superseded by iPad mini (A17 Pro) in 2024. | Apple Newsroom 2021-09-14; later mini Support/Newsroom |
iPad mini (6th generation) extras
Unique to this line or SKU. Other tablets keep the first table aligned and swap this extras list.
| Attribute | Value | Source / note |
|---|---|---|
| First USB-C iPad mini | USB 3 at 5Gb/s and 4K/30 external display on Support 111886. Later A17 Pro mini lists 10Gb/s and 4K/60. | Apple Support 111886 |
| No Smart Connector | Support 111886 buttons/connectors list we pulled does not include Smart Connector. Do not copy the Air/base Smart Connector row. | Apple Support 111886 |
| In the box | iPad mini (6th generation); USB-C Charge Cable (1m); 20W USB-C Power Adapter | Apple Support 111886 |
| Leftover predecessor | mini (5th generation) is live at /tablets/ipad-mini-5th-generation/ — 7.9-inch Lightning, A12, Pencil 1st gen, 19.1Wh. | Apple Support 111904 |
Overview
iPad mini (6th generation) is Apple’s September 2021 compact tablet — the first all-screen USB-C mini. Current mini sell-in is A17 Pro. This hub stays so leftover shoppers have a tablets-v1 record instead of mixing A15 USB 5Gb/s with A17 Pro 10Gb/s.
We have not used this iPad. Newsroom “breakthrough performance” stays an Apple claim from 2021.
Display, chip, speakers
IPS Liquid Retina, 2266 × 1488, 326 ppi, 500 nits, P3, True Tone, laminated, antireflective. No ProMotion row.
A15 Bionic is 6-core CPU (2P+4E) / 5-core GPU / 16-core Neural Engine. RAM stays not published. Speakers are landscape stereo with dual mics. Pack is 19.3Wh.
Pencil, keyboard, ports
stylus is Pencil 2nd gen + USB-C. Hover is not on the Support 111886 display block we pulled. keyboard has no Smart Connector on the buttons list we pulled — do not copy Air’s Magic Keyboard path. ports is USB 3 at 5Gb/s and 4K/30 external display.
Battery
19.3Wh; up to 10 hours Wi-Fi; 9 hours cellular; 20W brick in the box.
How this page compares on a desk (not a vs-page)
| Desk fact (OEM) | mini (6th gen) | mini (A17 Pro) |
|---|---|---|
| Chip | A15 Bionic | A17 Pro |
| USB | USB 3 5Gb/s; 4K/30 | USB 3 10Gb/s; 4K/60 |
| Wireless | Wi-Fi 6 / BT 5.0 | Wi-Fi 6E / BT 5.3 |
| RAM on Support | Not published | Not published |
| US Wi-Fi start | $499 (Sep 2021) | $499 (2024) |
Sources
- Apple Newsroom — Apple unveils new iPad mini with breakthrough performance in stunning new design — accessed 2026-09-19
- Apple Support — iPad mini (6th generation) tech specs — accessed 2026-09-19
Frequently asked questions
Is this still the current mini?
No. Current mini on 19 September 2026 is iPad mini (A17 Pro). Keep this slug as the leftover A15 mini.
How much RAM does it have?
Apple does not publish RAM on Support 111886. We write “not published.” Do not paste a 4GB rumor.
USB-C — how fast?
Support lists USB 3 up to 5Gb/s and one external display up to 4K/30 Hz. The later A17 Pro mini Support sheet lists 10Gb/s and 4K/60. Do not flatten those rows.
Official product page: iPad mini (6th generation). Tech specs: iPad mini (6th generation) specs.