Tablets · Model guide · Maker specs
iPad mini (6th generation)
Buy iPad mini (6th generation) only used and well below $499: Apple replaced it in 2024 with the A17 Pro mini at that same launch price.
Product images
iPad mini (6th generation), from its Amazon listing.
Credit: Amazon.com (Associates Program). Amazon listing
Product image from the Amazon listing.
In short
Buy iPad mini (6th generation) only used and well below $499: Apple replaced it in 2024 with the A17 Pro mini at that same launch price. It has the A15 Bionic, an 8.3-inch screen at 326 ppi, Touch ID, landscape stereo speakers and a USB-C port at 5Gb/s. Owners who want Apple Pencil Pro, hover or faster USB should upgrade; the size stays the same.
Who it is for
- Readers on a budget who want a small iPad. A used one still has a sharp 8.3-inch Liquid Retina screen, Touch ID and landscape stereo speakers.
- Owners of a 2nd-generation Apple Pencil. This mini supports it, along with Apple Pencil (USB-C), and the Pencil attaches to its magnetic connector.
Who should skip it
- Anyone buying new: iPad mini (A17 Pro) is the current model.
- People who want an 11-inch or 13-inch canvas. This mini comes in one size, 8.3 inches.
- Typists. There's no Smart Connector, so no Magic Keyboard; iPad Air and the base iPad have one.
What sets it apart
- An 8.3-inch screen at 326 pixels per inch, sharper than the 264 ppi on the 10.86-inch iPad Air and base iPad.
- The first all-screen iPad mini and the first with USB-C, replacing the 7.9-inch Lightning mini (5th generation).
- The A15 Bionic, with 2 performance and 4 efficiency CPU cores, a 5-core GPU and a 16-core Neural Engine.
- 293 grams (297 with cellular) in a 6.3mm-thin body.
Caveats
- Apple lists the 2nd-generation and USB-C Apple Pencils for it, not Pencil Pro, and doesn't list hover.
- Storage is 64GB or 256GB, with no microSD slot.
- It's a 2021 tablet that launched with iPadOS 15; Apple lists the iPads its current release supports at apple.com/ipados.
Key specs
In the same order on every tablet page, so you can compare models.
| Spec | Value | Source and notes |
|---|---|---|
| Display size | 8.3 inches diagonal (measured as a rectangle; the corners are rounded) | Apple iPad mini (6th generation) tech specs |
| Display type | Liquid Retina; LED-backlit IPS Multi-Touch | Apple iPad mini (6th generation) tech specs |
| Display resolution | 2266 × 1488 at 326 ppi | Apple iPad mini (6th generation) tech specs |
| Peak brightness | 500 nits | Apple iPad mini (6th generation) tech specsApple's rating. |
| Display features | Wide color (P3); True Tone; oleophobic coating; fully laminated; antireflective coating | Apple iPad mini (6th generation) tech specs |
| Sold size(s) | 8.3-inch only | Apple Newsroom, 14 September 2021 |
| Dimensions | 195.4 × 134.8 × 6.3 mm | Apple iPad mini (6th generation) tech specs |
| Weight | Wi-Fi 293 g; Wi-Fi + Cellular 297 g | Apple iPad mini (6th generation) tech specs |
| Finishes | Space Gray; Pink; Purple; Starlight | Apple iPad mini (6th generation) tech specs |
| Chassis / enclosure | Aluminum | Apple iPad mini (6th generation) tech specs |
| Chip / processor | A15 Bionic: 6-core CPU (2P+4E), 5-core GPU, 16-core Neural Engine | Apple iPad mini (6th generation) tech specs2 performance cores and 4 efficiency cores. |
| On-device storage | 64GB or 256GB; no microSD | Apple iPad mini (6th generation) tech specs |
| Operating system | iPadOS (launched with iPadOS 15) | Apple iPad mini (6th generation) tech specs; Apple Newsroom, 14 September 2021 |
| Pencil / stylus | Apple Pencil (2nd generation) or Apple Pencil (USB-C); hover not listed; neither is in the box | Apple iPad mini (6th generation) tech specs |
| Keyboard / cover | No Smart Connector and no Magic Keyboard; folio covers are sold as accessories | Apple iPad mini (6th generation) tech specs |
| Biometrics | Touch ID in the top button | Apple iPad mini (6th generation) tech specs |
| Speakers | Landscape stereo speakers | Apple iPad mini (6th generation) tech specs |
| Microphones | Two microphones for calls, video and audio recording | Apple iPad mini (6th generation) tech specs |
| Cellular | Wi-Fi + Cellular models: 5G NR (model A2568); nano-SIM and eSIM; data only. Wi-Fi models have no cellular. | Apple iPad mini (6th generation) tech specs |
| Wireless (Wi-Fi / Bluetooth) | Wi-Fi 6 (802.11ax) 2x2 MIMO, simultaneous dual band, up to 1.2Gb/s in some regions' specs; Bluetooth 5.0 | Apple iPad mini (6th generation) tech specs, US and regional |
| Ports / expansion | USB-C with charging and DisplayPort; USB 3 (up to 5Gb/s); magnetic Pencil connector; SIM tray on cellular models. One external display up to 4K at 30Hz | Apple iPad mini (6th generation) tech specs |
| Rear camera | 12MP Wide, ƒ/1.8; Quad-LED True Tone flash; 4K video up to 60 fps | Apple iPad mini (6th generation) tech specs |
| Front camera | 12MP Ultra Wide, ƒ/2.4; Center Stage; 1080p video | Apple iPad mini (6th generation) tech specs |
| Battery | 19.3Wh. Up to 10 hours of Wi-Fi web or video; up to 9 hours of web on cellular | Apple iPad mini (6th generation) tech specs |
| Charging | 20W USB-C power adapter and 1m USB-C cable in the box; also charges from a computer's USB-C port | Apple iPad mini (6th generation) tech specs |
| Location / GNSS | Digital compass, Wi-Fi and iBeacon on every model; GPS/GNSS on cellular models | Apple iPad mini (6th generation) tech specs |
| US launch price | Wi-Fi $499; Wi-Fi + Cellular $649 at the 14 September 2021 launch (64GB) | Apple Newsroom, 14 September 2021 |
| Price band | Older compact iPad ($499 at US launch, before Pencil) | Based on Apple's launch prices |
| Announced | 14 September 2021 | Apple Newsroom |
| Availability | Announced 14 September 2021; replaced by iPad mini (A17 Pro) in 2024 | Apple Newsroom, 14 September 2021; later iPad mini announcements |
iPad mini (6th generation) extras
Specs only this model has.
| Spec | Value | Source and notes |
|---|---|---|
| First USB-C iPad mini | USB 3 at up to 5Gb/s and one external display up to 4K at 30Hz; the A17 Pro mini raised these to 10Gb/s and 4K at 60Hz | Apple iPad mini (6th generation) tech specs |
| Smart Connector | None, so no Magic Keyboard; iPad Air and the base iPad have one | Apple iPad mini (6th generation) tech specs |
| In the box | iPad mini (6th generation); USB-C Charge Cable (1m); 20W USB-C Power Adapter | Apple iPad mini (6th generation) tech specs |
| Previous mini | iPad mini (5th generation): 7.9-inch screen, Lightning port, A12 chip, Apple Pencil (1st generation), 19.1Wh battery | Apple iPad mini (5th generation) tech specs |
Next to the current mini
The 2021 and 2024 minis share the 8.3-inch size. Inside, these are the differences:
| Spec | iPad mini (6th generation) | iPad mini (A17 Pro) |
|---|---|---|
| Chip | A15 Bionic | A17 Pro |
| Apple Pencil | 2nd generation and USB-C; hover not listed | Pencil Pro, with hover |
| USB-C | USB 3, up to 5Gb/s | USB 3, up to 10Gb/s |
| Wireless | Wi-Fi 6, Bluetooth 5.0 | Wi-Fi 6E, Bluetooth 5.3 |
| Memory | Not published | Not published |
| US Wi-Fi launch price | $499 (2021) | $499 (2024) |
iPad mini (6th generation) vs iPad mini (A17 Pro) goes through the rest.
What a used one still gets you
The screen holds up: 2266 × 1488 at 500 nits, with True Tone and an antireflective coating. The 12MP Wide back camera films 4K at up to 60 fps and has a Quad-LED True Tone flash, and the 12MP Ultra Wide front camera does Center Stage at 1080p. Landscape stereo speakers, two microphones and Touch ID in the top button round it out, in Space Gray, Pink, Purple or Starlight.
Apple says the 19.3Wh battery lasts up to 10 hours on Wi-Fi, browsing or watching video, and 9 hours browsing on cellular; a 20W adapter and a 1m cable are in the box. The cellular model (A2568) adds 5G and GPS.
Price
At launch on 14 September 2021, Wi-Fi models cost $499 and cellular models $649, starting at 64GB; the other storage size was 256GB. Since the current mini launched at that same $499, a used 6th-generation model should cost clearly less. Used prices vary, so compare before you buy.
Sources
- Amazon product listing — accessed 2026-09-20
- 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
How much memory does iPad mini (6th generation) have?
Apple doesn't say; its specs for this mini give no memory figure.
Is iPad mini (A17 Pro) any bigger?
No. It keeps the 8.3-inch size; the reasons to switch are the A17 Pro chip, Apple Pencil Pro with hover, USB-C at twice the speed (10Gb/s) and Wi-Fi 6E with Bluetooth 5.3.
Can iPad mini (6th generation) drive an external display?
Yes, a single display at up to 4K and 30Hz over USB-C. The A17 Pro mini goes up to 4K at 60Hz.
Does the cellular model take a physical SIM?
Yes. It has a nano-SIM tray and also supports eSIM. Cellular is data only, over 5G.
Official product page: iPad mini (6th generation). Tech specs: iPad mini (6th generation) specs.