Apple has a reputation for forcing change on us right when we've gotten comfortable with its designs. Sure, we often resist (and sometimes Apple is wrong), but more often than not the Cupertino company proves that breaking out of our comfort zones leads to better user experiences and perhaps even a...

Powerful A12 Bionic chip delivers remarkable performance; Support for first-generation Apple Pencil; Pleasantly portable size

Older design is starting to show its age

The iPad Mini might seem like the odd man out in the iPad lineup, but it's still the best small tablet you can buy in 2020....

Small and light Excellent performance Great iPadOS 14 features Little competition

Dated design No Apple Pencil 2 support No USB-C charging

While I obsess over smartphones and often find myself switching SIM cards daily, I tend to try only Apple iPads on an annual basis and then just for a few months before moving on. I passed my 2015 iPad Mini 4 to my youngest daughter and then my 2017 iPad Pro 10.5 inch tablet to my oldest daughter as...

Diminutive size for a tablet; Solid construction and simple design; Lightning fast performance; Apple Pencil support; Long battery life; 3.5mm headset jack

Large top and bottom bezels; $130 cellular premium

While I obsess over smartphones and often find myself switching SIM cards daily, I tend to try only Apple iPads on an annual basis and then just for a few months before moving on. I passed my 2015 iPad Mini 4 to my youngest daughter and then my 2017 iPad Pro 10.5 inch tablet to my oldest daughter as...

Diminutive size for a tablet; Solid construction and simple design; Lightning fast performance; Apple Pencil support; Long battery life; 3.5mm headset jack

Large top and bottom bezels; $130 cellular premium

When Apple announced the first iPad mini in 2012, the tablet's purpose was clear: It squeezed just about everything that made the regular iPad such a pleasure to use into a smaller, cheaper package. It's no wonder the mini built such a devoted following.

The 12.9-inch iPad Pro sits next to my home desktop computer. Its beautifully large screen is a creative canvas I love using, Face ID continues to feel futuristic, and the magnetic, second-gen Apple Pencil is so darn convenient.

Great screen; Strong performance; Portable and compact; Apple Pencil support; Good battery life (so far

Same old design; No second-gen Apple Pencil support; Fast charging adapter and cable not included

This year's iPad mini and the new iPad Air ($499) are basically bigger and smaller versions of each other. Here's how it steps up: The existing $329 iPad (just called iPad) is for all of your basic tablet needs. The $399 iPad mini is for people who specifically need a smaller, lighter tablet.

Powerful processor; Solid screen; Broad LTE options; Apple Pencil support; Light and easy to carry

Compatible Apple Pencil isn't the better model; Aging design

With a powerful A12 Bionic chip, the new iPad mini (2019) is still the best small tablet yet, and will likely remain so in the coming years.

The new 5th-generation iPad mini, then, is pretty much the definition of a mixed bag; on the one hand, the performance improvements are absolutely staggering compared to the previous generation, and the addition of Apple Pencil support will please note-takers, sketchers and digital artists alike.

Outstanding speed; Portable and convenient size; Beautiful display; Apple Pencil support

Few added features over the mini 4; reduced battery life

Apple decided to leave the 5th generation iPad mini's design untouched, thereby targeting all those interested in refreshing their aging devices with brand-new hardware. And that is exactly what the iPad mini 5 has to offer.

very fast system performance; support for Apple Pencil; 3.5-mm audio port; decent speakers; robust case

high premium for LTE and higher storage tiers; memory not expandable; no GPS