I love my iPad Mini 2, which was purchased in 2013. I cannot think of any electronic device that has aged so gracefully—especially with such heavy use.
The tablet still performs well for most things, but the battery life is beginning to suffer. The original battery was replaced once in 2015, just before Apple Care expired. I could have it replaced again for about $80, but given the age of the tablet, I don’t think it makes sense.
So here’s the question, what do I replace the Mini with?
Everything I’ve seen points to Apple’s iPad Mini lineup being dead. The Mini 4 from 2015 is still being sold at $399. That really wasn’t a true upgrade either, it just received the A8 chip.
I mostly use the Mini to read in bed. I don’t have that many games on it (FTL and Roller Coaster Tycoon Classic, which are both gems) If there’s a football game on and I’m tired, I usually stream it from my iPad.
I’m considering a jump to another model, but am concerned about the weight. The current 10.5 and regular iPad are a little over a pound, while the Mini 4 is 0.65 pounds. I’m hoping that the next generation iPad pros are a little lighter. It would be a huge bonus, if they were bezeless and slightly smaller.