The best iPad mini prices: Apple’s mighty mini is a fan favourite

The best iPad mini prices tend to fluctuate throughout the year, but iPad mini deals can save you some serious cash on Apple‘s most compact and portable tablet, so they’re worth looking out for. The latest 7th-generation iPad mini has just been launched, but that doesn’t mean you should disregard the 6th-generation (2021) model either, which is still an ideal tablet for creatives who want to work on the go (and it now sits at a more affordable price too).

Design-wise, the latest iPad mini 7 is identical to its predecessor, but on the inside, there are a few worthy upgrades including a new Apple A17 Pro chip promising faster performance, plus support for the Apple Pencil Pro model. In terms of prices, the latest iPad mini 7 model retails for $499 / £499, which is the same price as the entry-level 2021 iPad mini, but with double the amount of starting storage.

We’ve pulled in the best prices on every iPad mini generation with some key context so you can decide which model is right for you. Looking for even more savings? Take a look at our guides to the best iPad Pro deals, as well as the best iPad Air prices.

The best iPad mini 7th-gen prices

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If we’re being completely honest with you, there are only two main reasons to upgrade from the iPad mini 6 to the iPad mini 7. Firstly: the chip. Apple has included an A17 Pro chip with this new mighty mini, which is the same chipset that was introduced with the iPhone 15 Pro series. Sure, it’s not powerful enough to rival the M-series chips you’ll find on newer iPad Air or iPad Pro models, but you’re still getting a performance boost with a 30% faster CPU and 2x faster Neural Engine. In short, It’s enough to run the majority of iPad apps smoothly.

Secondly: Apple has added support for both the Apple Pencil Pro and Apple Pencil (USB-C) with the iPad mini 7th-gen, so if you prefer the new writing and drawing tools like Barrel Roll that come with these newer stylus’ then that could be a reason to consider an upgrade if you’re a digital artist. However, that’s near enough where the upgrades stop.

The display is the same, the cameras are the same, and the overall size, weight, and build are the same – you get the idea. So if you’re in the market for your first-ever iPad mini and the key factor of your decision is price, then it might be wise to opt for the last-gen model (below) if you’re seeking value for money. With that said, despite being released just days ago at the time of writing, the iPad mini 7 really isn’t a bad price at $499 / £499, so don’t let us put you off if you like what you hear. Take a look at our iPad mini (7th Gen) hands-on review for more details.

The best iPad mini 6th-gen prices

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The most recent iPad mini was released in September 2021. It boasts an extremely powerful A15 Bionic chip, Apple Pencil 2 compatibility, plus pocket-sized portability, and USB-C port connectivity. It’s a super iPad for creativity on the move, and all for under $500/£500. The screen measures 8.3-inches, and is now closer to a 3:2 ratio than the previous model’s 4:3. This means the extra width makes the most of the smaller size of the screen, offering smaller postbox bars when watching shows.

When it comes to price, the 2021 model with 64GB storage retails at $499 / £569, which is $100 / £170 more expensive than the previous version on launch. We have already seen some decent deals on the device, with Amazon US shaving off up to $40, but that still leaves it more expensive than the standard retail price of the earlier model, so consider the device below if you’re on a budget. See our full iPad mini (6th gen) review for more details.

The best iPad mini 5th-gen prices

While it doesn’t have the power of the 2021 device, nor the Apple Pencil 2 support, the 5th gen iPad mini is still a highly portable and slick drawing device. Released in 2019, this generation has an iPhone XS-class chipset and a bright 7.9-inch display. You do get Apple Pencil support, just in the form of the earlier Apple Pencil 1, so it’s still super-easy to instantly scribble notes and sketches.

When it comes to price, the 2021 model above retails at $499 / £569 and the 2019 model retails at $399 / £379, though it’s no longer sold by Apple. Add to that the chance of further discounts, if budget is your biggest buying factor, this older model is definitely an option to consider. If you can afford the outlay, however, we’d go for the newer model above for faster processing and support for the upgraded stylus. See our full iPad mini (2019) review for more details.