Earlier this year, Apple debuted the eighth-generation iPad Air, featuring the M4 chip. Today's iPad mini is approaching two years old, but with just $100 between them, which should you choose?
The new iPad Air is a minor iteration on last year's M3 model, adding more unified memory, Apple's N1 wireless chip, Wi-Fi 7, Bluetooth 6, and an Apple C1X modem. In 2024, Apple introduced the seventh-generation iPad mini, offering the A17 Pro chip, Apple Intelligence support, 8GB of memory, Apple Pencil Pro and Apple Pencil hover support, and more.
The iPad mini effectively shares the design of the iPad Air, with both devices possessing many of the same features such as an all-screen design with no Home button, Touch ID in the top button, and stereo speakers. Despite theoretically being different product lines, the iPad mini and iPad Air are almost identical in terms of specifications and are even available in the same color options. There are still some differences between the devices, such as their display sizes and chips, that set the devices apart.
Should you buy the more expensive, larger iPad Air, or opt for the smaller and more affordable iPad mini? Our guide helps to answer the question of how to decide which of these two iPads is best for you. All of the differences between the two devices are listed below:
| iPad mini (seventh generation, 2024) | iPad Air (eighth generation, 2026) |
|---|---|
| 8.3-inch display with 326 ppi | 11-inch or 13-inch display with 264 ppi |
| 500 nits max SDR brightness | 11-inch: 500 nits max SDR brightness 13-inch: 600 nits max SDR brightness |
| Smaller, compact design for maximum portability | Larger design, better for productivity |
| Weighs 0.66 pounds (297 grams) | 11-inch: Weighs 1.02 pounds (462 grams) 13-inch: Weighs 1.36 pounds (617 grams) |
| A17 Pro chip (introduced with iPhone 15 Pro in 2023, made with TSMC's 3nm N3 process) | M4 chip (introduced with the iPad Pro in 2024, made with TSMC's enhanced 3nm N3E process) |
| 6-core CPU | 8-core CPU |
| 4.05 GHz CPU clock speed | 4.4 GHz CPU clock speed |
| 5-core GPU | 9-core GPU |
| 16-core Neural Engine, 35 trillion operations per second | 16-core Neural Engine, 38 trillion operations per second |
| 8GB unified memory | 12GB unified memory |
| 68 GB/s memory bandwidth | 120 GB/s memory bandwidth |
| Dedicated media engine Hardware-accelerated H.264 and HEVC Video decode engine Video encode engine |
|
| Volume buttons on top | Volume buttons on right side |
| Portrait 12MP Ultra Wide front camera | Landscape 12MP Ultra Wide front camera |
| True Tone flash | |
| Compatible with Bluetooth keyboards only | Smart Connector to support Apple's Magic Keyboard and Smart Keyboard Folio |
| Wi-Fi 6E connectivity | Wi-Fi 7 connectivity |
| Bluetooth 5.3 | Bluetooth 6 |
| Qualcomm SDX70M 5G modem | Apple C1X modem |
| 128GB, 256GB, or 512GB of storage | 128GB, 256GB, 512GB, or 1TB of storage |
| Starts at $499 | 11-inch: Starts at $599 13-inch: Starts at $799 |
| Released October 2024 | Released March 2026 |
Overall, the iPad Air is the best all-around option for the majority of users, providing a large screen for productivity and consuming entertainment in a slim, portable design. The additional $100 needed to buy the 11-inch iPad Air over the iPad mini is more than justified for the benefits that come with its larger display and M4 chip, not least the ability to practically use it as a laptop replacement with the Magic Keyboard and multitasking. The Air also brings more unified memory, newer wireless connectivity, and Apple's own C1X modem, advantages that are unlikely to matter for most users day-to-day but give the device more headroom over a longer ownership period.
Yet, most customers who choose the iPad mini will do so because of its screen size rather than in spite of it. The iPad mini is ideal for comfortably reading ebooks, playing handheld games, and easy transport and storage. Those who buy the iPad mini will likely have a specific use case in mind for how they will use the device, such as for note-taking on the go with the Apple Pencil, throwing into a small bag to use on public transport, or giving it to a kid as their first tablet.
If you do not see the iPad mini's smaller display, easy one-handed grip, lightweight design, and portable form factor as an advantage for your use case and are focused on a more versatile display size, you will likely prefer the iPad Air, especially as it is now available with a 13-inch size option. The iPad Air is more of an all-around device that works as a potential laptop replacement, with the added bonuses that come with a bigger screen for productivity and entertainment.
A next-generation iPad mini is expected to launch in the second half of 2026, so it may be worth holding off a purchase for that device. It is likely to feature the A19 Pro chip with a 5-core GPU, a slightly larger 8.7-inch display with an OLED panel, a vibration-based speaker, and water resistance. The upgrades could push the starting price up by as much as $100.
