First look at the Apple iPad mini 4

By Gadjo Cardenas Sevilla

The new laminated display, which was introduced with iPad Air 2, now makes images pop even more on iPad mini 4 and viewing the display outdoors is way less painful than with previous versions.

The iPad mini 4 has been slimmed down and powered up. Apple's smallest tablet was briefly mentioned during the iPhone 6S, iPad Pro and Apple TV launch event a few weeks ago, but it wasn't even on display at the demo area, this is likely because the focus had to be on the iPad Pro. Apple's littlest iPad now comes up big in terms of key hardware as well as software improvements.

While the now discontinued iPad mini 3 wasn't much of an upgrade from its predecessor (it had the same specs but included a Touch ID). iPad mini 4 is a definite upgrade over the previous version. It inherits the style and thinness of the iPad Air 2 while getting the Apple A8 processor found in the iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus. iPad mini 4 also has 2GB of RAM, which helps make things a lot smoother for the new iOS 9 Split View, Slide Over and Picture-in-picture multitasking options, which it handles quite nicely.

Aside from the obvious thinness of iPad mini 4, I quickly noticed that the display was a marked improvement over the iPad mini 3 which needed better color gamut and accuracy. The new laminated display, which was introduced with iPad Air 2, now makes images pop even more on iPad mini 4 and viewing the display outdoors is way less painful than with previous versions.

The thinner and lighter design, improved display and more powerful specs put into action by iOS 9 make an already remarkable 7.9-inch tablet one of the most compelling choices in the market today. iPad mini 4 should be considered by anyone looking to replace an older iPad or Android tablet with a device that feels all new thanks to the mix of improved hardware and iOS 9. 

I'm in the process of charging up the new iPad mini 4 and expect to be able to transfer all my apps and settings for testing the next few days. I'll have a more comprehensive review once I've had ample time to put it through its paces.