Tap to unmute
Why The iPad Mini Is More Expensive Than The Bigger iPad
Embed
- Published on Mar 11, 2026
- Why is Apple’s smallest iPad more expensive than the bigger version? It is kind’ve confusing, especially since it didn’t used to be this way.
When iPad mini came out in 2012, it cost $329. Which made it the cheapest iPad ever. It was $70 less than the year-old iPad 2, and $170 less than the newest retina iPad. This lineup made sense. But over the years, things changed.
The regular iPad was split up into three different models, and pricing went all over the place. So let’s look at how this happened.
Actually, the MSRP for the mini is 499
It used to be $399 until the 6th gen I believe, might be where the confusion came from
@shaneomac8289 Yeah, I knew about that, and that's a good point right there. I should've mentioned that earlier.
If the iPhone Mini was more expensive than the regular model I would still buy the Mini over the regular model lol
With new silicon-carbon batteries 🔋, it is now possible again
*my take:* as it’s a mini iPad Air (despite its name) which is costlier.
It doesn't have the same processor, but it does have a flash. I think it is just a separate category.
It is a separate category but it is a smaller version of the iPad Air, that is what he meant, and the processor is way better than the standard iPad, which makes it different from it.
It cost more because it has a camera flash!
I miss the old Apple explained, animations and music
He did it because his content was being stolen like crazy. I don’t blame him.
@jallo637LOL
Is it made with AI now?
@Anvimx sure is😂
yea it’s just so weird now
What really confuses me is why the iPad Pro M4 with a silicon chip is the same price as the iPhone 16 pro which can’t be as powerful as the iPad, doesn’t have a bigger screen and doesn’t have as big a battery. Always gnawed at my mind
Yes, sure, but the most expensive item that the iPhone has that the iPad Pro doesn't have is the modems for 5g which are really expensive!!! Qualcomm charges an arm & a leg for those. M4 is just marginal cost over A18 Pro in terms of silicon area and they share most of the architecture. Screens are not as expensive as opposed to the Bill of Materials of the whole device and R&D tends to be really high for both devices. Batteries are actually the least expensive part of phone subsystems. In an iPhone, it could be as little as $25.
The iPhone camera accounts to a lot of it's price
@Serve-u9lnah the tariffs basically guaranteed that there will be no such thing as making iphones cheaper until at least 2028
3:10 the sound was very spooky
It's easier to think about the iPad mini as just a smaller iPad Air.
People who use the iPad mini typically have a particular reason for choosing a smaller display over a larger one, not just because they believe it should cost less.
the iPad mini doesn't follow the base iPad's features and price range because people shouldn't have to compromise on features just for choosing a smaller display.
It also doesn't take after the iPad Pro's features and price range because the people who benefit from the pro features would benefit from larger displays anyway.
The regular iPad has become annoyingly huge. I remember the old iPad 2 was small.
then I suppose I need an iPad Mini "Pro" since I want a smaller display with LTPO ProMotion refresh rate. But I must be the only one. My current iPad Pro 11" M4 is annoyingly enormous..
@bigfisher42 Yeah, unfortunately you may be in the minority. 120hz, plus the tandem oled display and its brightness and color accuracy make video editing, illustration, and content consumption way better on a larger screen (which i imagine most people purchase the iPad Pro for).
120hz is most definitely needed on all other iPads too, the Air and mini lineup at the very least.
@فارس.التميمي-1444 That is because phones have now become larger and so the tablet landscape ahs shifted accordingly. For example, it makes no sense to buy an ipad mini if your phone is 6+ inches.
@ Yes
2:17 *for a moment I thought that Chrome/ Google sponsored you for this section* 😆
Me too
I had a pro, returned and buy a mini, 100% worth it.
…Why?
@Kip-rl6rbrealized that getting the “best of the best” isn’t always the best
@Cattack16_ Small is actually better, but in the case of meetings, the large size is better.
Also, what happened at 3:10
Idk
What do you mean 50 dollars more? Standard iPad starts at $349, iPad mini starts at 499 🤨
I love your videos Greg, straight to the point, and with clear explanation, keep it up.
Currently commenting off of my 2021 iPad Mini 6, and gotta say I love iPad Minis. I first had the iPad Mini 4 from Dec 2016 to Dec 2021, and then I got the iPad Mini 6 in Dec 2021 to present. Although it was expensive, it was definitely worth it, as after 3 1/2 years it still runs very well and experiences very minimal lag for heavy gaming like Minecraft Bedrock servers.
1:08 okay this actually gives me a headache.
Man, I miss the old video with animation
Still confused
3:07 “This iPad is more powerful than virtually every chromebook”
Chromebook Plus: Am I a joke to you?
Surely the most basic iPad has lower specs, which is unimportant for the random street person but we can notice and appreciate if we need that sort of thing
I think ever since the base-model iPad came out and Apple started doing that and an iPad Air, I’ve felt that the iPad mini was more like a mini version of the equivalent iPad Air, especially since those models share similar laminated display technology and often similar (if not the same) chips and storage sizes (and colors). The mini updated to the current design language closer to the same time that the iPad Air did (and definitely before the base-model iPad ditched the bezels and home button). So for that reason, the higher price has never really bothered me, because while yes, it is physically smaller than the base-model, it has much better hardware and processing power.
Just miss the music and some animations.
But also like the current format, it just misses on the music.
What’s with the audio ?
Where's the music? Where's the animations? I miss it. We miss it.
Many things to explain left lol 😂
Your voice is a core memory on my head. I listened to your channel daily at the peak of my Apple obsession around the 11 pro max which is apples peak phone in my opinion. Now listening to you is extreme nostalgia.
Personally the X was peak iPhone for me. Otherwise, very much in the same boat. It’s nice to be reminded of the past so vividly
Not better than 16
Sorry
I got an ipad air and a mini 5 and i love them both i think the mini is a great option and the other one is great to have it at home
The iPad Mini is basically a mini iPad Air, just without the M3 chip
Because iPad mini is the best iPad. ❤
Miss the piano background 😢
I used to have iPad mini 4 and I brought iPad Air 4 now I want to get the new iPad mini if I have the money
Tim really likes to spread prices, at the expense of keeping product line simple.
Can you explain, why all my Apple notifications are not synchronised recently? (EU)
I love the new video backgrounds! Specially this one!
Why is this middle-aged man talking like a moron like it's ai?. This should de monetize him
2:42 “There was no way to make a $250 MacBook”
Back Market Intel 2020 MacBook Air: Am I a joke to you?
watching this on an ipad mini 2021. sold my ipad pro 2018 for this. and my first ipad was the ipad mini 1st gen. what can i say, it’s the most ipad ipad ever - the ultimate media consumption device in your palm
In Germany:
599€-> iPad Mini
399€ -> iPad 11.
Yes because in the United States it is 550.00 really because we don't include tax. Because also you guys have 20% tax built in so it's really $500 and you can get your tax back when you leave the country. So it's cheaper in the European Union then in the united states. Thank you very much Donald Trump
Greg plz bring back the background music ૮ ◞ ﻌ ◟ ა
True lol. It's quite jarring without
Wdym? It's literally there, I always hear it in his videos
FRRRR bring it backkk its so relaxing hearing your voice while the sound plays
How much do you lift on bench press?
What happened to the eerie yet relaxing piano music? 😣
I’ve always wondered when what he looked like. Now I know.
0:00 It bothers me that the price of the iPad Mini says “$399”.
why does the mic sound so bad?
It's in a bad placement and his voice isn't directed at it....
sounds fine to me
Because he refuses to bring back the music. The mic is protesting.
@ComparedToWhat5 VERY MESSY YOU ARE OMG HAHA
It’s the old battle between Quantity and Quality, The iPad mini going to have a higher quality of components, such as a more powerful SoC, improved WiFi & USB connectivity, and a better, albeit smaller, laminated display, over what the base iPad is offering. However, let’s be honest, more buyers are not looking at the numbers on the spec sheet, only the ones on the price tag. Not to mention that, for the most part, a 10th or 11th generation iPad will be more than capable of the web-browsing, video streaming, social media and maybe some office productivity work or mobile gaming that the majority of consumers are doing with their tablets.
That's an awesome sweater.
Thanks
omg that’s who he looks like
Syler from Heroes
real name zachary qunito
Hmm, I'm either thinking of getting an iPad or an iPad Mini... as a doodle person, the iPad is a good choice to draw on since it has a large screen, but somehow I've been thinking about getting the iPad Mini since I tend to bring my iPad with me outdoors, drawing outside far from home, especially that I'm attending on college to take notes too.
I should definitely give an iPad Mini a try someday.
The iPad mini is $499. Not $399
The website doesn’t lie it’s 399
@Atitechsjust looked at the apple store app. It says $499
Misinformation
No I still see it say $499
It’s $399 with the education discount
niche use case but i use my ipad mini 5th gen most days at work as the largest format screen i can fit in my white coat pockets for doing portable ultrasound scans. kind of wonder if a newer model would improve refresh rate and possibly image quality, but i kind of doubt it.
I also find that physically taking notes with a 1$ off brand capacitive apple pencil is really important for interacting with patients. the alternative is to hide behind a large ipad or laptop and type away. idk the optics of physically taking notes with your hand writing is just so much more conducive to body language in a healthcare environment. it also feels more personal/confidential. like im not some dmv employee clacking keys into a work counsel or documenting a patients words/thoughts into a cloud based ai slop EMR program.
the ipad mini's also depreciate the least out of any apple products over time. when i got it 3 years ago I paid 240 bones for a refurb. now theyre still costing 180 bucks for the same model. crazy considering it still has a home button, lightning port, and headphone jack and is 6 years old now.
i think the gen 5 mini had the largest battery you could get even now. also the optics of looking something up on an ipad instead of a phone is really important and overlooked. on an ipad, you expect someone to be reading emails or pdfs or something. on a phone it just looks like someone is doomscrolling social medial or being antisocial.
what's even more absurd to me is the t here in Italy the iPad mini is 200 euros more than the iPad 11
Definitely a niche product and I’d always push people towards the 10/11 gen or Air, but the Mini is an absolute note taking beats if you love taking notes everywhere. Fits in bags and some pockets, Apple Pencil pro support, and powerful.
I personally have a mini with a Zugu case, pencil pro, and a matte glass screen protector. It’s my favorite companion and I find myself leaving the MacBook Air more at home.
Simple, because it is a mini iPad Air
2:15 Chromebook is a laptop, not an All in one desktop
Oh
this looks weirdly AI generated.... is this what Apple Explainer is doing now?
It’s not AI, he’s just sitting there managing XD
ikr
@ushtonian can't he read a script? Is it a crime now??
@ i meant how he looks and sounds but ok
wait this is not AI? is this AI? im confused :(
3:18 Apple should have released 9” ipad mini pro with slimmer bezels, that is what most users really want and have been waiting for all capabilities of bigger pro tablets in smaller lighter mini design
It seems like they've pivoted towards having the mini and air being different sized versions of mostly the same package, while the base iPad is cheap and of course the pro is what it is.
I have been watching this man’s videos for years after seeing his face for the first five seconds I was like yup this is AI knowing dang well and it’s not
His voice is Ai right?
That’s Even Worse 😳
Make a video of why 1080p 30FPS video recording is the default for iPhone and iPad.
A clear reason since the release of this resolution since 2011 approximately with the iPhone 4S was the beginning of a boom in video shooting and also because 1080/30 gives excellent resolution and moderate memory consumption unlike 4k/30 frames, while 4k/60 has a higher quality than 4k/30 with a slight difference but crazy memory consumption and also when sending a video clip via WhatsApp for example it is impossible for it to be 4k it will be 720 or 1080 but 1080 is considered a sufficient and good resolution although I personally put my devices 4k/30
This was posted on the wrong day 😅
No ones gonna mention that Ai voice?
Mini has higher ppi, which makes a huge difference
3:25. Actually, the mini is not $50 more that the standard iPad, it is $150 more/43% more expensive.
I love this channel. Dense information, no faffing around, all on point !
Why Apple make their customer questioning about their products ?
me before clicking the video:- 'the same reason why iphone 17 air will cost less than normal 17'
First you call the 16e "so cheap" and now you cant even check the price of the ipad in the website? What are you doing man
2021: Apple Explained ✅
2025: Apple Unexplained ❌
In europe the mini starts at 599€
0:45 The fact 16GB capacity was a viable option for Apple to do was wild!
To be fair, not a lot of people used that much storage
Back then we didn’t have as many apps. Like it seems like every store has an app. Also i don’t think we had delivery apps back in the day either
it was a lot back then 😭
Please don't make your videos too long, you're known for your short well explaining videos, keep them like this
Another video from Gregory Wyatt Junior 😂
So has the iPad mini become smaller than it used to be? ?
In the video he was discussing an older generation iPad that was 9.7” which I’m sure must have been the Mini.
But now I am almost positive the iPad mini is 8.3”
Short conclusion:
Better screen
Better specs
Better parts
As it always comes with apple, when you think about buying, you have to make a choice between design or power.
An easy choice for many
Incorrect information, the iPad mini is $499, not 399.
I had the chance to buy a base model iPad Air 11 M2 for $450 or $500 for an iPad mini A17 and I went with the mini.
Homepod Mini is still cheaper then normal Homepod.
short answer that i didnt fact check (some idiot is gonna correct me like a nerd) answer: its harder to shove things together than to let it loose.
❤❤❤
It’s $600 Canadian whereas the bigger one is $500.
is this an april fool joke lol 😅
I love my iPad mini
❤
In the past, the size of the regular iPad was reasonable and average. Currently, the iPad mini comes with better hardware than the regular one, and it has also become better, especially after increasing the size of the regular iPad.
specs.
Bring back the music
wth
@nirvaansachdeva No music please. It has been always the same. It's tedious
@umm somebody else was saying fyi
I miss the music so badly
@Ch3wbacca tedious
ipad mini is actually $499
Well kinda with the Pro Max, guess my iPad mini seems like going to the side. To replacing watching the tv alone, i rather get the iPad or iPad mini to consume media entertainment
I have more of a problem with that the Mini ist just 100€ less expensive than the Air M3, 699€. The Mini is just too expensive
Next year Apple should launch a 10” ipad mini and 11” 11th gen with the same exact specs and Apple Intelligence as well as 11” ipad air, 11” ipad pro AND 13” ipad air AND 13” ipad pro. Simple!
Sorry, but that's a terrible idea.
@ why ?
@itsokayrozay. Because the whole point of the mini is that it’s small and guess what, 10 inches isn’t small for tablet, it’s the average or a little smaller than the average. However, the mini’s 8.3 inch display fits the name since it’s indeed a lot smaller than the rest.
@Thesungaming24 Then they can make it 8.3” with everything else the same.
Sure. Because the iPad lineup isn’t bloated and confusing enough.
Some customers/comments believe that smaller should always mean cheaper.
They want Apple to engineer a niche product, miniaturizing components, with the same performance, without an economy of scale, not using the most popular parts and charge the lowest price in the iPad lineup.
It’s not going to happen.
Apple you getting sued
iPod shuffle was cheapest iPod.
How was the iPad aimed at schools if it didn't have a calculator app until last year?
Calculator is not important on the iPad. I don't remember needing it in the past on the iPad.
@فارس.التميمي-1444 due to this calculator, I decided not to use iPhone as my daily driver. Besides, typing on it sucks to a great extent
Not to mention, ipad mini can support apple intelligent not like ipad 11
Ipad mini is more like ipad air mini since it has features of ipad air not ipad its like saying why 14 inch macbook pro is more expensive than 15 inch macbook air
Kinda like how people think buying an 80” Tv for 300$ vs a 50” oled for 800$. Is a better deal
your on my hear me out list
🤫
Jobs bro, jobs💔
My one real gripe with Apple is their naming conventions. Airs. Maxes. Pros. Va fanculo, Tim Cook.