The iPad mini 6 (2021) was one of the most promising devices to emerge from the September Apple Event, but recent iPad mini display distortions and jelly scrolling issues have made us uncertain of its long-term durability. So if you're looking for the best iPad mini alternatives, look no further. We'll help you find your best iOS or Android substitutes, from tablets to foldables.
Best overall iPad Mini alternative: iPad Air 2020
While we have plenty of great Android tablets to recommend as alternatives, the best surrogate for an iPadOS tablet is obviously another iPad. And in most areas, the iPad Air 2022 will check the boxes you looked for in the iPad mini.
The latest iPad Air is less than a year old and still holds its own as one of the best mid-range tablets today. Compared to the mini, it's the latest iPad to integrate Apple's M1 chip, offering the same level of performance as the MacBook Air and iPad Pro. Its retina display has fewer pixels per inch (264 vs. 326), but it has the same 500 nits of brightness, 60Hz refresh rate, and True Tone colors, plus an extra 2.6 inches of diagonal display space. And you still have four more years of software updates left, up to iPadOS 20.
Ironically, the iPad Air is much less airy than the iPad mini, weighing about a pound instead of 0.65lb with the mini. And the mini gives you a better selfie cam for FaceTime and 5G support if you buy cellular. If you're considering the mini as a compact tool to use on the go, then the iPad Air may be slightly too large for you. But it's still thin and light enough to be comfortable; plus, we think the extra screen space will make it handier for actual daily use.
Best of all, the iPad Air only costs $100 more than the mini and frequently gets discounted. It's much more affordable and compact than the new iPad Pro as a substitute option, while much faster and less bezel-heavy than the base iPad.
Best compact tablet alternative: Samsung Galaxy Tab A 8.4 (2020)
Apple has very few rivals when it comes to tablets, but Samsung comes closest. It releases a wide range of Galaxy Tabs, large and small. While we're especially partial to the S series for its superior performance, you likely want something compact like the iPad mini. And on that front, you'll want to consider the Galaxy Tab A 8.4, which outsizes the mini by a mere 0.1 inches and 0.06 pounds.
Samsung released this tablet specifically as a 4G LTE upgrade to the 2019 8.0-inch Galaxy Tab. While it may not have 5G, it'll serve your purposes while out and about; just make sure to choose the right network for your area: Verizon, AT&T, Sprint, and T-Mobile are all options, though some carriers may be harder to find today.
It has an Exynos 7904 chipset and 3GB of RAM, slower than the iPad mini with its 4GB of RAM. And its standard 1920x1200 display won't match the iPad mini's 2266x1488 resolution and brighter colors. But its battery life will be comparably long. Samsung's One UI tablet software is your best non-iPadOS option, and (most importantly) it'll cost you about half the price. And while it won't last as long as the mini, it does have one more OS update coming in 2022, plus security updates running into 2023.
Best cheap iPad mini alternative: Fire HD 8 Plus (2022)
What will you use an 8-inch tablet for, really? If you want something for productivity, you'll want something bigger, so you're not straining your eyes. If you want something comfortable and feathery in your hands as you stream content, you can go with the iPad mini for its colorful display (assuming it isn't defective). Or you can buy a Fire HD 8 Plus at one-fifth the price — potentially even lower if you spot it during one of Amazon's infinite sales.
This tablet cuts all kinds of corners. It has no water resistance; its cameras are wimpy, performance is a bit sluggish, the bezels are enormous ... everything you'd expect from a "value" device. But it's also something you can take on the go without worrying about damaging it because it doesn't cost that much, whereas dropping the iPad mini would have you sweating buckets. This tablet can tide you over until Apple releases a new iPad mini without all of this model's problems.
Overall, the Fire HD 8 Plus is an efficient entertainment machine for streaming your favorite apps on a similar-sized screen. You won't have cellular support or the level of apps you'd get on an iPad, but we'll bet you have other devices you can use for those. It's one of the best cheap Android tablets for simple, petite quality.
Best Android tablet alternative: Samsung Galaxy Tab S8
One thing that made the iPad mini so universally appealing is that it offers fast performance on a small screen. Most smaller tablets from other companies are strictly "budget" devices because they tie premium quality to larger displays. So, unfortunately, most of the best iPad mini alternatives on the Android side are also on the larger side. If you can accept that and are willing to step away from Apple's walled garden, then the Samsung Galaxy Tab S8 is an amazing choice.
With an 11-inch display, the Galaxy Tab S8 certainly isn't easy to use on the go. But at 6.3mm thick — same as the mini — with super-thin bezels and a lightweight aluminum frame, it's more pleasant to hold than any tablet of this size. The display itself has a lovely 2560x1600 resolution with a 274ppi, short of the mini but not by much; more importantly, it has a twice-as-fast refresh rate of 120Hz. That and the hyper-fast Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 chipset make this display hyper-smooth to use for any app.
With its flagship Snapdragon chip and either 8GB or 12GB of RAM to choose from, the Galaxy Tab S8 is one of the few tablets with the chops to compete with Apple's Bionic chipset, which tends to destroy most Android devices in benchmarks. Its list price is decently higher than the mini, but it frequently goes on sale nowadays, so you won't have to pay that much more. For both casual streaming and heavier productivity apps, the Galaxy Tab S8 won't let you down.
Best premium iPad mini alternative: Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 4
Okay, we can hear your skepticism through cyberspace, but hear us out on this one! The Galaxy Z Fold 4 is a hardcore device with blazingly fast performance, an S Pen for tapping away at apps on the move, and excellent software built for its specific size and form factor. Most importantly, an unfolded Z Fold 4 is 7.6 inches diagonally, only slightly smaller than the iPad mini 6.
Many of you likely considered buying the mini because its compact form makes it easy to use during a commute or outside, as opposed to a massive slab like the iPad Pro (or Galaxy Tab S8). But with a foldable phone, you can take this anywhere in your pocket, use it as a phone in some contexts, then switch to tablet form when you're more comfortable. It doesn't get more travel-sized than that.
The Galaxy Z Fold 4 has a 2176 x 1812 (373 ppi) resolution AMOLED display with 120Hz refresh rate, top-end Snapdragon 8+ Gen 1 chipset, 12GB of RAM (triple the mini's memory), and weighs about 0.05 pounds less than the iPad mini. Plus, as an Android option, the Z Fold 4's software is generally far better than that found on most Android tablets.
Truly, its only downside is the epically high price compared to most tablets. Of course, we won't blame you if you go with something else, but if you can afford it and want to combine your phone and tablet into one high-performing device, the Z Fold 4 is the way to go.
Bottom line
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When it comes to choosing the best iPad mini alternatives, you have to decide why you wanted the iPad mini 6 in the first place and where and when you plan to use it. Depending on whether you want it for streaming, gaming, commuting, or some other purpose, it'll determine whether you really need a portable tablet or can settle for something larger. Because outside of the mini, most small tablets are cheap but have sluggish performance and less beautiful displays.
Apple is generally top of the industry for tablets, which is why our top pick sticks with that ecosystem. The iPad Air M1 (2022) is our favorite non-Android tablet and is one we generally recommend as an excellent tablet for students to bring to class or stream in their dorms. It hasn't lost a step since it launched last year, with excellent performance, a display that's pleasing to the eyes, and the same iPadOS you know and love.
