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Is the iPad mini 8 worth it?
The iPad mini 8 is worth it for buyers who want the best small tablet: 3 critics average 8.0 out of 10, praising the tandem OLED display, A20 Pro speed and light design but faulting the $699 price, the missing Face ID and the 60Hz screen. This page is a consensus of published reviews, not hands-on testing by TechWorthIt.
What critics loved
The display is the headline. Tom's Guide called the 8.5-inch tandem OLED panel vibrant, and Wired praised its sharp, high pixel density and said the nano-texture option is excellent outdoors. The Verge described the OLED as a solid upgrade.
Design and durability also won praise. All three note the thinner, lighter body, and Wired found it very comfortable one-handed at barely over half a pound. IP67 water and dust resistance is a first for iPad, according to Wired, and The Verge called the tablet rugged.
Performance gets strong marks. The Verge described the A20 Pro as a big performance bump, Tom's Guide called it fast, and Wired liked the 12 GB of unified memory on every model. Tom's Guide also reported excellent battery life, at 14 hours 24 minutes in its web-surfing test, and rich speaker sound.
Where it falls short
Price is the main complaint. Wired said the increase to $699 is hard to justify for most buyers, The Verge called the starting price expensive, and Tom's Guide noted it is pricier than before. The Verge's tested configuration, with cellular and 512GB, cost $1,249.
All three critics flag the lack of Face ID, with Touch ID only. Tom's Guide and The Verge also object to the locked 60Hz refresh rate, with The Verge wishing for 120Hz.
There are smaller catches. Wired found the speakers lack power and vibrate at high volume, which contrasts with Tom's Guide's praise for the sound. Wired also said lower-storage models get reduced A20 Pro performance and only two colors remain. The Verge noted that nano-texture adds cost and a slight shimmer. Battery results differ too: The Verge cited around nine hours of screen time, well below Tom's Guide's figure, though the tests were different.
Who should buy it
The iPad mini 8 suits people who want a pocketable, durable tablet with a top-tier screen and chip, and who will accept the price. Readers and travelers who use it outdoors may value the IP67 rating and the nano-texture option. Those who care about smooth scrolling or face unlock should look elsewhere, and so should anyone put off by paying more than before.
