Apple's small-scale tablet is surprisingly expensive given its size but it's still a powerful little device. The good news is that small discounts are regularly available at most retailers now that the latest version is three years old. We've gathered up all of today's best iPad mini deals so you can pay the lowest price possible.
To put the current offers in perspective, the starting price of the most recent iPad mini is $499 / £569 / AU$829. That's up considerably from the original launch cost following a price hike in the UK and Australia. However, we've seen it discounted by as much as $220 in the US. There's also been a £130 price cut in the UK but we haven't seen that in a long time.
With this year's Black Friday deals now underway at multiple retailers, we should see some strong offers over the next couple of months.
You could also save more if you're eligible for the Apple student discount or by using one of the latest Apple promo codes.
In terms of specs, this latest iPad mini sports an 8.3-inch screen, 12MP front and back cameras, and the new A15 Bionic chip that gives the tablet a massive performance upgrade. Effectively, it's more in line with what you would expect from an iPad Air, albeit in a much smaller form factor.
Of course, you can check out our guide to all the other tablet deals out there on cheaper and small slates if you need something for more basic or lighter use. However, with Apple's excellent OS and Retina display on this tablet, it's certainly in its own class.
So, here are all the best iPad Mini prices available right now. Check out our best iPad guide for a comparison of all Apple devices or our more comprehensive iPad deals page for the cheapest prices available today on all models.
Is the iPad Mini worth buying?
The 2021 iPad mini is the most recent model of the small-form Apple tablet and it's a good choice for enthusiasts who want a bit more power in their tablet but don't want to fork out for the iPad Air or iPad Pro.
When looking at pure improvements over the 2019 version, the numbers really speak for themselves. Enough that we said it's the best small tablet money can buy in our iPad mini (2021) review.
Not only is the display slightly larger at 8.3 inches but, thanks to the A15 Bionic chip, you'll see a 40% CPU and 80% GPU performance upgrade too. The front and rear cameras have been massively improved up to 12MP, while the new tablet supports Touch ID and sports a USB-C port.
If you like the idea of a tablet that's as powerful as an iPad Air but in a much smaller form factor then the iPad mini is a good buy. The latest version comes with significant performance upgrades that bring it in line with those more expensive iPad models but in a much more portable size. Of course, all those upgrades come at a price.
So, if your budget doesn't stretch that far, then those who need a tablet for general use but want to stick with the Apple ecosystem are likely better off with the standard iPad 10.2 or the more recent iPad 10.9. As well as a slightly larger display, it's also around $150 / £150 cheaper than the iPad mini, making it a much better value-for-money option.
When are the best iPad Mini deals available?
There are usually a handful of iPad Mini deals available at any one time throughout the year. These tend to be small, though, with anywhere between $50 - $100 / £30 - £80 off the standard price of the tablet.
However, there are regularly more significant discounts during bigger sales periods. With that in mind, you'll want to keep an eye out for savings during these major events such as Amazon Prime Day, September's back-to-school sales, Black Friday in November and Cyber Monday in December.
