iPad mini 6 vs. reMarkable 2: Which is the better device? You might be looking for a new tablet, and there are many different reasons you might want to buy one over the other. This article will discuss six reasons that can make you consider buying an iPad mini 6.

The new iPad mini

A new Apple iPad mini was released last September 2021. It is the sixth-generation iteration of their iPad mini device. It comes with a whole slew of technical upgrades and features, making it a desirable purchase for people, not to mention its size and form factor.

Then there's the presence of E Ink devices such as the reMarkable 2, Papyr, and Boox. These devices are also tablets like the iPad mini 6, but they are more focused on productivity tasks like note-taking. Their screens also look different and are not as colorful as an iPad.

When you are looking to buy a new tablet, you might be asking yourself which one to get. There are several reasons why you would like to consider getting an iPad mini 6 over an E Ink device like the reMarkable 2.

1. Color

It's easy for the iPad mini 6 to get your attention with its bright and colorful display, touting a 2,266 x 1,488 resolution at 326 pixels per inch, coupled with wide color and true tone display. In addition, the device is quite bright at 500 nits of brightness. All this color and brightness works well when you do many things on the iPad mini with apps like viewing pictures, watching videos, playing games, browsing the Internet, etc. Thus, the iPad mini 6 is well-suited for multimedia consumption.

It would be unfair to compare the iPad mini 6 with E Ink devices in terms of color. Most E Ink devices like the reMarkable 2 have a monochromatic, black-and-white screen, and there's a good reason for that. E Ink devices are designed primarily for reading documents and note-taking. Having a bright and colorful screen can be pretty painful in the eye during prolonged reading and writing sessions.

Eventually, the activities that you will do on your tablet will dictate if the color will be a factor for consideration.

2. Performance

Apple's website for the iPad mini 6 states that the device sports an A15 bionic chip with 64-bit architecture, 6-core CPU, 5-core graphics, and 16-core Neural Engine. I don't know what all this technical mumbo-jumbo means, but it says that the iPad mini 6 is a fast device. Fast in terms of performance when you're doing things on it and the response times too. It only makes sense to have a powerful processor if there are many things you can do on the iPad mini.

For comparison, I can say that the iPad mini 6 works better than my E Ink device in terms of performance. It is pretty noticeable when I try to tap on menus and icons that there is a bit of lag in my E Ink devices, whereas, with the iPad mini, it's not. Understandably, an E Ink device will have a lower processor because its design is for specific tasks only, which will look limited compared to what an iPad mini can do. But, again, this is just for comparison's sake, as the iPad mini 6 belongs to a category of its own.

3. Size

The iPad mini 6 has an 8.3-inch screen (diagonal) and dimensions of 7.69 inches x 5.3 inches x 0.25 inches. It's the smallest compared to other Apple tablets like the iPad, iPad Air, and iPad Pro. However, when made to stand side-by-side with an iPhone 12, the iPad mini 6 looks like a cellphone that's just a little bit bigger.

The iPad mini 6's screen size can be a blessing or a curse depending on how you look at it. The small size works wonders for portability, but it can be a hindrance to readability. It would be best to try one for yourself in an Apple store and see if you can read adequately without squinting when looking at the smaller screen of the iPad mini 6. Not only that, but if you intend to use the iPad mini 6 as a multimedia consumption device, try to see if you are comfortable watching a video or playing a game on a smaller screen. As a note-taker, though, I can say that the iPad mini 6 is the perfect size for making to-dos and reminders. It depends on what you are going to do with it.

4. Apps

The App Store is a staple of an Apple product, and the iPad mini 6 automatically comes with it. The device comes with several built-in apps, and you can get more from the App Store. There are many things you can do with an iPad mini, depending on what apps you install.

So you might be wondering why the presence of an app store can be an advantage when tablets usually have them? If you haven't touched an E Ink device before, you might be surprised by its usual lack of an app store. The reMarkable 2, for instance, doesn't have an app store, and the reason for that is its design is for a specific purpose, and the presence of other apps might look like distractions. Some E Ink devices have their version of an app store, but the offerings are usually limited compared to what Google's Play Store or Apple's App Store can give.

5. Apple family of products

Apple has its ecosystem when it comes to its products. Their iPads, the Apple Watch Series, iPhones, and MacBooks sync and work with each other regarding Apple's services and features. If you heavily invest in Apple devices, and you have several of them in your possession, chances are you wouldn't skip on the iPad mini 6 if you are looking for a new tablet. Other E Ink devices like the reMarkable 2 work as stand-alone devices, so if you want some multifunctionality and coordination with other devices, the iPad mini 6 will be a better choice.

6. Support

Apple is such a big name when talking about technology, so it's no wonder that they have a solid support system for their devices. If you ever have a problem with your devices, such as a broken screen, battery issues, faulty apps, or system problems, you can call them for repairs and assistance, or you can go to an Apple store that is near to you. In terms of system software updates, Apple regularly rolls them out iOS updates, so you're assured that your Apple device is updated when it comes to functionality and bug fixes.

The support system is there with E Ink devices like the reMarkable 2, but it is not as robust as Apple had. They may also not be available in your country of residence, so trying them physically in stores might be out of the question. Instead, repairs and replacements might get done online, which can be troublesome if you live overseas. Software updates happen, but since they are using proprietary systems or lower versions of Android, the updates might not happen often.

Conclusion

The iPad mini 6 and reMarkable 2 are two tablet devices, but each belongs to a specific category when it comes to usage. If you are a multitasker and want to do many things with your tablet, the iPad mini 6 will be the obvious choice. It's got a camera; it's portable, the display is gorgeous, you can play games on it, there are many apps, the list goes on. On the other hand, if you are more of a writer and reader and want something you can use for note-taking and reading documents, then the reMarkable 2 will be a better choice.

Price can also be a determining factor in which device you will buy. The iPad mini 6 has a bit of a hefty price tag, mainly if you go for the model with a bigger storage capacity. It's more expensive than a reMarkable 2. Keep in mind what each device can do, and you can see why their prices are like that. How each device fits your daily work and activities will determine which device will be better to purchase.