iPad Mini 4 vs. iPad Pro specs comparison: Smaller tablet display trumps giant iPad

iPad Mini 4[photo: Apple.com]

Although the much-hyped iPad Pro is intended for professional-level work, its recently released, much smaller cousin, the iPad Mini 4, still managed to etch a win over the larger iPad, at least in terms of display.

In a recently concluded lab test by independent site DisplayMate, results from a stress test done on both new iPad variants showed that the iPad Mini 4 has a stronger presence than the iPad Pro when their displays. The comprehensive test indicated that the smaller iPad Mini 4 is the frontrunner against its larger cousin in terms of color and contrast accuracy, color gamut, performance in ambient light, and in overall image and quality. The only aspect that the iPad Pro is better than the smaller iPad Mini is in contrast ratio, as the iPad pro has the larger display area.

The test seems conclusive given that Tech Radar reported that the iPad Mini 4's scores were high and tied with other tablets. For the screen reflectance and color accuracy, the smaller iPad achieved the same results as that of another professional-level tablet, the Surface Pro 4 from Microsoft. Meanwhile, the iPad Mini 4 was also found to have one of the best LCD displays currently out in the market.

This is good news for those looking to buy an Apple device and prioritize rich colors and vibrant displays. In addition, being the smaller variant, the iPad Mini 4 is also the lighter one at 299 grams.

However, in terms of tech specs and under-the-hood features, although the iPad Mini 4 is adequate enough, it falls short compared to the iPad Pro, and even when compared with the older iPad Air 2. In a tech specs list by industry follower Recombu, the iPad Mini 4 is the smallest of the three, only having a 7.9-inch screen size. It also features the older A8 processor, against the much faster A8X of the iPad Air 2 and the next-gen A9X of the iPad Pro.