Best iPad Mini Deals 2021: Up to $59 off in Amazon sale

If you're all-in on Apple tech and want a small, portable tablet to add to your setup, the iPad mini is the right choice for you. But, unlike other models in the line, iPad deals on the mini aren't quite as common and the most recent 2019 model has seen relatively few discounts since its release.

iPad mini | $369 at Amazon

With the iPad mini 5, you get a beautiful 7.9-inch Retina display, A12 Bionic chip, 64GB storage, and 9-hour battery. The base Wi-Fi model is down to $369 at Amazon which is a $30 discount. You can snag this price at Walmart too.

$369 at Amazon

iPad mini | $489.99 at Amazon

If you want a higher-capacity 256GB iPad mini, you can save even more. The Wi-Fi-only model is $59 off, marking one of its best prices of the year. Also available at Walmart.

$489.99 at Amazon

Despite being the tiniest iPad in the current lineup, the iPad mini is not actually the cheapest either. Perhaps as it's seen as a more niche product with a smaller audience, it actually commands a higher price than the 10.2-inch iPad.

Because of that, it's always nice to find a deal on one when you can. We've rounded up the best offers on the latest iPad mini on this page to make that super easy.

Best iPad Mini Deals

The 7.9-inch iPad mini is the smallest device running iPadOS. Don't underestimate it because of its size, though — the 2019 model is still feature-packed. It is equipped with Apple's A12 Bionic chip for a huge performance boost over previous-gen models. The display also supports True Tone and P3 wide color as well as Apple Pencil input.

Though iPad mini deals are pretty infrequent, this page is constantly updated with the latest price drops at a variety of retailers.

iPad Mini Price Tracking

iPad mini deals are fairly rare, though you can find periodic price drops throughout the year. Of course, the best time to buy one is during big sales like Black Friday and Cyber Monday where retailers are competing for your dollars, though we keep tabs on iPad mini pricing all year round so we can bring any other discounts to you.

The iPad mini hit its record low price of $300 — $99 off — during Cyber Monday 2020. That one-day sale was truly a one-off and we haven't seen it go that low before or since. Its best price outside of that sale is $335, though we'd say any discount of $30 or more is worth jumping on.

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EPOS' new microphone was created with video game streamers in mind

Premium audio for streaming.

What you need to know

• EPOS is a premium gaming audio brand with a large assortment of gaming accessories.
• Today, EPOS revealed the B20 streaming microphone.
• It features four microphone pickup patterns and is compatible with Mac, PC, and PS4.

EPOS has long been a trusted name in the audio industry, so it's always exciting to see what new products the company comes out with. Today, EPOS revealed the B20 streaming microphone, a brand new accessory specifically made with video game streaming in mind. It comes with a desk stand for easy use while recording and is compatible with Mac, PC, and PS4.

Category	Spec
Compatibility	Mac, PC, PS4
Recording sample/bit rate	24bit - 48kHz
Playback sample and bit rate	24bit - 96kHz
Speaker frequency response	20 - 20,000Hz
Microphone frequency response	50 -20,000 Hz
Microphone pattern	Cardioid, Bidirectional, Omnidirectional, Stereo
Thread size	3/8 inch
Cable length	9.5 ft.
In box	Microphone, desk stand, USB cable, quick start guide
Warranty	2 years

As with many computer microphones, this one comes with a long 9.5-foot USB cable giving users plenty of leeway to get it in a good position. It also comes with a simple deskstand and has a 3/8 thread on the bottom if buyers want to connect it to a scissor arm stand for better reach.

To help you get the audio just right, the B20 features four microphone pickup patterns to choose from. By experimenting, buyers can discover which option works best for their projects. It also has an impressive 24bit record and playback bit rate for smooth sounding audio.

With the help of a reliable microphone, like the EPOS B20, and one of the best capture cards out there, you can be streaming in no time. We can even help you with our guide for how to stream Nintendo Switch on Twitch with a capture card.

Premium mic

EPOS B20

Price at EPOS

Game streaming and podcasting

If you want to stream your gameplay or host podcasts you're going to want a reliable microphone. Afterall, you don't want your audio to sound choppy or echoey. EPOS is a trusted brand in the audio industry and its new B20 streaming mic will do just the job.

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Intel tries to bash Mac gaming performance but hits its own Core i9 instead

What you need to know

• Intel has shared new stats that are supposed to show how bad Macs are at gaming.
• The numbers compared a new Core i5 PC and a Core i9 MacBook Pro.
• Intel's comparing its own chips with ... its own chips.

Why is Intel comparing its own chips with its other chips and saying one's really bad?

The relationship between Apple and Intel isn't getting any better and it's been in a downward spiral ever since Apple silicon became a thing. Unfortunately, Intel hasn't taken the new competition in good grace and has instead thrown one tantrum after another. The latest of which not only makes Intel look petty, but also doesn't do what Intel thinks it does.

Intel has shared new data that is supposed to show just how bad Macs are in terms of gaming. It might have a point as well, with the gaming scene on Apple's platform continuing to struggle. But where Intel seems to have gotten itself muddled is by comparing its new Core i5 11th-generation HD-series chips to its older Core i9 chips. The really costly ones that go into the 16-inch MacBook Pro. At least until Apple has some of its own silicon ready.

PC Gamer has the details:

In a recent call with Intel's Ryan Shrout about the performance of its 11th Generation H-series laptop processors, he took some time out to throw some serious shade Apple's way. Actually, Ryan was throwing shade around as if it was going out of fashion, with AMD, ARM, and Apple all getting some. Maybe Intel simply doesn't like the start of the alphabet? Anyway, most of the exasperation was reserved for its old bestie, Apple.

Why Intel seems so keen to point out how bad its own Core i9 chips are, I don't really know. No do I understand why Intel is so hellbent on making an enemy out of Apple – a company that's proven that it can design chips that make Intel's look like toys in terms of performance and heat control.

Intel's take is that Apple has made itself a competitor and is, therefore, fair game. Which is cool and all – but if you're going to pick a fight, at least make sure it's one you're going to win.

I even asked if Intel was burning its bridges with Apple? The answer was that Apple has been very public about moving to its own silicon and that it is now a competitor. All's fair in love and war I guess.

Cool. Cool.

Want to see just how fast Apple's own M1 chips are? Check out the best iMac deals and then find out for yourself!

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Someone used MagSafe to fish an iPhone 12 Pro out of a canal

What you need to know

• Someone was able to use a magnetic fishing rod to grab a strike iPhone 12 Pro from the bottom of a canal.
• The retrieved iPhone works fine but the same can't be said for a Nintendo Switch that was found during the same rescue mission.

MagSafe to the rescue.

Apple's MagSafe is a cool way to charge your iPhone but did you know it can be used to go fishing, too? Well, it can – so long as you're fishing for iPhones, that is.

The story goes that an iPhone 12 Pro fell into a German river with initial searches finding nothing but a waterlogged Nintendo Switch. But then, as Apple Insider notes in its report, the idea to fashion a magnetic fishing rod was formed. And it went way better than some of us might have hoped.

A fishing road and line was produced, with a magnet attached to the end. It was lowered into the canal in the same area the iPhone was dropped in, and was able to attach to the magnets on the back used for MagSafe charging.

Here's the fishing rod thing in action.

Yes, really. And it still works. pic.twitter.com/gVNiLQhhpI

— Frederik Riedel 🐻‍❄️ (@frederikRiedel) May 30, 2021

Amazing scenes. The working iPhone was retrieved and allow as right with the world. Or at least, right within that little corner of Germany.

MagSafe is available on iPhone 12 mini, iPhone 12, iPhone 12 Pro, and iPhone 12 Pro Max right now and will presumably have a part to play in future iPhones as well.

Unfortunately, all this means we're going to need to update our list of the best MagSafe accessories available – it's going to need a fishing rod adding to those chargers and cases, isn't it?!

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Twitter is testing new warning labels to prevent the spread of fake news

What you need to know

• Three new misinformation warning labels have been found on Twitter.
• Twitter says these are "some early experiments" that are being worked on.

More steps in the right direction for Twitter.

Twitter is testing three new warning labels that are designed to try and prevent the spread of misinformation. Tweets will include labels including "Get the latest," "Stay informed," and "Misleading" depending on their content.

The new labels were discovered by researcher Jane Munchun Wong with screenshots of all three shared for all to see. Wong had to tweet something that would trigger all three warnings, hence the rather odd content.

Twitter is working on three levels of misinformation warning labels:

“Get the latest”, “Stay Informed” and “Misleading” pic.twitter.com/0RdmMsRAEk

— Jane Manchun Wong (@wongmjane) May 31, 2021

Since that tweet went live, Twitter Head of Site Integrity Yoel Roth has confirmed the labels' existence, saying that they're "early experiments" while inviting feedback on their current setup.

👀 some early experiments with new design treatments for our labels on misinformation. Let us know what you think, and how we can improve. (cc @tapatinah) https://t.co/BLXVDAhox7

— Yoel Roth (@yoyoel) May 31, 2021

Twitter, like other social networks, has come under fire for the ease with which misinformation can spread. These labels are one way that such a problem could be dealt with, at least in part. There's no indication if or when these labels will be made available to all or whether they'll be limited to the official Twitter apps. Whether you're using Twitter or Tweetbot, knowing what information is real and what isn't is vital.

No matter which app you're using, shouldn't you be using it on the best iPhone around? We think so!

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Micro-LED be damned, some iPads are rumored to jump to OLED next year

What you need to know

• Apple is rumored to be set to use OLED screens on some iPads starting next year.
• The next iPad Air is likely the main candidate for a new screen.

The next iPad Air is expected to be the first recipient of OLED.

Apple might have only just switched to a Micro-LED screen in the gorgeous new 12.9-inch iPad Pro, but it's already looking at moving at least one tablet to OLED. That's according to a new report by Korea's ET News.

That report notes that Apple has decided to bring OLED to at least one iPad because the OLED market is expecting a new phase of growth – caused by Apple orders.

According to the industry on the 31st, Apple decided to apply OLED instead of Liquid Crystal Display (LCD) from some iPad models in 2022. It is reported that Apple and display companies have agreed on production and delivery.

The specific switch from LCD to OLED might suggest that iPad Air will be the tablet to get the new hotness and that's something analyst Ming-Chi Kuo said earlier this year that iPad Air would go OLED next year, adding further fuel to the ET News fire.

Kuo also said that Apple will keep Micro-LED as an iPad Pro exclusive for the time being. Both it and OLED offer similarly impressive contrast and brightness, although OLED does suffer from screen burn, or image retention, which could be a problem for those who use their iPads as business tools. Static images can cause longevity issues on OLED displays in particular.

The new Mini-LED screen used in the 12.9-inch iPad Pro is generally thought to be excellent and potentially worth the upgrade from an older version of Apple's highest of high-end tablets. Anyone planning to take the plunge should probably check out our list of the best iPad Pro deals before they do, too.

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Some unreleased Apple AirTag accessories might have popped up on eBay

What you need to know

• An eBay listing appears to be selling some unreleased AirTag accessories.
• AirTag Loop and AirTag Leather Key Rings are available in new colors, assuming the listing is legit.

Pink and Blue AirTag Loops and California Poppy AirTag Leather Key Rings look great.

Apple's AirTag has been on sale for a couple of weeks not and the same can be said for Apple's accessories as well. Both the AirTag Loop and AirTag Leather Key Ring have proven popular already, but a new eBay listing appears to not only out some unreleased colors but also make them available to purchase, too.

First spotted by 9to5Mac, the auction includes accessories that will ship from China, so it's possible these are items that were manufactured ahead of launch but were ultimately decided against, for whatever reason. 9to5Mac reports that this seller does have a history of selling unreleased Apple products – so the belief is that these things are legit.

Right now you can order a pretty stunning California Poppy Leather Key Ring as well as Blue and Pink AirTag Loops. The Leather Key Ring will set you back $39 while the Loops are selling for $29. A matching California Poppy Leather Loop can be had for $39 as well.

It's a shame these colors never sold because I'd buy anything in California Poppy. It's unlikely we'll see these colors arrive any time soon though – Apple's accessory colors tend to follow a seasonal cadence, after all. Maybe we'll get to buy them next year, though.

Don't fancy ordering from a Chinese eBay store? These are some of the best accessories for AirTags that you can buy from more conventional stores like Amazon and Apple itself, too.

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