When the iPad Mini was originally released in 2012, many thought it was the perfect form-factor for tablet gaming but after iPad Mini 4 there was a short break of a few years for the next edition and then after 2019, it took another two years to release a completely redesigned Mini. A lot has changed — no more home button, no more thick borders, it’s an 8.3-inch Liquid Retina display, four stereo speakers (two on the top and two on the bottom) and, most importantly, it rocks the latest and powerful A15 Bionic chip.

Throw in an Apple Arcade subscription and you get a huge library of games at your disposal, free of advertisements and in-app purchase. Plus, I can also access plenty of amazing, graphically-intensive non-Arcade games. It has quickly become my go-to device to hit the bed with. Instead of reaching out for the PC, I am awed by the portability factor of the Mini, which doesn’t compromise on performance. Over the last couple of weeks, I have been playing Arcade and non-Arcade games on the Mini. Here’s the low-down.

Graphically-intensive titles

The A15 Bionic chip has a six-core CPU, delivering a 40 per cent jump in performance, and the five-core GPU delivers an 80 per cent leap in graphics performance compared to the previous generation of iPad mini. It means I could jump into one of the most graphically-intensive games out there for portable devices — Genshin Impact. It runs flawlessly even after cranking graphic settings to the maximum and setting frame rate at 60. The machine holds up really well even during full-on fights, or while changing characters on the flight, and activating special abilities. It’s a very good-looking game, which also means it puts the device’s thermals to the test. Depending on how long you play the game, the machine heats up slightly but never enough to take a break. The rendering on the water or fight sequences... everything looks real.

At first I had a feeling that the iPad Mini will struggle but I was quickly shown all the chops. The game has controller support (I used a PS4 controller), which elevates the experience. You have full control over graphics, so I bumped fps to 60. Graphics quality was kept to medium to get smooth-looking 60fps. Frankly, bumping it up won’t make much of a difference on such a small screen. In this open world with a crazy amount of enemies, and so many characters, the gameplay remains smooth. There are zero dropped frames even while tackling multiple enemies. And the controller hook-up is mind-blowing.

Impact of Apple Arcade

But not everybody will play Genshin Impact. Let’s turn our attention to the many games available on Apple Arcade where we found Asphalt 8: Airborne+. The big difference of playing games via Arcade is that there are no in-app purchases or advertisements. All you pay is the monthly fee for using Arcade and that’s it. The game comes with all the bells and whistle of the franchise. During the course of the game, there are ramps in different areas where you can get airborne and perform a couple of different tricks. The Mini can make every trick appear neat with no frame drops; it indeed demos graphics well.

A graphically-intensive game like Genshin Impact runs smoothly without frame drops

Quick games

Many will use the Mini to play short games to get away from work. If the device can handle Genshin Impact, it will do the same for something like Doodle Jump. At the same time, one has to remember that Doodle Jump is perfect for the iPhone, so does the screen size make a difference? Yes, it does. It’s a perfect example of taking the gyroscope to the max. Now I prefer playing this on the Mini over the iPhone. What I have here is not a super-massive display but at the same time, it’s not too small.

Another game I am enjoying is Mario Kart Tour. It’s the least graphically-intensive game but max on fun. Running at full graphics settings, there are no frame drops even when a lot of things are happening on the screen. In terms of performance, the iPad Mini can handle a game like this without breaking into a digital sweat, even when shiny power-ups, coins and boosts come your way.

You are not going to play AAA games at 4K and 144Hz on this machine but that’s not what I expect from the Mini. This is a mini computer on which I can do almost everything and also play games. People are happy playing games in 720p @60fps on the Nintentdo Switch; not many are complaining. You can do much better here. The A15 Bionic is not a slouch. Finally, I have a gaming device which I can take anywhere.

Use cases for the small wonder

• Reading books and comics

• Media consumption (video, music)

• Taking notes, using it as a planner and journal

• Playing video games

• To make illustrations using Apple Pencil

Coming to Apple Arcade on November 19: Lego Star Wars: Castaways

Time to play on Apple Arcade:

• NBA 2K22 Arcade Edition: Start your own destiny in professional basketball.

• MasterChef: Let’s Cook: Simply drop in the ingredients and come up with perfect recipes.

• The Oregon Trail: You have to constantly evaluating your decisions and survive a harsh weather.

• Transformers Tactical Arena: It’s coming on November 5. Collect and level up your favourite Transformers, unlock new units, master abilities and evolve your strategy to win.

• Lego Star Wars: Castaways: Coming on November 19, you have to team up with other players or go at it alone to learn the planet’s history.