iPad mini 6 Desktop?!

Can you use the iPad mini 6th gen as a desktop computer? How to connect the new iPad mini to an external display with a USB-C dock hub.

iPad Desk Accessories:

Other Accessories I use:

0:00 iPad mini desktop?
0:36 SOHO dock
1:11 display
1:43 keyboards and mice
5:07 getting stuff done
5:52 sd cards and ssds
9:28 gaming
9:57 major caveat

What’s on my desk! 👈

My MacBook M1 Setup!👈

My Gear

DISCLAIMER: This video and description contains affiliate links, which means that if you click on one of the product links, I’ll receive a small commission.

[OfficialGamesky]

I don't normally comment on videos but I must say the quality of your content (both the look and the presentation) are excellent, keep up the amazing work!

[kurtwukitsch]

iPad mini 5 has been my only computer for the past 2.5 years with MX2 anywhere mouse and iClever folding keyboard for mobility. I’m waiting for my 6 series now!

[digitalalchemy]

If only iPadOS would allow full width use of external monitors and extended screen support instead of the simple mirroring. The power is there. it could be a pocketable powerful computer... but its intentionally nerfed so it doesn't interfere with mac sales... just like macs don't get touch screens or 2-in-1 designs so they don't effect ipad sales.

[reviewchan]

The key of bridging mobile to desktop is simply extensions. That's really the main hangup. Modern browsing basically demands extensions to even comfortably use right

[RARufus]

This is a great demo for what the iPad mini can be. I was so jazzed a number of years ago when there was talk of implementing a Linux desktop on a phone when you plugged it into a dock. For me, the holy grail of computing is having a small touch device, phone sized, but having it transition to a desktop when docked. This has been doable for quite some time and with the power of the newest chips it’s easily doable with the right software. Microsoft, for one, totally blew this opportunity with Windows phone.

[Jaskol_Wazon]

Wow.... Never really thought these were actually usable this way. Depsite being an Apple user. Man, you just fixed my dilemma for a gift. Buying a laptop that will go last century in two years or an iPad Pro, that is too heavy, too big to carry around. This setup is a dream.

[jamesgreen]

Thank you for this video. Well made. I've been using my iPad and Apple TV mirrored to the TV set in the classroom I work for several years now and it has really taken my teaching style to an entire new level. The advantage of using an Apple TV is that it is very easy to connect to a TV set with mirroring mode using Bluetooth/WiFi to connect to the iPad. And there is no need of WiFi network to mirror. This way the iPad is not tethered to the TV, so I can walk around the classroom with it as I like. There are so many things I can do this way. Like using the camera - just displaying to the TV set the iPad's camera viewfinder- I can walk around the students' desks to show to all the class a student's classwork, I can use the Apple Pencil to handwrite something and thus using the TV as a secondary whiteboard, it helps me to use markers less so my hands don't get dirty, I can snapshot a page from a textbook and using the pencil I can draw attention to something important, or zoom into something like a detail in a picture or to a single word. And all that while I am with my students, not sitting in a corner if I had to display the iPad physically tethered to the TV. Then I have everything on the iPad, lesson plans, books, videos, access to the internet via cellular so I am ready to any material I may need. The possibilities are limitless and carrying an iPad and an Apple TV is easy, both take less space than let say a laptop and in combination they are way, way more useful than any laptop.

[donwallace]

This was fantastic. I was already leaning toward getting a mini, and I think this has pushed me over the edge.

[edymoss]

Great vid thks
This is one of the main reasons I bought the iPad Mini for
So I can reuse my old iMac 2009 as a second monitor
This iPad Mini is so
Practical
A really good buy no regrets here only praises

[josephmatthews]

I am trading in my iPad Pro 11” to help pay for my iPad mini 6. I am planning to use my iPad mini 6 as my daily driver, both home and when I am on the go. I picked up my mini yesterday and so far I am enjoying the experience. Earlier today I checked out a possible desktop setup and found, I can work that way without too much issue. I do like your setup as well.

[padx]

i want a future iPadOS to include a "desktop mode" (MacOS lite) for when the device is hooked up to an external monitor. imagine having one device like an iPad Pro running normal iPadOS on the main touch screen, and then a lite version of MacOS on the external monitor. if i could have this then i may decide to use an iPad Pro as a main machine as opposed to a secondary machine.

[bboy]

This is so interesting I never thought about using the iPad this way. With a monitor somehow this feels like a proper desktop experience, even though I know that’s just an illusion.

[Thomastysken]

Super helpful! You answered all my questions...
Now time to get in the car and go to the apple store

[fredn]

Thank you for this. Very well done and helpful. I would add another caveat: for anyone looking to replace a desktop or laptop with an iPad (like I'd like to), it's important to see what applications you'll be using and be sure that they run on iPad OS.

[bencoestudio]

Thank you Jerry! This is exactly the kind of video that I was looking for, Legend!

[Docudate]

Jerry, I must agree with others in these comments. You are hitting key points in your video reviews that other YouTube reviewers are missing. I must have watched a hundred videos on the iPad Mini, but your reviews are touching on points that others seem to be overlooking....good job! I have written privately to some of the "bigtime" reviewers and a couple wrote back. They suggested to really use the iPad Mini for editing in LumaFusion you need to get the 256K option. You said in the attached video that 64 will work fine. I do agree with this especially if a person has a fast external drive and edits large content files on it. Another reviewer told me that you need a lot of extra internal space for the iPad to process the footage and that the internal memory on the main drive must have a great deal of space for editing. Do you know, Is this true? I think they are mistaken and you are correct.

[jonatansteuernagel]

What I just noticed, which I seems like has been totally overlooked, is that the new iPad Mini has a wider aspect ratio and thus the black bars on the external display are smaller than with any other iPad.
I mean, of course better external monitor support would be huge, but this is a really awesome improvement, basically making the new Mini the best iPad to use with an external display.
I am intrigued.

[DennyUtama]

this setup is un-imaginable, until i found your video Jerry. Been using for 3 months now, and this really helps!

[wlf]

Amazing review. I enjoy maxing out the experience with accessories. Just never could figure out the mix. You did!!! Thanks!!!

[danhodson]

I actually really love this setup. Awesome job!