iPad mini 6 has a major 5G weakness

(Image credit: Apple)

Apple touted the iPad mini half dozen's 5G connectivity as a corking perk for the ultra-portable tablet, simply in that location'due south an asterisk that may sting for those wait a lot of speed from their 5G connexion. That'southward a lack of mmWave 5G wireless connectivity, the flavor of 5G cellular service that currently delivers the fastest 5G operation.

The speeds of mmWav outpace Sub-6 GHz 5G, which is an comeback over LTE, though non by a lot. Sub-6GHz happens to exist the version of 5G that'due south in the iPad mini 6. And this may be a frustrating thing to learn, peculiarly if yous already pre-ordered the iPad mini 6. Currently, the only iPad with mmWave is the iPad Pro (though the iPhone 13 and 12 work with both mmWave and Sub-half dozen GHz).

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AT&T'south already shown off how its mmWave implementation, known as 5G Plus, handily beats its own 4G LTE. Information technology annihilates 4G by 12x on download speeds (632 MBps vs 52.8 MBps) and past nigh 14x on uploads (35.five Mbps vs 2.54 Mbps).

The iPad Pro, of course (too as the iPhone 12 and iPhone 13 lines), have mmWave 5G.

iPad mini 6 5G vs iPad Pro 5G — (Image credit: Apple)

It's worth noting that mmWave 5G doesn't go everywhere. Signals from mmWave 5G require a line of sight with the point belfry, and do non travel as far as Sub-6 5G. And then, those in densely populated areas, in large buildings where the signal would accept to penetrate wall afterward wall, may non even go mmWave 5G.

That said, anyone on the road, or out and near at an open-air event such as a sports loonshit or music festival, will probable wish they had mmWave 5G if it's bachelor, though your cellular visitor provider's rollout of 5G may make this whole state of affairs moot.

For example, AT&T is even so expanding that 5G Plus service. In July, AT&T announced that it was bringing 5G Plus to 25 major U.S. airports ... by the end of 2022 (it will be in vii by the terminate of this twelvemonth). Verizon's already ahead of its rival carrier, with its 5G Ultra Wideband in 13 airports as of May 2021.

Read next: How to preorder the new iPad 9 and iPad mini 6

Henry is a senior editor at Tom's Guide covering streaming media, laptops and all things Apple tree, reviewing devices and services for the past half dozen-plus years. Prior to joining Tom'due south Guide, he reviewed software and hardware for TechRadar Pro, and interviewed artists for Patek Philippe International Magazine. He's also covered the wild world of professional wrestling for Cageside Seats, interviewing athletes and other industry veterans.