The iPad mini is still the most popular tablet in the world

The first generation iPad mini brings major new features. Not only is the new iPad mini a beautiful design with a larger display, but it also gets an upgraded processor and a powerful front and rear camera.

The tablet also gets a not-so-mini price increase from $399 to $499. With my money, the mini is still the go-to iPad for people looking for a tablet that's easy to schlep to and from office or just around the house — and has a performance punch.

Gone are the mini bezels surrounding the large display. In their place, Apple has stretched the screen towards the larger edge with a much larger screen.

The mini now has an 8 - inch Liquid Retina display in place of the old Mini's 7.9 - inch Retina display. The change is exceptionally welcome, as the iPad mini fits amazingly with the majority of the design of the iPad line. The preceding generation mini was starting to look old.

Despite the small changes in the mini, its size hasn't changed all that much. It is actually a hair shorter than the 5th Generation tablet and ever so slightly thicker. It's just as lightweight and holding large as its predecessor, with the lighter screen.

Speaking of which I use my 5th - generation Mini for watching the New York Mets lose while simultaneously playing video games with my spouse and as a means to stream Jeopardy while I run on the treadmill. I also bring it with me on trips to serve as my television, because I need one to fall asleep at night. For all those reasons, I always wanted the new Mini mini to get a larger screen, and the bigger version delivers. If you use your iPad as a secondary computer, the screen will give you more space to write up reports and compile spreadsheets or whatever it is people with real jobs do. Though said, if you are looking for an iPad to replace your laptop, the mini would not be your best bet simply because it's far smaller than a traditional 13-inch laptop or even the 11-inch iPad Pro. Other iPads - including the 4th generation iPad with its 10.2 inch screen — or 9th generation iPad Air and its 10.9 to go display - are better choice for full-on laptop replacements.

Beyond its updated looks and screen, the iPad mini also gets Apple's powerful new A 15 Bionic chip. The same silicon found in the upcoming iPhone 13 says the A 15 Bionic provides an 80% performance boost over the 7th generation mini, and based on benchmarks I've run, it adds up.

Using Geekbench 5, a benchmarking application that measures CPU and GPU performance, the A 15 in the new mini beats out the previous generation mini and its A 12 bionic chip.

While using the photo editing app Pixelmator, I erased objects from shots in a blink, while the older iPad mini took a beat or two to make those same objects vanish. Games like 'Genshin Impact' ran a bit smoother on the 5 - generation mini than on the 6 - generation.

The 2nd generation iPad mini is also compatible with Apple's 6th-generation Apple Pencil, so you can wirelessly charge and sync the pen to the iPad to take notes or sketch.

The feature automatically center you when you're making FaceTime calls. During a call with my parents and my nephew, I was able to move near the tablet and the camera quickly recentered me. If you've more than one person on your side of the conversation, the camera will zoom out to capture you both.

One thing about the iPad mini is that it now uses USB C rather than a Lightning connector. If you're from an older iPad mini, you ditch your old cables and can't use the same settings, there is a reason for this:

While it can't be an option, it does allow for faster transfer rates, and the ability to add additional accessories to a tablet. For instance, if you're a photographer, you'll be able to connect it directly to the mini and see your photos on the tablet.

Finally, the battery life for the iPad mini is more or less unchanged from the previous generation model, meaning it will last you all day and can stream movies without dying before the final act of the film.

The iPad mini has been my personal favorite iPad for years. And although its new $499 price tag is a little richer, for many people it's likely still worth it for the larger display and improved performance.

if you're looking for something a bit less expensive, there’s always the $329 9th generation iPad. For my money, though, the iPad mini is a huge winner.

None Apple is relying on iPhone 13's new cameras to power record sales.

Does Microsoft just kill my passwords?

Email Daniel Howley at dhowleyyahoofinance.com by email at dhowley@yahoo.com, via encrypted mail at DanielHowley protonmail.com, and follow him on Twitter @Danielphowley.