The new iPad mini’s OLED display does not support ProMotion, leaving its refresh rate capped at 60Hz rather than 120Hz. Apple has argued that OLED pixels respond faster than those in LCD displays, helping to reduce motion blur, but The Verge reviewer David Pierce says that does not make refresh rates irrelevant.
In his review, Pierce says the difference is noticeable beyond gaming and creative apps. He describes swiping and zooming as less smooth, says the Apple Pencil feels more juddery on the screen, and notes that text becomes harder to read while scrolling at 60Hz than it does on a 120Hz display. He does not call the missing ProMotion support an immediate dealbreaker, but says the difference can be felt even when it is not clearly visible.
The OLED panel is still an upgrade, offering higher contrast and more vivid colors. Apple lists a 2,000,000:1 contrast ratio and says the display reaches up to 600 nits for standard content, compared with 500 nits on the previous model, and up to 1,200 nits for HDR content.
The new iPad mini is available to pre-order in the United States, with prices starting at $699 for 128GB of storage. It launches Friday.
Sources: MacRumors.