iFixit has posted a detailed teardown of the iPad mini 6 and explained the “jelly scrolling” issue affecting the device. Accessing the internals requires one to pry open the display from the front.

iFixit says the “jelly scrolling” issue on the iPad mini 6’s 8.3-inch display is very prominent compared to other similar-sized panels, especially when used in portrait mode. This can be attributed to how the display controller on the iPad mini 6 is mounted.

On the iPad Air (2020), the display controller is mounted horizontally, while on the iPad mini 6, it is mounted vertically. All LCD panels have a “jelly scrolling” issue, but the issue is usually more prominent in one particular orientation. This is because the controller orientation decides which way the display is refreshed, and there’s always a lag in the top half and bottom half of the panel being refreshed.

iFixit does speculate that Apple could be using a cheaper display panel on the iPad mini 6, which is making this issue more prominent.

Apple has acknowledged the “jelly scrolling” issue on the iPad mini 6 but said it is normal behavior for LCD screens. While this is true, it remains to be seen if the company will issue a software update to try and reduce the “jelly scrolling” effect or not.

As for the teardown, the iPad mini 6 is similar to the iPad Air (2020) internally. The battery replacement process is not as easy as it should be, with the device scoring 3 in iFixit’s repairability score.

Once you notice the jelly scrolling issue on an iPad mini 6, it cannot be unseen. So, if you have not yet faced this issue on your iPad mini, it’s best to remain oblivious of it. If you do not like your iPad mini 6 due to this issue, you can consider returning it to Apple and getting a refund.