With the iPad mini 7 (2024), Apple launched an important and long-overdue improve to its common compact pill. With the A17 Professional chip, Apple Intelligence and an improved design, the pill stays true to its function as an ultraportable system. What precisely makes the brand new iPad mini 7 superior to its predecessor, and for whom is it value shopping for? Our iPad mini 2024 evaluate exhibits why it’s good for a lot of customers—however not for everybody.
Good
- Pocket-friendly kind issue
- As much as 30 p.c quicker than its predecessor
- Apple Pencil Professional assist
- Higher, low-reflection show
Unhealthy
- Small show limits productiveness
- Some apps & widgets aren’t optimized for a small show
- Solely eSIM assist
- No Face ID
Apple iPad mini 7 (2024): All offers
iPad mini 7 show and design: Small, slim and stylish
The smallest Apple pill packs true-blue iPad energy into a really transportable format, which is nice for infrequent work on the go. Nonetheless, Apple additionally made some uncommon errors with the comparatively tiny show.
The iPad mini 7 affords an 8.3-inch Liquid Retina show that delivers spectacular colours regardless of its compact dimensions. Due to the P3 colour house, True Tone, and an anti-reflective coating, it’s perfect for each indoor and outside use. Anybody searching for a pill that’s mild to hold round shall be delighted: The iPad mini 2024 suggestions the scales at slightly below 300 g and is without doubt one of the thinnest tablets available on the market with a thickness measuring 6.3 mm.
Apple additionally launched two new colours—Blue and Purple—and continues to depend on the basic iPad colours Area Grey and Starlight. Significantly noteworthy is the case constituted of recycled aluminum, which not solely appears elegant but additionally helps Apple’s sustainability objectives.
The one draw back? The compact display has some weaknesses on the subject of chosen apps and widgets. Advanced content material, particularly, seems compressed or minimize off, which tarnishes the visible impression considerably.
Apple Pencil Professional makes all of the distinction
One of the crucial essential new options of the iPad mini 7 is Apple Pencil Professional compatibility. This affords further features akin to strain sensitivity, a hover function, and higher integration with artistic apps. Due to the magnetic charging operate, the Apple Pencil Professional all the time stays docked to the aspect of the pill, prepared for use when known as upon.
The Good Folio, which is on the market in new colours akin to Denim and Gentle Violet, protects the iPad and can be utilized as a stand—perfect for watching motion pictures or video calls. Nonetheless, there isn’t any built-in keyboard (Apple Magic Keyboard), as is the case for the bigger iPad fashions.
Anybody who likes to attract or take notes will love the interplay between the iPad mini 2024 and Apple Pencil Professional. It is intuitive, exact, and a spotlight of the system. As for me, the Apple iPad mini is more and more remodeling right into a digital notepad that theoretically suits in any jacket pocket so you may all the time carry it with you.
Efficiency: A17 Professional supplies loads of energy
The iPad mini 7 doesn’t include the most recent era of Apple’s in-house processor: the A17 Professional, which debuted with the iPhone Professional fashions in 2023, below the hood. Will or not it’s ample?
On the coronary heart of the iPad mini 7 lies the brand new A17 Professional chip, which additionally powers the iPhone 15 Professional (evaluate). With six CPU cores, a five-core GPU, and a 16-core Neural Engine, it delivers a efficiency increase of as much as 30 p.c in comparison with its predecessor. Whether or not you need to edit 4K movies, play graphically demanding video games with ray tracing, or edit excessive decision pictures, the iPad mini 2024 can do all of it.
The A17 Professional additionally permits using Apple Intelligence, a system that gives AI-supported features akin to computerized picture enhancing, writing assistants, and voice processing. Sadly, this operate is at present unavailable in areas outdoors of the US till 2025.
The iPad mini 7 is extremely highly effective regardless of its kind issue. It actually overwhelms the typical person with its efficiency, whereas energy customers profit from the future-proof A17 Professional chipset. Nonetheless, the efficiency doesn’t detract from the battery life. Primarily based on an everyday work sample—browsing through Wi-Fi, replying emails, taking notes with the Apple Pencil, and watching movies, it will possibly simply final you thru the day.
| iPad mini 2024 A17 Professional | iPad Professional 2024 M4 | iPad Air 2024 M2 | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Geekbench 6 CPU (Single / Multi) | 2,912 / 7,182 | 3,647 / 14,254 | 2,592 / 10,066 |
| Geekbench 6 GPU | 25,556 | 53,307 | 42,101 |
| 3D Mark Wild Life Excessive | 2,785 at 16.7 fps | 8,725 at 52.2 fps | 6,116 at 36.6 fps |
| 3D Mark Wild Life Excessive stress take a look at | Finest loop: 3,628 Worst loop: 2,342 Stability: 64.5% |
Finest loop: 5,060 Worst loop: 4,326 Stability: 85.5 |
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In the case of connectivity, Apple additionally depends on extra energy within the iPad mini, however falls in need of its potential. The iPad mini 7 helps Wi-Fi 6E—a brand new normal, however not Wi-Fi 7, which affords even decrease latency and a far increased knowledge throughput (Wi-Fi 6E: as much as 9.6 Gbps vs Wi-Fi 7: as much as 46 Gbps), supplied an appropriate router is used. There aren’t sufficient suitable routers round but, however it’s nonetheless a disgrace that Apple nonetheless depends on the considerably older normal right here.
The USB-C port has been upgraded and permits knowledge transfers of as much as 10 Gbps now. Though this isn’t the quickest doable connection, it’s twice as quick total in comparison with its predecessor.
For the very first time, the mobile model solely helps eSIM with the basic SIM card slot is not obtainable. This might be a minus level for some customers for whom the community supplier doesn’t but provide eSIMs. Nonetheless, the quite a few efficiency adjustments ought to provide actual added worth, particularly for traditional iPad mini customers.
Barely Improved Digicam System
A pill and its digicam is a long-standing dance that has not excited anybody in years, and issues aren’t going to alter with the iPad mini 2024.
Apple has improved the cameras on the iPad mini 2024 barely. The 12 MP wide-angle digicam behind delivers respectable outcomes, particularly with assist for Good HDR 4 and the brand new True Tone flash. Nonetheless, one factor ought to stay clear: You should not anticipate outcomes much like the most recent iPhone 16 Professional (evaluate). Nonetheless, the digicam is good for taking pictures of paperwork or documenting work outcomes, for example.
The entrance digicam maintains its decision depend at 12 MP and affords Middle Stage, which mechanically facilities customers within the image throughout video calls. Nonetheless, the entrance digicam and its place stay the bone of competition for me on the iPad mini 7. It is now put in on the higher slim bezel of the iPad mini and alongside the lengthy aspect. In the case of video calls, for which the entrance digicam might be chargeable for, the recording angle appears unusual.
Regardless of its enhancements, the digicam high quality falls in need of expectations, particularly once you examine it to the brand new Professional fashions. If you wish to use the pill for skilled pictures or videography, it’s best to undoubtedly decide for a bigger iPad.
iPad mini 7 Key Specs
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| Show |
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| SoC | |
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| Reminiscence | |
| Digicam | |
| Selfie digicam |
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| Battery | |
| Connectivity |
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| Dimensions and weight |
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Ought to You Purchase the iPad mini 7
The largest benefit of the iPad mini 2024 stays its compact kind issue. It suits in virtually any bag and is the perfect on-the-go companion. Nonetheless, this benefit can even grow to be an obstacle: Anybody who desires to put in writing longer texts or work with a number of apps concurrently will discover themselves reaching the boundaries of the small show rapidly.
One other level of criticism is the cut-off widgets and apps that aren’t optimally tailored to the small display. This isn’t a serious drawback, nevertheless it does tarnish the premium impression barely.
With an entry-level value of $499 for the 128 GB Wi-Fi model and $649 for the mobile model, the iPad mini 7 is not any cut price, both. Nonetheless, you get an actual iPad feeling for the worth, even when you need to make compromises in comparison with the bigger fashions, akin to digicam high quality.
The place of the entrance digicam is a little bit bit extra annoying. Apple can solely transfer it to the broader aspect with issue due to the Contact ID button (sadly, the iPad mini 7 would not assist Face ID). Therefore, it stays on the slim higher bezel, which provides you a wierd viewing angle for video calls.
Regardless of my criticisms: The iPad mini 2024 is a worthy successor to its predecessor, providing spectacular efficiency, an improved design and thrilling new options like Apple Pencil Professional, and far quicker connectivity total, like Wi-Fi 6E. For me, it stays the perfect alternative for customers looking for a helpful, highly effective pill for on the go. Now all that is left is Apple Intelligence—and you may lastly do much more with all that energy.
Anybody searching for a compact pill for media consumption, note-taking, and light-weight artistic work shall be completely proud of the iPad mini 7. For severe productive work or skilled functions, nonetheless, a bigger iPad is perhaps the higher alternative.
The place to Purchase the iPad mini 7
The iPad mini 7 begins at $499 for the WLAN model and with 128 GB. The costliest mannequin with cellular community assist and 512 GB reminiscence prices a hefty $949.