Apple has released its first iPad mini in three years. The smallest iPad has always held a special place. It’s small enough to fit in a jacket pocket and has a much higher-resolution display than other iPads. I’ve been using the new model since Apple first announced it last week. How has performance changed? What does it look like? And has the previous version’s infamous “jelly scroll” effect been fixed? That’s all you need to know.
Apple iPad mini equipped with A17 Pro.
Apple iPad Mini: Design and display
The last mini arrived in 2021 and was the first small iPad to be an all-screen device. That means the Touch ID home button has been taken from the front of the tablet and attached to the power button on the edge.
It also adds the flatter, cliff-edge design that all iPads currently feature, increasing screen size from 7.9 inches to 8.3 inches without significantly increasing the overall size of the device.
All of these design changes have been carried over to the new model. In other words, the 7th generation model looks almost identical to the 6th generation device it replaces. There are two visible differences. One is a big difference and the other is a small difference.
New iPad mini with blue finish.
The big difference is the revamped color range. In addition to the previous model’s Space Gray and Starlight, two new colors have been added: Purple and Blue. Both are quiet and unassuming. Blue is particularly attractive, a solid and reliable shade that gives off a professional yet relaxed look.
This small difference is only seen on models with cellular connectivity, making it a change consistent with the iPad Air and iPad Pro. There is no SIM card tray. If you want to connect to the internet outside of Wi-Fi, you’ll need to sign up for an eSIM instead.
In other words, the new design will be the last iPad mini design. This isn’t a bad thing; it’s still a handsome and very portable device.
When Apple moved the iPad mini’s Touch ID button to the edge of the tablet three years ago, it meant more space on the front for display.
Apple iPad mini with Smart Folio’s A17 Pro and Apple Pencil Pro.
While the additional screen real estate was welcome, some users complained of an unfortunate visual effect called jelly scrolling, where one half of the display updates slower than the other.
There are no hardware changes in the latest model, but software optimizations have eliminated this unpleasant appearance. This leaves the 8.3-inch screen with a higher pixel density of 326 pixels per inch, rather than the 264 ppi of other iPads. It also has true-to-life colors and looks very beautiful on screen, rich and detailed.
It’s a great display, but the downside is that it only has a 60Hz refresh rate, unlike the iPad Pro, which has a variable refresh rate display (Apple calls it ProMotion). For example, it has a smoother effect, allowing you to glide through menus smoothly and without judder.
There’s one other change to this tablet that you won’t see. Memory on the board has changed. The storage capacity of the previous mini was 64GB, but it has now jumped to 128GB. As before, there is also a 256GB model, and for the first time Apple has introduced a higher storage level, 512GB.
iPad mini with A17 Pro, and Apple Pencil Pro.
The new iPad mini is compatible with the Apple Pencil Pro, the company’s most advanced stylus (though it also works with the more affordable Apple Pencil with USB-C).
Apple iPad Mini: Performance and battery life
Apple’s A17 Pro is key to the essence of this tablet upgrade. To make that clear, Apple is calling this the iPad mini with A17 Pro, not the iPad mini 7th generation. This chip update means it can run Apple’s upcoming AI called Apple Intelligence.
It will have many features, from tools to help you compose emails to summarization features, for example.
Apple says the first Apple Intelligence features will be rolled out in late October, with more to follow from the end of the year to early 2025. These new ways to use your tablet may be noteworthy, but it’s hard to know how they’ll perform until they arrive. That would be good. The A17 Pro processor first appeared in the iPhone 15 Pro and is a big step up from the A15 Bionic chip in the previous iPad mini.
In terms of performance, it’s clear that the new tablet is fast and effective, with apps opening instantly and overall staying responsive, for example.
Like all previous iPads of all sizes, the new mini has a battery life of about 10 hours. Apple has always maintained battery life, even as new features place additional demands on its tablets. We’ll have to wait and see if Apple Intelligence impacts this.
Apple iPad Mini: Should you buy it?
Apple iPad mini equipped with A17 Pro.
There’s no question that the new iPad mini is the best small tablet Apple has made. Although more expensive than the larger-screened iPad, the mini has always had a more niche feel, where you want the lightest, smallest tablet but don’t want the power just because it’s more compact and has the new A17 Pro chip. Designed for people who don’t want to sacrifice. Promising powerful efficiency.
It’s also for people who need a higher resolution screen than even the iPad Pro can offer. The new tablet looks great, as previous issues with the display have been fixed. The iPad mini is already capable, but it’s about to get even better when Apple Intelligence arrives in the coming days.
