You’re either a Mini person or you’re not.
Apple’s smallest iPad has been around for years and has a following. The advantages of small tablets include low cost and easy portability. It can be slipped into a large jacket pocket or small bag, placed on the dashboard for use by pilots, or used as a POS screen in a store. My kids love little iPads and I love all things little technology.
But the 2024 iPad Mini, despite its subtle upgrades, doesn’t impress me all that much. Not much has changed from before 2021 Updatethe two big additions are the ability to work with Apple’s latest Pencil Pro; apple intelligence.
Look at this: Tiny Tablet Time: Take a look at the new iPad Mini
So far, I’ve tried the latest Mini with only one of these new features. I snapped up the Pencil Pro for a few days and used the Mini for every game, video, messaging, and reading you can think of. I haven’t been able to meaningfully try Apple Intelligence on the Mini yet, as Apple didn’t have a version of Apple Intelligence that worked on the review model I tested until a few hours before this story. However, this feature, similar to Apple Intelligence in the company’s iPhones, is expected to arrive soon.
Should you buy an iPad Mini? If you’re a Mini person, you probably already know the answer. If not, here’s what you need to know. It’s kind of a big phone, it’s kind of a small computer, and it’s a low-priced Apple product. It’s not going to replace your Kindle for reading, it’s not going to replace your Nintendo Switch for mobile gaming, and it’s definitely not going to replace your phone or laptop. It’s a nice little sketchpad and a great screen for playing ballatolo, but it lacks any innovative brilliance. Apple Intelligence might change things, but for now we’ll have to wait and see.
this is that’s right A series of updates we’d love to see on the new basic 10-inch iPad (not updated yet) within 2 years. Unfortunately, that too will have to wait.
read more: How to pre-order the new iPad Mini
Pencil Pro works just as well on the Mini as it does on other modern iPads.
Awesome: Pencil Pro support
Apple has made the Pencil stylus lineup quite confusing, as different iPads are compatible with different Pencils. At least the newest and most capable Pencil Pro runs on the Mini, so the Mini is the cheapest entry point to using the Pencil Pro.
Pencil Pro includes a squeeze feature that brings up a submenu of supported apps, a hover feature that can be used to “pre-select” tools or preview features before applying them, haptics to indicate selected options, and a rotation function that allows you to rotate digital brushes. It’s packed with potential, but not many iPadOS apps are taking full advantage of it yet…and iPadOS is no different.
I’m glad the Mini supports this, and at $129 it’s no more expensive than the previous Pencil 2. This Mini no longer works with the Pencil 2, so you’ll either need a new Pencil, or you can replace it with the USB-C Basic Pencil ($79), which lacks pressure sensitivity, magnetic charging to the Mini, and hover/hover functionality. You can also use Pencil Pro’s aperture/rotation function.
Even when you don’t want to read the news, it’s comfortable to hold it in your hand and read the news.
It’s also great: Apple Intelligence compatibility, A17 Pro chip, and increased connection speeds make it somewhat future-proof.
If you’re buying a new Apple product at this point, there’s no doubt that you want it to work with what Apple is touting as its largest transformation toolset for future products. Apple Intelligence, which will be released in early beta at the end of October, is currently largely just a set of AI-based generative summarization and writing assistance tools that, in my opinion, are hardly worth the upgrade. Also, the beta version of Apple Intelligence on this device wasn’t ready until a few hours before this article ended, so I couldn’t even try these tools on my iPad Mini yet.
I look forward to seeing Apple Intelligence become part of the functionality of iOS, iPadOS, and MacOS in the future. Older Apple devices may be excluded from key benefits.
It’s good that the new Mini at least takes advantage of Apple Intelligence capabilities, but I’m concerned about how limited that functionality will be in the future. Apple says this Mini can handle all Apple Intelligence features well, but the Mini’s A17 Pro chip is from last year’s iPhone 15 Pro and is less powerful than the M1 chip (see below).
But at least for now, this iPad has enhanced AI, something the three-year-old 2021 Mini can’t do. However, my early impressions of Apple Intelligence are mixed. Many of them are summaries and transcriptions of messages in specific apps, creating improvement suggestions, enhanced search in some apps like Photos, and some additional tools like Cleanup to remove objects. Siri has been enhanced, now illuminated, and the ability to type requests is helpful, but early tests still show Siri sometimes giving strange answers.
The USB-C port on this Mini can handle faster data throughput (10 Gigabits per second) depending on your usage. It also has Wi-Fi 6E.
Please note that the pencil and case are sold separately.
Great: size and price can be attractive
Sure, the 8.3-inch iPad Mini is a fun size. It has the same design as last time, but it is smaller and easier to store. I’m hooked on Balatro, a great indie game that recently hit Apple Arcade. The iPad Mini might be the best screen size to play this (better than the Switch or iPhone, and bigger than the Steam Deck).
It was fun watching the Mets playoff games in the mini. It’s large enough to feel like a good portable TV, and the aspect ratio is wide enough that shows don’t feel too letterboxed. It’s the perfect size for reading.
It’s next to the Kindle Oasis (left) for comparison. The iPad Mini has always been a conveniently sized e-reader.
Still, multitasking in split-screen mode with two apps doesn’t give you as much space as a larger-screen iPad. This iPad also lacks a Stage Manager mode for floating apps in windows of different sizes.
At an entry-level price of $499, it’s not too expensive for an Apple product. The base model comes with at least 128GB of storage, which is enough for basic needs like streaming, reading, and basic gaming. There’s now a new 512GB storage tier ($799), and prices can rise quickly if you want the Apple Pencil ($129), case ($59 for Apple), or optional 5G mobile wireless support ($150) There is a gender. This iPad is still more expensive than the basic 10th generation iPad (which starts at $349 and goes on sale frequently).
I watched a Mets game on my mini.
The bad: No M-series chip means no external monitor multitasking
The Mini’s performance is poor, hampered by the phone’s processor, which is a year old. In Geekbench 6 testing, the Mini’s single-core speeds seemed to be on par with other M1 and M2 iPads, but in multi-core mode it was slower than the previous-generation M1-powered iPad Air.
The A17 Pro has earned a ticket to Apple Intelligence, but it can’t run some OS experiences that require an M-series processor. stage manager. The M-Series iPad can run multiple additional apps on an attached monitor, while the Mini is limited to screen mirroring only, but can also play video on the monitor at 4K and 60 frames per second. Masu.
That’s a bummer for anyone who was hoping the Mini would be something like a Mac Mini in some ways, a small device that could be connected to other screens to do even more.
What’s not good: Front camera still in weird place
The rest of the iPad lineup has moved the front camera to the landscape edge to reduce the off-center appearance of video chats when combined with table mode with a keyboard or stand. The Mini’s camera is on the short side, just like the iPhone. That makes sense if you have a Mini. For families and children alike, having an iPad propped up can make chatting uncomfortable.
I thought they would fix this, but they didn’t.
The iPad Mini looks exactly the same and attaches the Pencil the same way.
Not good: No new design ideas
iPad Mini received a fresh design in 2021, giving it a modern feel and bringing it in line with the rest of the iPad lineup, including a Touch ID power button on the side. Still, three years later, I was hoping for at least some new ideas. This Mini is the same size and thickness, the display is the same non-120Hz refresh rate, and it’s not OLED. That’s fine, but it’s a step down when compared to the top-of-the-line iPhone Pro or the latest iPad Pro.
I also want a smaller pencil solution. It’s nice that the Mini can dock the Pencil Pro on the side, but it looks oddly large for a small tablet, and Apple hasn’t come up with a better way to slip a small stylus into the Mini’s design (or its case). . The case options have a similar feel. There aren’t any Apple keyboard cases for the Mini yet, but you can find other options. It doesn’t feel like Apple tried to rethink the Mini concept at all.
The iPad Mini is the perfect ballad machine.
I would like to see these upgrades for the basic entry iPad as well.
on the other hand, Basic non-Mini iPad Even though it’s been two years, there are still no upgrades for 2024. I’m hoping and expecting this Mini to have the exact same features that the 11th generation iPad has: Pencil Pro support and Apple Intelligence compatibility. In the meantime, entry-level iPad buyers will have to make some compromises.
The Mini is a basic set of upgrades that I’d expect to see over the years of tweaking, and I hope Apple doesn’t cut any more corners with the next basic iPad.
In the meantime, those who want a not-so-expensive iPad for kids might consider the Mini, which has relative updates and a slightly lower price than the Airs…but still replaces a basic iPad. Not so very affordable.
