by: nick gambino
iPad mini will be updated for the first time in several years. The new version of the affordable, palm-sized iPad is set to be the most powerful yet.
Powered by the A17 Pro chip, which is also found in the iPhone 15 Pro, the 7th generation iPad mini features a 16-core Neural Engine, twice as large, designed to process Apple Intelligence. In fact, the introduction of Apple’s own AI is probably the entire reason for the mini update.
“iPad mini has broad user appeal and is built for Apple Intelligence, delivering intelligent new features that are powerful, personal and private,” said Bob, Apple’s vice president of worldwide product marketing. Borchers said in a press release. “With the powerful A17 Pro chip, faster connectivity, and support for Apple Pencil Pro, the new iPad mini delivers the complete iPad experience in our most portable design at an incredible price.”
Well, since we’re currently using the iPhone 16, an iPad mini with a chip included in the 15 means this affordable tablet device isn’t as powerful as the latest iPhone. In fact, as pointed out, 9to5 macappears to be using a binned version of the A17 Pro processor chip.
What this means is that the chip is not working to its full potential. Apparently they take a working chip, deactivate the cores that aren’t working properly, and use one or two cores down.
According to Apple’s website, the 7th generation iPad mini has a 6-core CPU and 5-core GPU. A fully operational A17 Pro chip must have a 6-core GPU, indicating you are using a binned version.
In addition to a processor chip and Neural Engine ripe for Apple Intelligence, the new iPad mini finally receives support for Apple Pencil Pro. This is a first for an Apple tablet mini.
The iPad mini 7 is currently available for pre-order from Apple, Walmart, Best Buy, and Amazon. Prices start at $499 for the WiFi-only version with 128 GB of storage. The official release date is October 23rd.
