In October 2024, Apple quietly released the 7th generation iPad mini. As expected, it comes with a hardware upgrade that allows it to run Apple Intelligence features. But I’m still hesitant to buy it because it’s missing a piece of the puzzle.
What Apple changed with iPad mini
According to Apple’s announcement, the 2024 iPad mini will have nearly the same design, but there will be some hardware improvements. The most notable changes are an increase in base storage of 128 GB, an A17 Pro processor that enables Apple Intelligence, and support for Apple Pencil Pro.
There’s a high-speed USB-C port that enables wired data transfer at speeds of 10Gbps and support for Wi-Fi 6E. Additionally, if you occasionally use your iPad to take photos, use Smart HDR 4 to improve image quality.
As for other minor changes, Apple has replaced the pink variant with a new blue color option. You can also see that the back says “iPad mini” instead of “iPad”.
iPad mini still doesn’t have a 120Hz display
I love the hardware changes Apple has introduced, making the iPad mini the cheapest device that can run all the Apple Intelligence features, but there won’t be a 120Hz ProMotion display in 2024, so I’m skipping it completely. I want to.
I would like to see a ProMotion display on the iPad mini. It doesn’t have to be an OLED screen like the iPad Pro models. Adaptive refresh rate is all you need. This addition not only makes the compact tablet more power efficient, but also makes the overall user interface smoother and more satisfying.
I think Apple should have added a 120Hz display, considering Android tablets in the sub-$500 price range already have high refresh rate screens, such as the OnePlus Pad 2 and Galaxy Tab S9 FE. These hardware upgrades, along with an improved display, should make it a complete package that should make its direction even more noteworthy.
