How excited are you for next week’s release of a faster, smarter iPad mini edition with full support for Apple Intelligence? On a scale of “very” to “moderate,” your answer is: If so, today may surprise you and your excitement level will definitely go up a notch or two.
The 7th generation iPad mini is an entry-level configuration with double the storage capacity, priced exactly the same as the 2021 model at $499, and while it’s still available for pre-order at Walmart, it’s incredibly discounted . The small but powerful new tablet, called the iPad mini (A17 Pro) for marketing purposes rather than the iPad mini 7 or iPad mini (2024), costs $484 as of this writing and has a 128 gig local digital home. Available in the Dining Room.
It’s clear that we’re not looking at the steepest discounts that major US retailers like Walmart have ever offered for a device like Apple’s latest small slate, but the product is still relevant. Considering the fact that it hasn’t been released yet, this $15 price drop feels like a lot. Special and hard to say no to.
If you’re in a hurry, you can choose one of four different colorways as far as the cheapest iPad mini (A17 Pro) configuration is concerned. The same goes for the 256 GB and 512 GB Wi-Fi only versions, which are currently on sale for $589 and $779, $10 later. Each has its own $20 discount.
As you might have guessed, the most significant upgrade of this hot new 8.3-inch model over the three-year-old 8.3-inch iPad mini is its (official name) Apple A17 Pro chip. Naturally, you’ll have to wait for our review to find out the exact scale of Apple’s latest processing power boost. This should be significant considering the iPad mini 6 uses the outdated A15 Bionic SoC.
The A17 Pro processor enables the iPad mini 7 to unleash the full power and convenience of Apple intelligence… at which point you won’t find a better sub-10-inch device for a similar price. Probably not. Right now, it’s clear that you’re getting one of the best tablets you can get for under $500, especially if you’re a die-hard Apple fan who doesn’t like the huge models like the new iPad Pro or iPad Air.
