It’s been three years since Apple last updated the iPad Mini, but the company has finally turned the page on the sixth-generation model of its smallest tablet. iPad Mini (7th generation) will be released on October 23rd, and pre-orders are now available at Apple, Amazon, Best Buy, and Walmart. Pricing starts at $499 for a Wi-Fi-only 128GB configuration, which is double the starting storage of the previous generation.
Back in 2021, the 6th generation iPad Mini was a relatively big update for the dainty tablet, reflecting Apple’s latest design philosophy. Important changes include a slightly larger display, USB-C, and support for the 2nd generation Apple Pencil. By comparison, this year’s upgrades feel a little tame. The highlight is the addition of Apple’s A17 Pro chip, which increases the tablet’s processing headroom and provides an upgraded Neural Engine for Apple Intelligence. This is something Apple plans to bring to the iPad Mini as part of iPadOS 18.1 later this month.
The 2024 refresh also brings Apple Pencil Pro support (perfect for the powerful calculator app finally on the iPad), Wi-Fi 6E radio, and fast USB-C performance with 10 Gigabit data transfer. The new iPad Mini is otherwise similar to the previous generation model, including the same 8.3-inch display and 12MP resolution for the rear and front cameras.
The new iPad Mini is available for pre-order at Apple, Amazon, Best Buy, and Walmart. It starts at $499 for the 128GB Wi-Fi model and tops out at $799 for 512GB. Cellular models start at $649 for the same 128GB and go up to $949 for the 512GB configuration.
You can offset some of the cost with a trade-in at some retailers. For example, Best Buy is offering up to $260 for an iPad Mini, depending on the tablet and configuration you trade in.
The 2024 iPad Mini will also be available for pre-order directly through major carriers starting October 18th. Verizon, AT&T, and T-Mobile will all accept orders before the release date. T-Mobile is offering $150 off cellular models when you activate them on the $5/month Go5G Next plan.
As previously mentioned, the 7th generation iPad Mini will be in stores starting October 23rd. You can choose from four colors: space gray, blue, purple, and starlight.
Update for October 16th: Added new retailer pre-order links and information about pre-ordering from wireless carriers.
