At a look
Knowledgeable’s Ranking
Professionals
- Glorious construct high quality
- Compact and lightweight
- Class-leading efficiency
- Function-rich
Cons
- Costly
- Gradual charging
- 60Hz refresh charge
Our Verdict
It’s much like the earlier mannequin and I’d nonetheless like some key upgrades in sure areas – particularly at these costs – however the truth stays that the iPad mini continues to be the most effective compact pill cash can purchase. Whether or not you should purchase it’s one other matter as you’ve received to need the mix of dimension and energy, in any other case the iPad mini 6 or an Android different is a greater worth selection.
Value When Reviewed
This worth will present the geolocated pricing textual content for product undefined
Greatest Pricing At present
Value When Reviewed
$499 (128GB; Wi-Fi solely) | $599 (256GB; Wi-Fi solely) | $799 (512GB; Wi-Fi solely)
Greatest Costs At present: Apple iPad mini (A17 Professional)
It took a number of years to reach, however Apple lastly up to date the iPad mini late in 2024. Whereas it is likely to be a distinct segment dimension, the iPad mini makes for an ideal pill for a lot of customers.
This newest mannequin, the iPad mini 7 because it’s generally recognized, arrives with a virtually similar design to its predecessor and a really Apple asking value beginning at £499/$499.
So why purchase the brand new iPad mini? Nicely, it’s arguably essentially the most highly effective small pill cash can purchase with Apple’s A17 Professional chipset however let’s see what else it has to supply.
Design & Construct
- Identical design
- Two new colors
- Extraordinarily transportable
As talked about on the prime, the newest iPad mini (A17 Professional) appears to be like virtually similar in its design to the 2021 mannequin.
In actual fact, it is available in the very same chassis, so that you’ll want to select up one of many two new (very pale) colors – Blue or Purple – to distinguish simply. The opposite accessible colourways are Starlight and House Gray.
In case you’re not conversant in the earlier iPad mini, the 2024 mannequin has a design like current iPhones with flat sides and rounded corners. I’m not the largest fan of this development on telephones however I really feel like it really works a lot better on a pill.
The iPad mini is a svelte 6.3mm thick and solely 293g (or a number of grams extra should you get a mobile model). It makes it extremely simple to sling round the home or in a bag.
Dominik Tomaszewski / Foundry
If it’s portability you want, then the iPad mini places an enormous fats tick in that field. And unusually, it’s not one thing you’ll be able to simply discover elsewhere with most Android tablets choosing display screen sizes round 11-inch.
One factor to level out concerning the iPad mini, particularly should you’re used to fashionable iPhones is that it has Contact ID. The fingerprint scanner is embedded within the energy button and there’s no Face ID right here.
It’s safer and really simple to make use of, notably when utilizing the pill in portrait orientation because you’re utilizing the facility button to wake the system anyway.
Dominik Tomaszewski / Foundry
As you’d count on from an Apple product at this value, construct high quality is exemplary and Apple does higher than most rivals when it comes to eco-credentials. Many components are 100% recycled together with the aluminium enclosure.
Like most tablets, there’s no IP ranking for mud and water safety. It’s additionally value a small word that the Nano-SIM card slot is gone so it’s simply eSIM now.
Display & Audio system
- Nonetheless 8.3-inch
- IPS LCD
- Pencil Professional help
- Stereo audio system
Very like the design, the Liquid Retina show on the iPad mini 2024 stays the identical. It’s an 8.3-inch panel utilizing IPS LED backlit know-how.
Whereas an improve to an OLED Extremely Retina XDR panel discovered on the iPad Professionals can be welcome, it’s comprehensible that Apple reserves this tech for these fashions. Regardless, the display screen on the iPad mini is greater than adequate for most individuals.
It’s crisp, and vibrant and affords loads of distinction and brightness. It’s appropriate with Apple Pencil and now Pencil Professional, opening up plenty of prospects for various use instances from note-taking to graphic design.
Dominik Tomaszewski / Foundry
An addition to the iPad mini 7 in contrast with its predecessor is help for Apple Pencil hover. It reveals the place your tip will contact down on the display screen in addition to exhibiting a shadow of the software you’re utilizing.
You is likely to be photos of the iPad mini and questioning why it has an unusually giant bezel across the show. Positive, it appears to be like fairly dated however in day-to-day use, it makes absolute sense in an effort to maintain and use it with out touching the show.
Two drawbacks to make you conscious of begin with, like plenty of Apple gadgets, a 60Hz refresh charge. It won’t trouble lots of people however at this value, we’d favor 90- and even 120Hz for a smoother expertise. Even the Xiaomi Redmi Pad SE has a 90Hz display screen and it’s lower than half the value.
Dominik Tomaszewski / Foundry
It’s additionally not the most effective iPad for multi-tasking as a consequence of, after all, the scale. You might have entry to options like split-screen and floating window however should you depend on them every day then a much bigger iPad may make for a wiser selection.
The iPad mini nonetheless has stereo audio system while you use it in panorama orientation, which is sensible for watching video content material. They’re respectable as you’d count on and produce high quality sound no matter what you’re utilizing them for.
Specs & Efficiency
- A17 Professional chipset
- Double the storage
- Small wi-fi upgrades
A few of the largest upgrades to the iPad mini 2024 are invisible to the human eye. They arrive within the type of core inside specs beginning with the A17 Professional.
That is the SoC (system on a chip) discovered within the iPhone 15 Professional fashions and is predicated on a formidable 3nm manufacturing course of.
Whilst you may argue utilizing an M2 chip like the newest iPad Air can be preferable, this may occasionally have price and thermal implications, making it a much less good choice. And I’ve had no issues with efficiency from the A17 Professional.
Dominik Tomaszewski / Foundry
It is likely to be costly, however while you examine efficiency with similar-sized Android tablets such because the Samsung Galaxy Tab A9 there’s no contest. They’re usually decrease spec to hit a extra budget-friendly value.
It’s a reasonably large leap from the A15 Bionic discovered within the final iPad mini and it’s additionally good to see Apple double the storage capability. You now get 128GB for the entry-level mannequin and might improve to 256- or a brand new 512GB capability should you like.
Different smaller upgrades and modifications embrace bumps to Bluetooth 5.3 and Wi-Fi 6E. As talked about earlier, there’s no SIM card slot so it’s solely eSIM should you get a mobile mannequin.
iPad mini 7 (2024) benchmarks
Cameras
I received’t spend very lengthy speaking concerning the cameras on the iPad mini. They’re pill cameras in any case, and they’re the identical as earlier than.
All you actually need to know concerning the rear digicam is that it’s respectable sufficient to take photographs if you actually need to – maybe you need to listing one thing on Vinted and want a few fast snaps.
The entrance digicam will virtually definitely get much more use. It’s additionally 12Mp, albeit with a barely slower aperture of f/2.4. Nonetheless, high quality is sweet, and it helps 1080p video making it increased high quality than most webcams on laptops.
There’s additionally help for Heart Stage which may comply with you round should you transfer whereas on a video name and do issues like reframe if another person enters the shot. It really works fairly nicely more often than not and is supported in apps like Zoom in addition to FaceTime.
Battery Life & Charging
- Nonetheless 10 hours
- Nonetheless gradual charging
It feels just like the damaged report of tech, however Apple as soon as once more touts a battery lifetime of 10 hours if searching the net or watching video on Wi-Fi. That is regardless of the chipset going from 5- to a extra environment friendly 3nm course of.
The wait goes on for longer battery life, but it surely ought to nonetheless be sufficient for many customers within the majority of use-cases. I discovered, as I all the time do with iPads, that battery life was strong, so I used to be not reaching for a charger very usually in any respect.
In fact, it is going to depend upon should you’re selecting it up often or whether or not it’s a tool it’s essential to use for a lot of hours every day. Nonetheless, it’s good realizing that with a full cost, you could possibly use it continuously for many long-haul flights with out it working out.
Dominik Tomaszewski / Foundry
Apple’s declare of 10 hours video rings true, although it’s a bit of complicated as when the battery is full it goes down slower for one thing like an hour of video in comparison with when it’s decrease.
As with all fashionable Apple merchandise, the iPad mini makes use of USB-C as its bodily port, not Lightning, should you’re upgrading from a fairly outdated mannequin. You get a cable within the field however no charging brick.
Charging continues to be fundamental with Apple not selling any sort of quick charging technique by any means. In our common 30-minute check with an applicable charger it received from useless to 32% which is healthier than some rivals however nonetheless uninspiring.
Software program & Apps
By way of software program, you get iPadOS 18 with the same old suite of Apple’s personal apps and the virtually countless collection of apps from the App Retailer.
There could also be some methods during which Android tablets are higher in relation to software program, however Apple nonetheless has the slickest expertise general.
Dominik Tomaszewski / Foundry
The software program expertise is nice for a variety of customers, when it comes to each sorts of use in addition to stage of expertise.
First time iPad customers can choose it up and become familiar with how issues work to do something from stream content material on Netflix to easily searching the net. Equally, extra superior and demanding customers can seize an Apple Pencil, specialist apps and extra complicated options whether or not you’re a graphic designer or a pilot.
The iPad mini 7 additionally helps Apple Intelligence, which is Apple’s AI system, however I wasn’t in a position to check this earlier than sending the assessment pattern again.
It’s more likely to get software program help and updates for a minimum of 5 years, too so it received’t be a paperweight any time quickly.
Value & Availability
The iPad mini 2024 begins at £499/$499 which will get you the Wi-Fi mannequin with 128GB of storage. This can possible be the most well-liked possibility, however you’ll be able to improve to 256- or 512GB storage should you want it in addition to mobile knowledge as nicely.
It means you’ll be able to spend as much as £949/$949 and that’s very costly, particularly when you think about that the iPad mini 5 launched at £399/$399.
Such is the state of tech pricing, and though it’s simple to seek out with a roughly £50/$100 low cost, you need to rigorously take into account if that is the precise iPad for you earlier than hitting the order button.
In case you do need one, you should buy an iPad mini from the same old locations together with Amazon, Currys and Argos within the UK. Discover it at Amazon and BestBuy within the US.
Take a look at our rankings for the most effective iPads and finest tablets to see extra choices.
Dominik Tomaszewski / Foundry
Do you have to purchase the iPad mini 7?
The iPad mini (2024) is the most effective compact pill you should buy however that doesn’t imply you should purchase it.
At basically £500/$500 for the most affordable mannequin, it’s not a no brainer and stays essentially the most area of interest possibility in Apple’s iPad vary.
For some folks, it will likely be the right possibility however for a lot of, there can be a better option – whether or not that’s Apple’s normal iPad or an Android different.
I’d say you’ve actually received to need a pill this dimension, weight and energy in an effort to justify the price of an iPad mini. It’s hardly just like the common iPad Tenth-gen (2022) is large and heavy and it’s a way more palatable £329/$329.
With its similarity to the earlier technology, you could possibly all the time search for extra reasonably priced offers on the iPad mini 6 if the newest upgrades don’t matter a lot.
Specs
- iPadOS 18
- 8.3in LED show
- 2266 x 1488 (326ppi)
- Stereo audio system
- Contact ID
- 128/256/512GB storage
- A17 Professional
- 5G mobile (non-obligatory)
- eSIM
- Wi-Fi 6E
- Bluetooth 5.3
- 12Mp ultra-wide front-facing digicam with Heart Stage
- 12Mp rear digicam
- USB-C port
- 19.3Wh battery
- Out there in House Gray, Starlight, Blue, Purple
- 195.4 x 134.8 x 6.3mm
- 293g (Wi-Fi)