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Apple’s small premium tablet gets a speed boost for 2024 with support for new accessories and impending AI features, while delivering the full modern iPad experience in a compact package.
The redesign of the iPad mini in 2021 was excellent, so it’s no surprise that Apple has kept it largely the same with internal changes and a side adjustment to accommodate new accessories. But while it may be small in size, the new iPad mini is still expensive, costing £499 (€599/$499/A$799), putting it between the £329 base model iPad and the 11-inch iPad Air. £599.
The new tablet looks like a smaller version of the iPad Air and maintains the same 8.9-inch LCD screen as its predecessor, which is sharp, bright and has a low-glare coating for easy outdoor use. The so-called “jelly scroll” screen effect seen when scrolling on its predecessor has been improved, but you can still see it if you look hard enough.
The tablet’s excellent stereo speakers make the most of any video or game. Its super slim body, weight of less than 300g and width roughly equal to that of an A5 pad of paper make the iPad mini really easy to grab, use and put in bags.
Its almost pocket size makes it a great companion at school or on the go, ready to take notes, play videos, or read books like a Kindle. Its predecessor found niches in various professions, including hospitality and healthcare, and pilots are particular fans who will no doubt love this one.
The only thing that hasn’t changed and should have is the position of the center video calling camera, which is still on the left side when held horizontally, rather than the top edge to match the rest of the iPad line. Apple. It still works well, but it gives you a lower angle for video calls, which isn’t ideal.
Budget
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Screen: 8.9-inch 2266 x 1488 (326 ppi) LCD display
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Processor: Apple A17 Pro
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RAM: 8GB
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Storage: 128, 256 or 512 GB
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Operating system: iPadOS 18
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Camera: 12MP rear and selfie cameras
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Connectivity: Wi-Fi 6E (optional 5G eSim only), Bluetooth 5.3, USB-C, Touch ID
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Dimensions: 195.4 x 134.8 x 6.3mm
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Weight: 293g (4G version: 297g)
New A17 Pro chip and iPadOS 18
The biggest change for the new iPad mini is the upgrade to the A17 Pro chip that was first used in the iPhone 15 Pro. It provides a 30% speed increase over the previous model, as well as an AI processor that is two times faster.
It’s in a class of its own compared to similarly sized tablets from its rivals, but it’s not as powerful as Apple’s M2 or M4 chips used in its larger iPad Air and Pro models and it’s not compatible with some of the larger chips. IT. similar characteristics. You can connect a monitor to the tablet via USB-C, but only for screen mirroring or video output, not for use as an external display with the Stage Manager multitasking system.
The battery lasts a little longer than its predecessor, about 12 hours for streaming video over Wi-Fi or a solid 10 hours of general app use for browsing, note-taking, and emailing. Playing games or other more intensive use shaves a couple of hours off the total, but it’s still completely impressive for a tablet of this size.
The iPad mini runs the latest iPadOS 18 with its new customization options and brilliant new math notes feature when used with a stylus. But like recently released iPhones, it lacks Apple’s much-hyped technology. Intelligence functionssuch as a smarter Siri, notification summaries, various AI writing tools, emoji and image generators. They will begin rolling out in beta with the iPadOS 18.1 update in late October in the US and in December for the UK, Australia, and other English countries outside the US. None of the features will work in the EU.
Sustainability
The battery should last more than 1000 complete charge cycles with at least 80% of its original capacity, and can be replaced from £115. The tablet can usually be repaired with a damaged repair out of warranty costing from £339.
The tablet contains at least 25% recycled content, including aluminum, copper, glass, gold, tin, plastic and rare earth elements. Apple breaks down the tablet’s environmental impact in its report and offers free exchange and recycling schemes, even for non-Apple products.
Price
The iPad mini A17 Pro starts at £499 (€599/$499/A$799) or £649 (€769/$649/A$1,049) with 5G.
For comparison, the 10th generation iPad costs from £329, the iPad Air M2 costs from £599, the iPad Pro M4 costs from £999, the Amazon Fire HD 8 costs £99.99, the Samsung Galaxy Tab A9 costs £169, the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 6 costs £1,799 and the Google Pixel 9 Pro Fold costs £1,749.
Verdict
Major chip and capability upgrades have kept the iPad mini the best small tablet available by no small margin. It’s unrivaled, as its closest competitors are a handful of cheap Android tablets or the new generation of super-expensive foldable phones.
Its virtually pocket-sized size makes it easy to hold and fit in bags, while iPadOS offers many apps for a wide range of uses, not just entertainment. Equipped with a £129 Apple Pencil Pro, it’s a particularly good, albeit expensive, paper notebook replacement.
Not having the M-series chips used in the iPad Air and Pro models limits their multitasking capabilities, while the larger screen on the cheaper 10th-generation iPad makes it a better buy for most people who just want a Apple entertainment device. It’s also not a dramatic improvement over the 2021 model.
With phones getting bigger, the iPad mini may seem redundant, but it’s a particular favorite of journalists, pilots and those who need a compact, highly capable tablet that will last a long time between charges. For all those people, the new iPad mini A17 Pro is almost perfect.
Advantages: compact design, excellent performance, 10 hour battery life, excellent screen, USB-C, iPadOS, wide range of applications, excellent speakers, excellent microphones, long software support, recycled aluminum, support for Apple Pencil Pro.
Cons: expensive, small size is small for some applications, video call camera on the side in horizontal position, no M series chip for advanced multitasking or computer use, not a big upgrade.
