iPad mini 7: Why it's worth – and why it's not
Apple's new 8.3-inch tablet will be available to order from next week. How sensible is the purchase and who is the target group?
The iPad mini 7 will be released on October 23, 2024.
(Image: Apple / Mac & i)
Apple surprisingly unveiled a new compact tablet on Tuesday. The iPad mini 7 was expected to be released soon, but many observers had expected the 8.3-inch device to be released together with new Macs at the end of October or beginning of November. Now it will only be released in a press release without an Apple event. But what is interesting about the new iPad mini and is it even worth it for prospective buyers? An overview.
Overdue update
If Apple's regular iPads with sizes such as 10.9, 11 or 13 inches waste too much space, the iPad mini has been a good alternative since 2021. Back then, Apple created a completely new form factor that was significantly more modern than its predecessor –, including a USB-C port and Apple Pencil 2 support. The iPad mini 7 builds on this device and brings a whole range of improvements. These are likely to appeal in particular to buyers who have not previously had an iPad mini, but even they will find some interesting new features, as Apple took over three years between generations.
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Firstly, Apple has significantly overhauled the SoC in the iPad mini 7. From the A15 Bionic from the iPhone 13 (5 nm), it moves up to the A17 Pro from the iPhone 15 Pro and 15 Pro Max (3 nm). Although nothing has changed in terms of CPU and GPU cores, these are said to be 30 and 25 percent faster respectively (according to Apple). The GPU is capable of new gaming options such as hardware-accelerated mesh shading and ray tracing. The RAM has probably doubled to 8 GB, even if Apple has not officially confirmed this. The Neural Engine is said to be around twice as fast, despite the same number of cores. The A17 Pro ensures that the iPad mini 7 will be compatible with Apple Intelligence right from the start –, as its predecessor was not.
Further improvements
The display does not appear to have changed. In terms of wireless technologies, Apple now offers Bluetooth 5.3 instead of 5.0 and Wi-Fi 6E (but no Wi-Fi 7) instead of Wi-Fi 6. According to the specifications, the nano-SIM card slot has disappeared; instead, the 5G models only support eSIM. USB-C jumps from 3.1 Gen 1 to 3.1 Gen 2 and promises a doubling of the gross data rate to 10 Gbps. The Apple Pencil 2 is no longer supported; instead, Apple Pencil Pro and Apple Pencil can be used with USB-C – The hover feature is supported. The entry-level model now has 128 GB instead of 64 GB, and for the first time there is also a 512 GB option. In terms of colors, pink has been swapped for blue and purple for a slightly lighter purple.
Apple has cut back on the accessories supplied in the EU: a power adapter is no longer included in the packaging. Apple apparently wants to comply with a regulation against more electronic waste that will come into force from 2026, but this will not make the iPad mini any cheaper. In addition, a braided USB-C cable is now included instead of a smooth one. Apple's price now starts at 599 euros with the aforementioned 128 GB. The iPad mini 6 was still a minimum of 550 euros for 64 GB. The 5G model was available from 720 euros with 64 GB, now it's 769 with 128 GB. All in all, the iPad mini 7 is a well-rounded upgrade. We would have liked more in terms of wireless support, for example – Apple could also have worked on the display, as well as the only moderately improved cameras. The most important thing seems to be Apple Intelligence support, but this will not be available in the EU until next year at the earliest anyway.
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