Finally, the iPad Mini 2024 is official! It's still compact and powerful – powerful as an iPhone 15 Pro Max, to be precise!
We didn't get a big event for the iPad Mini 2024, as some of us expected, but what matters is that the device is finally here. An update was long overdue.
Many users, looking for a tablet, often pick up a large slate, like the iPad Pro M4 and the iPad Air M2, both from 2024.
But sometimes you need a compact, powerful device to get the job done, and that still rings true in 2024, or any other year.
Enter the iPad mini 2024, the reason why you're on this very page: pity, it wasn't unveiled alongside the new Pro and Air tablets earlier in 2024.The petite tablet was also not a part of the WWDC'24 conference earlier this year. Sadly, it wasn't part of the "It's Glowtime" Apple event on September 9, when the iPhone 16 line was presented.
In mid-October, Apple launched it via a simple press-release.
Right now, Apple calls it just "the new iPad mini", but we'll refer to this 7th generation as "iPad mini 7" or "iPad mini 2024".
In essence, this compact bad boy brings the potent A17 Pro chip to the table (the same as the one in the iPhone 15 Pro duo), AI capabilities, two new color options, and support for fancy Apple pencils.
Here's a more detailed breakdown of the information about the iPad mini 7:
On October 15, Apple released the iPad mini 2024 via a simple online article announcement over at their official Newsroom.
Naturally, the first week is reserved for preorders. On October 23 (that's Wednesday), 29 countries and regions will have it available at stores and online retailers.
Model
Announcement date
Launch date
iPad mini (1st generation)
October 23, 2012
November 2, 2012
iPad mini 2
October 22, 2013
November 12, 2013
iPad mini 3
October 16, 2014
October 22, 2014
iPad mini 4
September 9, 2015
September 9, 2015
iPad mini 5
March 18, 2019
March 18, 2019
iPad mini 6
September 14, 2021
September 24, 2021
iPad mini 7
October 15, 2024
October 23, 2024
*-expected
iPad mini 7 price
No price hikes! No price hikes!
That's always great news with Apple. That means that the Apple iPad mini 2024starts at $499 for the Wi-Fi version, and $649 for the Wi-Fi + Cellular version.
Just as its predecessor, which came at a higher price than earlier iPad mini models.
Model
Starting price (Wi-Fi only)
Starting price (Wi-Fi + Cellular)
iPad mini
$329
$459
iPad mini 2
$399
$529
iPad mini 3
$399
$529
iPad mini 4
$399
$529
iPad mini 5
$399
$529
iPad mini 6
$499
$649
iPad mini 7
$499*
$649*
*-expected
iPad mini 7 cameras
Not a professional camera, but it can get the job done! | Image credit – Apple
Traditionally, iPads (and especially iPad minis) have never been camera-centric devices.
The iPad mini 2024's compact size and good quality cameras support efficient mobile workflows, though. The 12MP wide rear camera captures perfectly reasonable photos that are sharp and detailed, enhanced with Smart HDR 4 for better quality and vividness. With a 16-core Neural Engine, the iPad mini 2024 uses AI to automatically recognize documents in the Camera app, and the new True Tone flash helps minimize shadows on documents.
The 12MP Ultra Wide front camera, with Center Stage support, is well-suited for various uses in portrait orientation.
The 12MP wide camera on the device features an ƒ/1.8 aperture, digital zoom up to 5x, and a five-element lens, offering clear and detailed images. It is equipped with True Tone flash, autofocus with Focus Pixels, and supports panorama shots up to 63MP. Additional features include advanced red-eye correction, photo geotagging, auto image stabilization, and burst mode. The camera captures images in HEIF and JPEG formats.
Supported video formats include HEVC, H.264, AV1, and ProRes. HDR clipse come with Dolby Vision, HDR10+/HDR10, and HLG, which is great.
iPad mini 7 storage
128 GB
256 GB
512 GB
Apple is notoriously stingy when it comes to storage. The starting option for 128GB could be seen as measly, but if you don't plan on storing Blu-Ray copies of Stanley Kubrick's Barry Lyndon you should be just fine. There's also the option for 256 and 512 GB.
iPad mini 7 design
The iPad mini 2024 is 7.69 inches by 5.3 inches, while 0.25 inches thick. The Wi-Fi model is 293 grams, while the Wi-Fi + Cellular model is 297 grams.
It's compact and stylish, eactly as you'd expect from an Apple iPad.
With its predecessor, the iPad mini 6, Apple revamped the design to the more boxy look with flat sides that it now uses for all other iPads and most iPhones.
There are some new color options besides the starlight and space gray colors: blue and purple. So, the new hue scheme for the iPad mini 2024 is:
Starlight
Space Gray
Blue
Purple
The new iPad mini incorporates environmentally conscious design elements, using 100 percent recycled aluminum for the enclosure, recycled rare earth elements in all magnets, and recycled gold plating and tin soldering in several printed circuit boards. It meets Apple's energy efficiency standards and is free from materials such as mercury, brominated flame retardants, and PVC. Additionally, the packaging is entirely fiber-based, aligning with Apple's goal to eliminate plastic from packaging by 2025.
In the box, you'd find the iPad mini, an USB-C Charge Cable (1 meter), and a 20W USB-C power adapter. Nice!
iPad mini 7 display
The iPad mini 2024 comes with a 8.3-inch display.
The Liquid Retina display features LED backlighting with Multi-Touch capabilities and IPS technology, offering a resolution of 2266-by-1488 at 326 ppi. It supports wide color (P3) and True Tone, with a fingerprint-resistant oleophobic coating and full lamination.
The display includes an anti-reflective coating, 500 nits of brightness, and is compatible with both Apple Pencil Pro and Apple Pencil (USB-C), as well as the Apple Pencil hover feature.
iPad mini 7 battery
The iPad mini lineup boasts an impressive battery life and the iPad mini 7 shouldn't be an exception to that.
Apple discloses the battery is a 19.3-watt-hour rechargeable lithium-polymer one. Which should result in up to 10 hours of surfing the web on Wi‑Fi or watching video.
iPad mini 7 hardware, features and software
Apple Pencil Pro enhances the creative experience with advanced features like squeeze, barrel roll, and haptic feedback, making it easier and more intuitive to craft masterpieces in apps like Procreate. | Image credit – Apple
Ah, the real deal: A17 Pro chip on the iPad mini 2024!
Apple emphasizes that the A17 Pro chip in the new iPad mini outperforms the A15 Bionic from the previous model, boasting a 6-core CPU for 30% faster performance and a 25% improvement in graphics with the penta-core GPU. In essence, this is the same processor and GPU combination found in the iPhone 15 Pro Max. While it remains a powerful chip capable of handling Apple Intelligence AI tasks, the real focus is on the new iPad mini’s ability to run these advanced AI-driven features.
The new iPad mini offers cool gaming experiences with hardware-accelerated ray tracing, which is four times faster than software-based ray tracing, and also supports Dynamic Caching and hardware-accelerated mesh shading. Whether it's creating content quickly in apps like Affinity Designer or playing graphics-intensive AAA games such as Zenless Zone Zero, users can take advantage of the iPad mini's powerful performance in an ultraportable form wherever they go.
The new iPad mini, powered by the A17 Pro chip, introduces advanced Apple Intelligence features that leverage Apple silicon and generative models integrated into iPadOS 18. These capabilities allow the iPad to understand and create language and images, take actions across apps, and utilize personal context to streamline everyday tasks.
Many Apple Intelligence models operate entirely on-device, with Private Cloud Compute providing flexibility to scale between on-device processing and server-based models running on Apple silicon servers. The first set of these features will be available in U.S. English with iPadOS 18.1 for iPads with A17 Pro or M1 chips and later.
Apple Intelligence enhances user experiences with tools such as Writing Tools, which help refine text in apps like Mail, Notes, and Pages.
Siri receives a deeper integration into the system, featuring a new design with a glowing light and improved language-understanding capabilities, making interactions more natural and flexible. Siri can now maintain context between requests, allow users to type commands, and provide extensive product knowledge.
The Math Notes feature in the Calculator app offers an intuitive way to solve equations, allowing users to type or write math expressions and assign variables for easy evaluation. | Image credit – Apple
In the Photos app, users can create movies by typing a description and use the new Clean Up tool to remove background distractions from photos without altering the main subject.
Over the coming months, additional Apple Intelligence features will roll out, including Image Playground for quick image creation and Image Wand for transforming rough sketches into polished images.
A new feature called Genmoji allows users to create custom emojis by typing a description or using a photo. Siri will also gain more personalized intelligence based on a user’s context and actions across apps.
With ChatGPT integration, users can access its expertise and image/document understanding directly within Siri and Writing Tools, with built-in privacy protections and free access without account creation.
iPad mini 7 comparisons
Apple iPad mini (A17 Pro) vs iPad mini 6th Gen: Twice the RAM, half the excitement – The standout upgrade here is the A17 Pro chipset, which delivers a significant performance boost and ensures the device is future-ready, particularly with support for Apple Intelligence, the company’s upcoming AI-focused feature set. While updates beyond the processor are minimal, the new iPad mini aligns with modern standards and anticipates future advancements in artificial intelligence.
iPad mini (A17 Pro) vs iPad 10th gen review: smallest or cheapest? – The iPad mini A17 Pro is the more powerful and future-ready option, thanks to its A17 Pro chipset and support for upcoming Apple Intelligence features, but it starts at a higher price of $499. For those seeking the most affordable Apple tablet, the iPad 10th gen remains the budget-friendly choice at $349, though its hardware, powered by the older A14 Bionic chip, hasn't seen significant updates since its 2022 release.
Apple iPad Mini (A17 Pro) vs iPad mini 5th Gen: Yep, it's time to upgrade – If you're still using the iPad mini 5th Gen, upgrading to the iPad mini A17 Pro is an easy choice. It offers a larger screen, significantly improved performance, increased memory and storage, and future access to Apple Intelligence.
iPad mini (A17 Pro) vs iPad Air (M2) review: tiny powerhouse vs the Pro substitute – For an everyday tablet, the iPad Air (M2) 11" strikes the perfect balance between portability and functionality, offering a screen size ideal for entertainment, gaming, and light work. Meanwhile, the iPad mini (A17 Pro) excels in portability for on-the-go use, while the larger iPad Air (M2) 13" caters to professional tasks with its expansive screen, though it edges closer to laptop-like dimensions.
Should I buy the iPad mini 7?
The iPad mini 2024 is looking nice enough to grab the attention of those who value compact devices above all.
You should buy the iPad mini Gen 7 if you own a much older iPad or you have decided to switch from a bigger iPad to a mini one. If you're looking for a compact tablet, why not pick one of the best ones, right?
You should not buy the iPad mini Gen 7 if you want the absolute top tablet performance. You should go check out the iPad Pro options out there.
Sebastian, a veteran of a tech writer with over 15 years of experience in media and marketing, blends his lifelong fascination with writing and technology to provide valuable insights into the realm of mobile devices. Embracing the evolution from PCs to smartphones, he harbors a special appreciation for the Google Pixel line due to their superior camera capabilities. Known for his engaging storytelling style, sprinkled with rich literary and film references, Sebastian critically explores the impact of technology on society, while also perpetually seeking out the next great tech deal, making him a distinct and relatable voice in the tech world.
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