Early reviews of the iPad mini 7 praise the faster processor, additional storage and support for the upcoming Apple Intelligence AI features on the way to the tiny tablet when it launches on Wednesday. Reviewers are also happy that a screen problem in the previous version got fixed.
As the Engadget review says, the new iPad mini “looks the same on the outside but has some notable upgrades on the inside.”
Read on for more comments about Apple’s latest tablet.
Apple fixed the jelly scrolling problem
When Apple unveiled iPad mini 7 on October 15, it was immediately obvious that the exterior hadn’t changed. And reviewers are generally OK with that.
As Mashable put it: “It’s hard to blame Apple for not doing more, though. Even though it launched three years ago, the 6th generation iPad mini was a massive upgrade that brought a completely new design, with a larger display, new Touch ID, and a new camera, among other improvements. The 7th generation iPad mini merely builds on that same design.”
And while the screen has the same 8.3-inch size and resolution as its predecessor, it doesn’t have the scrolling problem that many users of that earlier tablet complained about. Engadget said, “One bit of good news about the screen is that it seems Apple has fixed the ‘jelly-scrolling’ problem that plagued the prior iPad mini. Jelly-scrolling occurs when one side of a screen doesn’t refresh at exactly the same rate as the other, and this effect was noticeable in portrait mode with the old iPad mini.”
Specs carrying over from the sixth-generation version include a 12MP rear camera and a 12MP Ultra Wide Front Camera with support for Center Stage. The tablet has Touch ID in a side button and two speakers.
iPad mini 7 got an Apple intelligence upgrade
Image: Apple
An Apple A17 Pro chip sits at the heart of the iPad mini 7, and Apple doubled the RAM to 8GB and the base storage capacity to 128GB. There are two more storage options: 256GB and 512GB.
“I tested my unit with a combination of news apps, Chrome, Books, X, and Blizzard’s Hearthstone. Everything felt sufficiently fast but don’t expect iPad Pro performance,” said Mashable. “The new chip is a big improvement over the previous version’s A15 Bionic, but it’s a pity that the new iPad mini doesn’t have Apple’s latest mobile processor, the A18 Pro, which is found in the new iPhone 16 Pro.”
A highlight of the iPad mini 7 is support for Apple Intelligence. However, early reviewers of the tablet weren’t allowed to test these new AI-enabled features. “I couldn’t use Apple Intelligence because review units were running iOS 18.0, and Apple encouraged us not to update to the public beta version of iOS 18.1,” (which is required for the new features), noted the reviewer from Wired.
In addition, Cnet confirmed that the small computer can not handle Stage Manager, Apple’s system that allows more powerful iPads to open in applications in resizable windows on an external screen.
Other speed improvements
A faster chip and more RAM aren’t the only reasons to expect better performance. As Mashable pointed out, “Other tidbits include faster USB-C data transfer, Bluetooth 5.3 support, and Wi-Fi 6E connectivity — all meaningful upgrades, though most users probably won’t notice much of a difference.”
Apple Pencil Pro support, too
iPad mini 7 works with Apple Pencil Pro, the latest stylus to come out of Cupertino. It includes features not in earlier models.
“The Pencil Pro has squeeze features to bring up sub-menus in supported apps, a hover feature that can be used to ‘pre-select’ a tool or preview a feature before applying it, haptics to indicate selected options, and rotation so you can spin digital brushes,” said Cnet.
And Engadget’s reviewer noted, “I can imagine people who love to draw finding the iPad mini to be a great portable sketchbook.”
iPad mini 7 final thoughts
The reviewer for Wired summed up their thoughts by saying, “For newcomers or anyone with an older mini, this is otherwise a great tiny tablet. With a modern chip that supports the latest software smarts and accessories, the iPad mini has been future-proofed for the next few years.”
And Engadget noted, “If you just want a little couch computing companion, or a tablet so small and light that you can take it everywhere with you, the iPad mini remains your best choice.”
Cnet is less upbeat, saying “The 2024 iPad Mini, for all its subtle upgrades, doesn’t really move me much. It’s barely changed from its 2021 update.”
Order today
The iPad mini 7 hits store shelves on Wednesday, October 23. The cost starts at $499, just like its predecessor. A version with built-in 5G as well as Wi-Fi starts at $649.
Buy it from: Apple
As Wired noted, “It’s the most affordable way to wade into Apple’s artificial intelligence features and the Pro stylus.”
