great for reading and gaming, but not much else

Key Takeaways

The iPad mini (2024) is ideal for reading and gaming but feels cramped for tasks like editing or writing.
Upgrades from the 6th generation iPad mini aren’t significant.
At $500, the iPad mini is a pricey companion device best suited for media consumption.

After spending the last few weeks with Apple’s 7th generation iPad mini (2024), I’ve decided it isn’t for me. The tablet is great for reading, playing games, and watching video content on platforms like Netflix and YouTube (as long as you can deal with its lackluster 60Hz display), but its 8.3-inch screen is too small to do anything else comfortably, like editing photographs, writing, or multitasking — all tasks I often use my iPad for.

In the truest sense of the term, the iPad mini (2024) aims to be a companion deviceyou use alongside your phone. But in a world where most smartphones feature 6-inch to 7-inch displays, it isn’t easy to justify dropping $500 on a tiny tablet. Those considering upgrading from the 6th generation iPad mini won’t find much to get excited about here, either. Sure, the A17 is plenty powerful, and Apple Pencil Pro support is welcome, but unless you plan to play AAA games or draw on the iPad mini 7, there isn’t much of an upgrade here over the iPad mini (2021). Those chunk bezels are still there.

iPad mini (2024)

Apple’s 7th generation miniature-sized iPad features an A17 Pro chip for full-fledged Apple Intelligence support.

Pros

Great media consumption device
Small enough that it’s easy to pack away

Cons

Display is lackluster
Most people will be better off using their hone

Two iPad minis and with people holding them.

5 features I’d like to see in an iPad mini Pro

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Price, availability, and specs

The iPad mini 7 is available now for $500. The smallest tablet in Apple’s iPad lineup features an 8.3-inch 2266 x 1488 pixel resolution LCD display. Storage configurations include 128GB, 256GB, and 512GB. The tablet’s front camera is a 12-megapixel ultra-wide shooter, and its rear camera is a 12-megapixel wide camera.

Regarding dimensions, the iPad mini (2022) comes in at 7.69 x 5.3 x 0.25-inches (195.4 x 134.8 x 6.3mm). The Wi-Fi version of the device weighs 0.65lbs (293g) and the cellular version weighs 0.66lbs (297g). Colors include space gray, starlight, purple, and blue.

iPad mini (seventh generation)

Brand: Apple
Storage: 128GB, 256GB, 512GB
Operating System: iPadOS 18
Ports: USB-C (10Gbps)
Display type: 8.3-inch 2266 x 1488 LCD
Price: $500, $600, $800
Connectivity: Wi-Fi 6E, optional cellular 5G
Colors: Space gray, starlight, purple, blue
Weight: 0.65lbs (293g) Wi-Fi, 0.66lbs (297g) Cellular
SoC: Apple A17 Pro
Front Camera: 12-megapixel ultra-wide
Rear Camera: 12-megapixel wide
Dimensions: 7.69 x 5.3 x 0.25-inches (195.4 x 134.8 x 6.3mm)

Who is Apple’s new iPad mini even for?

The new mini is a potentially excellent iPad that’s stuck in limbo.

The tablet is great for reading and playing games

While I’ve been pretty negative about Apple’s tiny tablet so far, there’s a lot to like about the new iPad mini. First off, I’m a big fan of the size — but only for specific purposes. 8.3-inches feels cramped for anything besides web browsing, reading, and playing games. Attempting to do any work on the small screen, even simple photo editing in Adobe Lightroom CC, feels constrained and has me quickly longing for a bigger display, whether I’m using it in landscape or portrait mode. Still, there’s something nice about being able to quickly tuck the tiny iPad mini 7 away in a bag easily.

On that note, it’s great to see Apple support the Apple Pencil USB-C and Apple Pencil Pro for the iPad mini (2024), though it unfortunately doesn’t support the 2nd generation Apple Pencil. While I don’t see myself using the iPad mini (2024) with a stylus very often, the fact the option is there is great.

What I’ve used the iPad mini for the most over the last few weeks is browsing the internet and reading content I’ve saved in Pocket. I love e-readers, mainly the Kobo Libra Colour, but it’s often nice to look at the websites I visit frequently in a standard browser (Pocket can be less than stellar on a Kobo). That said, this also means I’m easily distracted by notifications and the aimless Threads scrolling that often captures my attention when I’m trying to read. Still, as an all-in-one reading device, the iPad mini is solid. Its size is perfect for that purpose, and it’s far more capable than an e-reader thanks to ipadOS.

I still prefer single-use, focused devices like the Libra Colour for reading, but I understand the iPad mini’s all-in-one appeal and why that might work better for some people. It can be your primary reading device, and a capable tablet.

Could Apple Intelligence be a key iPad mini selling feature down the line? Maybe, but in the AI suite’s current iteration, it doesn’t impress.

It’s worth noting that, despite not featuring an M-series chip, the A17 Pro — which was included in last year’s iPhone 15 Pro — remains powerful and can even play high-end games like Assassin’s Creed Mirage relatively smoothly. Of course, now that iOS 18.1 is available, the iPad mini supports Apple Intelligence features like Clean-Up, which lets you remove objects from images, questionably useful notification Summaries, and a more conversational Siri.

More features are coming with iOS 18.2, including ChatGPT integration, Siri being aware of what’s on your screen, and Visual Intelligence, which analyzes what’s in the photos you snap.

Could Apple Intelligence be a key iPad mini 7 selling feature down the line? I’m still skeptical, but maybe. Hopefully, iOS 18.2 changes that.

Apple iPad mini 7 vs iPad mini 6 comparison

Apple iPad mini 7th gen vs 6th gen: What’s the difference?

Apple has finally brought the iPad mini into the AI era — here’s how the all-new iPad mini 7 compares with the outgoing mini 6.

In a world of massive smartphones with impressive screens, the iPad mini 7’s display is disappointing

What I’ve found most surprising about the iPad mini (2021) is how dated it looks. The bezels are chunky and a throwback to iPads from several years ago (of course, not including the entry-level iPad), and its LCD LED display just doesn’t compare to the iPad Air, iPad Pro, or even the entry-level iPad screen.

I know that probably isn’t an entirely fair comparison (especially the OLED iPad Pro), but I’m coming from these more expensive devices. And even for a $500 8.3-inch tablet, I expected more. The fact the screen is 60Hz and still seems to have a bit of the “jelly scrolling” the 2021 version of the iPad mini suffered from, doesn’t bode well. Even the colors on the tablet’s screen feel muted and low-key compared to other LED LCD iPads in Apple’s lineup.

I want more from a device I use almost exclusively for playing games and watching content, especially at $500.

Why there’s never been a good time to get an iPad Pro

Despite its powerful hardware, the iPad Pro is hard to justify — it’s own operating system is holding it back.

Regarding jelly scrolling specifically, it doesn’t seem to be something everyone notices. I see it sometimes when scrolling; parts of websites will stick and drag oddly, but in other situations, it’s just not there. It’s an odd issue, but the problem seems to have vastly improved over the iPad mini (2021), where I noticed this issue nearly all the time. It’s the sort of problem that if you do notice it, you can’t not see it.

With this in mind, if you’re not used to higher-end displays of the mini LED and OLED variety, the iPad mini’s lackluster display will likely be good enough for you. For me, though? I want more from a device I use almost exclusively for playing games and watching content, especially at $500. At this point, Apple needs to bring at least a 90Hz display to most of its iPad lineup, including the iPad mini.

If you own a 6th generation iPad mini, there’s really no reason to buy the 7th-generation refresh unless you’re keen on using the Apple Pencil Pro or want to play big-budget games on your tablet.

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It’s one of the best around if you’re a one-stop-shop media consumer

Unless you’re looking for an all-in-one media consumption companion tablet and don’t mind a lackluster display, most people will be better off consuming content on their smartphone over the iPad mini (2024). This doesn’t necessarily make it a bad tablet, but it’s designed with a specific type of iPad user in mind.

Most people are better off just using their smartphone instead of shelling out the cash for an iPad mini. After all, if you have an iPhone or a recent Android device, the display is likely OLED, features a higher refresh rate, and is nearly the same size as Apple’s tiny tablet. As far as I’m concerned, Apple’s bigger iPads are where its at.