Myinitial experience with the iPad miniwas a roller coaster of obfuscation and appreciation . On one hand , I could n’t look past the tepid “ upgrade ” situation this twelvemonth . A faster processor ? Good . A massively hype AI package that is “ meh ” and “ misfire ” to this day ? I certainly do n’t need that rise .
Yet , over the preceding seven week of using it on a regular basis , I have grown uncharacteristically sequester to it . It is skillful at everything its predecessor did , even though you might not always point out the difference . Not in terms of the chores this pocket-sized pad should fulfill , at least .
I conceive this is the prophesied “ third category ” of gimmick that Steve Jobs waxed poetic about when he infix the very first iPad over a tenner ago . It does n’t cost a gross ton , feels lovely in your hired hand , look cute , and can still do a lot .
iPad mini 2024 specs
The good and bad of the iPad mini’s display
Apple has keep things unchanged here . The latest iPad mini still features an 8.3 - column inch Liquid Retina display with a resolution of 2266 x 1488 pixels , landing at the signature pixel density of 326 ppi .
The brightness figures also remain monovular at 500 nit . The only notable conflict is that this panel now supports the Apple Pencil hover system . It ’s not the nicest presentation out there , but for its size of it and designate utilization , it gets the job done .
The gloss depend overnice , and the viewing slant are acceptable . The sharpness is high due to the small size , even compared to the uber - expensiveOLED iPad Pro M4 . What stands out for me , however , is the aspect ratio .
This is the only iPad that does n’t tag a squarish data format , a mainstay since Apple innovate the first iPad . The aspect ratio of the mini tablet is closer to 1.52:1 equate to the 4:3 format on every other iPad in Apple ’s portfolio .
I love the iPad mini ’s vista proportion .
It ’s more natural for many things , especially the chores it ’s intended to perform . Take , for exemplar , video observance . Here is a side - by - side compare of see a plastic film on the M4 iPad Pro and the iPad mini :
With the movie theatre format on platform like Prime Video or Netflix , Apple ’s 4:3 format is a mental testing of patience , and the sheer level of neutralise space at the top and bottom is a resort eyesore . I hump the iPad mini ’s aspect proportion .
The iPad mini is no shining lighthouse of hope , but it improve the letterboxing . It also fares well at games , which is all important because , unlike Android , you ca n’t force the aspect ratio of apps on iPads .
If you are into emulation , say for chopine like PlayStation Portable ( PSP ) , once again , the iPad mini looks more appealing for that recreational leniency . The bar go along well into productivity tasks , too .
This is a near - perfect size of it for read content . I did stress reading books and comics on the iPad Pro , but even in its 11 - inch format , it chop-chop tires your helping hand if you engage in a tear - reading school term or are hoping to go past a few episodes .
As for the 13 - inch iPad Pro , my partner has always hunted for forcible support or a take a breather surface before plunge Netflix . The iPad mini , however , is easy to prop up up anywhere , even against a meth or small plushie .
One - handed exercise is the key appeal , and the iPad mini nails it . It certainly helps that there is no veridical competition on the Android side , which means Apple is your only choice if you ’ve ever desired a small , palm tree - friendly tablet .
I conceive a sound few people see the allure of the iPad mini ’s broken heft and size profile because it ’s easy for kids to handle and does n’t blare bright light in their middle from a giant 11 - inch or 13 - column inch matt gore . Plus , it ’s dramatically light-headed on the pocket , so awkward hand or the aftermath of rasping usage wo n’t sting as much .
I handed the tab to a few school - age kids and seek their insights . “ It ’s so light , ” was the first reply , while the second one praised the “ very cool ” plenty of playingGrand Theft Autoon it .
The overpowering absolute majority of kids — as young as nine years honest-to-goodness — wish it , adding that it ’s much easier to hold and very quiet at games . Some say they would love it for classroom duty , too .
Not everyone deal that opinion . I require one of my friends , a doctor by profession who is presently train in radiology . After using the tablet for a twosome of day , he told me it was well charming , but not serious for much else .
“ It ’s too small for studying . I need a larger canvass . When lecture with patient role for a practical audience , this CRT screen real estate is insufficient , ” he assure me . But then , I see hoi polloi editing videos on their earphone , so your gas mileage might variegate based on the task at script .
Excellent performance from the A17 Pro
or else of benchmark numerals , which do n’t give a meaningful idea about the firepower of a gadget from a value perspective , I will focalize on the generation - over - generation improvements .
On the Geekbench individual - core test , the latest iPad mini is roughly 36 % quicker than its predecessor and about 32 % speedier at the multi - core test . Running a 3DMark artwork benchmark test , the GPU compute artistry was over 30 % high for the 7th - gen iPad miniskirt .
On the 3DMark Wildlife Extreme chopine , the iPad mini proved to be around 27 % more capable of handling graphic - intensive workload , delivering a like bump in the vizor skeleton rate figures and an overall higher stability .
That gain in stability and firepower is also reflected in games . I couldeasily play titles likeCall of Duty : Mobileat 60 frames per second ( fps)at gamey graphics setting . Of course , mobile titles are nowhere near as demanding as microcomputer or console title of respect , but at the moment , the iPad miniskirt wo n’t run into any carrying out hiccough no matter what you throw at it .
Moreover , if you believe 60 Federal Protective Service is the punt sugared spot , the iPad mini can shoulder your mobile play expectations with aplomb . Once again , I ’d like to highlight that Apple ’s Arcade library has some really good game , such as titles likeTMNT Splintered Fate .
If you give for a subscription directly or via the Apple One packet , you will do it the experience . I also dig into the Netflix library for titles likeHadesandKatana Zeroand had a great sentence grinding .
I couldeasily play titles likeCall of Duty : Mobileat 60 fpsat in high spirits graphics setting .
It was not surprising that the iPad mini could easily go Capcom’sResident Evil 7with simpleness at high graphics preferences . Notably , itfared comfortably than the iPhone 15 Pro Maxwhen I tested the same game on the phone following its freeing .
The benefits of a ProMotion OLED show on the iPhone are unmistakable , as colors do n’t count nearly as vibrant and blacks look more like a spectre of gray on the iPad mini ’s LCD projection screen . It ’s not a quite a little breaker , as most pill out there will declare oneself an LCD panel in this price bracket either way .
On the positive side , the iPad miniskirt fared well than the iPhone in heat direction . I believe that ’s because of the big footprint and the all - metallic element chassis lend a script with more good heat energy dissipation than the tightly packed glass / metallic element sandwich of any modern - solar day iPhone .
Genshin Impactwas a unruffled 60 Federal Protective Service experience , and after a session lasting roughly 20 minutes , the highest temperature I recorded on the rear panel was 104 level Fahrenheit . That ’s nearly as effective as theRed Magic Nova gaming tablet , which features more sophisticated thermal hardware and even match a 20,000 RPM cool down fan inside the material body .
The biggest surprise for me wasWarframe , which offered a smooth , high-pitched - caliber experience at 60 Federal Protective Service without any recurring stutters or worrisome thermal woes . I pushed the tab further withZenless Zone Zero , another jolly taxing secret plan .
I go with the custom configuration path for this one , enable high interpretation , shadow preset , and fidelity while flesh rates were localise as high as 60 Federal Protective Service . The secret plan ran smoothly , write for the occasional stutters during intense combat fit .
It ’s not quite quick for the 120 fps ride , especially if you crank all the graphics preferences to the highest stratum , but sticking with 60 fps ( which is not too bad , either ) will deliver a pleasing experience .
InCall of Duty : Warzone Mobile , I had a nice metre getting repeatedly sniped at the skilful graphics circumstance and 60 fps , though I noticed something funny with the texture rendering . Another really telling aspect of the iPad mini is that it cools promptly as well , though I scarcely ever recorded temperature above the 104 - point chain of mountains .
I next switched to emulation across PlayStation and Nintendo game . I loved every fleck of it . My favorite upscaling for PSP emulation was 8x , which is on the in high spirits side , but the iPad miniskirt handled it well .
Retro Nintendo titles ran just as well . I judge about half - dozen game and obviate performance booby trap . This is the ideal size , peculiarly if you need a large screen , but still stick with onscreen touch controls . Anything giving than this , and you will notice your palm stretching awkwardly .
I paired the Manba One and GameSir Cyclone T4 series radio controller for playing a fistful of game and blaze past a few levels without any crimson flags . If you care about Bluetooth connectivity , the iPad mini jumps to v5.3 , up from the v5.0 protocol on its precursor .
Regarding productivity , you do n’t take the iPad miniskirt for necessitate workflows . Editing in Lightroom ? Good enough . It can also handle short format video edits if you have the patience to parcel out with the cramped on - screen controls on the little screen .
The iPad mini’s battery life is fantastic
This is a metrical I ca n’t put a routine on . That ’s primarily because it would depend foursquare on what you ’re getting out of the tablet . If you corrupt the slate preponderantly for ascertain videos , it will well last about four Hollywood flicks pour online .
On a solar day spent using the iPad as a companion machine for my workflow , streaming medicine , countenance off some steam , losing a few squad rounds inCall of Duty : Mobile , and understand a few issues of Dark Horse comics , the iPad mini endure anywhere between seven to nine hours for me .
Apple claims 10 hours of battery aliveness for the iPad miniskirt , which mostly checks out for the pill ’s intended usage . In my case , I used the tablet as a secondary screen door when I was function unawares of screen outer space on the 13 - in MacBook Air .
In that province , I mostly ran workplace apps like Slack and Microsoft Teams in split up - view mode to nullify missing out on body of work schmooze . Occasionally , it doubled as a reference screenland for reading research newspaper while I did the heavy lifting on a laptop . It often serve as a microscope stage for multimedia system playback controls , too .
Overall , I am reasonably impressed by the iPad mini ’s barrage fire life .
Apple ’s unlined implementation of Universal Control and wireless filmdom mirroring means there are no technical hoop to jump through . Just take two devices together , drag the pointer , and you ’re upright to go . In wireless mirroring mode as a macOS screen , the battery drained faster , though .
Overall , I am middling impressed by the iPad mini ’s battery life , and I believe the efficiency addition delivered by the A17 Pro flirt a key role here . It ’s spruce , liquid , and does n’t underachieve in term of battery estimates .
The iPad mini , especially the 2024 model with its AI futurity - proof approach , is a gadget you desire to hold on to for a long time , unlike a phone that require upgrades more frequently . To that goal , Apple tell that the battery will maintain up to 80 % of its initial capacity under normal operating precondition after clocking 1,000 complete charge cycles/second .
Apple ’s definition of a bearing rhythm states that “ you complete one charge cps when you ’ve used an amount that symbolize 100 % of your assault and battery ’s capacity . ” In a nutshell , the iPad mini ’s barrage fire should last you around three years before it needs a replacement .
iPadOS 18 and Apple Intelligence
The iPad mini run iPadOS 18 , and so does its forerunner . The only primal differentiator is the unexampled model ’s support for Apple Intelligence — an irreversible situation because the AI stack is tied to the A17 Pro silicon . It ’s the service line for Apple Intelligence , after all .
Unfortunately , iPadOS is still pregnant with its ownset of perennial problem , but the situation is a shade more excusable for the iPad mini give its “ low - post ” approach to tablet computation . To put it more accurately , this is n’t the first pad of paper of choice for any existent calculation .
I have not encountered a undivided feature where Apple Intelligence is either supremely reliable , better than rivals , or even commodious .
Apple should take a example or two from OnePlus or Samsung regarding split - screen multitasking on an 8 - inch screen . Does the iPad mini even require that , now that we are talking about foldable phones that cost at least thrice as much ? No , objectively speak .
What matters here is that the OS is as smooth as it contract . There are plenty of apps to run with , and most of them are thoughtfully designed . The lack of Stage Manager stings , as that at least offers a new avenue for multitasking , but once again , I do n’t ideate myself lease in any hardcore multi - app workflow , so it ’s forgivable .
Apple Intelligence is the big draw , though it wo n’t weigh a lot in its current loop . So far , I have not encountered a single feature where Apple Intelligence is either supremely true , serious than challenger , or even convenient .
Take , for example , the ChatGPT integration with Siri . The estimation here is that you invoke Siri , and if your enquiry is beyond the practical supporter ’s grasp , it will offload that to the OpenAI chatbot . Of naturally , you must cede it consent before it can answer your burning dubiousness .
It ’s just an unnecessary rubbing . I find opening the standalone ChatGPT app more commodious . Plus , in the app , you get access to all the extra niceties , such as your customs chew the fat agent , image genesis , and AI lookup functionality . Plus , if you are a paid user , there is no cause to call down Siri to access ChatGPT .
The way of life Apple Intelligence summarise notice is also hit - or - miss . The most late fiasco was a Microsoft Teams chitchat , where the AI coalesce two separate conversations into a laughably bad blend . “ You want to traverse , Nadeem Sarwar ? ” my editor ask in reply to a link I shared in the group as a news report pitching .
“ Joe wants to cover Nadeem Sarwar , ” said the notice . It ’s also reasonably sorry for almost any schmoose where you are n’t using pristine English in all its safe - for - work glory . I prefer my notification to be cluster and filtered as per my Focus style preferences rather than get an AI manipulate them — especially my work communication theory .
I have grown quite fond of the Reduce Interruptions focus feature of speech , but it also has a habit of misfire . It “ sympathise the content of your notifications and shows you the most important ones , but silences notification that are less authoritative , ” insure Apple .
It was also shoot - or - lose . Things can get irregular if you ’ve got a particularly buzzy Discord server or even a workplace Slack or Teams radical . The onboard AI make up one’s mind the importance of a conversation based on how ofttimes you interact with the generator .
Most of our conversations bump in a chemical group chat on Teams , and I on a regular basis get apprisal alerts from the line in a sum up data formatting . Just over a week ago , however , the Reduce Interruptions focus thought the direct message were n’t worth surfacing , and I neglect them entirely .
Since the AI - powered focus syncs across all your Apple machine , I did n’t get the message alerting on any of my iPads , iPhones , or Macs . It put the mood for an uninterrupted work flow , but I commit the app exceptions I have manually create for my piece of work nidus or else of permit an AI take over .
Then there arethe written material tools , which can help you with document job , such as make dash adjustment , formatting a bulwark of schoolbook into bullet point and mesa , or even making it more concise . I have not found much public utility in any of it , except the proofreading organisation to limit my literal .
I am not certain if any employer , teacher , or editor in chief would care to scan AI - render fabric present to them in any capacity whatsoever . Journalism is already at experiential bonehead with procreative AI , so I have an even lower tolerance for such tools .
Even with AI - sire email response that sound more courteous , I sense I am somehow lead on the recipient with word that did n’t come out of my mind , though I fully destine those sentiment . However , if that ’s something that can make your liveliness well-to-do , consider yourself lucky .
The physical object remover trick in Apple ’s Photos appis neat , on the rare few occasions that it work . In my experience , it left an easily noticeable see - through warping effect in place of the remote object . In my most late test , it identified a food bowl on the mesa and removed it flawlessly , but forget to handle the object ’s phantasma .
Visual Intelligence , Apple ’s equivalent of Google Lens supercharged on generative AI , is utile . But once again , it ’s an episodic convenience and wo n’t add any significant ease into your daily workflow or even casual utilization .
Siri ’s large renovation with App Intents , which allows it to interact with apps and execute chore with vocal cue stick , wo n’t come until next year . Then there are Genmojis , which I only adjudicate a couple of times and forgot about , primarily because GIFs and poser already exist .
Overall , the iPadOS 18 experience on the iPad miniskirt is unaltered and offer nothing singular ( from a practical public utility perspective ) depend upon atop the Apple Intelligence raft . At least not at the moment .
Should you buy the iPad mini 2024?
The iPad mini is a fantastic tablet . If you have a fifth - gen iPad miniskirt , you should hold off on upgrading . For those bet for a small tab that can handle reading and Netflix streaming , double as a digital journal , and play games like a champ , this is arguably the most jubilant equipment out there .
The software is silky smooth ( though Apple can doa lotbetter ) , the build is lovely , the battery life is astonishingly strong , and there are n’t any cherry flag that could deter an enthusiast from give their hard currency to Apple . It ’s just not pull out any remarkable stunt that puts its predecessor to shame .
On the unsavory side of thing , the sixth - gen iPad mini does n’t sterilize any lingering problems . The covert is still not undimmed enough for comfortably take content under sunshine . TheOnePlus Pad 2 , for roughly the same request price , attend a jury with almost double the peak brightness level .
The iPad mini is a tremendous tablet .
The want of a earpiece jackfruit will go along to be a escape chance , specially for a tablet . The front camera is still in an clumsy portrait spot . And you will have to spend money on a newer Apple Pencil if you ’ve got an honest-to-god one lie around .
For better or worse , though , this is the only small tablet out there worth its Strategic Arms Limitation Talks . I wish Android could offer an option , but Apple ’s mini tablet is n’t a uncollectible option on its own . On the opposite , it just might allow for you a very well-chosen and productive person bound to a desk .
