Apart from its iPhones, Apple has this habit of introducing occasional product upgrades with minor spec bumps, and while they usually deliver on the things that matter (newer chipsets, better overall performance), there are times when newer Apple hardware might not seem like massive upgrades over their predecessors.
CHECK OUT: iPhone SE 4: All The Rumours so Far!
In the case of the new iPad Mini 7, Apple’s decision to give it some much-needed upgrades makes it quite a tempting choice especially for buyers after a very capable device in terms of general performance and gaming, although there’s a lot of things that’s brought over from the company’s sixth-generation 2021 iPad Mini, which can leave one scratching their head. So is the new iPad Mini something to get over the older model?
What’s New This Year
Let’s go over the upgrades that Apple has introduced with the newer iPad Mini – for one, the base model starts with 128GB of storage (twice the storage of the 2021 base model). It’s a nice change especially in a day where most smartphones and tablets start at 128GB storage capacities, with some manufacturers even offering 256GB storage options. There’s also slightly-faster USB-C support this year, with data transfer speeds that can reach up to 10 gbps. Wi-Fi performance has also gotten a slight boost with Wi-Fi 6E vs Wi-Fi 6, and there’s now support for the Apple Pencil Pro.
More importantly though, Apple brought over its A17 Pro chipset, which is the same SoC that powers the iPhone 15 Pro from last year. This means that the newer Mini will be able to run more graphics-intensive titles, and will be able to support Apple’s upcoming AI features once they roll out. Additionally, the iPad Mini 7 also comes with 8GB of RAM, yet another upgrade over the basic 4GB memory configuration of its predecessor. Surprisingly, Apple has included Smart HDR 4 with the tablet’s camera, a feature that was first introduced with the iPhone 13 series.
What Stays the Same
With all these changes, there’s a lot of hardware that the new iPad Mini shares with the 2021 model. It comes in virtually the same overall design, and aside from the new blue and purple colour variants and “mini” etching on the rear panel, it’s pretty much indistinguishable from Apple’s older model. The same can be said for the display – it’s still an IPS LCD screen (sorry AMOLED lovers) that measures 8.3 inches, with the same 500 nits of maximum brightness, and the same old 60Hz refresh rate.
The camera hardware is likewise similar, with Apple opting to use 12MP front and rear cameras (albeit with the newer HDR 4 feature as mentioned earlier). Battery capacity likewise carries over at around 5,000 mAh, which in a way is not too surprising given the compact form factor of the iPad Mini.
Is it Worth Getting?
I’ll be honest here – if you were expecting Apple to equip this year’s iPad Mini with massive upgrades, then you might be sorely disappointed given the amount of hardware that remains the same. If you own the 2021 iPad Mini and aren’t too fussed about missing out on Apple Intelligence or more ideal gaming performance, then you might want to stick with your current device. On the other hand though, the A17 Pro is a pretty impressive chipset, and first-time iPad Mini buyers might want to get this model instead. It’s priced starting at £499.
