Apple has just launched the new iPad mini, and it comes with some major upgrades thanks to the A17 Pro chip and Apple Intelligence, their personal AI system that’s designed to make everyday tasks easier while keeping your privacy intact. I’ve always liked the portability of the iPad mini, and now it’s available in four colors, including a couple of new options—blue and purple. It keeps the 8.3-inch Liquid Retina display, which still looks great.
The A17 Pro chip is the big game-changer here. It offers a noticeable boost in performance, with faster CPU and GPU speeds, making it much more capable of handling heavy tasks. Apple claims the Neural Engine is now 2x faster than the previous version, which should make a difference for anyone using it for more demanding applications or gaming.
One thing I find really interesting is the addition of Apple Pencil Pro support. This opens up a lot of possibilities for those of us who use the iPad for creative work or note-taking. It’s not just the standard Apple Pencil—it’s the Pro version, which adds new features that could make a huge difference for productivity and creativity.
The 12MP wide camera is also worth mentioning, with Smart HDR 4 for better dynamic range and machine learning capabilities for document scanning right from the camera app. It’s a solid upgrade if you use your iPad for work-related tasks or even just to snap pictures on the go.
Battery life remains strong, with an all-day charge, and iPadOS 18 brings a bunch of new experiences. Starting at $499 for 128GB of storage—double what you got in the last version—this feels like a pretty good deal for anyone wanting a compact yet powerful device.
Bob Borchers, Apple’s VP of Worldwide Product Marketing, summed it up well when he said the iPad mini is designed to be portable, powerful, and personal. And with the A17 Pro chip, faster connectivity, and Apple Pencil Pro support, I think they’ve hit the mark again.
When it comes to performance, the A17 Pro chip offers a solid 30% boost in CPU power compared to the previous version. The graphics get a significant bump too, thanks to the 5-core GPU. Apple is clearly positioning the iPad mini as a tool that can handle more than just casual use, highlighting its potential for designers and even doctors who rely on pro apps. The idea that such a small device can be used for these kinds of tasks is pretty impressive. On top of that, gaming is expected to be more immersive with hardware-accelerated ray tracing, which is a nice touch for anyone into mobile gaming.
Another key feature is Apple Intelligence. This AI system is built into iPadOS 18 and works with the A17 Pro to understand and act on personal context, making tasks easier across apps. Most of these features are processed right on the device, keeping things private. And Siri has gotten a major upgrade too, with better language understanding and flexibility.
As for the cameras, the 12MP rear camera and 12MP Ultra Wide front-facing camera both seem to have gotten smarter. The back camera now supports document scanning, and the front camera continues to support Center Stage for video calls, which is always handy.
The new Apple Pencil Pro has some neat tricks as well. You can squeeze it to bring up a tool palette or even roll it for precise control over the tool you’re using. It attaches magnetically to the iPad mini and charges that way too.
iPadOS 18 also brings new features like the Calculator app with Apple Pencil integration and updated Notes functionality. There’s even a new way to customize the Home Screen, giving more options to make the device feel personal.
Overall, the new iPad mini feels like a major step up, especially with the A17 Pro chip and Apple Intelligence making it more powerful and efficient. The starting price of $499 seems like great value for what you’re getting, especially if you’re looking for a small, portable device that can handle more than just basic tasks.
