How does Apple’s new iPad mini 7 stack up in opposition to its predecessor?

• Worth, availability, and launch date
• How do the 2 mini-sized tablets stack up?
• Which iPad mini do you have to purchase?

• iPad mini (seventh era)

  Apple’s seventh era miniature-sized iPad, full with an A17 Professional chip for full-fledged Apple Intelligence assist.

• 

  iPad Mini (sixth era)

  Apple’s sixth era iPad mini brings the iPad Professional-inspired redesign we have lengthy been ready for, alongside the A15 Bionic chip.

Apple’s iPad mini lineup has lengthy been a fan favourite, ever because it’s preliminary launch all the way in which again in 2012. Regardless of Steve Jobs’ preliminary resistance in the direction of miniature-sized tablets, the tech big ultimately invested in the form factor.

Again in 2021, Apple gave the iPad mini it is first main redesign within the type of a 6th generation product, with the pill adopting iPad Professional-inspired design components together with slim and uniform bezels, swipe-based gesture navigation, and a flatter, extra industrial design language.

After three lengthy years of ready, the all-new iPad mini 7th generation has lastly landed, with Apple bestowing the pill with a reasonably main under-the-hood spec increase. This is how the brand new iPad mini 7 compares with the outgoing sixth era mannequin.

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Worth, availability, and launch date

• 	iPad mini (seventh era)	Apple iPad Mini (2021)
  Model	Apple	Apple
  Storage	128GB, 256GB, 512GB	64GB, 256GB
  Working System	iPadOS 18	iPadOS 18
  Ports	USB-C (10Gbps)	USB-C (5Gbps)
  Show kind	8.3-inch 2266 x 1488 LCD	8.3-inch 2266 x 1488 LCD
  Colours	Area grey, starlight, purple, blue	Area gray, pink, purple, starlight
  Rear Digital camera	12-megapixel extensive	12-megapixel extensive
  Connectivity	Wi-Fi 6E, optionally available mobile 5G	Wi-fi 6, optionally available 5G
  Weight	0.65lbs (293g) Wi-Fi, 0.66lbs (297g) Mobile	0.65lbs (293g) Wi-Fi, 0.66lbs (297g) Mobile
  SoC	Apple A17 Professional	A15 Bionic
  Entrance Digital camera	12-megapixel ultra-wide	12-megapixel ultra-wide
  Dimensions	7.69 x 5.3 x 0.25-inches (195.4 x 134.8 x 6.3mm)	7.69 x 5.3 x 0.25-inches (195.4 x 134.8 x 6.3mm)

The iPad mini sixth era was first launched in 2021, representing a serious overhaul of the mini-sized type issue. It launched in starlight, area gray, purple, and pink colorways, with a beginning worth of $500. This base mannequin shipped with 64GB of inside storage and a Wi-Fi antenna. A costlier 256GB storage configuration, in addition to a mobile radio SKU, have been additionally obtainable.

Compared, the brand new iPad mini seventh era begins on the identical $500 worth level, however comes with 128GB of storage in its primary Wi-Fi-only configuration. Colour choices embody starlight, area gray, purple, and blue, and the gadget might be configured with 256GB or 512GB of storage, alongside a costlier mobile variant.

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The iPad mini seventh era is on the market now for pre-order, and is anticipated to land in clients’ arms on October 23. As for the outgoing iPad mini — it seems that Apple has delisted it from its official storefront, somewhat than opting to maintain it within the lineup at a diminished worth level. That being stated, the corporate’s Certified Refurbished storefront continues to list iPad 6 fashions at diminished costs.

How do the 2 mini-sized tablets stack up?

The brand new mannequin would possibly look the identical, but it surely’s packing a a lot stronger punch on the within

Pocket-lint / Apple

Apple took three years to ship a generational replace to the iPad mini sequence, and know-how has moved on quickly on this brief time period. The outgoing mannequin shipped with the A15 Bionic chip, which first debuted within the iPhone 13 Pro and 13 Pro Max handsets. Against this, the brand new iPad mini 7 ships with the A17 Professional chip first seen in final yr’s iPhone 15 Pro and 15 Pro Max telephones.

It is a pretty substantial soar up in computing energy, even when Apple hasn’t christened the mini with one in every of its M series chipsets. The efficiency increase, significantly in the case of {hardware} accelerated neural processing, is what provides the brand new mini the power to faucet into the upcoming AI characteristic set often known as Apple Intelligence.

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Whereas Apple does not instantly point out RAM amount, that means I will have to attend to independently confirm this specification when the gadget arrives, I reckon that the brand new mini 7 will ship with 8GB of the stuff — which might be double the RAM of the outgoing mannequin. On-device AI is notoriously RAM hungry, and we have seen newer tech merchandise up the ante in latest months.

There are a couple of extra upgrades to be discovered within the iPad mini seventh era. These embody assist for Wi-Fi 6E, 10Gbps USB-C, a brand new Good HDR 4 processing algorithm for the cameras, and assist for the Apple Pencil Pro and its numerous squeeze gestures. Against this, the iPad mini seventh era got here with Wi-Fi 6, 5Gbps USB-C, Good HDR 3, and Apple Pencil 2 assist.

Which iPad mini do you have to purchase?

I might spring for the most recent and best, except you will discover a fantastic deal on a sixth era mini

Apple

Should you merely need the latest-and-greatest iPad in its mini type issue variant, then the iPad mini seventh era is the way in which to go. It ships with a base storage configuration of 128GB, which is much extra palatable than the outgoing mannequin’s measly 64GB of beginning storage. Different perks embody the newfound skill to spec the gadget as much as 512GB, assist for the corporate’s newest Pencil Pro, and a processor that’ll be able to Apple Intelligence options upon arrival.

Prime Decide

iPad mini (seventh era)

Apple’s seventh era miniature-sized iPad, full with an A17 Professional chip for full-fledged Apple Intelligence assist.

If, then again, you need to avoid wasting cash, and you are not totally bought on Apple Intelligence, then it is onerous to go unsuitable with the iPad mini sixth era. I might suggest springing for the 256GB mannequin, because the 64GB base unit merely is not passable these days. Simply you should definitely examine throughout numerous retailers along with Apple’s personal Licensed Refurbished web site, to discover a itemizing that is decently properly discounted.

iPad Mini (sixth era)

Apple’s sixth era iPad mini brings the iPad Professional-inspired redesign we have lengthy been ready for, alongside the A15 Bionic chip.

For these in search of an iPad that is capable of serve extra as a pc or PC substitute gadget, you then’ll need to look elsewhere — neither of the fashions are ‘Professional’ in any sense of the phrase, regardless of the upcoming addition of Apple Intelligence. As a way to make the most of Stage Manager — iPadOS’s window administration interface — you may as a substitute have to buy both an iPad Air or an iPad Pro.

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