Gadgets

great for reading and gaming, but not much else

Published

5 months ago

November 2, 2024

Empowerment

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.

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

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

Small size doesn’t have to mean compromised specs.

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 (2024)

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 quickly tucking the tiny iPad mini 7 away in a bag easily after catching up on reading while on the train.

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.