Apple has finally announced an update to the iPad Mini, now featuring the A17 Pro chip, which will support Apple Intelligence when it releases later this month. The refreshed 7th-generation tablet keeps its compact 8.3-inch form factor but brings notable performance improvements.
The A17 Pro chip offers a 30% boost in CPU performance and a 25% increase in GPU performance compared to the previous generation. The new iPad Mini will also be compatible with the Apple Pencil Pro, which includes features like pressure sensitivity, haptic feedback, and gesture controls, making it ideal for designers and creators.
Another exciting feature is Apple Intelligence. Users will get new tools like summarized notifications, enhanced mail features, and eventually image playground and gen emoji. Apple Intelligence will also connect to cloud-based models like ChatGPT in future updates.
The iPad Mini also features hardware-accelerated ray tracing, making it perfect for graphic-intensive games with improved visuals and performance. It’s four times faster than software-based ray tracing, and supports dynamic caching and hardware-accelerated mesh shading, ideal for gaming.
The 7th-gen iPad Mini is available in four colors, including a new blue and purple. Pricing starts at $499 for the 128 GB Wi-Fi model, and $649 for the Wi-Fi + cellular model. Additional configurations include 256 GB and 512 GB options. Pre-orders are available now, with shipments starting on October 23rd. The new Smart Folio case comes in various colors for $59.
What are your thoughts on the new iPad Mini? Are you planning to get one, or did you recently buy the older version? Let me know in the comments!
