iPad Mini 2024: A Deep Dive into Apple’s Pocket-Sized Powerhouse
More than ever, the 7th-gen iPad mini occupies a fascinating space in Apple’s ecosystem, bridging the gap between smartphone and tablet. It’s too large for a pocket, but perfectly sized for a bag. While not ideal for elaborate sketching on its 8.3-inch display, it excels at note-taking and light photo editing with the Apple Pencil. This review explores whether this smaller, more affordable option truly shines, especially in the context of Apple’s burgeoning AI initiatives, Apple Intelligence, unveiled in late October.
This review compares the iPad mini (starting at $500) with the significantly more expensive 13-inch iPad Pro M4 (starting at $1300). While the Pro boasts superior power, the mini offers a compelling blend of portability and performance for a fraction of the cost. The central question remains: how much will Apple Intelligence truly impact the utility of a smaller-form-factor tablet like the iPad mini?
Build Quality: Familiar Design, Enhanced Performance
The 2024 iPad mini retains the essentially unchanged Air-like chassis from 2021, boasting a slim 6.3mm profile. While the wide bezels are a familiar sight, the available colors—including vibrant light blue and purple—inject a welcome dose of personality. My review unit, in understated dark gray, felt solid and well-constructed.
Beyond the familiar design, the key upgrade lies within: the A17 Pro chip, mirroring the iPhone 15 Pro’s processor. This represents a significant leap from the 2021 model’s A15 Bionic, resulting in noticeably faster performance. Daily tasks feel snappy and responsive, though the overall user experience remains consistent with previous iterations. What sets the 2024 mini apart is the inclusion of Wi-Fi 6E connectivity and a USB-C port supporting 10 GB/s data transfers, a significant doubling of speed from the 6th generation.
However, the transition isn’t entirely seamless. Compatibility with the Apple Pencil is limited to the 2nd-generation Apple Pencil and Apple Pencil USB. Owners of older Apple Pencils will find their devices incompatible. Apple attributes this limitation to design changes necessitated by the slimmer form factor of the M4 iPad Pro, a justification that, while possibly valid, remains frustrating for users upgrading from earlier mini models.
The camera system is unremarkable, featuring 12MP rear and front-facing ultra-wide sensors. While functional for casual snapshots and video calls, the cameras are not a selling point. The front camera incorporates Center Stage, automatically adjusting zoom to keep the user centered during video calls. While effective, prolonged use did reveal a notable 20% battery drain in just 40 minutes during a video call using Microsoft Teams with Center Stage enabled. The display remains a Liquid Retina LCD, offering adequate, but not exceptional, brightness.
Apple Intelligence and iPadOS 18: A Mixed Bag
The timing of the iPad mini’s release strongly suggests its integration with Apple Intelligence was a crucial factor. Running iPadOS 18.1 Beta, the review tested the core functionalities of Apple’s AI features. These include Clean Up, Writing Tools, and improved notification summaries.
Clean Up, a photo editing tool designed to remove unwanted elements from images, showcased significant improvements over earlier beta versions. While comparable to Google’s Magic Eraser, it still struggles with foreground objects, occasionally leaving artifacts or shadows. The interface is user-friendly, requiring only a simple circle around the object to be removed. However, significant loading times after initiating Clean Up persist.
Writing Tools, while offering proofreading capabilities to correct grammatical errors, remains a less compelling feature. The “professional” tone adjustments felt artificial and unnecessary for most users. Furthermore, integration with popular apps like Google Docs is currently lacking.
The notification summary feature provides two options, “Summary” and “Key Points.” The “Summary” option, while concise, sometimes sacrifices nuance. The “Key Points” option, which organizes notifications into bullet points, is more effective in distilling lengthy texts into manageable summaries.
The updated Siri interface, abandoning the floating orb for a colorful wavy border, is a welcome visual improvement. The addition of text-to-Siri functionality enhances usability and privacy in public settings. However, Siri’s knowledge base relies heavily on internet searches, even for basic product-related questions. While this might improve in the full release, its current performance isn’t a significant advancement.
A notable omission is Stage Manager, Apple’s multitasking interface, which is absent from the iPad mini’s 8.3-inch display, limiting multitasking to Split View. Even on larger iPads, Stage Manager’s effectiveness is debatable. Small-screen iPads, including the mini, offer only marginal improvements in multitasking compared to iPhones, highlighting a missed opportunity.
The iPad Mini 2024: A Daily Driver
Despite its limitations, the iPad mini 2024 proved to be a surprisingly useful device. Paired with the Apple Pencil and a folio case, it felt complete and capable for its size. The form factor is ideal for thumb-typing in landscape mode and provides a screen superior to an iPhone for video consumption or note-taking.
It’s a device that doesn’t strive to be more than it needs to be. This simplicity is perhaps a commentary on the current state of Apple Intelligence – its impact on the mini is minimal. The iPad mini serves as a practical companion, seamlessly integrating into workflows alongside a larger device like a MacBook. Its value lies in its capabilities for quick tasks, notifications, and light entertainment.
Conclusion:
The iPad mini 2024 is not a revolutionary leap, but a refined and capable tablet. While Apple Intelligence adds some features, its impact on the general usability of the device is less significant than anticipated. The A17 Pro chip and enhanced connectivity provide a welcome boost, while the attractive price point makes it a compelling package. While the iPad Pro and Air may offer more power and features, the iPad mini 2024 emerges as a compelling daily driver for those seeking a smaller, more portable, yet powerful tablet experience. This review will be updated following the completion of full benchmarking and battery testing, providing more concrete data on performance and longevity.