Apple today announced a new generation of iPad mini, upgraded to run on the A17 Pro chip. This is the same chip found in the iPhone 15 Pro. This means the new iPad mini can support the full suite of Apple Intelligence features. It also supports the Apple Pencil Pro.
The new iPad mini starts at $499 and comes with 128GB of storage — double the storage of the previous generation for the same price. Customers can order the iPad mini now, with shipments starting next week on October 23.
The A17 Pro chip is 30% faster than the A15 Bionic chip in the previous iPad mini, and the new graphics processor is 25% faster. The A17 Pro chip also enables the USB-C port to run at USB 3 speeds (10Gbps). For the first time, the iPad mini also supports Wi-Fi 6E for faster wireless connectivity at home.
In terms of industrial design, the iPad mini looks almost identical to the previous model. However, it comes in a few new colors, including blue and purple.
One of the new design changes is the magnetic charging area on the side of the tablet to support the Apple Pencil Pro. This allows the Mini to wirelessly connect and charge the Apple Pencil Pro. The iPad mini is also compatible with the Apple Pencil (USB-C) when connected to the USB-C port.
The iPad mini will ship with iOS 18, without Apple Intelligence. The first Apple Intelligence features, like Writing Tools and Reduce Interruptions, will be available as part of iOS 18.1. iOS 18.1 is expected to be released to the public by the end of October.
The new iPad mini is available now, with WiFi and cellular configurations starting at $499 and $649 for 128GB of storage, respectively. You can configure the iPad mini with up to 512GB of storage.
