iPad mini 7 review two months in: The iPad mini isn't perfect, but it might still be the best iPad for you.
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iPad mini 7
4.0/5 Buy on Amazon
After two months of use, the iPad mini 7 is still a great compact tablet for media and gaming, though there are definitely some areas for improvement.
I had the very first iPad mini with a Retina display back in 2014, but for me it was just a device for watching Netflix. With the release of the new seventh-generation model, that all changes, and from now on it might just be the default iPad.
The new 2024 iPad mini is the smallest tablet in a lineup dominated by super-fast, super-large tablets. But after spending a few weeks with the new A17 Pro-powered one, I think I finally understand why you should buy one.
The problem with new hardware is that you really need to spend a long time with it to really understand what it is. That gives you time to get beyond the initial excitement, to sink in and get a feel for what it has to offer.
Never has that been truer than with the latest iPad mini. A tablet I couldn’t wait to get my hands on, not because I thought it would be great, but because it had been a decade since I last used one.
Now, having spent time with Apple's little iPad, I'm willing to say that it's the only tablet I intend to buy from now on.
But two months after its release, that's likely to be a controversial opinion in a world where the iPad Pro is the pinnacle of Apple's attempts to turn the tablet into the laptop of tomorrow. I'd argue that the iPad mini really comes into its own when you ignore the noise and just accept it for what it is – with a screen that's bigger than the iPhone's without trying to do too much.
Of course, if you want an iPad with an incredible M4 chip inside so you can slog through complex video workflows on a stunning mini-LED display, the iPad mini isn't for you. But if you're looking at your iPhone 16 Pro Max and want it to be a little bigger for a better gaming experience or web browsing, this is the only tablet you need.
Let me explain how the iPad mini, once a Netflix device, has evolved into the only tablet I need and one of my most-used Apple devices.
ipad mini 7 two-month review: the goldilocks gaming machine
You'd be forgiven for forgetting the iPad mini existed, and until recently, it seemed like Apple had too. The current 7th-generation iPad mini was released two months ago, on October 23, 2024, coming more than three years after its predecessor debuted.
iPad mini 7 review two months in: iPad mini is like Valve's Steam Deck, running iPadOS and all your apps.
There have been other new iPads in the three years since, and as a result, the iPad mini ran an older chip in the form of the A15 Bionic. This was at a time when the rest of the lineup was moving to M-series silicon, similar to what’s used in Macs.
But I’d argue that the iPad mini has never been about pure horsepower, not in the way that the iPad Pro and, to some extent, the iPad Air have. The clue is in the name, and the iPad mini’s real superpower is its size.
While it’s true that the iPhone is now bigger than ever, the last two generations of the iPad mini sported 8.3-inch Liquid Retina displays. The iPad mini’s display is still significantly larger than the 6.9-inch iPhone 16 Pro Max.
In my opinion, and for many use cases, that’s a near-perfect size. Big iPhones are cool and all, but no one really wants to watch a TV show or play a game on them for long periods of time.
Move to an iPad mini, and it's a whole new ballgame.
My weeks with the seventh-generation iPad mini have been spent playing Balatro, and I’ve made a discovery. This tablet is what Apple should focus its Apple Arcade marketing on.
Forget the iPad Pro’s M4 speed and its ability to throw polygons and pixels around like they don’t matter. Never mind how great it is to play console-quality Resident Evil on a phone that fits in your pocket.
Instead, pick up the new iPad mini, fire up any Apple Arcade game, and sit back. You’ll be in for a treat, thanks to a big, colorful display and more than enough processing power to fill it with fun.
ipad mini 7 Two Months Review: The Skeptic's Guide
None of this is to say that the iPad mini isn’t without its issues, especially if you’re the type to dive into specs. If you’re looking for flaws, you’ll definitely find them here.
For starters, the A17 Pro is certainly fast enough, and it’s still the chip that powered Apple’s flagship iPhone until recently. But in a world of M-series chips breaking benchmark records left and right, this really feels like a missed opportunity for Apple. It could be faster, that’s all I’m saying.
Then there’s the display. I stand by my assertion that at 8.3 inches, it’s just about perfect for lounging on the couch, reading websites, watching YouTube, and, yes, playing games.
But the odd 3:2 aspect ratio might be a little odd depending on what you use it for.
Here's the elephant in the room that's been hanging around since the 6th-gen iPad mini went on sale a few years ago: the jelly scrolling situation.
For the uninitiated, jelly scrolling is a phenomenon where some people see one side of the iPad mini display scroll at a different speed than the other. When it happens, and if you see it, it can be maddening.
Luckily for me, I don’t see it, or I just don’t use the iPad mini in a way that causes it to jump out and hit me in the face. Others seem to feel differently.
The key here is that this seventh-generation iteration hasn’t dramatically changed the display in a way that would fix the issue. If you’ve seen it before, you’ll see it here.
The screen could also be brighter. Then there are the other limitations caused by IPS display technology, including a slow 60Hz maximum refresh rate.
Apple could technically fix all of these issues by putting something like the M2 chip in the upcoming iPad mini. It could also switch to OLED technology for its display.
But all of that would certainly drive up the price, and at the current starting price of $499, I’d say it’s already a bit pricey.
Ultimately, it’s easy to find a fault with any product. The real fun comes in finding something it excels at and one that permeates your life in ways you might never have expected.
ipad mini 7 two-month review: how the iPad became my favorite device
By now, it should be clear that I’m thrilled with this little tablet. But as you can imagine, it's not the only device I have.
iPad mini 7 review in two months: Pair the iPad mini with a game streaming service and it's a whole new world.
I also have a 2018 iPad Pro. An 11-inch tablet that somehow manages to be too big to use the way I want, but not big enough to do much useful work on it.
Somehow it manages to be the perfect size to not be useful for anything in particular other than slipping into a bag and taking up very little space.
All of which is to say, in recent years my life has revolved around whatever iPhone Pro Max was available, and then using a 16-inch MacBook Pro when the iPhone display wasn’t big enough. Then Apple sent me an iPad mini to borrow (with an Apple Pencil Pro), and now I don’t want to give it back.
I find myself using the iPad mini in ways I never used the iPad before, and I reach for it much more often.
It’s the device I use to scroll through my social media feeds while I’m half-heartedly catching up on what’s on TV. It’s the device I use to watch YouTube before bed, too.
But most of all, it’s reignited my love of gaming, offering a pick-up-and-play experience that’s hard to beat. Because it’s so small, you can take it with you just about anywhere.
I mentioned Balatro before, and I think the iPad mini might be the perfect machine for playing this particular game. But the real fun starts when I pair this thing with a controller like the GameSir G8 Plus — I used the Thanos Marvel edition, but there are more “normal” color options if you prefer.
Install something from Apple Arcade or the App Store, and the fun begins. But it's remote play with a PlayStation 5 or Xbox that's where things get really interesting.
Nvidia’s GeForce Now PC game streaming is second to none, and that’s no doubt due in no small part to the WiFi 6E (802.11ax) technology that the latest iPad mini offers.
Without a doubt, one of the iPad mini’s key features is its size. Ironically, it’s also what puts a lot of people off from buying one.
The iPad mini is small enough that I can take it with me pretty much anywhere and everywhere, and having a cellular version helps here. That, in turn, means I use it in situations where I otherwise wouldn’t use my iPad Pro, mostly because I just won’t be carrying it around that often.
It’s a similar story at home, as the iPad mini feels much less intrusive than its larger siblings. It does this while delivering an experience that the iPhone can't match, whether it's browsing content, gaming, or just reading web pages.
Of course, Apple could put an end to the iPad mini once and for all if it released a foldable iPhone like the Galaxy Pixel 9 Pro Fold or Samsung Z Fold 6. But that's a different conversation for another time.
ipad mini 7 two-month review: the conclusion
If you haven't figured it out yet, I'm a big fan of the little iPad mini, despite its lackluster display and yesterday's chip. This is Apple at its best, a product that fits into a niche and does a better job than anything else in my tech arsenal.
iPad mini 7 review two months in: purple The purple iPad mini looks more silver than purple.
It's not perfect, and there are areas where I definitely hope Apple improves when it comes time to refresh this iteration. But as it stands, it's more than capable, and fills a gap I didn't even know existed.
I wish it were cheaper, and it’s always going to be hard to sell people on a small-screen tablet for $500 when they can get a bigger tablet for less. The fact that the iPad mini has a better chip inside and more storage out of the box is going to be ignored — people see the screen size and assume that’s what the price is worth.
But I’ll round things off with a simple fact. If you find yourself looking at your iPhone and wishing it were a little bigger but find even the 11-inch iPad Air or iPad Pro too bulky, the iPad mini is for you.
The fact that it fits in a game controller and effectively turns it into a competitor to Valve’s Steam Deck and Nintendo Switch really shouldn’t be overlooked. That’s going to be my main use case for this thing, to be honest.
But it's also the perfect form factor for surfing the web on the couch, or just checking out what else the actor has done when Siri just can't do the job.
And yes, the iPad mini does support Apple Intelligence. For better and for worse.
iPad mini 7 pros
- The 8.3-inch display is Goldilocks-sized — Not too big, not too small.
- The minimalist form factor means the iPad feels modern, almost futuristic.
- The A17 Pro chip powers Apple Intelligence and is fast enough for most tasks.
- Battery life is surprisingly good considering the relatively small battery inside this device compared to other tablets.
- You can take it with you anywhere, unlike even the 11-inch iPads in Apple's lineup.
The Cons of the iPad mini 7
- Silicon fans would undoubtedly clamor for the M-series chip.
- The use of Touch ID feels like a throwback and should really be upgraded to Face ID.
- The colors are barely noticeable — My purple iPad mini looks like silver, and the other colors aren't much better.
- The display looks good, but this is the first time I've noticed the lower 60Hz refresh rate. Next time, please, 120Hz ProMotion.
ipad mini 7 Two Months Review: 4 out of 5
ipad mini 7 Two Months Review: Where to Buy
The Apple iPad mini 7 is currently being sold with discounts here and there. You'll find all the lowest prices in our iPad mini price guide, so be sure to check it out before you order anywhere else.
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