New iPad mini details: All the details you might have missed

Today, Apple announced a brand new iPad mini. The headline feature is the A17 Pro chip, which powers Apple Intelligence. But there are plenty of other little details worth noting about the new device. Here are some details you might want to know before you order.

Connectivity upgrades

The new iPad mini includes upgrades to its Wi-Fi and Bluetooth support.

On the Wi-Fi side, the previous mini offered compatibility with Wi-Fi 6, but the new mini goes further with support for Wi-Fi 6E.

The previous mini supported Bluetooth 5, but the new mini adds the more modern Bluetooth 5.3 specification.

Data transfer speeds

The new iPad mini, like its predecessor, features a USB-C port for charging and data transfer.

There is one key speed improvement, however data.

Both models support USB 3. However, the old mini only offered speeds up to 5Gbps, while the new model doubles that to 10Gbps.

Photo enhancements

If you're going to be taking photos on your iPad, the relatively small iPad mini is probably the most practical device for doing so.

With its more powerful A17 Pro chip, the new iPad mini offers a key upgrade in photography via software.

Smart HDR 4 is now available on the new mini, while its predecessor only supported Smart HDR 3.

Apple Pencil goes Pro with Hover

The new iPad mini supports both the Apple Pencil Pro and the Apple Pencil with USB-C.

However, it does not support Apple Pencil 2 like the previous model.

Best comment from David Long

Liked by 2 people

All of the upgrades listed are good. But they don't achieve what I was hoping for.

First, 512GB isn't enough for what I need. I know that sounds ridiculous. But I want all of my audio, photo, and book/magazine libraries on board. Right now my 1TB iPad Pro can handle it, but it's a bit big for reading a book.

Secondly, there's the biometric aspect, and the lack of Face ID is disappointing.

The iPad mini is definitely a “luxury” item for me, as I had the previous version and traded it in for the M2 iPad Pro because of its features, which I wanted more of.

This certainly wasn’t the next “wish” on my list. It’s disappointing that the Air Pod Max is just a USB-C upgrade. But the real item I’m waiting for is a Mac mini with more power than my M1 Max-based MacBook Pro so my laptop doesn’t have to do double duty. I have high hopes for the specs of THAT upcoming item, and I can’t wait to put the M4 Pro to the test.

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The addition of the Apple Pencil Pro isn’t the only change, though.

The new iPad mini also supports the Pencil Hover feature first introduced in the M2 iPad Pro, which means you’ll get support for a few new gestures when you hover the Pencil on the display.

New iPad mini review

The iPad mini doesn’t get updated very often, so every little tech update can go a long way toward keeping the device looking modern and relevant. If you're considering upgrading to the new mini, here are some of the smaller improvements worth keeping in mind.

What do you think of the new iPad mini? Will you buy it? Let us know in the comments.