Starting today, Apple's new iPad mini 7 with A17 Pro chip is available for same-day or next-day pickup at Apple Stores, with no

I should confess right up front that I have always loved the iPad Mini. I’ve owned several; I’ve bought them as gifts for multiple family members. I want a tablet I can use to read in bed, throw into my overstuffed carry-on bag, or prop up on the toaster to help me cook dinner. The Mini is the one.

Apple’s A17 Pro is key to the essence of this tablet’s upgrade. To make that clear, Apple is calling it the iPad mini with A17 Pro, not iPad mini seventh-generation. The chip update means that it’s capable of running Apple’s take on AI, called Apple Intelligence, which arrives soon.