The iPad mini 7th-gen is built for Apple Intelligence, but it’s still a better realization of Apple’s tablets for most users.

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.

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 iPad Mini stands out among its larger tablet counterparts due to its compact 8.3-inch screen, resembling an iPhone more than a traditional iPad. This design focuses on portability rather than competing with laptops, unlike the bigger iPads which are increasingly seen as laptop alternatives.

The new tablet starts with double the base storage (128GB) and a new chipset to run Apple Intelligence (coming with iPadOS 18.1).

Apple's new iPad mini, now in its seventh generation, looks the same as the last one, and while it brings a number of small upgrades across the board, none of them will knock you off your feet. It's hard to blame Apple for not doing more,

The iPad Mini (A17 Pro) still suffers from the jelly scrolling effect, but it’s not as prominent when compared to its predecessor.

The most important thing about the new iPad mini is that, on the one hand, it’s a pretty minimal update. It got a better processor—the A17 Pro from last year’s Pro iPhones—and Apple supposedly fixed a display refresh problem that previously caused what is known as jellyscrolling,