While things look the same as before on the outside, inside it's a different story. One of the headline features of the 7th generation iPad mini is its powerful A17 Pro chip. This offers 30% faster CPU and 2x faster Neural Engine. And the performance boost can be felt across the device, from the UI to creative apps.

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.

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 today released a new version of iPadOS 18.0.1 that's designed specifically for the iPad mini 7 that will be available as of tomorrow.

The price for the Apple iPad mini 7 is the same as before, starting at $499 for the Wi-Fi version with 128GB of RAM, and $649 for the Wi-Fi + Cellular variant.

For Jordyn Zimmerman, the iPad mini is the best iPad.

Ahead of tomorrow's official launch, some journalists and media influencers have reviewed the upcoming iPad mini 7. Here's their review.

The 2024 iPad mini is a solid and necessary update to the best small tablet on the market. It still delivers the full iPad experience in a compact package.