Apple’s iPad mini series has always been a favorite for users who want to experience Apple’s iPadOS but at an affordable price range. The iPad mini 6th generation was one of the top sellers, but after its launch in 2021, there was a big gap in the upgrades users were asking for. However, Apple has finally launched its new iPad Mini 7th generation and it promises iPad users a balance between portability and performance, bringing significant upgrades compared to the 2021 iPad Mini.

From the faster A17 Pro chip, to support for Apple Intelligence and a USB C port for charging, here are the five biggest upgrades in the new iPad mini compared to its 2021 counterpart.

Performance boost with A17 Pro chip

One of the most significant changes in the iPad mini 7 is the performance boost with the addition of the A17 Pro chip. The A17 Pro promises to deliver up to 30 percent faster performance than the A15 Bionic found in the 2021 iPad Mini. This chip not only offers performance upgrades but also brings advanced graphics capabilities with ray tracing, a feature previously only found in more premium Apple devices.

apple intelligence

Another notable upgrade is the iPad Mini 7’s support for Apple Intelligence through iPadOS 18. Although the iPad Mini 2021 will receive the iPadOS 18 update, the new generation iPad Mini will get Apple’s new AI-powered suite. The Apple Intelligence feature will allow new iPad mini users to experience features like notification summaries, cleaned-up photo-editing tools, and more.

better camera

The iPad Mini 7’s camera setup has also received a few upgrades, though, with both models equipped with a 12-megapixel wide rear camera. This advanced difference lies in the software enhancements, as the new iPad mini benefits from Smart HDR4 and machine learning-powered improvements. These upgrades will allow the iPad mini, launched in 2024, to deliver better performance in low light, sharper details and more vibrant colors, especially when taking photos or scanning documents.

On the front, the iPad mini 7 still has a 12-megapixel ultra-wide camera taking center stage, but again, Apple has improved the camera with machine learning upgrades. The camera software is also optimized for video calls, allowing the camera to be adjusted and kept centered in the frame during movement of the user.

Apple Pencil Pro with hover support

The iPad mini 7 is also compatible with Apple’s latest Apple Pencil Pro, which offers more advanced stylus features than the standard Apple Pencil (USB-C) support on the iPad mini 2021. With the Apple Pencil Pro, users will also get hover support, allowing the stylus to detect its position above the display.

extended storage

Apple has also expanded the storage options in the iPad Mini 7, offering a choice between 128GB, 256GB, and 512GB, compared to the more limited 64GB and 256GB options in the iPad Mini 2021.