The first reviews for the new iPad mini are out, and the general consensus is that it’s a relatively safe update that depends on Apple Intelligence to be worthwhile.
Apple’s update to the iPad mini introduces relatively few changes to the form. It is practically the definition of a spec-bump update, with the main change being the A17 Pro chip, while everything else remains static.
This is certainly a play to make it a device consumers could buy to use Apple Intelligence on a tablet. At least, without buying a Pro.
The initial wave of reviews have surfaced, and have certainly picked up on the idea that it’s an internals-focused update.
Wired
Wired picked up on how there are few reasons for a sixth-gen iPad mini owner to pick up the new model, with it still having a 60Hz display and the same front-facing camera position.
However, Apple Intelligence will “transform the experience, even if slightly.” The more interesting stuff, like ChatGPT integration in Siri, will come later.
“For newcomers or anyone with an older Mini, this is otherwise a great tiny tablet. With a modern chip that supports the latest software smarts and accessories, the iPad Mini has been future-proofed for the next few years.”
Engadget
The Engadget review declares the update as “safe” and “boring” from the outset. “What’s new here can be summed up quickly: more storage, support for the Apple Pencil Pro and, most crucially, a more powerful chip.”
While using the same aesthetics, there still “isn’t a lot to complain about when it comes to the iPad mini’s design.” The core of it is solid, and even webcam placement isn’t really that much of a bother.
For the A17 Pro, there’s discussion about the “weird bit of minor nerfing” when it comes to the GPU, but it’s doubted that anyone will truly notice it.
The update is a typical one “that focuses on software and internal hardware rather than a flashy redesign. But that’s OK.” It’s still a “solid performer” that is a great “little couch computing companion.”
The Verge
The iPad mini “represents a new low for the product,” The Verge starts out. “It feels like an iPad designed by a supply chain, not by someone who actually wants you to like the product. ”
Despite the strong opening, it’s still deemed “a perfectly good tablet, of course.” However the only reason to buy it is “because it’s the iPad Mini. It has little else going for it.”
When pushed, the new chip has its limits, but in everyday use, it “feels one beat faster than the last model.” However, it “still matters that the Mini is “relatively underpowered.”
The review concludes, damningly, “Apple Intelligence better be a hell of an upgrade because, without it, the new Mini isn’t much of an upgrade at all.”