iPad mini (2024) review: should you go for the smallest (and cutest) iPad?

We had to wait three years for Apple to renew the cutest of its iPads. Like the Apple TV, the iPad mini is one of those Apple products that is unfairly underrated. Because on a daily basis, the iPad mini experience is undoubtedly the most pleasant, all brands combined (a daily user says this).

In 2024, the smallest iPad returns in a version apparently similar to the previous generation. Indeed, aesthetically, the iPad mini 2024 does not change one iota compared to the 2021 model. On the other hand, the integration of the new A17 Pro chip allows performance, autonomy and experience to be boosted. iPad mini software. In any case, this is what Apple promises in its discreet press release announcing this new generation.

To find out if she’s telling the truth, we tested the new iPad mini for a few days. If it remains as cute as ever, it suffers from a few flaws that some users may consider prohibitive in 2024.

So, should we be tempted by this iPad mini 2024?

Yes, for its still so cute and practical format

“Everything small is cute” goes the adage. The iPad mini is material proof of this. If Apple does not change its recipe, it retains everything that makes this very special product so special. Thin and light, it is made of recycled materials in order to meet Apple’s objectives in terms of carbon neutrality (established by its major Apple 2030 plan).

Still as pleasant to hold, The iPad mini embodies the best model for mobility. You can slip it into a backpack, a handbag, a bag or even a large coat pocket. On the other hand, we regret the integration of its 8.3” screen. Still very thick, the black borders give it an old-fashioned appearance which risks becoming a real stain in 2 or 3 years, when Apple should launch the next generation. Too bad, it would have been almost perfect.

Yes, for his crazy performances

If the design of the iPad mini does not change, its engine gains in power. It actually runs on the A17 Proa new chip “allowing access to new features, improving power consumption, and providing better performance in just about every aspect” explains Apple.

In a few figures, the A17 Pro is:

• a 6-core CPU 30% more efficient than that of the previous generation
• a 5-core GPU delivering 25% more performance. It also integrates optimizations for gaming such as Dynamic Caching and ray-tracing, introduced on the iPad Pro.
• a 16-core Neural Engine allowing the iPad mini to accommodate Apple Intelligence while maintaining all-day battery life

Concretely, this new chip alone justifies the adoption of the new generation. If Apple Intelligence is not yet available in Europe (we will come back to this), it allows the iPad mini to combine versatility and mobility. Everything we usually do with an iPad Pro or an iPad Air can also be done with the iPad mini, plus the compactness.

Thus, we were able to edit RAW photos on Lightroom, edit short videos or use creation applications full of AI. All operations are carried out without latency, even with very powerful artificial intelligence tools.

Apple itself has also developed impressive tools in its in-house applications. For example, in Notesyou just need to pose an operation or a mathematical problem to solve it. The computing power of the chip (CPU + NPU) allows you to obtain instant results. A math teacher’s nightmare.

Notes is also capable of recognize your writing and reproduce it, or even embellish it, to bring homogeneity to the notes. The iPad mini being the most recommended tablet for note-taking, these new features are welcome.

Thanks to optimizations for the game (notably the Game Mode), the iPad mini can also become a small portable console. The A17 Pro chip allows it to run the most demanding games, including AAA games added to the App Store recently (Assassin’s Creed Mirage, Resident Evil, Death Stranding Director’s Cut).

Finally, the A17 Pro allows the iPad mini to maintain good autonomydespite an obvious performance gain. During our 5 days of testing, we only had to recharge the beast twice. This is much better than the day of autonomy promised by Apple, but energy consumption strongly depends on usage.

The battery melted as soon as we increased the use of very demanding resources such as photo editing, video editing or gaming. On the other hand, fans of series and films will undoubtedly be happy to learn that energy management in video playback is impeccable. You can easily count around ten hours of viewing before exhaustion.

The only downside: charging (via USB-C) is still too slow. If this remains less problematic for a tablet than for a smartphone, we would still have liked a little effort, just to justify the high price.

Yes, for Apple Pencil Pro support

The iPad mini supports the Apple Pencil Pro, the most sophisticated stylus ever created by the brand. This may be a small thing for you, but for iPad mini users, it means a lot. Because This accessory is essential to fully exploit the potential of the iPad mini.

We will not dwell on the engineering feat that this compendium of technology represents: we have already covered it in a complete article. Just remember that The Apple Pencil Pro is undoubtedly the most advanced “stylus” that can be found on the market today.

If the benefits of technology are not particularly felt when taking notes, they transform the experience of drawing or photo editing. Thanks to the new haptic engine, use is more intuitive. A tap on the Pencil Pro allows, for example, to trigger the rotation movement. Thanks to the “Hover” function, you can even see the orientation of the tool used displayed on the screen. A joy for creatives.

If the Apple Pencil Pro seems oversized for your uses or out of budget, the Apple Pencil also works with the new iPad mini. In all cases, we strongly recommend equipping yourself with a Pencil to accompany the iPad mini, otherwise the experience would prove frustrating, not to mention disappointing.

No, for the absence of Apple Intelligence

The integration of the A17 Pro chip allows the iPad mini to accommodate Apple Intelligence… in the United States. AI made in Apple is in fact partially available for users with an American account. Europeans and Asians will have to wait several months before taking advantage of it, if Apple reaches an agreement with the authorities.

As with the latest iPhone 16, this absence gives rise to a feeling of frustration. The main novelty of Apple devices this year lies in the integration of this AI which promises “a new era” according to CEO Tim Cook.

For now, the iPad mini is ready, but we cannot take advantage of it. We will therefore have to make do with a few software optimizations brought by iPadOS 18 such as handwriting recognition, mathematical formulas or, finally, a calculator application that has been in demand for so many years.

No, for its LCD screen

If the absence of Apple Intelligence should find a positive outcome before the release of the next generation (we hope), The iPad mini’s screen is undoubtedly its biggest weak point.

As with the iPhone 16, Apple has decided to keep a Liquid Retina panel based on LCD technology. If this choice of screen remained acceptable three years ago, it is no longer acceptable today. The figures are stubborn: the brightness of 500 nits proves insufficient for a product intended to be used on the move (i.e. in direct sunlight) and the refresh rate of 60 Hz is unacceptable in 2024.

Apple fanboys will no doubt be ready to defend their favorite brand body and soul, arguing that 60 Hz is still sufficient. Let’s assume that this is the case in 2024, what will it be in 2026 or 2027? Unlike iPhones, iPad minis are renewed every three years. By then, even users consuming apple juice intravenously will feel frustrated.

They will be all the more so The iPad mini is presented as a device optimized for gaming. However, the software optimizations of the game mode and the integration of ray tracing are not enough to compensate for the frequency of 60 Hz, especially with AAA games available in the App Store. This inconsistency even borders on the absurd.

No, for its stratospheric price

Assuming that we forgive its two main weaknesses (no Apple Intelligence and no 120 Hz screen), the iPad mini suffers from a fatal flaw: its price much too high.

The iPad mini 2024 in WiFi/128 GB version is offered at 609 euros. An already excessive price considering the on-board technologies and the few improvements made compared to the old generation.

Above all, using this very special iPad almost necessarily involves accompanying it with an Apple Pencil. So add 89 euros for a classic model or 149 euros for the Pro model, for a total of 698 euros or 758 euros. Since it is so small and so cute, a protective case is not too much either: count on around fifty euros depending on the accessory maker chosen. The bill then reaches new heights.

The iPad mini is great in many ways, but its price makes it almost inaccessible to the general public. At 150 or 200 euros less, we would recommend it with our eyes closed. Damage.

Our opinion on the iPad mini 2024

Three years after the excellent iPad mini 6, Apple is renewing its smallest (and most practical) iPad without flashiness. The integration of the A17 Pro chip is the only notable new feature: it of course brings more power and endurance, but above all it allows the iPad mini to accommodate Apple Intelligence (still unavailable in Europe). Compatibility with the Apple Pencil Pro is also welcome.

But much more is needed to justify the 609 euros requested by Apple, excluding Apple Pencil, almost obligatory for the daily use of this very special iPad. For example, we would have liked faster charging or better screen integration. The screen, in fact, is undoubtedly the biggest disappointment of this generation.

By retaining the same technology as the previous version, Apple is shooting itself in the foot: by integrating a Pro Motion screen, the price would have been acceptable. But with an already outdated screen (imagine in 2/3 years, before the range is renewed), the iPad mini is sold 150 to 200 euros too expensive. It is therefore difficult to recommend it at the moment.