I picked up the latest iPad Mini—the one with the A17 Pro chip that came out in October (compensated affilate link) —during a Prime Day sale a few months after its release. It wasn’t something I was initially planning on buying, but I started flying lessons and needed a bigger screen for ForeFlight, the aviation app I’ve been using. Just about every pilot I’ve encountered uses the iPad Mini, and it made sense to follow suit when I saw it on sale.
In this video, I take a look at the new iPad Mini and see what it can do. I was surprised that it has performance and capabilities that rivals some of the pre-M1 iPad Pros.
The device looks very much like the previous iPad Mini, which came out four years ago. The bezels haven’t changed, and they definitely feel dated by today’s standards. That said, the internals are better—more powerful processor, more memory, and increased base storage. I went with the 128 GB Wi-Fi model, which is enough for my needs. The starting price is $499, but I paid $379 on sale. Apple also offers 256 and 512 GB versions, and you can opt for cellular connectivity if needed.
I did get some questions about why I went with the non GPS unit if I’m using it in a plane. The reason is that we use a device called a Foreflight Sentry that provides GPS and ADS-B data to the iPad. It’s a pretty neat device. During our preflight I connect the iPad to the sentry via Wi-Fi and it’s up and running.
Inside, the iPad Mini is powered by the A17 Pro chip—essentially the same as the one in the iPhone 15 Pro, minus a GPU core. While that technically means it’s slightly less powerful graphically, I didn’t notice much of a difference in real-world use. The screen is 8.3 inches with a 2266 by 1488 resolution. It’s not OLED, but the contrast and black levels are still quite good. It runs at 60 Hz, so if you’re used to 120 Hz displays, the difference in smoothness will be noticeable. I’m not too bothered by it personally.
The hardware is solid. It weighs about 293 grams and feels well built with a glass front and a metal back. I added a MagSafe ring (compensated affiliate link) to the back for easier mounting in my studio and in the cockpit. It won’t wirelessly charge that way, but I mostly use the ring for mounting, not charging.
There’s a single USB-C port at the bottom, and stereo speakers that intelligently shift left and right depending on the orientation. Audio quality is passable—good for conference calls but not ideal for music playback. For better audio, external headphones or speakers are recommended, but note there is no headphone jack. The iPad supports the 2nd generation Apple Pencil, as well as the new USB-C Pencil and the Pencil Pro.
On the back is a 12 MP camera with a 1.8 aperture. It shoots 4K at 60 fps and can do slow-motion at 1080p 240 fps. There’s no optical stabilization, just digital, but video looks good and still images are sharp with natural bokeh, though there’s no portrait mode. The front-facing camera is also 12 MP but limited to 1080p video and isn’t great in low light. It does though have a very wide field of view and supports Center Stage for video calls, tracking you as you move.
Performance is snappy. Web browsing, app launching, and multitasking all work well. Split screen functionality is available, though the screen size makes it a bit tight. It supports Wi-Fi 6E and performed well in speed tests on my network.
I was surprised to find that Final Cut Pro runs on this iPad. I tested it using Apple’s sample project, and it played back 4K HDR footage smoothly. It’s not the easiest device to edit on due to screen size, but it worked. The full USB-C port also makes it possible to connect external displays, keyboards, and other peripherals, which makes it more useful for tasks like presentations. I ran a Keynote presentation off it without issue in my video.
Gaming is another strong suit. I tested Fortnite which ran at a solid 60 fps. Benchmark results put its performance in the same league as the iPhone 15 Pro Max, and even comparable to a Windows handheld like the ASUS ROG Ally in some respects. That said, it does get warm under load and will throttle performance after sustained use. It’s worth noting that thermal throttling didn’t appear to impact my gaming session significantly but I did see performance losses with my benchmark tests.
Battery life varies by use. For web browsing and video playback, expect 8–10 hours. With more intensive applications like gaming, that drops to around 4 hours or less. It charges fairly quickly and, unlike iPhones, still includes a charger in the box.
I wasn’t planning to rejoin the iPad world, especially since my larger one doesn’t get much use, but this device feels right for what I need it to do. My wife has been using the prior Mini for a couple of years now and still loves it. For a smaller iPad, this one does a lot more than I expected. It’s not just about size—it’s also about capability.
