Apple iPad Mini 7 (2024) review: The ultimate mobile entertainment device

I was skeptical about switching from my usual iPad 10 to the iPad Mini 7, but after two weeks with the Mini I'm reluctant to go back to a larger display.

The iPad Mini is in a peculiar spot in Apple's iPad lineup. It's more expensive than the base iPad and less expensive than the iPad Air, but it has a smaller display than both. It's not ideal for power users like the iPad Pro and isn't trying to replace your laptop. So, what is it for?

That's what I asked myself as I tested out the new-and-improved version of Apple's tiny-but-mighty iPad Mini, which last received a refresh in 2021. The iPad Mini 7 surprised me in a few ways, including one strength I wasn't expecting.

After using the Mini as my main tablet for a couple of weeks, I know exactly who this tablet is for, and it truly shines in a few key ways that set it apart beyond its size.

iPad Mini 7: Specs (as reviewed)

iPad Mini 7: Price and configurations

The iPad Mini 7 is available in several configurations starting at $499. It comes in four colors: Blue, Purple, Starlight, and Space Gray. The base model includes 128GB of storage, but you can upgrade to 256GB ($599) or 512GB ($799). Those prices are for the wifi-only models, but all are also available with cellular connectivity for an additional $150.

Our review unit is the base wifi-only model with 128GB of storage in Space Gray.

iPad Mini 7: Design

The iPad Mini 7 has the same overall design as the iPad Mini 6 (2021). There are some tweaks, but they're minimal.

One major change to the refreshed iPad Mini is Apple Pencil support. It includes the new magnetic connector for the Apple Pencil Pro, which boasts a slew of new features like hovering and squeeze controls. The downside is that the iPad Mini 7 isn't compatible with the Apple Pencil 2nd generation (or the even older 1st generation model), so you may need to trade in your older Pencil for the Pencil Pro or the Pencil USB-C.

While Apple moved the front-facing camera on its other iPads, it's still on the top edge of the iPad Mini 7, meaning it's designed to be used in portrait mode. It's also worth noting that the iPad Mini 7 doesn't have a three-pin Smart Connector like the larger iPads, so if you want to connect a keyboard you'll need to go with a Bluetooth one like the Logitech Keys-to-Go 2.

The only thing I didn't like about the iPad Mini 7's design is the placement of the volume buttons on the top edge, across from the power button. I kept subconsciously reaching for the volume button on the left edge like on my larger iPad 10. However, the iPad Mini is so small that the volume buttons can't be on that edge or they get in the way of the Apple Pencil when it's magnetically attached. Still, reaching for the volume buttons along the shorter top edge of the Mini is a bit awkward.

The iPad Mini 7 has the exact same dimensions as the previous model, measuring 7.69 x 5.3 x 0.25 inches and weighing 0.65 pounds. To put that into context, here's how the larger iPads compare:

• iPad 10 (10.9-inch): 9.79 x 7.07 x 0.28 inches, 1.05 pounds
• iPad Air M3 (11-inch): 9.74 x 7.02 x 0.24 inches, 1.01 pounds
• iPad Pro M4 (12.9-inch): 11.09 x 8.48 x 0.2 inches, 1.28 pounds

iPad Mini 7: Battery life

The iPad Mini 7 is ultraportable, so great battery life is a must for maximizing its value. Luckily, it performed well in our tests, lasting 10 hours and 28 minutes. That's a bit shorter than the base iPad 10's battery life but almost an hour longer than the iPad Air M3 (11-inch).

On the iPad Mini 7, I went two or sometimes even three days between charges when using it for lightweight tasks like web browsing or reading ebooks. Of course, the battery drains faster during gaming, but not as fast as I expected. I could play an hour of Hades or Monument Valley 3 and only lose about 10% of the battery.

The iPad Mini 7 also recharges quickly. During our testing, 30 minutes of charging brought the Mini from 0 to 34% of its full battery capacity. That's more than the base iPad 10, iPad Air M3, or iPad Pro M4, likely because the Mini has a smaller battery than its larger siblings.

iPad Mini 7: Display

The 8.3-inch Liquid Retina display on the iPad Mini 7 looks and feels fantastic, with vibrant colors, good contrast, and excellent text readability. It has just the right amount of screen real estate to balance portability and functionality — larger than your phone but not as big as a laptop.

This display size was perfect for reading ebooks on the Kobo app. It's small enough to be much more comfortable to hold than a larger tablet while offering more features than an ereader. I never noticed any lag or stuttering while web browsing, streaming videos, or gaming.

The iPad Mini 7 performed well in our display tests, coming in just a few points behind the iPad Air M3 across the board. It gets fairly bright at 480 nits, which was plenty for me, and scored on par with the iPad Air M3 and iPad Pro M4 on our color gamut tests. So, while this display may be smaller, it's not cutting corners on quality compared to the larger iPads.

iPad Mini 7: Audio

The iPad Mini 7 has a quad speaker setup, with two landscape stereo speakers on each of its shorter edges. These speakers sounded great in my testing, especially during gaming, where they can deliver a surprisingly immersive audio experience.

For instance, the music and ocean sound effects in Dredge were rich and atmospheric on the iPad Mini 7. Similarly, the high-energy, punchy Hades soundtrack was crisp and detailed with an excellent balance of bass, mids, and highs.

The iPad Mini 7's stereo speakers are also great for watching movies and TV shows. I watched my weekly Survivor episode on the Mini and the background ambiance of Fiji sounded rich and immersive with clear dialogue from Jeff and the players.

iPad Mini 7: Performance

While the iPad Pro and iPad Air are often marketed as laptop replacements, the iPad Mini is designed more for entertainment and casual use. Even so, its A17 Pro processor is no slouch. The iPad Mini 7 had no problem keeping up with everything from web browsing to gaming to some doodling in Procreate with the Apple Pencil Pro.

Even if you have the iPad Mini 6, the new model is a major upgrade. The A17 Pro chip is two generations newer than the A15 chip in the 2021 model. It's especially important to note that the A17 Pro supports Apple Intelligence, which is only available on Apple Devices with the A17 Pro chip or above (or M-series chips in the case of the iPad Air, iPad Pro, and Macs). While Apple is facing delays rolling out some key Apple Intelligence features, it's still worth considering upgrading to the iPad Mini 7 if you're interested in AI.

The iPad Mini 7 performed fairly well in our benchmark tests, landing between the iPad Air M3 and the base iPad 10, which is also where it fits into the iPad line-up in terms of price. The Mini's performance scores aren't far behind the iPad Air in most categories, like web browsing and video editing. So, if you're between the two and want a smaller screen, the iPad Mini 7 may be the perfect fit without sacrificing too much in terms of performance.

iPad Mini 7: Gaming and graphics

Gaming was by far my favorite use for the iPad Mini 7. That surprised me because I've never been particularly interested in mobile gaming. However, it has gotten a lot better recently with more ports of PC games coming to mobile devices, like Hades and Dredge, a couple indie favorites of mine.

There are even some AAA games making their way to the App Store, like Assassin's Creed Mirage. Plus, cloud gaming allows you to stream more demanding PC games to your iPad as long as you have an internet connection.

Gaming on the iPad Mini is a surprisingly satisfying experience, especially with a mobile controller like the Razer Kishi Ultra. This controller is the perfect companion for the iPad Mini 7, with the snappiest, clickiest buttons I've ever used. It was a breeze to connect, too. You just plug it into the USB-C port on the iPad Mini, which also allows for passthrough charging. The Mini and the Kishi Ultra together are about the same size as a Steam Deck or Nintendo Switch.

The Mini boasted smooth, snappy game performance with the Kishi Ultra in all of the games I tried. In fact, Hades ran so well on the Mini that I found myself enjoying it more than playing the same game on my desktop. The controls were quick and responsive, and I noticed zero lag or screen tearing. The punchy soundtrack and crisp combat audio effects sounded fantastic, and the display rendered the vibrant graphics in rich color. Overall, it was a great gameplay experience.

Although the iPad Mini 7 is not marketed as a gaming device, it's such a joy to use with a controller like the Kishi Ultra that it could be a surprising competitor to handheld gaming PCs. It's much lighter than one and more approachable for people who are new to gaming or used to mobile gaming.

Of course, it can't natively run PC games, but if you want a versatile mobile device that can deliver a fun cloud or mobile gaming experience, the iPad Mini 7 is tough to beat.

iPad Mini 7: Camera

iPads aren't the most ergonomic devices for photography, but their cameras can come in handy for things like scanning documents to write on with the Apple Pencil or jumping into FaceTime calls. The basic front and back cameras on the iPad Mini 7 are more than powerful enough for those everyday tasks.

It has a 12MP Center Stage front-facing camera with 1080p video at up to 60 FPS. Notably, it's in portrait orientation, meaning the camera is on the "top" edge of the screen when you're holding the iPad vertically. The rear camera is a 12MP Wide lens that can record 4K video at up to 60 FPS.

My test photos and videos on the Mini looked sharp and clear with good color accuracy and solid audio. The quality is on par with the cameras on my iPhone 12 Mini.

iPad Mini 7: Software and warranty

Like most iPads, the iPad Mini 7 has a suite of standard Apple apps pre-installed like Safari, Notes, and Maps. It also includes Playground, which is Apple's new AI image generation app. You can generate images with text prompts or combine pre-made themes, costumes, accessories, and places. It's one of the early Apple Intelligence features to roll out, with more on the way over the coming months and years.

The iPad Mini 7 includes Apple's standard limited one-year warranty, which you can extend and expand with AppleCare Plus for $3.49 a month or $34.99 a year, giving you access to $29 repairs for screen damage or $99 for other accidental damage.

Bottom line

The iPad Mini 7 is a mobile entertainment powerhouse in a lightweight, ultraportable chassis. Its stellar display and fantastic audio make for an immersive experience watching movies or playing games, especially with a compatible controller like the Razer Kishi Ultra. While the iPad Pro and iPad Air aim to replace your laptop, the iPad Mini sticks to what tablets are best for: entertainment and relaxation.

If you're looking for a tablet for mobile gaming, reading, and streaming movies and shows, the iPad Mini 7 is the way to go. Its smaller display makes it much more comfortable for those tasks than the larger iPads without sacrificing performance.

However, if you want to use your tablet for word processing, video editing, or work-related tasks, you should get the iPad Air or iPad Pro, which have more robust keyboard compatibility. That said, the iPad Mini 7 is a nice work companion for replacing paper notebooks, especially with the new Apple Pencil Pro.

Overall, the iPad Mini 7 is an excellent tablet for mobile entertainment, especially gaming. It's the perfect choice for anyone who wants a tablet for play instead of work.