Apple iPad Mini Gets A Powerful A17 Pro Upgrade For Apple Intelligence

Apple today unveiled its latest-generation iPad mini tablet, which is powered by the company's custom A17 Pro silicon. The burlier processor is key to Apple's claim that it's newest iPad mini is "built for Apple Intelligence," though it comes with a caveat—as with the recently launched iPhone 16 lineup (and the previous generation iPhone 15), key Apple Intelligence features will not be available until iOS 18.1 rolls out.

That quibble aside, the iPad mini gets its first real refresh in several years. And while Apple didn't see fit to include its M-series silicon into the newest model, the A17 Pro is a powerful chip—it features a 6-core CPU comprised of a pair of performance cores and four efficiency cores, which Apple says results in a 30% boost in CPU performance, and a 5-core GPU that purportedly improves graphics performance by 25% over the previous generation.

Other notable bits related to the silicon include a 16-core Neural Engine that Apple says up to twice as fast as the previous generation, and GPU support for features like hardware-based ray tracing. Notably, the A17 Pro is the same chip that powered Apple's last-generation iPhone 15 Pro.

As for the display, Apple is taking the approach that if it isn't broken, don't fix it. Or put another way, the newest iPad mini retains the same 8.3-inch screen with the same 2266x1488 resolution (326 ppi). Sadly, the refresh rate is also the same at just 60Hz.

For camera chores, the iPad mini comes equipped with a 12-megapixel ultra-wide lens on the front and a 12-megapixel shooter on the rear with Smart HDR 4 support. Apple says the rear camera can tap into the 16-core Neural Engine to use AI (artificial intelligence) to identify documents in the camera app, as well as leverage a new True Tone flash to remove shadows from documents.

The other thing Apple is chest-thumping is support for its Pencil Pro stylus to unlock "magical capabilities and powerful interactions."

"There is no other device in the world like iPad mini, beloved for its combination of powerful performance and versatility in our most ultraportable design. iPad mini appeals to a wide range of users and has been built for Apple Intelligence, delivering intelligent new features that are powerful, personal, and private," said Bob Borchers, Apple’s vice president of Worldwide Product Marketing. "With the powerful A17 Pro chip, faster connectivity, and support for Apple Pencil Pro, the new iPad mini delivers the full iPad experience in our most portable design at an incredible value."

The new iPad mini starts at $499 and goes up from there, depending on your storage and connectivity needs.

• iPad mini (128GB, Wi-Fi): $499
• iPad mini (128GB, Wi-Fi + Cellular): $649
• iPad mini (256GB, Wi-Fi): $599
• iPad mini (256GB, Wi-Fi + Cellular): $749
• iPad mini (512GB, Wi-Fi): $799
• iPad mini (512GB, Wi-Fi + Cellular): $749

You can preorder the iPad mini now in four colors (space gray, blue, purple, and starlight); it releases on October 23, 2024.