While the iPad Mini had not had a new version for several years, Apple released a new generation for its small format tablet. We were able to test it before its release.
L’iPad Mini is often referred to as “the ugly duckling” among Apple’s tablets. It must be said that this small format is not suitable for many people since it does not come with the lowest price in the range. In the catalog of tablets Apple, the iPad Mini sits in the middle according to the following diagram: iPad, iPad Mini, iPad Air and iPad Pro.
Marketed from 609 euros, the iPad Mini is therefore smaller than the classic model, but also more expensive! The miniaturization of parts costs a few euros more to produce and this often slows down consumers in their purchase.
However, the iPad Mini (2024) presents excellent arguments that we were able to preview before its official release. Discover our official review of the iPad Mini (2024).
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A small format design, but with large borders
The design of the iPad Mini has radically evolved during its latest generation launched in 2021. The small tablet does not, however, have any evolution in terms of design with its new version of 2024 which includes an 8.3 Liquid Retina screen inches, an absence of a “home” button and flat aluminum edges. The latter are also very beautiful and allow a very good grip with one or two hands.
The only downside is the black borders at the front which still remain very prominent and spoil the immersion a little in our videos or games. Apple considers that these edges provide a better grip with the thumb placed on the sides of the screen, but we remain doubtful.
The sides of the iPad Mini are smooth except for the few buttons you might find. The iPad Mini is the only Apple tablet to still have the buttons all located on the top of the tablet where other iPads have their volume buttons on the side. A rather strange decision since it is easier to access the sides of the iPad Mini than on the upper edge when the device is held horizontally. The volume is therefore quite complicated to reach with one hand, but the power button remains well placed and still has Touch-ID to ensure the security of the iPad, in the absence of being able to use Face-ID.
On the back of the iPad Mini (2024) is the Apple logo as well as the camera housed in a single small corner. The latter is quite discreet but it still stands out from the device which makes it lean when used on a flat surface. For the purposes of this test, we therefore used a portfolio provided by the brand which allows for better use and better handling overall.
It’s not the size that makes the quality of the screen
The screen of the iPad Mini (2024) is therefore an 8.3-inch Liquid Retina panel and equipped with True Tone technology which brings out colors and hues more. Without too many surprises, this screen is very good. The colors displayed are rich and teeming with detail while the blacks are deep. Watching content on the iPad Mini (2024) is a real pleasure even if this screen is not perfect.
First of all in terms of brightness which can go up to 500 nits maximum. This is the value established on all iPads currently marketed with the exception of the Pro model capable of reaching up to 1000 nits. We would have greatly appreciated if Apple would make a little effort on this subject and allow higher brightness.
Another concern that frequently comes up when we talk about Apple devices: the refresh rate. The iPad Mini (2024) displays a rate of 60 Hz which is a fairly standard value in the industry. However, it is completely possible to find tablets in the same price range that offer a display with 90 or 120 Hz.
It’s also a shame that the screen of the iPad Mini (2024) is so poorly resistant to fingers. A few minutes of use and the tablet is covered in marks. We therefore recommend equipping yourself with a cloth (not necessarily Apple) or an Apple Pencil.
Significantly increased performance, but timid artificial intelligence
The main new features of this iPad Mini (2024) compared to the previous generation are power and storage.
The iPad Mini (2024) is equipped with an A17 Pro processor (while its predecessor had the A15 chip). This is the same chip that can be found at the heart of iPhone 15 Pro and 15 Pro Max and which is compatible with the firm’s AI coming in 2025 in Europe, Apple Intelligence.
An artificial intelligence that is unfortunately barely found in the iPad Mini (2024) like theiPhone 16. If AI functions such as summarizing audio recordings or rewriting text are still not available with iOS 18.0.0, it is still possible to take advantage of the new “mathematical notes” application that we can be found in the calculator and which is able to solve your operations and draw graphs of functions which can then be copied or shared through other documents. A dream come true for students!
On the power side, the iPad Mini (2024) is served thanks to the new A17 Pro chip. A bit of a shame that this tablet, designed for artificial intelligence, does not benefit from the processor found on the latest iPhone 16, but the latter was surely designed too late to be integrated into the iPad Mini (2024).
Regardless, the performance of the A17 Pro chip remains excellent. Quite graphic resource-intensive games like the latest “Zenless Zone Zero” or “Genshin Impact” run automatically with graphics set to “high”. By pushing these to the limit, it is entirely possible to play for long hours without experiencing particularly annoying heating or FPS losses which would taint the experience.
Photos of a quality… Correct
Although this is not the primary use of a tablet, the iPad Mini (2024) still has a lens for taking photographs. It is a single 12 Mpx sensor capable of taking rather good photos, but without making any particular sparks. The result is correct, but the whole thing clearly lacks detail and spice. We then often end up with shots that are quite flat and whose colors are quite dull, but which will suit a majority of users. The iPad Mini (2024)’s single sensor is also capable of zooming up to x5, but the quality soars.
In low light or at night, it’s even worse since the small sensor of the iPad Mini (2024) generally cannot capture enough light to guarantee good readability in your scenes. Also, don’t rely on any macro to photograph objects very closely.
Rock-solid connectivity
The iPad Mini (2024) benefits from the iPadOS operating system (version 18 at launch) and therefore all of Apple’s know-how in terms of connectivity. Pairing an AirPods Max headset, HomePod speaker or AirPods earbuds is super easy and will only take a few seconds. An ecosystem that has already proven itself in the past on multiple Apple devices and which continues to surprise.
One of the new features of this 2024 iPad Mini comes from its compatibility with Wi-Fi 6E and Bluetooth 5.3. This allows the tablet to benefit from the best network connections available on a variety of internet boxes, but also to improve the Bluetooth area to be able to connect to another device. This makes it easy to enjoy headphones or headphones while moving away from the iPad Mini. Nothing to complain about regarding the Bluetooth of the iPad Mini (2024) since we had no trouble pairing several devices to the tablet and we noticed no latency or loss of connection during our tests.
Correct autonomy for a recharge which will take its time
Apple announces a battery life of 10 hours for watching videos or browsing the web with the iPad Mini (2024). Data that we have not been able to verify but which is exactly the same as for the latest iPad Pro M4 or iPad Air M2 that we were able to test when they were released. The autonomy of the iPad Mini (2024) seemed to us to be effectively the same since we were able to use the latter alongside a latest generation iPad Pro for the same operations and the battery drained at the same speed.
On the charging side, the iPad Mini (2024) is… A little slow. Once our tablet was completely drained of battery, we plugged it in. Here are our measurements taken with a fast charger:
- 3:15 p.m.: 1%
- 3:25 p.m.: 10%
- 3:35 p.m.: 23%
- 3:45 p.m.: 34%
- 3:55 p.m.: 40%
- 4:05 p.m.: 58%
It therefore takes around 45 minutes to recharge half of the iPad Mini (2024) battery. To refuel, you will have to wait for more than an hour and a half.
Our conclusion to the iPad Mini (2024) test
The iPad Mini (2024) is undoubtedly an excellent product. If you like having a tablet with a small format, this is clearly one of the best tablets on the market. Its screen, its connectivity with the Apple environment and its very high performance make it a very good choice for those who want a small tablet that is similar to an e-reader in format.
What a shame, however, that this 2024 version of the iPad Mini is quite stingy with new features. We would have really appreciated if Apple had improved the charging of the tablet a little, but also the camera or the edges of the screen which are quite prominent.