I’ve all the time been keen on the iPad Mini, particularly since Apple launched the Mini 6 in 2021. For the primary time, it felt like a pill that might deal with every thing from content material creation to leisure with out weighing me down. I referred to it as my “desert island system,” and I really meant it.
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With the discharge of the iPad Mini 7, the system has change into much more highly effective, because of the A17 Professional chip and Apple’s new Intelligence system. Nevertheless, regardless of its 5G help, a stunning 8.3-inch Liquid Retina show, and a variety of apps, it nonetheless feels incomplete as a result of it could’t make native cellphone calls. In 2024, this seems like an enormous missed alternative.
The A17 Professional chip: Why not the A18 Professional?
The iPad Mini 7’s A17 Professional chip is kind of highly effective, providing a 30% enhance in CPU efficiency and a 25% improve in GPU efficiency in comparison with the Mini 6. Which means that apps run smoother, video games are extra immersive, and the system can deal with demanding AR experiences {and professional} apps like a professional.
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Nevertheless, Apple’s choice to make use of the A17 Professional chip within the iPad Mini 7 raises some questions. This chip was additionally utilized in final 12 months’s iPhone 15 Professional and Professional Max, whereas this 12 months’s iPhone 16 lineup options the A18 chip, which is 30% quicker and extra energy-efficient. Why not deliver the cutting-edge A18 chip to the iPad Mini 7? Maybe Apple had leftover A17 Professional chips from final 12 months’s iPhone 15 Professional manufacturing that wanted for use up.
The A18 chip is not nearly pace; its effectivity additionally helps lengthen battery life. Utilizing this chip within the iPad Mini 7 would have made it much more highly effective for individuals counting on it as their go-to system. By sticking with the A17 Professional, Apple hasn’t absolutely pushed the iPad Mini 7 to its potential, and that is a disappointment.
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Whereas it isn't a tool you'd usually maintain as much as your ear, it will be splendid to be used with AirPods or any Bluetooth headset - particularly the brand new AirPods 4 or AirPods Professional 2, which function improved noise cancellation. Speakerphone mode would even be helpful for hands-free use in non-public settings. Apple might simply allow cellphone performance with a software program replace, but they've chosen to not.
This omission feels particularly stunning when contemplating that rivals within the pill market typically permit their units to make calls through LTE. If the Mini 7 had this function, it might change into a real all-in-one system, permitting customers to exchange their iPhones doubtlessly. For college students, vacationers, and professionals, having a single system that handles every thing can be a game-changer.
Sadly, Apple hasn't provided the function right now.
Software program limitations
Past cellphone name performance, there are just a few different software program limitations that stop the iPad Mini 7 from reaching its full potential:
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FaceTime & iMessage: Whereas each are supported, they depend on your Apple ID, not a cellphone quantity, limiting their utility as replacements for conventional cellphone providers. You'll be able to, nevertheless, ahead incoming texts in your iPhone to your iPad so long as you're logged into the identical iCloud account.
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WhatsApp: Whereas WhatsApp for iPad is in beta (closed, sadly, on the time of writing), there's nonetheless no official native app, which frustrates customers who depend on the platform for communication.
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Instagram and X: Meta has nonetheless not delivered an official Instagram port for iPad in any case these years, and X's help for the iPad (and, nicely, the Mac) has been lackluster, leaving many to make use of the net model.
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Apple Watch Enrollment: You continue to can not enroll or handle an Apple Watch from the iPad Mini. This implies you want an iPhone to arrange and configure your Apple Watch, which feels unnecessarily restrictive for an in any other case succesful system.
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CarPlay: Regardless of the Mini 7's GPS and 5G capabilities, it lacks CarPlay help. Whereas you should utilize it for navigation, the absence of CarPlay limits its utility in automobiles.
{Hardware} limitations
When it comes to {hardware}, the iPad Mini 7 performs nicely, however there are just a few areas the place it nonetheless lags:
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MagSafe Charging: The Mini 7 sticks with USB-C for charging, which is quick however lacks the comfort of Apple's MagSafe system. Since MagSafe has been a staple of Apple's ecosystem, its absence right here is one other bummer.
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Single Digicam: The rear 12MP large digicam is strong (the identical one used on earlier era iPhones, the iPad Gen 10, and the iPad Air) however lacks the flexibility of the iPhone's dual-camera programs. That is extra of a limitation for artistic professionals who depend on the iPhone and iPad Professional for pictures or videography.
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No NFC for Apple Pay: You need to use Apple Pay for on-line purchases, however there's nonetheless no NFC help for in-store contactless funds, that means you will want to tug out a bodily card when making purchases.
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No Satellite tv for pc Texts: Apple hasn't indicated in its advertising if the iPad Mini 7 with 5G has the identical satellite tv for pc textual content help for emergency communications because the iPhone 14, iPhone 15, and iPhone 16.
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Potential "Jelly Display screen" Points: One concern that plagued the Mini 6 was the "jelly display screen," the place one facet of the display screen would refresh slower than the opposite. Apple hasn't explicitly addressed whether or not this has been mounted within the Mini 7, leaving some customers involved about show high quality. An OLED model of the Mini is reportedly underneath growth, however we can't see it till 2026.
Who is that this system for? College students, professionals, and older customers
The iPad Mini 7 is an extremely versatile system that caters to totally different audiences, however it excels in two explicit classes: college students and older customers.
For college students, the iPad Mini 7 gives portability, Apple Pencil Professional help, and all-day battery life, making it an excellent companion for note-taking, content material creation, and multitasking on the go. It is sufficiently small to slot in a backpack however highly effective sufficient to deal with academic apps, media modifying, and even gaming.
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Older customers will admire its light-weight design and bigger display screen in comparison with an iPhone. This makes searching the net, studying emails, and watching movies simpler with out straining eyes. Its intuitive interface and Apple Pencil Professional make it excellent for informal productiveness, journaling, or artistic hobbies.
Ultimate ideas: Shut, however not fairly excellent
The iPad Mini 7--> will get loads proper. It is moveable, highly effective, and filled with options like Apple Intelligence and Apple Pencil Professional help, making it an ideal system for college kids, professionals, and older customers. Its top-notch efficiency and 5G connectivity make it a robust contender for these needing a dependable, high-powered system.
Nevertheless, the dearth of cellphone name performance holds it again. If Apple enabled cellphone calls and addressed a number of the different limitations — like the lack to handle Apple Watches — the iPad Mini 7 might simply change into the all-in-one system it has the potential to be.
Till then, it stays an extremely succesful small pill however not fairly the right hybrid it may very well be.