Apple iPad mini (A17 Pro)

Source

Marques Brownlee (MKBHD)

Key Takeaways

• Despite packing blazing A17 Pro silicon, Apple stubbornly kept the screen locked at 60Hz, lagging far behind ProMotion fluidity.
• The infamous 'jelly scrolling' phenomenon was only modestly mitigated; keen eyes can still detect faint wavy rolling on fast portrait scrolling.
• Front camera remains awkwardly locked on the portrait top rail, framing eyes off-center during horizontal video calls.
• Higher base price tag pushes the total cost dangerously close to a full MacBook Air once paired with Apple Pencil Pro.

✅ Pros

• A17 Pro brings console-grade ray tracing and full Apple Intelligence capability
• Upgraded support for Apple Pencil Pro barrel roll and haptic squeezes
• Upgraded 10Gbps USB-C port transfers large media files in seconds

❌ Cons

• Stubborn 60Hz refresh rate remains frustrating
• Jelly scrolling only mitigated, not cured
• Front camera still awkwardly stuck on portrait edge
• Steep overall cost once bundled with Apple Pencil Pro

📝 Verdict

"iPad mini A17 Pro is the ultimate digital pocketbook held back from perfection by a stubborn 60Hz screen."

Source

• Video: iPad Mini 7 (A17 Pro) 10 Months Later: Long Term Review
• Channel: TECH TITANS | Type: Long-term review (about 10 months) | Based on: YouTube transcript (fetched with youtube-transcript-api)

Key points

• He positions the iPad mini as the "ultimate portable companion device": for reading, handheld gaming and quick notes, not a laptop replacement; compared with the iPad Air, the mini is a companion while the Air is the competitor.
• Although the A17 Pro has a 5-core GPU, it's very smooth in practice; Geekbench 6 single-core 2916. It supports hardware ray tracing and can play console-class games such as Resident Evil and Death Stranding, getting slightly warm but without obvious throttling.
• Battery life: about 7–9 hours of screen time in mixed use, and about 4–5 hours of heavy gaming; after 10 months of use, battery health is still 100%, and it can sit on standby for a week.
• Downsides: in landscape video calls the front camera is on the side, so you appear to be looking away; Apple hasn't released an official keyboard for the mini, leaving only third-party Bluetooth keyboards.
• For new buyers it's "the best small tablet"; iPad mini 6 owners should only upgrade if they need gaming performance and Apple Intelligence, otherwise they can wait.

✅ Pros

• Extremely portable, great for reading and handheld gaming
• Strong, stable A17 Pro performance
• Battery health holds up well over long-term use
• Long standby time

❌ Cons

• The front camera isn't in the landscape position
• No official keyboard accessory
• A limited upgrade for iPad mini 6 owners

📝 Verdict

Perfect for the right person: if what you need is a small tablet for reading, entertainment and notes on the go, the iPad mini is the best choice right now.

Source

• Video: iPad Mini 7 Review: A MONTH LATER!
• Channel: Mary Bautista | Type: One-month review (Philippine market, 2024) | Based on: YouTube transcript (fetched with youtube-transcript-api)

Key points

• The design and packaging are nearly identical to the 2021 iPad mini 6; base storage rises to 128GB (the Philippine version includes a power adapter in the box).
• 293 grams for Wi-Fi and 297 grams for cellular, great for commuting and reading, easy to hold one-handed, and close to a Kindle in size; she sold her iPad Pro M4 and switched to the mini for its portability.
• The biggest disappointment is the screen: vertical scrolling still shows obvious jelly scrolling, it's still 60Hz, and it isn't OLED; the front camera isn't centered in landscape, though she doesn't mind much. Brightness is higher than the 9th-generation iPad and iPad Air 4.
• The A17 Pro has a 6-core CPU and 5-core GPU (the iPhone 15 Pro has a 6-core GPU); it can edit in Final Cut Pro and play games; she doesn't think it's worth upgrading just for Apple Intelligence.
• Battery life matches the official 10 hours of web browsing / video; a full USB-C charge takes about 1 hour 50 minutes. Conclusion: if you want a handy one-handed tablet for shows, reading and light editing, you won't regret it; but if screen quality matters most, weigh the price.

✅ Pros

• Excellent portability and one-handed grip
• A17 Pro performance is enough for video editing and gaming
• Battery life matches official figures
• Supports Apple Pencil Pro

❌ Cons

• Jelly scrolling in portrait remains
• 60Hz LCD, not OLED
• The front camera isn't in the landscape position

📝 Verdict

The best one-handed tablet: apart from lingering screen regrets, the iPad mini is well-rounded in portability, performance and accessory support.

Source

• Video: NEW iPad mini A17 Pro - DON'T BE FOOLED!
• Channel: GregsGadgets | Type: Post-announcement spec breakdown (not long-term testing, 2024) | Based on: YouTube transcript (fetched with youtube-transcript-api)

Key points

• His first reaction was that it's a lazy refresh, but a closer look at the specs reveals plenty of upgrades: the A17 Pro jumps two chip generations over the previous model and supports Apple Intelligence.
• Based on the A17 Pro's configuration in the iPhone 15 Pro, he infers 8GB of memory (4GB on the previous model), which he thinks has the biggest impact on smoothness in photo editing, video editing and multitasking.
• The look, thickness, weight, bezels, 8.3-inch screen specs and Touch ID are all the same as the previous model; a new blue replaces pink.
• Hidden upgrades: USB-C speed doubles to 10Gb/s, Wi-Fi 6E, Bluetooth 5.3; the cellular model drops the physical SIM slot in favor of eSIM; Apple Pencil Pro is supported.
• Base storage doubles to 128GB, and he suggests just buying the 128GB version; iPad mini 6 owners don't necessarily need to upgrade, but for those considering a mini, this is a good time.

✅ Pros

• A big chip upgrade with Apple Intelligence support
• Double the base storage
• Improved USB-C, Wi-Fi and Bluetooth specs
• Supports Apple Pencil Pro

❌ Cons

• Design and screen specs are completely unchanged
• The cellular model drops the physical SIM
• Little incentive for iPad mini 6 owners to upgrade

📝 Verdict

It looks like a minor update but is actually substantial: there's no new design, but upgrades to performance, storage and connectivity clearly increase the iPad mini's value.