Apple today introduced the new 7th generation iPad Mini, refreshing the tablet with the A17 Pro chip, (the same chip that powers the iPhone 15 Pro) as well as faster USB-C data transfer, Wi-Fi 6E support, support for the Apple Pencil Pro, and an upgraded camera.
With the A17 Pro chip, the new iPad Mini features a 30% increase in CPU performance, a 25% increase in GPU performance, and a 2X faster neural engine in comparison to the previous generation iPad Mini with A15 Bionic, according to Apple's press release. The upgraded chip also means that the new iPad Mini will support Apple Intelligence, Apple's suite of AI tools coming to iPadOS and other Apple platforms later this month.
Besides the upgraded chip, the new iPad Mini features an upgraded 12 MP wide camera with smart HDR 4 support, USB-C transfer speeds of up to 10 GBPS, Wi-Fi 6E support, and support for the Apple Pencil Pro. The device retains its 8.3 inch display, but increases the base storage to 128 GB, double the base storage for the previous generation.
The new iPad Mini can be preordered from Apple starting today for a starting price of US $499, and will start shipping on October 23. In addition to the previous color options of Midnight and Space Gray, the new iPad Mini is also available in Blue and Purple.