It's been just over a month since Apple released the iPad mini 7, refreshing its smallest tablet with a new Apple Intelligence-capable A17 Pro chip. MacRumors videographer Dan Barbera has been using the iPad mini 7 as a replacement for the iPad Pro for the last several weeks, and he has some thoughts to share on Apple's latest iPad.
For a travel companion alongside a MacBook Pro or a MacBook Air, the 8.3-inch iPad mini is the ideal size. It fits well into a bag, but in a pinch, it also tucks into a coat pocket. On a flight, it's a good size for content consumption like watching movies or TV shows, but it's a hard to get work done on such a small screen.
Apple doesn't make a small keyboard for the iPad mini, so unless you have a third-party accessory like a Bluetooth keyboard, typing needs to be done with the on-display keyboard. Adding a keyboard does help the situation, but you're still working with a smaller-sized display.
For playing games, using social media apps, checking email, and browsing the web, the iPad mini is perfect. The A17 Pro chip means that it's ideal for any mobile game you want to play, and even though the small screen might be a downside, it's powerful enough for Final Cut Pro. The A17 Pro supports Apple Intelligence, plus there's 8GB RAM, so you get all of the latest AI features. With support for the Apple Pencil Pro, note taking, drawing, and sketching are great on the iPad mini 7.
The iPad mini is essentially almost as powerful as Apple's other, larger iPads, and it is just as capable, so there's little compromise other than screen size when choosing it. It's a great travel companion and daily use tablet, but it might be frustrating if you need something to use to get work done.
