DT Tech | Apple iPad Mini (2024): The best small tablet gets an AI boost

CHENNAI: Apple Intelligence was the overarching theme during Apple’s big annual iPhone unveil in September this year. It’s build considerable hype around AI even as customers wait to experience Apple’s take on AI on their iPhones. The latest refresh of Apple’s diminutive iPad comes three years after the launch of the sixth edition Apple iPad mini that debuted along with the iPhone 13 series. The Apple iPad mini (2024) looks almost indistinguishable from its predecessor. The big change is under the hood and not surprisingly it’s all around the AI pitch of this tab.

The mini has remained our favourite iPad. While the iPad Pro models have beefed up their hardware over the years, they still have not been able to completely eliminate laptops or desktops from most workflows. The iPad mini has been a practical choice for users who lean on it for gaming or flipping through eBooks. The biggest challenge for the mini has come from foldable smartphones that almost offer the same screen size (in their unfolded form) in the eight-inch ballpark. Most of these foldables also offer higher resolution displays compared to the mini.

Apple has stuck to the same 8.3-inch Liquid Retina display as the 2021 mini. Just like its predecessor this one comes with a 60Hz refresh rate that is not in the same league as the more formidable foldable smartphone displays. One of our favourite features of the mini is its compact size and heft. This one also weighs under 300 gm and can slip into clutch purses and slim backpacks without a fuss. The talking point of the new mini is the all-new and improved chipset. It’s powered by the A17 Pro chip and Apple Intelligence. Apple claims that it’s 2x faster Neural Engine than the previous generation iPad mini. The A17 Pro chip gives it a faster CPU and GPU but most importantly brings it ‘up to speed’ for Apple Intelligence.

If tablet cameras are your thing, the mini comes with a 12MP rear camera that supports Smart HDR 4 for sharp images with increased dynamic range. Aside from the processor update, the mini also offers support for Apple Pencil Pro, allowing you to get more productive and creative with this compact tab. The iPad mini is certainly not a radical overhaul but it makes the most popular small tablet a more formidable gadget with new hardware and it’s AI-ready appeal (Rs 49,900 onwards)