Apple iPad mini (2024) review: A missed opportunity

Alex Choros - Managing Editor + Group Telco Editor

Last updated 06 December 2024

Apple iPad mini (2024)

Our verdict

The new iPad mini is an underwhelming upgrade. It's not a bad device by any means - it's still my favourite iPad form factor - but decisions like sticking with a 60Hz display and an A series chipset make the new iPad mini feel like a missed opportunity.

Starts from $799 RRP

What we like

128GB of storage in base model
Apple Pencil Pro is great
Still a great size

What could be improved

Dated display with a slow refresh rate
A series chipset rather than an M series
Old accessories won't work

See price on Amazon

The 2024 iPad mini is a functional but unexciting upgrade. There's a beefier processor, Apple Pencil Pro support, and double the storage in the base model. These are all good things, but as someone who thinks the iPad mini is the ideal-sized iPad, I would have loved to see it get a little more love.

For the most part, the latest iPad mini is pretty similar to the 2021 model. The design is identical - Apple hasn't cut down bezels or slimmed the build like with the latest iPad Pro. It's a functional design but one that looks a little dated in 2024.

My biggest pet peeve is that Apple has stuck with a 60Hz refresh rate. It might just be me, but I've become so used to 120Hz / ProMotion displays that I can really tell the difference when using the iPad mini. Movement and animations are noticeably jerky, which isn't what you want on a $799 tablet.

To be fair, this is an issue across Apple's portfolio. Standard iPhone 16 models still don't have ProMotion displays, even though every competing Android device in their price bracket does. And while I don't want to justify this, the lack of ProMotion is much more apparent on the iPad mini's larger screen compared to the iPhone 16.

It would have also been nice if the iPad mini had a little more grunt. The A17 Pro chipset isn't bad by any means, but the M1 chip from a few years ago could have delivered a little more versatility. This would have been especially helpful with Apple's recent AAA gaming push. While there are now several console-quality titles - like Death Stranding - that can run on the new iPad mini, the performance can be a bit mid.

Apple Pencil Pro support is a nice addition; I'm personally a big fan of the upgraded stylus. The most significant change is being able to squeeze the Pencil to trigger a shortcut and it's pretty handy. This will vary from app to app, but it can speed up workflows.

It's worth noting that the iPad mini doesn't support the original or second-generation Apple Pencil. If you've got one of these and want the new iPad mini, you'll need to upgrade your Apple Pencil too.

Otherwise, there's not too much more to say about the iPad mini. It's a small iPad! For me, iPads are better for consumption than productivity, so I like the more compact form factor. It's not trying to replace other devices; it complements them instead. It feels less silly putting a 14-inch laptop and an 8-inch iPad mini in your backpack than a 14-inch laptop and a 13-inch iPad.

iPad mini (2024) - Final Thoughts

I'm glad the iPad mini exists, but I wish it were more of an update. It's been about three years between new models, so I would have loved to see Apple do more than the bare minimum. The new iPad mini isn't bad by any means, but there's wasted potential here.

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Alex Choros

Managing Editor + Group Telco Editor | X | Instagram | Threads | LinkedIn

Alex Choros is the Managing Editor of WhistleOut Australia and an award-winning journalist. He's been writing about consumer technology for over a decade and is an expert on the Australian telco sector, to the point where he knows far too many phone and internet plans by heart. In addition to leading the WhistleOut editorial team, Alex is responsible for ruining the office Sonos with his troubled taste in music.

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