iPad mini 7 vs iPad mini 6 in contrast: Specs, options, worth

The October launch of the seventh-generation iPad mini brings an finish to the lengthy await the replace. Arriving a prolonged three years after the sixth-generation iPad mini, the brand new mannequin has so much to stay for.

As standard, it is a compact pill, however one which’s additionally fairly highly effective, with three years price of updates to account for in its launch.

What follows is a comparability of the specs and options of the seventh-gen iPad mini towards the one it is changing, the iPad mini 6.

The iPad mini 6 is sort of a small pill in comparison with others within the Apple vary. At 7.69 inches lengthy and 5.3 inches huge, it has a footprint that is slightly larger than two iPhone 15 Professional Max items aspect by aspect.

At 0.25 inches thick, the iPad mini 6 is sort of skinny when put towards an iPhone, but it surely’s not fairly as skinny because the 0.20-inch M4 iPad Professional.

iPad mini 7 vs iPad mini 6: There’s not a lot externally totally different between the fashions.

With the brand new iPad mini being a spec-bump replace, there’s going to be minimal change on the skin. The scale and look are all similar to the earlier mannequin.

On the burden aspect, the iPad mini 6 is 0.65 kilos for the Wi-Fi-only model. When you add in mobile, it turns into a touch heavier 0.66 kilos.

Once more, there is no weight change right here for the iPad mini 7.

The 8.3-inch Liquid Retina Show of the iPad mini 6 is an LED-backlit LCD show. It isn’t the all-singing, all-dancing OLED tech that the iPad Professional makes use of, but it surely’s low cost and dependable sufficient for the worth.

It is also dependable sufficient for Apple to reuse it within the iPad mini 7.

Meaning you get the identical decision of two,266 by 1,488 pixels, whereas sustaining a pixel density of 326ppi.

iPad mini 7 vs iPad mini 6: You are getting the identical shows in each fashions.

The dearth of OLED means the iPad mini 6 and seven have a reasonably pedestrian brightness when in comparison with the higher-end iPad Professional of 500 nits at most. There isn’t any XDR brightness advantages right here in any respect.

Apple continues to make use of a fully-laminated show for the iPad mini 7 from the 6, which incorporates Broad coloration (P3) assist and True Tone.

Across the again of the iPad mini 6 is a single 12MP Broad digicam. It has an f/1.8 aperture, in addition to a 5x digital zoom, and a True Tone flash.

Unsurprisingly, the digicam on the iPad mini 7 is precisely the identical specification.

iPad mini 7 vs iPad mini 6: Identical digicam specs throughout the board

The sixth-gen iPad mini is able to 4K video recording at 60fps, in addition to 1080p 240fps Slo-mo, Cinematic video stabilization, steady autofocus, and time-lapse modes.

There isn’t any distinction in functionality right here within the iPad mini 7, besides in terms of HDR. There’s Good HDR 3 for pictures on the iPad mini 6, whereas the iPad mini 7 goes to Good HDR 4.

For the entrance digicam, the iPad mini 6 has a 12MP Extremely Broad sensor. It is positioned on the brief edge so it is in the course of the display screen when utilized in portrait orientation for calls.

The f/2.4 aperture digicam is able to 1080p 60fps video recording, full with Cinematic video stabilization and auto picture stabilization. When used for video calling, Middle Stage will mechanically reframe the image so the consumer’s in the course of the body.

It is precisely the identical in terms of the iPad mini 7’s digicam, albeit once more with the improve to Good HDR 4 for pictures from Good HDR 3.

Contained in the iPad mini 6 is the A15 Bionic, the identical used within the iPhone 13 Professional and Professional Max. It consists of a 6-core CPU with two efficiency cores and 4 effectivity cores, in addition to a 5-core GPU.

It additionally has a 16-core Neural Engine, which might carry out at as much as 15.8 trillion operations per second. For the time, this was spectacular to have, although that is definitely been eclipsed by newer chip releases.

For the iPad mini 7, Apple bumped the chip up by about two generations. Powering the pint-sized pill this time is the A17 Professional, the identical chip included within the iPhone 15 Professional and Professional Max.

Once more, it is obtained a 6-core CPU with two efficiency cores and 4 environment friendly cores, in addition to a 5-core GPU and a 16-core Neural Engine.

This time, Apple claims that there’s a 30% efficiency enhance in terms of the CPU, whereas the GPU is 25% higher than the A15 Bionic.

The GPU additionally advantages from hardware-accelerated ray tracing, which is roughly 4 occasions quicker than the software-based equal. There’s even assist for Dynamic Caching and hardware-accelerated mesh shading.

The principle key right here is the Neural Engine, which might handle as much as 35 trillion operations per second. That is greater than double the A15 Bionic’s functionality.

This higher Neural Engine is used for Apple Intelligence, the corporate’s generative AI push that it is bringing out on its M-series iPads and current-gen iPhone 16, in addition to the iPhone 15 Professional. The upper operations per second rely is essential for the varied options to work correctly.

With Apple’s intention to get Apple Intelligence on as many gadgets as attainable, there was no choice however for Apple to present the iPad mini 7 a chip able to operating all of it.

Whereas we will not instantly evaluate the 2 fashions by way of benchmarks but, we will evaluate the outcomes of different fashions utilizing the identical chip. Within the iPad mini’s case, that might be the iPhone 15 Professional Max.

A15 Bionic vs A17 Professional in Geekbench

The sixth-gen iPad mini’s A15 Bionic scores 2,120 in Geekbench’s single-core outcomes, and 5,370 for the multi-core rating. The A17 Professional within the iPhone 15 Professional Max manages 2,879 and seven,135 respectively.

For graphics, the iPad mini 6 manages 19,457 for Geekbench’s Metallic check. Within the iPhone, that determine goes as much as 27,065.

A15 Bionic vs A17 Professional Metallic leads to Geekbench

It’s apparent that when the iPad mini 7 ships, it will likely be a really highly effective pill. One that can definitely showcase the capabilities of Apple Intelligence.

On the wired aspect, the iPad mini 6 features a USB-C connection within the base. It is able to USB 3 connection speeds of as much as 5Gbps, in addition to charging and supporting DisplayPort connections.

For exterior video, the connection can assist a single 4K show at 30Hz.

On the iPad mini 7, the USB-C has been upgraded to run at as much as 10Gbps. As for the exterior show, the brand new mannequin may deal with one 4K display screen, however at a better 60Hz.

To wi-fi connectivity, and the iPad mini 6 has Wi-Fi 6 assist with 2×2 MIMO and simultaneous dual-band, in addition to Bluetooth 5.0. Within the iPad mini 7, that is now Wi-Fi 6E and Bluetooth 5.3.

iPad mini 7 vs iPad mini 6: Apple Pencil Professional arrives on the smallest pill

Mobile connectivity extends to 5G within the iPad mini 6, however solely within the sub-6GHz selection, not mmWave. There isn’t any change right here for the iPad mini 7.

SIM card assist within the iPad mini 6 prolonged to Nano-SIMs, however you could possibly additionally benefit from eSIMs as properly. Within the iPad mini 7, there is no choice to make use of a bodily SIM, solely eSIMs.

The iPad mini 6 has a built-in 19.3-watt-hour rechargeable lithium-polymer battery, which Apple claimed might deal with as much as 10 hours of internet browsing or video watching. For the mobile fashions, you could possibly additionally rise up to 9 hours of internet browsing over that connection.

That is no totally different for the iPad mini 7. It makes use of the identical 19.3-watt-hour battery and lasts for a similar 10 hours of internet looking or video watching on Wi-Fi, or 9 hours over mobile.

The iPad mini 6 was one of many final actual holdouts for Contact ID, with it included right into a aspect button as an alternative of shifting over to Face ID assist. The iPad mini 7 continues the custom, utilizing Contact ID and steering away from Face ID.

Audio is supplied on the iPad mini 6 by a pair of panorama stereo audio system. These are the identical on the iPad mini 7.

Twin microphones are used for calls and video recording duties on each fashions.

The iPad mini 6 with Wi-Fi value customers $499 for the 64GB capability at launch, $649 for the 256GB mannequin. Including 5G raised the costs to $649 and $799 respectively.

Mobile was an add-on that value $150, no matter capability.

There have been 4 colours accessible: Area Grey, Pink, Purple, and Starlight.

For the iPad mini 7, the bottom value of $499 stays, however with a better 128GB beginning capability. You possibly can improve to 256GB for $599, or to 512GB for $799.

Going to mobile nonetheless prices an additional $150 throughout all fashions.

On the subject of colours, the choice is tweaked barely. Pink is out for the iPad mini 7, in favor of Blue.

It is clear that the iPad mini 7 is a spec-bump replace somewhat than one thing fully new. To be truthful to Apple, what it provided within the iPad mini 6 was already a compelling package deal, and did not really want a lot altering.

Apple needed an iPad mini 7 with Apple Intelligence, and it completed that with minimal redesign work. It wanted a showpiece iPad that customers would need, that might additionally showcase the advantages of Apple Intelligence itself.

iPad mini 7 vs iPad mini 6: Apple Intelligence assist is the largest addition to the seventh-gen mannequin

This may’ve been pretty acceptable by itself, however then Apple determined to make different small adjustments as properly. Higher Wi-Fi you probably have the infrastructure, and higher Bluetooth you probably have the equipment.

Shifting to assist the Apple Pencil Professional was inevitable, too. Nevertheless, the USB-C being up to date to work at 10Gbps goes to be very useful for some customers who work with huge recordsdata.

This can be a spec-bump replace, but it surely’s one which Apple needed to do for Apple Intelligence. It is a refinement, however from an already fairly good start line.

These choosing up the iPad mini 7 may save considerably on the suitable Apple Pencil Professional, which is on sale for $89.99 at Amazon, a $40 worth drop off retail.

We have additionally rounded up the finest iPad offers throughout Apple’s total pill vary.