I tried the iPad mini 7 and it’s the perfect (and cheapest) device for Apple Intelligence

AI for less

Opinion By John-Anthony Disotto published 6 November 2024

Apple’s recently released iPad mini 7 is the cheapest device in the company’s lineup that offers Apple Intelligence, the new suite of AI tools. Starting at $499, which is $100 less than the next cheapest Apple Intelligence-compatible Apple device, the brand-new M4 Mac mini or the M2 iPad Air, the iPad mini is more compelling than ever and it has piqued my interest.

As TechRadar’s Senior AI Writer and someone who’s either worked for Apple or written about Apple products for a combined decade, I felt a duty to give the new iPad mini a try and see if it’s the perfect entry point to Apple Intelligence, or if you’re better investing in Apple AI elsewhere.

After using the iPad mini for a few days, getting to grips with iPadOS 18 in a smaller form factor, and testing out everything Apple Intelligence offers in iPadOS 18.1, it’s fair to say that I’m impressed with the mighty, but mini, tablet. So, here are three reasons why I think the cheapest Apple Intelligence-compatible device might also be the perfect entry device for you to give AI a try.

The perfect size for Writing Tools

Writing Tools is the standout feature of Apple Intelligence’s first wave of features and while it works flawlessly on my iPhone 16 Pro Max, I’ve found that it’s far more useful on the slightly larger display of the iPad mini 7. Interestingly, I never used Writing Tools on my M2 iPad Pro, but I’ve found the iPad mini with the A17 Pro chip to be the perfect form factor for note-taking. Combine the iPad mini with the Apple Pencil Pro and Apple Intelligence Writing Tools and you’ve got the best portable note-taking device Apple has to offer.

I’ve found Writing Tools to be a great addition to Notes on my iPad mini 7, making it very easy to format text into easy-to-read summaries and bullet points. While Writing Tools is identical on this device to other Apple Intelligence-compatible products it really stands out in the mini’s perfect pocketable format.

It’s just as good as my $1000+ iPhone

One of the main reasons I wanted to try Apple Intelligence on the iPad mini 7 was to see how it would compete with my more expensive Apple products like the iPhone 16 Pro Max or my M3 Pro MacBook Pro. While I’ve only been testing the tablet for a few days, I’m happy to say that the speed difference between the products is almost imperceptible.

I decided to launch Clean Up in Photos to compare the speed difference between my $500 iPad mini 7 and my $1200 iPhone 16 Pro Max with Apple’s A18 Pro chip. To my surprise, both were able to easily remove subjects from the background of my test photo, and if I didn’t see both side by side I’d never have noticed the speed difference. Yes, my iPhone 16 Pro Max was slightly faster at all the Apple Intelligence features I tried, but it was a far closer contest than I expected and ultimately emphasized just how good a bang for your buck the new mini is.

Try Apple Intelligence for less

I touched upon this earlier, but I want to go into more detail about why the iPad mini being the cheapest Apple Intelligence-compatible product is such a big deal. Not only can you pick an iPad mini up for under $500 and get a fantastic Apple Intelligence-powered tablet experience but it’s the perfect trial to see whether or not you really need Apple Intelligence in your life.

Let me explain. Imagine you own a very capable iPhone 15 or iPhone 14 Pro and are a bit annoyed at the lack of Apple Intelligence on your smartphone. You have a few options: Either you upgrade your iPhone which can be costly and often difficult to do due to phone contracts and monthly payment plans, you could opt to wait a few years before getting an Apple Intelligence-compatible device, or you could buy an iPad mini to fill the gap and give you everything Apple Intelligence has to offer without completely breaking the bank. Obviously, $500 isn’t cheap but you could get an incredible tablet with all of Apple AI’s bells and whistles and use it as a test to see if you should upgrade your iPhone when the iPhone 17 comes around next year.

I never thought an iPad mini would fit into my workflow, especially considering the 6.9-inch display of my 16 Pro Max. After using this mini powerhouse for a few days, however, it has given me a new insight into what Apple Intelligence is capable of and also become one of my favorite Apple products to date. Not only is it the perfect device for Apple Intelligence, but it’s the cheapest too, and one I’d recommend to anyone looking to take a leap of faith on Apple AI.

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