iPad mini iPad mini 7 doubled the RAM and storage and kept the price the same?

[Homme]

You can't defend Apple releasing iPads with 32GB and 64GB of storage in 2021 up until now.

They have gimped RAM/storage on all their base devices for what it seems like, forever.

So of course, this Mini 7 seems like a good upgrade to people like you.

I myself, traded in an iPad 7 towards an iPad Air 11 M2 base 128GB Wifi model upon release. But I only pulled the trigger because of the Education Store pricing + included Back-to-School gift card.

I can defend them…. But only for
the budget iPad because back then ( and maybe now) 64GB is worth it ( especially on the 9th gen iPad for that form factor) but I agree Mini 6 and Air 5 should of have 128GB as base

if even iPad 11 gets 128GB as base who knows if Apple will give it 512GB Like the Mini 7.

8GB RAM for iPhones and iPads is definitely peak RAM

 

[Abazigal]

Maybe if Apple actually made a device without the crap specs and fully updated it, people would buy it? It might also force Apple to actually do some innovation to come up with something new rather than relying on an outdated spec bump. It’s no wonder it’s not selling. It’s not a compelling product.

And I have the mini 6….

A pro “iPad mini” probably wouldn’t sell enough units to justify releasing one in the first place.

It’s the iPhone mini argument all over again. Not saying there aren’t people who genuinely want one, but they are likely a niche market.

 

[geta]

Curious, what RAM ceiling are you hitting? App relaunches are usually the candle people hold, but I find it nonsensical as Apple is efficient with RAM on these devices. Why use active memory for an app that is simply idle?

Editing 4k video and batch processing 100s of photos in Lightroom, I have yet to have an app crash, or any memory related errors.

Do wish there were more storage options on these though!

When you have a lot of pages open in Safari, 30+ in my case, you hit the Mini 6 4GB RAM ceiling.

 

[840quadra]

When you have a lot of pages open in Safari, 30+ in my case, you hit the Mini 6 4GB RAM ceiling.

To be fair, I wouldn't even expect MacOS to handle that, let alone an iPad mini. But each of us have our own use case I guess.

 

[rui no onna]

To be fair, I wouldn't even expect MacOS to handle that, let alone an iPad mini. But each of us have our own use case I guess.

I regularly had ~5 Firefox windows with 10+ tabs each open on Windows XP. Got slow when hitting the pagefile but no reloads.

 

[840quadra]

I'm not having any problems but I see others complaining about web pages/forums cleared when they multitask momentarily to another app. There's also wanting to future proof.

The future proof makes sense and I agree. The form clearing is definitely an issue, though I don't think it is always caused by a low memory situation.

Unrelated to the Mini, I had a form I was working on in Safari (iPhone 16 Pro) do the same thing with only 1 tab open, and switching to the Notes app, then Outlook before going back to fill the final information in. The form was wiped out when I returned to enter the information I just gathered. I highly doubt I ran out of RAM with the few apps I had open at the time.

Another factor that people forget is that Active RAM requires voltage. Strict battery management could also be a factor as it costs less battery to push an app state to flash, as opposed to keeping it active the entire time the device is doing something else.

I regularly had ~5 Firefox windows with 10+ tabs each open on Windows XP. Got slow when hitting the pagefile but no reloads.

Different era, different OS, different browsers, different processors, different type of device. Was HTML5 even a thing back then?

Many also forget that some pages are designed to reload data (sometimes ads trigger this), especially if it is a page with active elements (say monitoring scores of active games, stocks, weather, etc). There are also many poorly, poorly crafted webpages out on the web these days (and in the past)

I have no doubts that iOS reloads due to low memory, but people need to remember there are other factors at play that could be causing such behavior that generally gets labeled as running out of memory, as opposed to the devices attempt to save battery, or having (often) overly aggressive mem management.

 

[subjonas]

The future proof makes sense and I agree. The form clearing is definitely an issue, though I don't think it is always caused by a low memory situation.

Unrelated to the Mini, I had a form I was working on in Safari (iPhone 16 Pro) do the same thing with only 1 tab open, and switching to the Notes app, then Outlook before going back to fill the final information in. The form was wiped out when I returned to enter the information I just gathered. I highly doubt I ran out of RAM with the few apps I had open at the time.

Another factor that people forget is that Active RAM requires voltage. Strict battery management could also be a factor as it costs less battery to push an app state to flash, as opposed to keeping it active the entire time the device is doing something else.


Different era, different OS, different browsers, different processors, different type of device. Was HTML5 even a thing back then?

Many also forget that some pages are designed to reload data (sometimes ads trigger this), especially if it is a page with active elements (say monitoring scores of active games, stocks, weather, etc). There are also many poorly, poorly crafted webpages out on the web these days (and in the past)

I have no doubts that iOS reloads due to low memory, but people need to remember there are other factors at play that could be causing such behavior that generally gets labeled as running out of memory, as opposed to the devices attempt to save battery, or having (often) overly aggressive mem management.

Yeah reloads are definitely not always due to lack of RAM. For the longest time, the Gmail app would always clear search results and return to inbox whenever I'd switch out of the app even for just a second. I remember one or two other apps would behave similarly, but can't remember which. They must have all been resolved now because I don't remember them, or I stopped using the apps--but it was super frustrating at the time. These days, I don't have a big problem with reloads on my iPhone or iPad. The only times it's annoying is when I come back to a Safari tab after a couple days to continue watching a Youtube video but it has reloaded. Of course it reloads after a couple days, but still annoying to try to remember where I left off. Actually, if Safari had a function where it could resume where I was in the video, I wouldn't care if it reloaded after 10 minutes.

 

[rui no onna]

Different era, different OS, different browsers, different processors, different type of device. Was HTML5 even a thing back then?

Many also forget that some pages are designed to reload data (sometimes ads trigger this), especially if it is a page with active elements (say monitoring scores of active games, stocks, weather, etc). There are also many poorly, poorly crafted webpages out on the web these days (and in the past)

I have no doubts that iOS reloads due to low memory, but people need to remember there are other factors at play that could be causing such behavior that generally gets labeled as running out of memory, as opposed to the devices attempt to save battery, or having (often) overly aggressive mem management.

Sure, things were different back then but it’s partly down to OS design (pagefile/swap).

Mind, I have several iPads:

• Pro 12.9” M1/16GB
• Pro 11” M1/16GB
• Air 5 M1/8GB (for iOS beta)
• mini 6 A15/4GB

I seldom get unwanted app and tab reloads on my 8GB+ RAM iPads (actually never as far as I recall). Meanwhile, reloads are a constant on the Mini 6.

Alas, I love the size of the Mini so despite my memory management gripes, it’s still the device I use the most. I just adjust my behavior/usage to account for the reloads (e.g. using my phone to look up info instead of opening a new tab on the mini, etc.)

 

[rui no onna]

Yeah reloads are definitely not always due to lack of RAM. For the longest time, the Gmail app would always clear search results and return to inbox whenever I'd switch out of the app even for just a second. I remember one or two other apps would behave similarly, but can't remember which. They must have all been resolved now because I don't remember them, or I stopped using the apps--but it was super frustrating at the time.

The default Mail app does the same thing. Afaik, it still does it with the normal split view mode but on Stage Manager, it keeps the last state it was on.

I’ve noticed Stage Manager is heavier on RAM than the normal multitasking mode though.

These days, I don't have a big problem with reloads on my iPhone or iPad. The only times it's annoying is when I come back to a Safari tab after a couple days to continue watching a Youtube video but it has reloaded. Of course it reloads after a couple days, but still annoying to try to remember where I left off. Actually, if Safari had a function where it could resume where I was in the video, I wouldn't care if it reloaded after 10 minutes.

I don’t mind reloading after 1+ day (or even 1+ hour). I’m always logged in to Google anyway so I can easily resume YT videos.

It’s when I switch apps/tabs within like 5 minutes and one of them has reloaded that frustrates me.

 

[Greenmeenie]

I dunno why anyone expected this to be a bigger update. The ipad mini has always been the forgotten stepchild of the ipad family. Except for the major redesign 3 yrs ago, ipad mini updates have always been small even when the updates happen 2 or 3 yrs apart. I knew an OLED ipad mini wasnt gonna happen until 2026 or later, but i do wish the mini got a 120hz pro motion display & face ID. Come on Apple, it’s 2024! No device should still have a 60hz refresh rate. Having said that, i will be upgrading my ipad mini 5 to the mini 7. As an artist, my main content creation & media consumption device is an ipad pro. But i love the ipad mini for when i really want to travel light. It’s the perfect small digital sketchbook when on the go and an indispensable part of my creative workflow. On the bright side, It did get a faster chip, faster usbc & faster wifi. It also got Apple pencil Pro support & larger internal storage. So it’ll still be a major upgrade for me. I plan to get the 512 gig wifi/cellular model in blue. Will Apple ever release an ipad mini pro with an oled screen? Will Apple discontinue the ipad mini? Or will the ipad mini morph into a foldable device? I have no idea. 🤷‍♂️ I can’t wait that long to find out. I need to upgrade now. Do i wish this update was bigger? Sure. But it’ll still be a big update for me, and I know that i’ll get a lot of creative use out of it for the next 3 years at least, so it’s worth it to me.

 

[ericwn]

And zero effort to complain about it on a forum.

Kinda what forums are for, exchange thoughts for those interested to read them. And yes, criticism of lackluster updates are what enthusiasts discuss.

 

[840quadra]

Sure, things were different back then but it’s partly down to OS design (pagefile/swap).

Mind, I have several iPads:

• Pro 12.9” M1/16GB
• Pro 11” M1/16GB
• Air 5 M1/8GB (for iOS beta)
• mini 6 A15/4GB

I seldom get unwanted app and tab reloads on my 8GB+ RAM iPads (actually never as far as I recall). Meanwhile, reloads are a constant on the Mini 6.

Alas, I love the size of the Mini so despite my memory management gripes, it’s still the device I use the most. I just adjust my behavior/usage to account for the reloads (e.g. using my phone to look up info instead of opening a new tab on the mini, etc.)

I do see reloads, even on my new M4 Pro, not likely due to RAM, but for reasons I previously outlined above.

I know RAM is a huge factor in that behavior on devices with 4GB or less (especially for people who have 20+ tabs loaded). All I am trying to relay is the fact that there often are other factors at play when it occurs and people shouldn't always assume a reload is due to having run out of RAM.


Jury is out if I will swap over to the Mini 7, I still find the 6 to be a reasonably good iPad and a device I still highly enjoy using.

 

[turbineseaplane]

You have to hand it to Apple.

They have successfully conditioned their customers to expect the bare minimum base specs, slow updates and old screen technology …and be very happy about it!

 

[Abazigal]

You have to hand it to Apple.

They have successfully conditioned their customers to expect the bare minimum base specs, slow updates and old screen technology …and be very happy about it!

Things are packages. You are welcome to go get an android tablet that promises better specs at a lower price (assuming one exists), and still be unhappy at the lack of integration, the lack of apps in the App Store, the lack of updates....

I remember arguing a similar case about a decade ago when Google released their Nexus 7 tablet. Fast forward to today. Guess which is still around and which isn't?

 

[scrapesleon]

the iPad mini is not a budget iPad never was apple is being cheap giving the device small updates with that said now I have to spend more money and get an iPad Pro when all I wanted was a small factor device

 

[Starfia]

Hoping some people think it is more Pro than it is?

I was thinking the opposite, actually: not even framing it as a subsequent generation.

 

[rui no onna]

the iPad mini is not a budget iPad never was apple is being cheap giving the device small updates with that said now I have to spend more money and get an iPad Pro when all I wanted was a small factor device

It kinda was before 2017. Iirc, the cheapest iPad mini had MSRP of less than $300 at one point.

I guess the iPad mini sales numbers weren’t to Apple’s liking since they eventually ditched the mini as the cheap iPad and cobbled together an OG Air with updated chipset+RAM and sold that for $329 (iPad 5th gen).

 

[rui no onna]

I do see reloads, even on my new M4 Pro, not likely due to RAM, but for reasons I previously outlined above.

I know RAM is a huge factor in that behavior on devices with 4GB or less (especially for people who have 20+ tabs loaded). All I am trying to relay is the fact that there often are other factors at play when it occurs and people shouldn't always assume a reload is due to having run out of RAM.

Sure, there are other reasons for reloads but comparing behavior for my 4GB and 8GB+ iPads, it’s safe to assume RAM plays a huge part in terms of my usage. Maybe the swap is helping, too. Sometimes I’d have tabs on the M1 in the same state I left it a week or month ago.

Jury is out if I will swap over to the Mini 7, I still find the 6 to be a reasonably good iPad and a device I still highly enjoy using.

While I’m disappointed by the lack of a physical SIM slot, I expect I’ll still be upgrading to the 512GB cellular Mini 7. I’m waiting for discounts though.

Annoying as the reloads are, I can still tolerate them for now. It helps that the A15 is still a pretty fast chip. I occasionally use family members’ iPad 5th (A9/2GB) and 6th gen (A10/2GB) when helping them with something and those can get frustratingly slow.

 

[subjonas]

The default Mail app does the same thing. Afaik, it still does it with the normal split view mode but on Stage Manager, it keeps the last state it was on.

I’ve noticed Stage Manager is heavier on RAM than the normal multitasking mode though.




I don’t mind reloading after 1+ day (or even 1+ hour). I’m always logged in to Google anyway so I can easily resume YT videos.

It’s when I switch apps/tabs within like 5 minutes and one of them has reloaded that frustrates me.

That’s interesting the Mail app does that too. Do you know if it’s by design then (Apple’s and/or Google’s)?

I never log in to sites when it’s at all possible 😆, many times to my inconvenience.

 

[subjonas]

You have to hand it to Apple.

They have successfully conditioned their customers to expect the bare minimum base specs, slow updates and old screen technology …and be very happy about it!

Way to come up with a scenario in your head that belittles everyone who disagrees with you and therefore excuses you from having to find actual convincing arguments to back up your stance. Excellent delusion.

When you come back to reality maybe you’ll realize that your belief is actually just a subjective opinion like everyone else’s.

 

[ApplesAreSweet&Sour]

You have to hand it to Apple.

They have successfully conditioned their customers to expect the bare minimum base specs, slow updates and old screen technology …and be very happy about it!

I'd say I agree to some extent. And I'd say it's a mix of some positives and negatives:

In the context of previous iPads mini, this is a pretty good upgrade. 128GB storage and 8GB RAM is, in 2024, still the sweet spot that will both be good enough for the average user and the ones that might want to do more demanding things (if the app devs even have scaled versions of their Pro apps for the mini. I don't actually know).

But considering all the specs of mini 7 in comparison to iPads Pro M4, M2 Airs, or the last few years of iPads Pro, and how long it took to escape the way too little 64GB storage + 3GB-4GB RAM, iPad mini 7 is not an impressive product.

I also don't get the whole "it's just a spec bump. why expect so much?" argument -It's Apple's decision when to overhaul and when to spec bump. It's their decision to not make the mini 7 more impressive, their decision to limit OLED to the Pros, their decision to rarely do big upgrades for mini.

I don't care what modifiers and apologies you can come up with -It's still largely the exact same mini as the 6th Gen. Mostly just internal upgrades.

I'm not unimpressed just to be cross. I just know how to add up the value of the product and not get misled by all the vague "smaller form-factor is superior and worth it" nonsense that so many in here repeat ad nauseam.

fact: a much smaller display, chassis, speakers, etc. means less expenses for Apple. Apple is spending even less making minis than Airs but still selling them for about the same price. mini is much smaller than Air, gets a much less capable SoC, and should therefore sell for a lot less! 128GB/8GB doesn't make up for that.

Guys, this is an 8.3" LCD display on a $499 device in 2024. While Apple is also selling a 11" M2 iPad Air for $599 right next to it.

Even with 128GB internal storage and 8GB RAM, the mini 7 should sell for $299-$399.

 

[Homme]

It kinda was before 2017. Iirc, the cheapest iPad mini had MSRP of less than $300 at one point.

I guess the iPad mini sales numbers weren’t to Apple’s liking since they eventually ditched the mini as the cheap iPad and cobbled together an OG Air with updated chipset+RAM and sold that for $329 (iPad 5th gen).

The Mini 4 was the turning port when the Mini became premium because it is the baby version of the Air 2 ( laminated display, anti reflective coating) not to mention the 2GB of RAM ( in which that was the first turning point of peak iOS/iPadOS nowadays it’s 8GB Of RAM because of AI) it had which Indirectly is a part of because the other 3 iPad Minis didn’t have the display tech/sRGB not to mention the iPad Mini 2 and 3’s retina screen not being 100% perfect which the Mini 4 fixed and all together made its screen so premium

 

[shadowboi]

I mean, this is a troll post right?😄

If they dare to up the price, who will buy this? Probably someone really desperate. Since iPad is literally a media consumption device, or maybe a musical instrument for some people out there, there is not much incentive to replace even old models. Those rarely give up. Few reasons to replace are poor battery and slow speed. They upped the RAM but gave it crappy processor which will make it more obsolete faster than any iPad Air. Back in the days “mini” wasn’t considered as “cheapo” or “budget” option but just as a device for those with smaller hands. I think the only reason they kept it this low is that they don’t wanna destroy Pro Max iPhone sales.

Processor is much more important than RAM when it comes to real life use

 

[subjonas]

I just know how to add up the value of the product and not get misled by all the vague "smaller form-factor is superior and worth it" nonsense that so many in here repeat ad nauseam.

Again, people who value things differently than you are "misled", while you are the one who sees clearly. Some of you people have crazy egos and reality distortion. Learn this: value is complex and extremely subjective, and you are not smarter than everyone else.

 

[Yourbigpalal83]

Heres whats LIKELY going to happen....one of 3 things...

1: They totally cancel the iPad Mini line... with this spec bump, i doubt its going to be a home run, and beyond a christmas rush, i doubt it sells out constantly but then again when has an iPad been sold out or hard to come by since launch? (epically at current prices). Its likely this might be the last mini. Time will tell.

2: In 2-3 Years they put out the next generation iPad mini which will have to atleast feature FaceID and 120HZ screen. Rumor is next year the normal Iphones are going to get 120HZ Screens so 120HZ is not going to be an exclusive pro feature for much longer. Why FaceID is in the standard Iphones yet they cant put them in the ipad airs or mini's is beyond me! Also why the hell cant we get FaceID on macs? That just confuses me to no end! A more stationary product like a desktop or laptop would be perfect for FaceID but my guess is they dont want to make the screens for the macs thicker? i have no idea what they are thinking there.

As for an OLED Screen...that i still think will be exclusive to the pro ipads, but why? The standard Iphones use OLED screens too.. but apple thinking. Who knows maybe we will get an Ipad Mini Pro at some point, BUT i doubt they will call it the Ipad Mini Pro

3: The line gets canceled totally and absorbed into foldable Iphones. Sooner or later apple is going to have to put out a foldable Iphone and you watch, one year it will be the flip style, the next year it will be the bookstyle type. At that point, you have a iPhone Fold Pro which basically is an iPhone pro blended into an Ipad Mini... At that point their is no reason to just sell the mini stand alone, at least not with "pro" features.

Whats also likely is sooner or later apple will have no choice but to blend the Ipads with the Macbooks, and you will get this hybrid style laptop apple will cleverly name the MacPad! Its a tablet when you need it to be, but a laptop computer as well. That is likely inevtable because their is only so much you can do with each product line for so long before they eventually blend together.

Outside of that, i dont see what else apple can possably do with the iPad mini let alone the iPad line in general. In fact i argue these things should have been done YEARS ago but are likely still years away and with typical apple fashion they will act like they are the first ones to invent these products (which have existed in other platforms for years)