iPad mini IPad Mini 7 is great for what it is…

[Markgnyc2]

I think everyone here has to keep in mind that 99.9% of the world has no idea what a 120htz refresh rate is. They dont know what a nit is. The don't care either. If they are buying an iPad mini they want a powerful, portable device. For $499, with 8gb of RAM and 128GB SSD, this is an amazing device. Is it a “pro” device? No. You’re not going to do “pro” work on it. There are iPads for that if you so desire at double the price. Since the first iPad mini, I have loved this device. Not everyone is a tech nerd like us. This is a great device. Enjoy it. Don’t overthink it.

Just to add to the argument in my original post, the new M4 MacBook Pros came out today. The base model got a better chip, more base RAM, and a few other small upgrades. All of the videos I watched today said what a great upgrade it is. The iPad mini 7 is a great upgrade. Yet almost every reviewer slammed it. After using it for a week, I can say how much faster it feels and what a great device it really is.

 

[Apple_Robert]

Just to add to the argument in my original post, the new M4 MacBook Pros came out today. The base model got a better chip, more base RAM, and a few other small upgrades. All of the videos I watched today said what a great upgrade it is. The iPad mini 7 is a great upgrade. Yet almost every reviewer slammed it. After using it for a week, I can say how much faster it feels and what a great device it really is.

What 99.99% of YT reviewers think is rather meaningless. Almost all of the product reviews are from people who didn’t purchase the product, and if a purchase was made, they weren’t going to keep it anyway. The other problem I have with most videos is the intellectual dishonesty and revenue click slant, and the bee hive mentality that envelopes the reviewers touting misguided hyperbole as fact thus leading a lot of viewers to not do their own research and purchase (even though that should be done regardless). The same kind of things happen here every day and one has to wade through a lot of ankle deep word salad minutia to ferret out honest and balanced usage statements.

 

[Johnny365]

Yep one week it's "DO NOT BUY (this iPad mini 7)" then the next week is "I WAS WRONG", and all these flip flop back and forth videos of why it's not worth it, and then why it's great.

 

[Abazigal]

Just to add to the argument in my original post, the new M4 MacBook Pros came out today. The base model got a better chip, more base RAM, and a few other small upgrades. All of the videos I watched today said what a great upgrade it is. The iPad mini 7 is a great upgrade. Yet almost every reviewer slammed it. After using it for a week, I can say how much faster it feels and what a great device it really is.

I think that's because the MBPs are pretty much perfect as is. They have excellent screens, sufficient ports and the only real complaint was Apple's tendency to skimp on ram. So there really isn't much you need the MBP to improve in.

In contrast, the iPad mini does have a lot of room for improvement, but that's also because of its position of a smaller (and cheaper) iPad. Apple clearly wants it to hit a certain price point, and so it's not realistic to expect the same features as the iPad Pro like oled screens, M4 chip or a redesigned form factor.

 

[IJBrekke]

Just to add to the argument in my original post, the new M4 MacBook Pros came out today. The base model got a better chip, more base RAM, and a few other small upgrades. All of the videos I watched today said what a great upgrade it is. The iPad mini 7 is a great upgrade. Yet almost every reviewer slammed it. After using it for a week, I can say how much faster it feels and what a great device it really is.

Totally get what you’re saying, but I’ll add three counter arguments:

1. The Mini doesn’t have a perfect comp in the Mac lineup. That said, it’s closer overall to the MacBook Air, which has been panned for the 60hz screen and for throttling due to it being fanless. For lots of people, those are non-issues, just like the gripes about the Mini.
2. If MacBooks were only being updated every 3-4 years, those said updates would be more heavily scrutinized, again like the Mini. It’s not that the incremental update is bad, it just doesn’t feel like nearly enough to last in the market until the end of 2027.
3. Apple gives only one choice in this size, take it or leave it. Nearly any other Apple product, you can spend to the high heavens to get the latest and greatest if you want to. Referencing back to #1, if Apple only sold the Air lineup and had no Pro models, you better believe those reviews would be ripping Apple apart.

So as you said, for what it is, it’s great for most people. It could just be a lot more in very obvious ways.

 

[KPOM]

I think everyone here has to keep in mind that 99.9% of the world has no idea what a 120htz refresh rate is. They dont know what a nit is. The don't care either. If they are buying an iPad mini they want a powerful, portable device. For $499, with 8gb of RAM and 128GB SSD, this is an amazing device. Is it a “pro” device? No. You’re not going to do “pro” work on it. There are iPads for that if you so desire at double the price. Since the first iPad mini, I have loved this device. Not everyone is a tech nerd like us. This is a great device. Enjoy it. Don’t overthink it.

I’m a tech nerd and I love the mini A17. I have an M4 Pro for “real” work but the mini is my weekend and travel device. I downloaded a guidebook for my recent trip to France. It was perfect for the task.

 

[KPOM]

Totally get what you’re saying, but I’ll add three counter arguments:

1. The Mini doesn’t have a perfect comp in the Mac lineup. That said, it’s closer overall to the MacBook Air, which has been panned for the 60hz screen and for throttling due to it being fanless. For lots of people, those are non-issues, just like the gripes about the Mini.
2. If MacBooks were only being updated every 3-4 years, those said updates would be more heavily scrutinized, again like the Mini. It’s not that the incremental update is bad, it just doesn’t feel like nearly enough to last in the market until the end of 2027.
3. Apple gives only one choice in this size, take it or leave it. Nearly any other Apple product, you can spend to the high heavens to get the latest and greatest if you want to. Referencing back to #1, if Apple only sold the Air lineup and had no Pro models, you better believe those reviews would be ripping Apple apart.

So as you said, for what it is, it’s great for most people. It could just be a lot more in very obvious ways.

There is no reason to think the A17 will be inadequate in 2027 for what the average iPad mini user does.

 

[Realityck]

There is no reason to think the A17 will be inadequate in 2027 for what the average iPad mini user does.

Here's a speed comparison of normal usage with a $1299 iPhone 16 Max vs $499 iPad mini 7 to reinforce that thought. (USD list prices)

 

[subjonas]

I just picked one up for myself as my “at home phone replacement” and I missed this size so much.

I use my Mini the exact same way.

 

[IJBrekke]

There is no reason to think the A17 will be inadequate in 2027 for what the average iPad mini user does.

Agreed. My counter arguments have much more to do with the quality of the Mini screen in 2027.