I tried the iPad mini 7 and it’s the perfect (and cheapest) device for Apple Intelligence
Apple’s recently released iPad mini 7 is the cheapest device in the company’s range that offers Apple Intelligence, its new range 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 attractive than ever and it has piqued my interest.
As Ny Breaking’s Senior AI Writer and someone who has worked for Apple or written about Apple products for a combined decade, I felt an obligation to try out the new iPad mini and see if it was the perfect entry point to Apple Intelligence is, or that you We would be better off investing in Apple AI elsewhere.
After a few days of using the iPad mini, getting to grips with iPadOS 18 in a smaller form factor, and testing everything Apple Intelligence has to offer in iPadOS 18.1, I can say I’m impressed with the mighty, but mini tablet . So here are three reasons why I think the cheapest Apple Intelligence-compatible device could also be the perfect entry-level device to give AI a try.
Writing Tools is the standout feature of Apple Intelligence’s first set of features, and while it works flawlessly on my iPhone 16 Pro Max, I’ve found it to be much more useful on the slightly larger screen of the iPad mini 7. Interestingly, I’ve never used it used Writing Tools on my M2 iPad Pro, but I 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 have 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 really easy to format text into easy-to-read summaries and bullet points. While Writing Tools on this device is identical to other Apple Intelligence-compatible products, what really stands out is the mini’s perfectly pocketable size.
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. Although I’ve only been testing the tablet for a few days, I’m happy to say that the speed difference between the products is virtually unnoticeable.
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, they both easily removed subjects from the background of my test photo, and if I hadn’t seen them side by side, I would never have noticed the speed difference. Yes, my iPhone 16 Pro Max was slightly faster with all the Apple Intelligence features I tried, but it was a much closer match than I expected and ultimately highlighted how good the new mini is for your money.
Try Apple Intelligence for less
I’ve touched on this before, but I want to delve deeper into why the iPad mini, the cheapest Apple Intelligence-compatible product, is so important. Not only can you buy an iPad mini for under $500 and get a fantastic tablet experience with Apple Intelligence, but it’s also the perfect trial to see if 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 little annoyed by the lack of Apple Intelligence on your smartphone. You have a few options: upgrade your iPhone, which can be expensive and often difficult to do due to phone contracts and monthly payment plans, you can choose to wait a few years before purchasing an Apple Intelligence-compatible device, or you can Buy an Apple Intelligence compatible device. 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 buy an incredible tablet with all the bells and whistles of Apple AI and use it as a test to see if you should upgrade your iPhone when the iPhone 17 hits the market next year. market comes.
I never thought an iPad mini would fit into my workflow, especially considering the 6.9-inch screen of my 16 Pro Max. However, after using this mini powerhouse for a few days, it has given me a new insight into what Apple Intelligence is capable of and has also become one of my favorite Apple products to date. Not only is it the perfect device for Apple Intelligence, but it’s also the cheapest, and I’d recommend it to anyone looking to take the plunge with Apple AI.