Apple iPad Mini 7 Review: Travel Companion Pro Max
The iPad Mini 7 is the ultimate Swiss Army knife of tablets, blending the best of Apple’s innovations into one ultra-compact, endlessly adaptable device.
Apple’s iPad Mini has finally been updated after three years, and while some critics claim it looks, feels, and functions much the same as before, I have a different perspective. It looks the same because, for what it’s designed to be, this is the ideal form factor and design. Yes, it feels familiar, but can it do the same things? Not quite—it does everything its predecessor could do, plus much more, and it’s not even close. While it doesn’t have the raw horsepower of the iPad Pro (a powerhouse in its own category), the Mini holds its own and is, in many ways, a better fit than an iPad Air or even the 10th-gen standard iPad for specific uses.
Priced below Rs 50,000, the iPad Mini 7 is a solid competitor to high-performing Android tablets like the OnePlus Pad 2, which has enjoyed Android stardom through much of 2024, and it even challenges the Galaxy Tab Ultra 10. For me, it has become the ultimate travel companion. Paired with an Analogic Fusion Dock, a Logitech K450 Bluetooth keyboard, and my reliable MX3S Master mouse, this iPad Mini morphs into the most adaptable device I own—my favourite, most portable travel buddy.
Before diving into the iPad Mini’s extensive functionality, let’s address some of the criticisms I’ve heard around its design and lack of dramatic hardware changes. The iPad Mini is the smallest iPad Apple currently offers, positioned neatly between the iPhone 16 Pro Max and its larger iPad siblings with its ideal 8.3-inch screen. This in-between size is precisely what makes it so versatile—it’s just right for replacing an e-reader, doubling as a movie machine during flights, and fitting comfortably on an economy class tray table. It also slips easily into a satchel, making it wonderfully portable.
While some have called for a more refreshed design, I don’t share the sentiment. The iPad Mini’s footprint is practically flawless for what it is: a solidly built, ergonomic, Apple-quality tablet available in vibrant colours with a classic California-inspired aesthetic. The display, though a 60Hz IPS screen, is colour-accurate, bright enough for outdoor reading, and perfect for HDR movie-watching or gaming.
Sure, I understand the complaints about the 60Hz refresh rate, chunky bezels, and lack of OLED, but iOS’s optimisation makes 60Hz feel smoother than expected. It often seems more like a 75-80Hz experience, thanks to Apple’s fluid animations. With the powerful GPU packed in the A17 Pro chipset, gaming on the iPad Mini 7 is immersive and fun. Playing titles like Assassin’s Creed Mirage showed me just how smooth and console-like this device can be. For racing games like Racing Club Stradale, the larger bezels are surprisingly helpful for stability, ensuring my fingers don’t obstruct the screen as I steer my way through intense corners.
The iPad Mini has quickly become my go-to device for reading when I’m on the go. I use the Kindle app to read e-books, scroll through web articles, and even dive into Businessworld E-magazine issues during travels. When it’s propped up with the Apple Folio cover—which doubles as a surprisingly effective screen cleaner—it transforms into a mini-theatre. The speakers are quite loud, though light on bass, making it good enough for casual movie-watching in a hotel room. Most of the time, I pair it with my AirPods Pro 2 for a more immersive experience while on the move. When I’m home, I typically turn to my Mac and iPad Pro instead, but the iPad Mini is unmatched for portability.
Beyond reading and media, the iPad Mini serves as a smart home hub that lets me control my lights, air conditioning, and music during parties. Using it instead of my iPhone, which is always ringing with calls, frees me up to focus on the ambiance. It lets me seamlessly adjust the lighting to fit the mood, switch between songs on Apple Music, and even explore playlists on YouTube. It’s like my personal DJ booth and lighting board all in one.
When I want to amp up the experience, I connect the Mini to my Epson projector via the Alogic Fusion Pro dock to stream DJ sets from Cercle and Boiler Room. I pair this with six HomePods grouped into three stereo pairs for an epic sound setup that gives my living room the feel of a private club. Only the iPad Mini, with its portability and power, could pull off a setup this effective and easy to manage.
Whether at home or out and about, the iPad Mini transforms into a productivity powerhouse when paired with my Logitech K450 keyboard, MX3S Master mouse, and sometimes even an Apple Magic Trackpad. With the Alogic Fusion Pro dock, it becomes a mini laptop or, in many ways, a “Mini Mac Mini.” This setup allows me to type long documents, like this review, in Apple Notes, which has grown remarkably robust for handling long-form content. I wrote parts of this article mid-flight from Delhi to Bangalore using exactly this setup—smooth and distraction-free.
The iPad Mini is also a go-to device for music production. As a guitarist, I connect my Apogee Duet 3 USB audio interface and Rode AI Micro to plug in my Stratocaster and create music in GarageBand or Logic for iPad. I can start with scratch tracks recorded on my iPhone 16 Pro Max and bring them to life on the Mini, which provides ample power to handle a professional-grade DAW. I spoke with some musician friends who now prefer using the iPad Mini as a lightweight alternative to older iPad Pro models, citing its processing headroom and portability for their live performances and music creation.
The iPad Mini isn’t just for reading and music; it’s a surprisingly capable pocket production studio for video editing as well. For quick edits and reel production, I use a mix of apps: Vidcap, Mojo, iMovie, VN, Final Cut Pro, and LumaFusion. Each app has its own purpose depending on the complexity of the task. Although many of these apps are available on my iPhone 15 Pro Max, the Mini’s larger screen and dedicated use make it ideal for video work without having to switch to my main phone.
The iPad Mini’s screen real estate and intuitive interface make video editing seamless, while the A17 Pro chip handles layers, transitions, and effects without lag. For light edits, iMovie and VN are perfect, while LumaFusion and Final Cut Pro offer more professional tools for complex projects. I can apply effects, add multiple layers, and render videos on the fly. This setup has made the Mini my portable editing suite, ideal for quick yet high-quality content creation whether I’m on a flight or in a café.
For designers, illustrators, and creative minds, the iPad Mini is a true artist’s tool. With support for the Apple Pencil Pro, it turns into a precise, responsive canvas that’s perfect for illustration work. The Pencil’s barrel and roll sensitivity allow for intuitive sketching, while a paper-textured screen cover adds a realistic feel for drawing or note-taking. When I handed it to my graphic design team, they quickly produced high-quality flyers and graphics, a testament to its practicality for creatives on the move.
Personally, I use the Apple Pencil Pro for diagramming graphs, jotting down notes in the updated Apple Notes app, and creating storyboards for magazine articles. For tattoo designers, graphic artists, and illustrators, this is a fantastic device for creating visuals and exploring ideas. The Mini is an all-in-one digital notebook, sketchpad, and design tool that blends portability with professional functionality.
Powering the iPad Mini 7 is Apple’s A17 Pro chip, which supports large language model (LLM) integration on the device. Running on the iPadOS 18.2 developer beta, I accessed powerful writing tools that assisted me in refining this review. Siri, now enhanced with ChatGPT, has become my research assistant. While watching UEFA Champions League matches, I could ask Siri about Real Madrid vs. AC Milan and instantly receive details like XG stats and top players, sourced from reliable outlets like Reuters, AP, and BBC. This level of on-demand assistance feels like having a sports commentator on standby.
Additionally, translation functions within apps like Vidcap are performed directly on the device. With system-wide ChatGPT integration, I log into my ChatGPT Plus subscription for access to enhanced functionality, making it invaluable for research, quick insights, and article brainstorming on the go.
Gaming on the Mini also benefits from the A17 Pro’s thermal efficiency. I’ve played console-quality games like Death Stranding and Assassin’s Creed Mirage with smooth, PS4-level graphics fidelity. Paired with a PS5 controller, it feels like a console experience in a compact form. This gaming capability on the Mini is unmatched on Android tablets, making it an exciting, portable gaming powerhouse.
Battery life is vital for a travel device, and the iPad Mini excels here. With heavy usage, it easily powers through three full-length movies or a two-hour gaming session. And when in standby, it conserves power like a fine wine, barely draining even after days of minimal use. I’ve taken it on trips, barely used it, then forgotten to charge it, only to find it ready to go whenever I need it. Just keep it topped up if the battery falls below 20 per cent to be fully prepared. I also wanted to mention that while the iPad Pro doesn’t have FaceID, it boasts the fastest fingerprint scanner I’ve tested on any device, and it’s also the most reliable one I’ve encountered so far. I managed to register my fingerprints in less than 15 seconds, which is incredibly fast. Even with my hands being oily, I haven’t encountered any scanning failures.
The iPad Mini 7, with its powerful A17 Pro chip, Apple Pencil Pro support, and versatile setup capabilities, has become my favourite iPad for travel and beyond. Compact, capable, and adaptable, it’s an incredibly versatile tablet under Rs 50,000. Adding about Rs 25,000 in accessories will fully unlock its potential, but for a device this flexible, every rupee feels worth it.
For artists, gamers, content creators, and anyone looking for a device that combines portability with Apple’s top-tier performance, the iPad Mini 7 is the ultimate Swiss Army knife of tablets, blending the best of Apple’s innovations into one ultra-compact, endlessly adaptable device.
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