iPad mini 7 vs iPad mini 6 and iPad mini 5: A Specs Comparison

This week, Apple unveiled the iPad mini 7, which, as expected, features minimal alterations compared to its previous version. In this Specs Appeal article, we will compare Apple’s newest compact iPad with the iPad mini 6 from 2021 and the iPad mini 5 from 2019.

To summarize, the iPad mini 7 appears to be a familiar device from three years ago, now boasting three significant enhancements: it is equipped with the powerful A17 Pro chip from the iPhone 15 Pro, it supports the new Apple Pencil 2 Pro complete with advanced gestures and hover function, and it comes with a base storage of 128GB, along with an option for 512GB.

The upgrade from the A15 processor to the A17 Pro paves the way for upcoming Apple Intelligence capabilities that are set to debut with iPadOS 18.1 later this month.

Below is a concise list highlighting the major upgrades:

Improved processor with support for Apple Intelligence.
Compatibility with the Apple Pencil 2 Pro.
Enhanced USB-C port speed: 10Gbps, up from the 5Gbps of the mini 6.
Increased base storage: 128GB compared to 64GB.
Support for Smart HDR 4 across rear and front cameras.
Upgraded Wi-Fi and Bluetooth connectivity.
Omission of physical SIM card.
Introduction of a new color variant.

For those considering an upgrade from the iPad mini 5 or even earlier versions that feature the Home button and bulkier bezels, the enhancements will be notably more pronounced and impressive.

Below is a detailed comparison of specifications for the three most recent generations of the iPad mini:

iPad mini 7	iPad mini 6	iPad mini 5
Dimensions	195.4 x 134.8 x 6.3 mm, 293 g 7.69 x 5.3 x 0.25″, 0.65 lbs		203.2 x 134.8 x 6.1 mm, 300 g 8.0 x 5.3 x 0.24″, 0.66 lbs
Display	8.3″Liquid Retina IPS, 60Hz 2,266 x 1,488, 326 ppi 500 nits max brightness, True Tone, P3		7.9″Retina IPS, 60Hz 2,048 x 1,536, 326 ppi 500 nits max brightness, True Tone, P3
Apple Pencil	Apple Pencil 2 Pro Apple Pencil 2 Apple Pencil USB-C	Apple Pencil 2 Apple Pencil USB-C	Apple Pencil
Processor	6-core A17 Pro 5-core GPU 16-core NPU	6-core A15 Bionic 5-core GPU 16-core NPU	6-core A12 Bionic 4-core GPU 8-core NPU
Apple Intelligence	Supported	Not supported
Storage	128GB, 256GB, 512GB	64GB, 256GB
Rear Camera	12MP f/1.8 camera True Tone Flash, Smart HDR 4	12MP f/1.8 camera True Tone Flash, Smart HDR 3	8MP f/2.4 camera Auto HDR
Front Camera	12MP f/2.4 ultra-wide camera Center Stage, Smart HDR 4	12MP f/2.4 ultra-wide camera Center Stage, Smart HDR 3	7MP f/2.2 camera Auto HDR
Sound	Landscape stereo speakers		Bottom-firing stereo speakers
Security	Touch ID in the top button		Touch ID in the Home button
Connectivity	Wi-Fi 6E, Bluetooth 5.3 5G sub-6 GHz GPS	Wi-Fi 6, Bluetooth 5.0 5G sub-6 GHz GPS	Wi-Fi 5, Bluetooth 5.0 4G LTE GPS
Sim	eSIM only	Nano SIM eSIM
Port	USB-C 10Gbps	USB-C 5Gbps	Lightning
Battery	TBA Wh Up to 10 hours of video playback	19.3 Wh Up to 10 hours of video playback	19.1 Wh Up to 10 hours of video playback
Colors	Space Gray, Blue, Purple, Starlight	Space Gray, Pink, Purple, Starlight	Space Gray, Silver, Gold
Price	$499	$499	$399