Apple Announces iPad Mini with A17 Pro Chip, Pencil Pro, and AI
Apple has introduced a new iPad mini powered by the A17 Pro chip, the same as in the iPhone 15 Pro. Priced at $499, the latest iPad mini offers 128 GB of storage, double that of the previous model at the same price. The device is available for pre-order now, with deliveries beginning on October 23.
The A17 Pro chip brings up to 30% faster CPU and 25% faster GPU performance compared to the previous A15 Bionic chip, enabling USB-C at 10 Gbps speeds and Wi-Fi 6E support for faster wireless connectivity. While the design is similar to the prior model, it now includes new color options and a magnetic charging area for the Apple Pencil Pro, allowing wireless pairing and charging.
The iPad mini will ship with iOS 18, with Apple Intelligence features like Writing Tools arriving in iOS 18.1 later this month. The new iPad mini starts at $499 for WiFi-only and $649 for cellular models, with storage options up to 512 GB.