Apple iPad mini 8.3" Review
Apple's new iPad mini packs the powerful A17 Pro chip into a super-portable body. It's built for the future with Apple Intelligence, but its small screen holds it back from being a true productivity tool.
The 30-Second Version
The Apple iPad mini with the A17 Pro chip is a incredibly portable and powerful small tablet. It's built for Apple Intelligence, excels at entertainment and gaming, but its small screen limits productivity. It's a great choice for on-the-go use within the Apple ecosystem.
Overview
The new iPad mini with the A17 Pro chip is Apple's latest attempt to make a truly pocketable powerhouse. It's built for Apple Intelligence, which means it's ready for all the AI features coming to iPadOS later this year. You're looking at an 8.3-inch Liquid Retina display, 128GB of storage, and the same chip that powers the iPhone 15 Pro, all packed into a 293-gram body. If you've been searching for a small tablet that can handle gaming and media on the go, this is the one Apple wants you to buy.
Performance
With the A17 Pro chip under the hood, this iPad mini is fast. Our benchmarks put its CPU and GPU performance in the 72nd percentile compared to other tablets, which is impressive for a device this size. In practice, that means it'll chew through mobile games, video editing, and multitasking without breaking a sweat. The performance is genuinely flagship-level, making it one of the most powerful small tablets you can get. Just don't expect it to match the raw power of a full-sized iPad Pro with an M-series chip.
Pros & Cons
Pros
- Incredibly portable and lightweight design 98th
- Powerful A17 Pro chip handles demanding tasks and games 91th
- Bright, colorful 8.3-inch Liquid Retina display 77th
- Ready for Apple Intelligence and future AI features 77th
- Works with Apple Pencil Pro for note-taking and drawing
Cons
- Productivity score is low (30.3/100) due to the small screen
- RAM percentile is only 36th, which may limit heavy multitasking
- Connectivity is weak (24th percentile) with no cellular option in this model
- Battery life is just average (49th percentile)
- Accessories like the Apple Pencil Pro and Smart Folio are sold separately
Specifications
Full Specifications
Processor
| CPU | Apple A17 Pro |
| Cores | 6 |
| GPU | Apple (5-Core) |
Memory & Storage
| Storage | 128 GB |
| Expandable | No |
Display
| Size | 8.3" |
| Resolution | 2266 |
| Panel | IPS |
| Refresh Rate | 60 Hz |
| Brightness | 500 nits |
Connectivity
| Wi-Fi | WiFi 6E |
| Bluetooth | Bluetooth 5.3 |
| Cellular | No |
Features
| Stylus Support | No |
| Fingerprint Reader | Yes |
| Face Unlock | No |
Physical
| Weight | 0.3 kg / 0.6 lbs |
| OS | iPadOS |
Value & Pricing
At around $399, this iPad mini sits in an interesting spot. It's more affordable than an iPad Air or Pro, but you're paying a premium for that compact form factor and the A17 Pro chip. For the price, you get a lot of performance in a very small package, but you're making clear trade-offs in screen real estate and multitasking ability compared to larger, similarly-priced Android tablets.
vs Competition
This iPad mini's main competition is really other tablets in your bag. The 11-inch iPad Pro with the M5 chip is in a different league for performance and has a much better screen, but it's also bigger and more expensive. The Samsung Galaxy Tab S10+ offers a larger, more immersive display for media at a similar price, and it comes with the S Pen. Then there's the Microsoft Surface Pro, which is a full Windows laptop replacement, making it a better choice if you need to do real work. The iPad mini wins on pure portability and Apple ecosystem integration, but loses on productivity and screen size.
Common Questions
Q: Is the iPad mini good for gaming?
Yes, the A17 Pro chip provides excellent gaming performance, placing it in the 72nd percentile for GPU power among tablets. It handles demanding mobile games smoothly on its bright 8.3-inch display.
Q: Can you use the iPad mini for work?
It's possible for light work, but not ideal. Our data gives it a low productivity score (30.3/100). The small screen makes multitasking and document editing difficult compared to larger tablets or laptops.
Q: How does the iPad mini compare to an iPad Air?
The iPad mini is far more portable but has a much smaller screen. The iPad Air typically has a more powerful M-series chip and a larger display better suited for productivity, but it's also more expensive and less pocketable.
Q: Does the iPad mini have good battery life?
Battery life is about average. It scores in the 49th percentile in our rankings, so you should get through a day of typical use, but heavy gaming or video streaming will drain it faster.
Who Should Skip This
Skip this iPad mini if you need a primary device for work or school. The small 8.3-inch screen is a major bottleneck for productivity, making tasks like writing long documents, managing spreadsheets, or video editing a chore. Students who need to research and write papers, or professionals who live in multitasking workflows, will be better served by a larger iPad Air, a 2-in-1 like the Microsoft Surface Pro, or even a lightweight laptop like a MacBook Air.
Verdict
Should you buy this iPad mini? Yes, but only if you know exactly what you're getting. This is the tablet to buy if your top priority is portability and you live inside the Apple ecosystem. It's an amazing device for reading, casual gaming, media consumption, and quick notes with the Apple Pencil. But if you need to do serious work, edit documents, or multitask with several apps, the small screen and lower productivity score will frustrate you. For those people, a larger tablet or a lightweight laptop is a better fit.