Design and Build

The new iPad Mini 7 powered by the A17 chip continues Apple’s compact tablet legacy with the same sleek dimensions—7.69 x 5.31 x 0.25 inches and just 0.65 pounds (293g Wi-Fi / 297g Cellular). Built for performance and portability, the A17 processor delivers blazing-fast speed and improved efficiency, making the iPad Mini 7 ideal for multitasking, gaming, and creative work. It now features a premium OLED display, USB-C port, and support for both the Apple Pencil Pro and 2nd Gen Pencil. Designed with flat-edge aluminum sides and available in fresh colors like light green, dark blue, pink, and dark silver, this A17-powered iPad Mini also includes a top-mounted Power button with built-in Touch ID for secure access. If you're seeking powerful performance in a small package, the A17 chip makes the iPad Mini 7 stand out in 2025.

• Aluminum chassis, flat edges
• IP54 dust/splash resistance
• Top-mounted Touch ID, no Home button
• USB-C port (10 Gbps)
• Supports Apple Pencil Pro, 2nd-gen Pencil

Display

The iPad Mini 7 is powered by the advanced A17 chip, making it one of the most efficient and responsive compact tablets Apple has released. Featuring an 8.3-inch Liquid Retina IPS LCD with a sharp 2266 x 1488 resolution (327 PPI), True Tone, P3 wide color, and 500 nits brightness, it delivers stunning visuals in all lighting conditions. While the display refresh rate remains at 60Hz, the performance boost from the A17 chip ensures a fluid user experience. Paired with the latest Apple Pencil, the A17-powered iPad Mini 7 is an ideal choice for digital creators and multitaskers seeking portable productivity. If you're after a powerful mini tablet, the iPad Mini 7 with A17 is the one to beat.

• 8.3-inch Liquid Retina IPS LCD
• 2266 x 1488 resolution, 327 PPI
• 500 nits brightness
• True Tone, P3 wide color
• 60Hz refresh rate
• Scratch-resistant glass, oleophobic coating

Performance and Software

The new iPad Mini 7 is equipped with Apple’s thoroughly advanced A17 Pro chip that utilizes a 3nm process and has 6-core CPU, 5-core GPU, and the extremely powerful 16-core Neural Engine. This A17 chip in the iPad Mini 7 is a quantum leap in performance, enabling multitasking, gaming, and creative work to be faster and more fluid than ever. At the same time, with 8GB of RAM, the A17 allows uninterrupted use of iPadOS 18.0, which is the version that comes with AI-powered features, better interaction with Siri, and Writing Tools. People have the option of 128GB ($499), 256GB ($599), or 512GB ($799) to pick the amount of storage they want. The storage room cannot be increased, but the A17 chip still guarantees long-lasting performance and being up-to-date, thus making the iPad Mini 7 the best compact tablet for 2025. The A17 is the answer to all the needs if you're in search of speed, efficiency, and next-gen capability.

• Apple A17 Pro chip, 6-core CPU, 5-core GPU
• 8GB RAM
• Storage: 128GB, 256GB, 512GB
• iPadOS 18 (5+ years of updates)
• Apple Intelligence support

The A17 Pro and 8GB RAM make it a compact powerhouse, ideal for AI and multitasking, but the dated design and incremental upgrades disappoint some users expecting a bigger refresh.

Camera System

The iPad Mini 7, powered by the advanced A17 chip, features a 12MP rear camera (f/1.8) with 5x digital zoom and quad-LED flash for detailed shots. The A17 enhances imaging capabilities, supporting 4K video at 60fps and 1080p at 60fps on the 12MP ultra-wide front camera (122° FOV) with Center Stage. Thanks to A17-powered Smart HDR 4, users experience improved dynamic range in everyday lighting conditions. While low-light performance is still average, the A17 chip ensures stable performance and crisp video calls—especially with Center Stage, which remains a highlight. The A17 truly refines the iPad Mini’s camera experience for 2025.

• Rear: 12MP (f/1.8, 5x digital zoom)
• Front: 12MP Ultra-wide (f/2.4, 122° FOV)
• Video: 4K 60fps (rear), 1080p 60fps (front)
• Features: Center Stage, Smart HDR 4, quad-LED flash

Battery and Charging

The iPad Mini 7, powered by the A17 chip, delivers solid battery performance with its 5078mAh capacity, offering up to 10 hours of video playback. In everyday use, the A17 ensures efficient battery management, allowing 8–10 hours of screen time—comparable to the Mini 6 but slightly below the iPad Air's 12-hour benchmark. With 20W USB-C fast charging, the A17-equipped device reaches 50% in just 40 minutes. However, there’s no wireless charging support. While the A17 chip handles most tasks efficiently, heavy AI workloads can reduce battery life faster. Overall, the A17 provides reliable power for average to moderate daily use.

Connectivity

TThe A17 chip utilized in the iPad Mini 7 that is a great wireless communication device with Wi-Fi 6E, Bluetooth 5.3, and optional 5G (sub-6GHz) for the cellular models that are starting at $649. The chip performance of the A17 allows to do streaming, downloading, and multi-tasking online smoothly at the same time. The A17 chip is the main technological enabler for seamless wireless communication through the utilization of improved features such as nano-SIM, eSIM, and GPS (A-GPS, GLONASS for cellular variants). Though these 2 features; mmWave and satellite, are not included, the A17 chip still provides a much better performance of the signal stability uninterrupted lag-free than in previous generations. It is frequently mentioned by many users that the A17 enhances the real-time performance by Wi-Fi 6E that uses the addition of 6 GHz band, even when compared with the Mini 6.

Pricing and Availability

The new iPad Mini 7 with an A17 chip is a beast in terms of performance and power consumption. The Wi-Fi 128GB model is $499, 256GB and 512GB versions are $599 and $799 respectively. Apple and authorized retailers started accepting pre-orders on October 15, 2024, with the official launch on October 23, 2024. If you are a mobile user who must have connectivity, then you can opt for the A17-powered 5G models that come at an extra charge of $150. The A17 processor in the Mini 7 compared to the Mini 6, it provides better multitasking, still smoother gaming, and new battery life. However, the iPad Air M2 at $599 will provide a bigger screen and more power, but the A17 chip in the Mini 7 gives great value in a compact size, thus making it the leading candidate in the tablet market in 2025. For those who want speed, portability, and the latest features, the A17-powered iPad Mini 7 is the most suitable option.