I tried the iPad mini 7 and it’s the perfect (and cheapest) device for Apple Intelligence

Apple’s precocious released iPad mini 7 is nan cheapest instrumentality successful nan company’s lineup that offers Apple Intelligence, nan caller suite of AI tools. Starting astatine $499, which is $100 little than nan adjacent cheapest Apple Intelligence-compatible Apple device, nan brand-new M4 Mac mini aliases nan M2 iPad Air, nan iPad mini is much compelling than ever and it has piqued my interest.

As TechRadar’s Senior AI Writer and personification who’s either worked for Apple aliases written astir Apple products for a mixed decade, I felt a work to springiness nan caller iPad mini a effort and spot if it’s nan cleanable introduction constituent to Apple Intelligence, aliases if you’re amended investing successful Apple AI elsewhere.

After utilizing nan iPad mini for a fewer days, getting to grips pinch iPadOS 18 successful a smaller shape factor, and testing retired everything Apple Intelligence offers successful iPadOS 18.1, it’s adjacent to opportunity that I’m impressed pinch nan mighty, but mini, tablet. So, present are 3 reasons why I deliberation nan cheapest Apple Intelligence-compatible instrumentality mightiness besides beryllium nan cleanable introduction instrumentality for you to springiness AI a try.

Writing Tools is nan standout characteristic of Apple Intelligence’s first activity of features and while it useful flawlessly connected my iPhone 16 Pro Max, I’ve recovered that it’s acold much useful connected nan somewhat larger show of nan iPad mini 7. Interestingly, I ne'er utilized Writing Tools connected my M2 iPad Pro, but I’ve recovered nan iPad mini pinch nan A17 Pro spot to beryllium nan cleanable shape facet for note-taking. Combine nan iPad mini pinch nan Apple Pencil Pro and Apple Intelligence Writing Tools and you’ve sewage nan champion portable note-taking instrumentality Apple has to offer.

I’ve recovered Writing Tools to beryllium a awesome summation to Notes connected my iPad mini 7, making it very easy to format matter into easy-to-read summaries and slug points. While Writing Tools is identical connected this instrumentality to different Apple Intelligence-compatible products it really stands retired successful nan mini’s cleanable pocketable format.

It’s conscionable arsenic bully arsenic my $1000+ iPhone

One of nan main reasons I wanted to effort Apple Intelligence connected nan iPad mini 7 was to spot really it would compete pinch my much costly Apple products for illustration nan iPhone 16 Pro Max aliases my M3 Pro MacBook Pro. While I’ve only been testing nan tablet for a fewer days, I’m happy to opportunity that nan velocity quality betwixt nan products is almost imperceptible.

I decided to motorboat Clean Up successful Photos to comparison nan velocity quality betwixt my $500 iPad mini 7 and my $1200 iPhone 16 Pro Max pinch Apple’s A18 Pro chip. To my surprise, some were capable to easy region subjects from nan inheritance of my trial photo, and if I didn’t spot some broadside by broadside I’d ne'er person noticed nan velocity difference. Yes, my iPhone 16 Pro Max was somewhat faster astatine each nan Apple Intelligence features I tried, but it was a acold person title than I expected and yet emphasized conscionable really bully a bang for your subordinate nan caller mini is.

Try Apple Intelligence for less

I touched upon this earlier, but I want to spell into much item astir why nan iPad mini being nan cheapest Apple Intelligence-compatible merchandise is specified a large deal. Not only tin you prime an iPad mini up for nether $500 and get a awesome Apple Intelligence-powered tablet acquisition but it’s nan cleanable proceedings to spot whether aliases not you really request Apple Intelligence successful your life.

Let maine explain. Imagine you ain a very tin iPhone 15 aliases iPhone 14 Pro and are a spot irritated astatine nan deficiency of Apple Intelligence connected your smartphone. You person a fewer options: Either you upgrade your iPhone which tin beryllium costly and often difficult to do owed to telephone contracts and monthly costs plans, you could opt to hold a fewer years earlier getting an Apple Intelligence-compatible device, aliases you could bargain an iPad mini to capable nan spread and springiness you everything Apple Intelligence has to connection without wholly breaking nan bank. Obviously, $500 isn’t inexpensive but you could get an unthinkable tablet pinch each of Apple AI’s bells and whistles and usage it arsenic a trial to spot if you should upgrade your iPhone erstwhile nan iPhone 17 comes astir adjacent year.

I ne'er thought an iPad mini would fresh into my workflow, particularly considering nan 6.9-inch show of my 16 Pro Max. After utilizing this mini powerhouse for a fewer days, however, it has fixed maine a caller penetration into what Apple Intelligence is tin of and besides go 1 of my favourite Apple products to date. Not only is it nan cleanable instrumentality for Apple Intelligence, but it’s nan cheapest too, and 1 I’d urge to anyone looking to return a leap of religion connected Apple AI.

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