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Apple’s new iPad Mini offers a “30% boost” to gaming performance

Apple has just revealed its new iPad Mini, and while it might be AI-ready, we’re more interested in improvements to the gaming experience.

Custom image for 'Apple’s new iPad Mini offers a “30% boost” to gaming performance' article with the new iPad on the left and Apple logo on the right

Apple has revealed the new iPad Mini with little more fanfare than a press release. Still, this tablet might be worth getting excited about, as while it’s Apple’s most budget-friendly, it certainly isn’t lacking in performance power thanks to the A17 Pro. That chipset means that not only is the new Mini AI-ready, but it’s also more than capable of running demanding mobile games at the highest settings.

For those who don’t know, the A17 Pro is the same chip as the one inside last year’s premium flagship, the iPhone 15 Pro Max. According to Apple, it offers a 30% CPU performance boost on the 2021 iPad Mini. That alone is enough to make the iPad Mini a rival for some of the entries on our list of the best gaming tablets, as well as older versions of the base model iPad. However, Apple revealed the Mini in the same week that Android brand RedMagic is opening up early bird sales for the new Nova gaming tablet, which could give the iPad a run for its money when it comes to tempting gamers.

Outside of the new chipset, the 2024 iPad Mini line has a new 512GB option for those looking for more storage space, alongside the classic 128GB and 256GB options. Whichever you go with, that’s more than enough space to download some of the best iPad games and Apple Arcade games and get playing. If you’re more of a creative than a gamer, the iPad Mini is also compatible with the Apple Pencil Pro, so you can use it as a compact canvas for when an idea strikes you on the move.

Official Apple art of someone using the Apple Pencil Pro on the iPad Mini for ''Apple’s new iPad Mini offers a “30% boost' article

If you want to bag a new iPad Mini, it’s now available to pre-order via the official Apple site before its wider retail release on October 23. The 128GB model is available from $499, the 256GB version at $599, and the 512GB tablet starts at $799. In terms of colorways, you can pick between Space Grey, Blue, Purple, and Starlight, the latter of which is a fancy way of saying ‘cream’.

With that, we’re not expecting any more Apple iPad or iPhone launches until the rumored arrival of the iPhone SE 4 in the spring of 2025. Still, if you can’t wait that long for a new Apple device, be sure to check out our list of the best gaming iPhones, which includes options to suit every budget.