New iPad mini tidbits: All the details you might have missed

Today Apple announced a brand new iPad mini. The headliner feature is an A17 Pro chip that enables Apple Intelligence support. But there are all kinds of smaller tidbits worth noting about the new device. Here are the details you might want to know before ordering.

Connectivity upgrades

The new iPad mini includes upgrades in its support for both Wi-Fi and Bluetooth networking.

For Wi-Fi, the previous mini offered Wi-Fi 6 compatibility, but the new mini takes it further by supporting Wi-Fi 6E.

The previous mini supported Bluetooth 5, but the new mini adds the more modern Bluetooth 5.3 spec.

Data transfer speeds

The new iPad mini includes a USB-C port for charging and data transfer, just like its predecessor.

There’s one key upgrade to data transfer speeds though.

Both models support USB 3. However, the old mini only offered speeds up to 5 GB/s, whereas the new model doubles that and goes up to 10 GB/s.

Photo enhancements

If you’re going to take photos with an iPad, the relatively small iPad mini is perhaps the most practical device to do that with.

Thanks to the more powerful A17 Pro chip, the new iPad mini offers a key photography upgrade through software.

Smart HDR 4 is now available on the new mini, while its predecessor only supported Smart HDR 3.

Apple Pencil goes Pro with Hover

The new iPad mini supports the Apple Pencil Pro and the Apple Pencil with USB-C.

It does not, however, support the Apple Pencil 2 that the previous model did.

Adding Apple Pencil Pro isn’t the only change though.

The new iPad mini also supports Pencil Hover, a feature first introduced with the M2 iPad Pro. This means you’ll gain support for several new gestures when hovering with your Pencil over the display.

New iPad mini wrap-up

The iPad mini doesn’t get updated very often, so every little tech upgrade can go a long way toward helping the device feel modern and up to date. If you’re considering an upgrade to the new mini, these are some of the small enhancements worth keeping in mind.

What do you think of the new iPad mini? Will you buy one? Let us know in the comments.

Best iPad accessories

• 100W USB-C power adapter for fast charging
• tomtoc Tablet sleeve bag for protection and style
• Pencil grips for better precision and feel
• Anker USB-C 6-in-1 hub for expanded I/O
• 3.3ft USB-C charging cable for better reach