Our verdict: The Apple iPad mini (A17 Pro) ranks 2nd of the 10 tablets we compare, with 9.3 out of 10. It takes our Best Premium badge.
Apple iPad mini (A17 Pro)
9.3/10Best Premium
The iPad mini (A17 Pro) is Apple's 8.3-inch tablet, small enough for a coat pocket at 293g in the Wi-Fi model. It suits reading, travel, notes and games better than typing or split-screen work.
8.3-inch Liquid Retina screen in a body that weighs under 300g
A17 Pro chip handles demanding games and Apple Intelligence features
Supports Apple Pencil Pro for notes and sketches
USB-C port and 128GB starting storage
Keep in mind
The screen is small for split-screen work or typing on a keyboard
No microSD slot, so extra space means a dearer model or iCloud
Costs more than larger Android tablets with similar chips
Why the Apple iPad mini (A17 Pro) scores 9.3
Each bar shows where it places among the 10 tablets in this guide, so a full bar is 1st of 10. How happy owners are counts for most of the score.
How happy owners are2nd of 10
How many rated it4th of 10
How new it is8th of 10
Level with the Apple iPad (A16)
The Apple iPad (A16) and the Apple iPad mini (A17 Pro) score the same, so either is a safe pick. The Apple iPad (A16) goes first because it leaves owners a little happier.
About the Apple iPad mini (A17 Pro)
The iPad mini has an 8.3-inch Liquid Retina display at 2266 x 1488 pixels, with P3 wide colour, True Tone and up to 500 nits. The body measures 195.4 x 134.8 x 6.3 mm and weighs 293g as a Wi-Fi model, or 297g with cellular. It comes in Blue, Purple, Starlight and Space Grey, with 128GB, 256GB or 512GB of storage.
Inside is the A17 Pro chip: a 6-core CPU, 5-core GPU and 16-core Neural Engine. Apple Intelligence runs on it, subject to region and language. The USB-C port handles charging, DisplayPort and USB 3 speeds up to 10Gb/s, and drives one external display at up to 4K and 60Hz. Touch ID sits in the top button.
It works with Apple Pencil Pro and Apple Pencil (USB-C), including hover. There is a 12MP rear camera and a 12MP Center Stage front camera. Wi-Fi 6E and Bluetooth 5.3 are standard. Cellular models add 5G and use eSIM only, with no physical SIM tray. Apple rates the battery at up to 10 hours of web browsing or video on Wi-Fi. In the box are the iPad mini and a 1-metre USB-C charge cable.
What owners report about the Apple iPad mini (A17 Pro)
Owners like the size most. They describe it as light and easy to hold in bed, on a sofa or on a plane tray table, and cellular owners say the data plan worked abroad. It gets praise for light Procreate sketching with the Apple Pencil Pro, and one owner liked the contrast of the screen.
The screen draws the most complaints. It runs at 60Hz, and some owners find it poor for what they paid, with a few returning theirs. Others defend it as sharp and excellent. Jelly scrolling, where one half of the screen seems to update slightly behind the other, was a problem on the previous mini. Some owners of this model say it is gone or much improved. Others say it is still there, worse in portrait than landscape.
Some owners report slightly choppy animations and scrolling, and one suspects the software rather than the hardware. Another owner finds interface text small on iPadOS. Serious work is a stretch on this screen, and owners mostly use it for reading and light sketching. No battery complaints turned up for this model, and one owner found it outlasts their larger iPad Air. Owner feedback available is mostly from the first months after launch, so long-term wear is not well covered.
Who the Apple iPad mini (A17 Pro) suits
Buy this if you want a tablet you carry everywhere: for e-books, comics, video on the move, handwritten notes and demanding games. It also suits anyone who wants an Apple Pencil Pro on a small device.
Look elsewhere if you plan to type a lot or run two apps side by side. The iPad (A16) or iPad Air 11-inch (M4) have larger screens. If you are sensitive to 60Hz scrolling, try one in a shop first. For extra storage without paying for a bigger model, the Samsung Galaxy Tab A9+ has a microSD slot, which this iPad lacks.
Questions about the Apple iPad mini (A17 Pro)
Which iPad has an A17 Pro chip?
The iPad mini (A17 Pro) is the model reviewed here, and Apple's spec sheet lists the A17 Pro with a 6-core CPU, 5-core GPU and 16-core Neural Engine.
Does the Apple iPad mini (A17 Pro) support Apple Pencil Pro?
Yes. It works with Apple Pencil Pro and Apple Pencil (USB-C), and both support hover. The Pencil is sold separately and is not in the box.
Does the Apple iPad mini (A17 Pro) come in 256GB?
Yes. Storage options are 128GB, 256GB and 512GB. There is no microSD slot, so you choose the capacity when you buy.
Does the Apple iPad mini (A17 Pro) have a cellular version?
Yes. Cellular models add 5G and use eSIM only, with no physical SIM tray. They weigh 297g against 293g for Wi-Fi.
Does the Apple iPad mini (A17 Pro) have jelly scrolling?
Some owners say it does and some say it does not. Reports say it is much improved over the previous mini, and where it appears it is more visible in portrait than landscape.
Every score here comes from our ranking model; no editor sets the order. We haven't read the review sites for this guide yet, so for now it is led by owners. It ranks products by how happy owners are, holding back any product few owners have rated until more agree. How many rated it and how new it is only settle close calls, and value for money earns its own badge rather than a higher place. We compared 21 models for this guide before settling on these ten.
Brands can't pay to be included or to move up. We last checked these picks in November 2026.
