Apple enthusiasts have something intriguing to look forward to with the announcement of the new generation iPad mini 7. This release marks a fresh update after three years since the iPad mini 6, and while its exterior closely resembles its predecessor, significant internal advancements have been made.

A Glimpse Inside: The A17 Pro Chip

The highlight of the new iPad mini 7 is the inclusion of the A17 Pro chip, a component previously exclusive to the iPhone 15 Pro and Pro Max models. However, this isn’t just a mere carryover of technology. The iPad mini 7 introduces a binned version of the A17 Pro chip.

Introduced last year with Apple’s flagship iPhones, the A17 Pro chip in those devices boasted a 6-core CPU and a 6-core GPU, paired with 8GB of RAM. In contrast, the iPad mini 7 maintains the 6-core CPU and 8GB of RAM but features a slightly scaled-down 5-core GPU.

The Concept of Chip Binning

The practice of chip binning comes into play here— a process in which chips that don’t quite meet the full potential of all their cores during manufacturing have some cores deactivated. This ensures the chips are still operational and can be utilized efficiently, albeit with fewer cores.

Apple’s decision to apply the binned A17 Pro chip to the iPad mini 7 aligns with its tradition of utilizing such methods, maximizing the functionality of their chip supply. Given this, the slight reduction in GPU cores is unlikely to affect the device’s overall performance significantly, especially for everyday tasks.

Performance and Features

Thanks to the A17 Pro chip and ample RAM, users of the new iPad mini can expect full compatibility with the upcoming Apple Intelligence features introduced with iPadOS 18.1, enhancing the device's capability in handling sophisticated operations and apps.

Availability

Those eager to get their hands on the latest iPad mini can opt for pre-orders through Apple’s official website, or browse for competitive deals available on platforms like Amazon.

For more insights into this latest tech innovation, visit 9to5Mac.