Apple’s smallest iPad is now powered by the same Apple A12 Bionic processor found in the company’s most powerful smartphones. The company says the 2019 iPad mini offers three times the performance of previous-gen models, and nine times faster graphics.

The new chip isn’t quite as powerful as the A12X Bionic found in the latest iPad Pro models, but it’s not bad for one of the company’s most affordable devices — you can pick up an iPad mini for $399 and up.

The tablet is up for pre-order starting today and it should be available in stores next week.

The new iPad mini sports a 7.9 inch, 2048 x 1536 pixel display that Apple says is also 25-percent brighter than early versions and which features the company’s True Tone technology.

It also now supports the first-gen Apple Pencil, although the writing & drawing tool is sold separately.

The new iPad mini measures 8″ x 5.3″ x 0.24″ and weighs about two thirds of a pound. It has a Touch ID fingerprint sensor, stereo speakers, a 3.5mm headphone jack, a 500-nit display, an 8MP rear camera and a 7MP front-facing camera. It’s powered by a 19.1Wh battery.

The tablet supports 802.11ac WiFi and Bluetooth 5.0 and Apple offers WiFi-only and 4G models.

Here’s a breakdown of the pricing for the new models:

  • 64GB/WiFi-only for $399
  • 64GB/WiFi+4G for $529
  • 256GB/WiFi-only for $549
  • 256GB/WiFi+4G for $679

The iPad mini is available in three colors: silver, gray, and rose gold.

Apple has also released an updated iPad Air tablet featuring a 10.5 inch display, an A12 processor, and support for accessories including the Apple Pencil (1st-gen) and Apple Smart Keyboard.

It’s up for order for $499 and it will also be available in stores next week.

press release

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10 replies on “Apple’s new iPad mini packs an A12 chip, sells for $399 and up”

  1. This is actually quite tempting for me, even though I generally tend to shy away from Apple products. I’ve been looking for a fast small tablet for ages. I really miss my old Nexus 7.

    1. I know the feeling. I really dislike iOS products, but I do really like the iPad Mini. It is the best form-factor for a tablet, and the 4:3 screen really appeals to me. It’s just a shame it runs iOS 😛

      1. Google’s killed off support for tablets, practically starting since the days of 4.0.3 ICS.
        And the majority of tablets out there have poor build quality, bad displays, and slow processors.

        So not only are Android tablets at a software disadvantage, but they’re at a hardware disadvantage against the iPad. It’s why I always recommend people the iPad, despite my neutrality towards Apple. Though my proper recommendation is to get a large phone and small laptop, and skip getting a tablet all-together.

    2. I miss my Nexus 7 too. Recently I set on a Ulefone Armor 3 to use as a tablet and it’s okay, but it’s not Nexus 7.

    1. Yes, the large devices with large bezels have headphone jacks. iPad, iPad Air, iPad Mini.

      1. Sorry, not buying the “there is no room for a headphone jack” story. Too many other manufacturers can still do it.

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