It’s still a mini iPad but Apple’s latest update to this popular tablet is pretty mighty. Although the design looks very familiar – apart from a new blue colour option it’s pretty identical to the 2021 model – there’s now a more powerful A17 Pro chip under its stunning aluminium chassis and that’s important for the future.

Thanks to the extra oomph this brain provides, the new iPad mini is fully ready for the upcoming Apple Intelligence update that looks set to make things a whole lot smarter for those who buy it.

This clever upgrade – which will arrive in the UK before the end of the year – will help you make notes, organise your inbox, find data held on the device much faster, proofread your emails and edit images without you needing a degree in Photoshop.

Siri is also getting smarter with Apple’s personal assistant able to handle requests more resiliently – that means you can change your mind halfway through your voice command without Siri getting confused.

We’ll have to wait and see just how useful Apple Intelligence is on iPad but it’s a major release that will only get smarter over time.

The mini is now futureproofed and that’s not the only reason to like this new device.

The new A17 Pro processor makes sure this mini tablet keeps pace with all of your digital life and there’s no question that there’s little it can’t cope with.

We’ve thrown data-hungry movies at it, edited high-resolution photos, played games and multitasked without a hint of a stutter. No, the A17 Pro can’t match the might of the latest M-powered iPad Pro models but those gadgets are built for people with extreme workloads and are probably too mighty for the needs of the average user.

Along with the boost to performance, there’s another smart update on the new iPad mini with it now fully compatible with the Apple Pencil Pro.

This £129 accessory (which sadly doesn’t come in the box) gets smart features such as haptic feedback, the option to squeeze to launch menus or instantly change tools plus there’s a gyroscope that allows you to roll the Pencil Pro for precise control of the pen you’re using. It’s a great stylus, especially for those who love making notes and creating digital artwork. It also works brilliantly with the new Maths Notes feature in the Calculator app which magically turns your scribbles into answers. You can also jot ideas down in the Notes app with these then instantly turned into editable text.

Once you’re done for the day you can snap the Pencil Pro to the side of the case which not only keeps things neat and tidy but also recharges its internal battery wirelessly at the same time.

One thing to note – the iPad mini isn’t compatible with some older Apple Pencils so you might find you need to upgrade what you already own if you want to use a digital pen on the new mini’s screen.

Other things to like about this device include its compact 8.3-inch Liquid Retina screen which is bright, pin-sharp and packed with colour. There’s a fast Touch ID fingerprint scanner on the top of the chassis for instant screen unlocking and decent cameras on both front and back.

The single rear 12MP snapper takes some pretty decent photos and 4K videos with content appearing crisp and clear (it’s not iPhone standard but fine for quick snaps of the family). That’s a good thing as thanks to the mini’s size you are far more likely to use this camera than on bigger tablets.

The front-facing 12MP lens also features Centre Stage technology which follows you around the room to make FaceTime calls feel more immersive. Sadly, this camera is on the shorter (top) side of the device so when video chatting in landscape mode it feels like it’s in the wrong place. When holding it to make calls in that mode it’s also really easy to put your thumb right over the lens which is pretty annoying.

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If it’s time for a movie binge the mini is great for a boxset watch thanks to decent speakers – you really won’t need to wear headphones.

You’ll get around 10 hours of battery life on a single charge and there’s better connectivity thanks to Wi-Fi 6E and the option to add 5G data with eSIM – no models have a physical SIM slot this time.

Apple has also boosted the storage which means it now starts from 128GB rather than the measly 64GB before.

Design-wise, this looks and feels like a very premium device that’s perfect for anyone wanting a more portable tablet than other iPads offer.

It’s bigger than your phone without being too humongous to pop in your bag – it’s great to read books on or catch up on a boxset when commuting to the office.

If you want a smaller tablet then this is a solid update from Apple but we do have some niggles.

Firstly, whilst the screen is good it does lack a 120Hz refresh rate which means it’s not as smooth to use as Apple’s iPad Pro models (that admittedly cost at least £999).

The display still has a pretty chunky black bezel around it and it feels like this should have been reduced this year as it has on the latest iPhone devices. Then again, most tablets need a bit of bezel for something to hold onto.

Prices start from a hefty £499 which isn’t exactly cheap (it rises to almost £1,000 for the 512GB version with cellular) and this is the only tablet that Apple doesn’t offer a keyboard case to make it feel like a compact laptop. Just like the new UK Pro models, there’s also no plug in the box (just a USB-C cable) – US Apple fans continue to get a charger.

The iPad mini is back and is built for the future. With Apple Intelligence on the horizon, this device is ready for one of the US tech firm’s biggest-ever changes and that’s important as this smart feature is set to get better and better over time, and the older iPad mini models aren’t going to get it.

The A17 Pro boost also means users get more power for photo editing, playing games and multitasking.

Battery life is good, it works with the Apple Pencil Pro, and you get all the usual extras such as a solid Liquid Retina screen, premium design and good cameras. It’s also powered by the market-leading iPadOS which still leads the pack when it comes to tablets.

It’s also nice that Apple has switched the entry-level mini from 64G to a more useful 128GB.

There are some things lacking such as a 120HZ display, no charger in the box (US versions come with a power brick) and we’d have loved to have seen the bezels slimmed down around the 8.3-inch screen.

That said, if you’re an iPad mini fan and want to make sure it keeps up with new AI features then you’re not going to be disappointed.

There are plenty of clever goodies coming from Apple and this powerful new device is ready to receive them.