iPad Mini 7—Day In The Life Review (Battery, Performance vs. iPad Pro)

Buy from Amazon

I recently picked up an iPad Mini for the first time. I never felt the need to get one before, as my 11-inch iPad Pro and phone seemed sufficient for my needs. However, the hype surrounding the iPad Mini 7 got me curious, so I decided to give it a try. In this article, I’ll walk you through a typical day using the iPad Mini 7, testing its performance, battery life, and features, and comparing it to other iPads like the iPad Pro.

Get iPad mini 7

Morning: Getting Started

It’s around 9:30 AM, and I’m not working today, so I started the day early with a gym session. I thought it’d be the perfect opportunity to bring you along for a day in my life with the iPad Mini 7. I’ve only been using this device for a couple of days, and I’ve had some mixed thoughts, especially compared to what other YouTubers have said. But before we dive into that, let’s head to the gym.

At the Cafe: First Impressions and Productivity

After the gym, I headed to a cafe to get some work done. Let me introduce you to my iPad Mini 7: the base model in purple with 128 GB of storage and Wi-Fi only. The device looks sleek—something about the iPad form factor in a smaller size feels premium. It’s also comfortable to hold, with the 8.3-inch display being the perfect size for a handheld tablet. At 150 grams lighter than the iPad Pro, it’s noticeably easier to carry. The only gripe I have is the bezels—they feel a bit thick when you first unbox it, though you get used to them over time.

I paired it with a matching purple SmartFolio case and the Apple Pencil Pro, which makes the whole setup look great. However, the full set—iPad, case, and pencil—costs $690 in the US or over $1,000 in Canada before tax, which isn’t cheap.

Now, let’s talk productivity. Honestly, this is where the iPad Mini falls short for me. It’s not really designed for heavy work. I can check emails or respond to quick messages, and it supports Sidecar, which lets you use it as a second monitor for your MacBook. But the small screen limits its utility to things like Discord or Spotify. The display only reaches 500 nits of brightness—half that of the M4 iPad Pro—so it’s harder to see in bright environments like this cafe. Without a Magic Keyboard, serious work feels impractical.

Buy now

Apple Pencil and Paperlike Experience

The iPad Mini 7 supports the Apple Pencil Pro, and I’m thrilled about features like hover, which helps with precision writing on the smaller screen. I use it for thumbnail sketches and brainstorming, and the squeeze feature adds a delightful touch to the experience. What elevates the writing experience even more is the Paperlike screen protector. As a long-time user of Paperlike, I can vouch for how it mimics the feel of writing on real paper with its nanodots technology. It’s a must-have for students, artists, or anyone using the Apple Pencil frequently. Plus, Paperlike’s newest protectors are clearer, so you don’t sacrifice display quality for entertainment. It doesn’t wear out your Apple Pencil tip either—I’ve used it on my iPad Pro for years without needing a replacement.

I’ve been trying to use the iPad Mini as a digital notepad for my to-do lists. The 8.3-inch screen feels like a real notepad, which is great for quick notes or thoughts on the go. However, on a desk, it’s less ideal compared to my 11-inch iPad Pro, and the 60 60Hz display isn’t as smooth as the ProMotion screens on Pro models. That said, the 60 Hz refresh rate doesn’t affect note-taking quality—it’s more about the overall feel, especially if you’re used to higher refresh rates.

Buy now

Afternoon: Performance and Entertainment

Back at my apartment, I wanted to test the iPad Mini 7’s performance and entertainment capabilities, as I believe casual entertainment is its primary use case. The iPad Mini 7 is powered by the A17 Pro chip—the same as the iPhone 15 Pro and Pro Max—with 8 GB of RAM and a 5-core GPU (compared to the 6-core GPU in the iPhone). It’s super responsive and handles multitasking well. I did notice occasional app freezes, like with YouTube Studio, which required a restart, but this seems like an iPadOS issue rather than a hardware problem.

For casual tasks like browsing Pinterest or online shopping, the iPad Mini feels like an extension of my phone, though the 60Hz display and unoptimized apps like Instagram make social media scrolling less smooth. For more demanding tasks, I tested photo editing in Lightroom and 4K 10-bit video editing in CapCut, and the iPad handled them impressively well. However, I wouldn’t recommend it for heavy video editing, especially with large project files.

Buy now

Battery Life

By late afternoon, the iPad Mini 7 was at 8% battery with 6.5 hours of screen-on time and 40 minutes of screen-off time. The Smart Folio likely opened in my bag, draining 18% on the home and lock screen. Without that, it could’ve lasted another hour. Overall, the battery life is solid for a device with an A17 Pro chip, even without an M-series processor.

Evening: Final Thoughts

After dinner, I walked home and settled in to watch Severance. Reflecting on the day, I genuinely enjoy using the iPad Mini 7 for casual tasks like watching podcasts, browsing, or shopping. The 8.3-inch display is a nice upgrade from a phone for these activities. However, at $500 (or $690 with accessories), it’s pricey. My criticisms stem from comparing it to my 11-inch iPad Pro, which I prefer for most tasks due to its larger screen and smoother 120Hz display. The iPad Mini shines in niche scenarios—like fitting in a lab coat pocket or reading on the go—but for most people, the cost may not justify its limited use cases.

If you already own a larger iPad, the Mini could be a fun secondary device. But if you’re choosing between this and $700 in your pocket, I’d lean toward skipping it unless you have specific needs for a compact tablet. Let me know your thoughts on the iPad Mini 7 or if you have any questions!

Subscribe to my Email Newsletter Now

Listen to my articles now. Click the below link

Listen now

Buy my latest book on Amazon from here  Buy from Amazon

Affiliate Disclaimer:
This article may contain affiliate links, which means I may earn a small commission at no additional cost to you if you click through and make a purchase. As an affiliate, I only recommend products and services that I genuinely believe will add value to your holiday season. Your support helps me continue to create helpful content — thank you!