This week, Apple announced its latest mobile tech, including two iPads, four iPhones and one Watch. It’s a slimmer lineup than we would’ve liked, considering last year we saw the company reveal its brand new M1 chip and all the devices it comes in. This year’s event seemed slightly underwhelming by comparison. Except for one device, which made our week — the redesigned iPad Mini.

Lucky for everyone interested in an iPad that fits in your hand, iPad mini pre-orders have gone live in South Africa. The 64GB WiFi-only variation will cost you R9,000, while the 64GB LTE/WiFi option costs R11,600 — and the same goes for the 268GB WiFi-only option. You’ll pay the most for the 268GB LTE/WiFi mini at R14,400.

All of the variations come in Apple’s new funky colour lineup: starlight (white), space grey, purple and pink.

Speccing the iPad mini

Starting from the outside, the new iPad mini will feature narrower bezels and feature Apple’s liquid Retina display. Also expect Apple Pencil (Gen-1) support as well as accessory compatibility.

The new screen has grown slightly, to 8.3in (21cm), and will blast 500 nits of brightness at your eyeballs. Touch ID has moved up to the top right corner and a USB-C can (finally) be found along the base. You’ll also get stereo speakers when you flip it to landscape mode.

Apple’s also improved on the camera, bringing a new 12MP sensor with an f/1.8 aperture that now supports 4K video recording. That’s complemented by another new 12MP camera around front.

In our humble opinion, this revamped mini bings increased access to new tech, even though we would’ve loved to see a 120Hz display and 5G connectivity here. The new design suits the smaller format too, and’ll make working on-the-go so much more effortless.