The newly announced iPad mini 7 appears to be limited to 20W charging, just like its predecessor, and the list of upgrades is even slimmer.

Under normal circumstances, we would not know this until we actually review the device. However, 91mobiles found an online certification entry for the iPad mini 7 from the CCC, China's electronic products regulatory agency. And according to the information in this listing, the tablet is charged at a maximum voltage/amperage of 9V/2.22A, with a 20W limit.

This is despite the fact that the listing also lists an Apple 45W adapter. This adapter is not specifically associated with the new iPad mini and appears to be bundled with products sourced from a specific factory.

As we noted, 20W is the same charging speed offered by the iPad mini 6 that this new petite iPad will replace. Also, assuming no change in the battery itself, the new iPad mini will only charge about 36% after 30 minutes of connection, as we saw in our lab tests of the iPad mini 6.

Larger Android tablets like the OnePlus Pad 2 and Galaxy Tab S10 Ultra are much faster, boasting 67W and 45W charging, respectively. Certainly, the iPad mini fills a different niche due to its unique small size, but it shows how little emphasis Apple places on tablet charging speeds. even the iPad Pro only supports a maximum charge of about 30W.

This low charging speed of the iPad mini 7 makes one wonder if Apple's apparent assumption that iPad buyers are not interested in fast charging actually matches the typical charging patterns of tablet users. Anecdotal evidence suggests that the majority of smartphone owners charge overnight, regardless of battery level. In my own experience, and that of people I know, tablets are generally charged only when they are dying. Therefore, the iPad's fast charging is an advantage that the iPhone does not have.

The main upgrades to the iPad mini 7 are support for Apple Intelligence and Apple Pencil Pro, and a performance boost from a new chip, albeit less powerful than the one in the iPhone 15 Pro. Improved charging speeds could have been a nice bonus in addition to these, but Apple has done enough with these changes to bring the smallest iPad up to date.

Those interested in purchasing the new iPad mini can pre-order it now, and it will go on sale to the general public on October 23.