Apple’s new iPad mini gets an OLED display, A20 Pro and water resistance
Apple announced a redesigned iPad mini on Monday, October 26, with an 8.5-inch OLED display, the A20 Pro chip and an IP67 rating for water and dust. It starts at $699 in the US, and pre-orders open Wednesday, October 28, ahead of availability on Friday, November 6.
A bigger OLED screen in the same footprint
The new iPad mini uses what Apple calls a Super Retina XDR display with OLED technology. The screen grows to 8.5 inches, and Apple says the tablet keeps the same footprint as the previous model because the bezels are 24 percent thinner. The resolution is 2316 by 1512 at 326 pixels per inch.
Peak brightness reaches 1,200 nits for HDR content, which Apple says is more than double the previous generation. Full-screen brightness tops out at 600 nits, and the display can dim to 1 nit. A nano-texture glass option, already offered on iPad Pro, is designed to reduce glare. It’s available only on the 256GB and 512GB models.
The tablet is 5.4mm thick and weighs 255 grams for the Wi-Fi model and 263 grams with cellular. It comes in midnight and starlight. The new model is also rated IP67, tested under laboratory conditions to a maximum depth of 1 meter for up to 30 minutes. Apple notes that the resistance can decrease with normal wear and that liquid damage isn’t covered under warranty.
A20 Pro, with a catch on cheaper models
The A20 Pro is built on what Apple describes as its latest 2-nanometer process. Apple claims up to 4.5 times faster AI performance and up to 2.7 times faster graphics than the previous iPad mini, plus up to 60 percent faster multithreaded CPU performance.
The chip isn’t identical across the lineup. Apple’s spec sheet shows the 128GB and 256GB models use a 5-core CPU and a 16-core Neural Engine. Only the 512GB model gets a 6-core CPU and a Dual 16-core Neural Engine, which Apple says has double the processing power of the previous generation’s Neural Engine. Every model has a 7-core GPU with hardware-accelerated ray tracing.
Speakers, cameras and connectivity
Apple says a new Acoustic Display pairs woofers with the screen for louder audio and more bass, while tweeters sit between the glass and the aluminum enclosure. The 12MP Center Stage front camera moves to the landscape edge, which suits video calls with the tablet held sideways. The 12MP rear camera records 4K video at up to 60 frames per second and adds an Adaptive True Tone flash.
Apple’s own N1 chip adds Wi-Fi 7, Bluetooth 6 and Thread. Cellular models use Apple’s C2 modem, which Apple says delivers up to 50 percent faster data speeds than the previous iPad mini. The cellular version uses eSIM only and doesn’t accept physical SIM cards. The tablet ships with iPadOS 27, and Apple says iPadOS 27.2 adds extended display mode for external monitors. Siri AI arrives in beta with iPadOS 27.2 and, according to Apple, isn’t currently available in the EU on iPad.
Price and availability
- Wi-Fi: from $699
- Wi-Fi + Cellular: from $849
- Education pricing: from $649
- Storage: 128GB, 256GB or 512GB
- New Smart Folio: $79, in navy blue or taupe
Pre-orders open Wednesday, October 28, at apple.com and in the Apple Store app in 36 countries and regions, including the US. Deliveries and in-store availability start Friday, November 6. The iPad mini works with Apple Pencil Pro, which costs $129, and Apple Pencil (USB-C), which costs $79.
What it means for you
Apple calls this the biggest update the iPad mini has ever had. For people who want a small tablet for reading, travel or one-handed use, the OLED screen, water resistance and landscape front camera are the changes most likely to matter day to day.
Check the configuration before you buy, since the fastest chip setup comes only with 512GB of storage.