Apple updated the iPad mini with an 8.5-inch OLED screen, the A20 Pro chip and a redesigned body, giving its smallest tablet its biggest overhaul since 2024. The change matters because it brings OLED to Apple’s compact tablet line while lifting the entry price.

OLED and A20 Pro take the lead

The new iPad mini uses Apple’s A20 Pro chip, built on a 2-nanometre process, and comes in 128GB, 256GB and 512GB storage options. PCMag said the 128GB and 256GB versions use a 5-core CPU and 7-core GPU, while the 512GB model moves to a 6-core CPU. Apple says the chip delivers up to 60% more multithreaded performance and up to 4.5 times the AI performance of the previous model.

The display is the headline change. Apple has shifted the iPad mini to an 8.5-inch OLED Super Retina XDR panel with 2,316 by 1,512 pixels and a density of 326 ppi. The German report said the screen reaches up to 600 nits in SDR, with peak HDR brightness of up to 1,200 nits in smaller areas, and a contrast ratio of 2,000,000:1.

A thinner body, a landscape camera and more durability

The tablet is now 5.4 millimetres thick and weighs 255 grams in Wi-Fi form or 263 grams with cellular. Apple also moved the 12-megapixel front camera to the longer edge, making video calls more natural in landscape mode. The rear camera remains 12 megapixels and supports 4K video at up to 60 frames per second.

PCMag said the iPad mini is also the first iPad to get IP67 dust and water resistance. It said Apple pairs that with an Acoustic Display speaker system, using vibration-focused speakers under the screen instead of the usual side cutouts. The display also has full lamination, True Tone and an anti-reflective coating, while nano-texture glass is available on the 256GB and 512GB models for an added cost.

Prices rise as preorder timing stays mixed

Pricing has moved higher. PCMag put the US starting price at $699, while a German report listed €749 for Wi-Fi and €919 for Wi-Fi plus cellular. The two reports also differ on timing: one says preorders are already open, while PCMag said they begin on October 28 and that deliveries start on November 6.

Apple had last refreshed the iPad mini in 2024 with the A17 Pro chip. The new model keeps the compact format, but it is now much closer to the company’s premium tablets in display tech, speed and durability.