Apple iPad Mini Gets 8.5-Inch OLED Display and A20 Pro Chip
Apple's new iPad mini features an 8.5-inch OLED display, A20 Pro chip, and IP67 rating. Starting at $699, it goes on sale November 6.
Apple has announced a refreshed iPad mini with an 8.5-inch OLED display, the A20 Pro chip, and an IP67 rating for water and dust resistance, according to the company’s newsroom announcement. Pre-orders open October 28, and the tablet goes on sale November 6, starting at $699 for the Wi-Fi model and $849 for the cellular model.
The display is slightly larger than before and uses bezels that are 24% thinner. Apple says the OLED panel delivers higher contrast and peak brightness, and buyers can choose an optional nano-texture finish.
Hardware Changes and Performance Claims
Apple says the A20 Pro offers up to 60% faster multi-threaded performance, up to 4.5x faster AI performance, and up to 2.7x faster graphics compared with the chip in the previous iPad mini. The company did not publish independent benchmark data alongside those figures.
At 5.4mm, the new model is 14% thinner and 13% lighter than its predecessor. The IP67 rating is partly made possible by what Apple calls its Acoustic Display system: woofers work through the display, while custom tweeters sit between the glass and the aluminum body, so the tablet has no speaker cutouts.
Connectivity moves to Apple’s own silicon. Every model uses the N1 wireless networking chip, and cellular versions use the C2 modem. The tablet ships with iPadOS 27, which includes Siri AI, and supports both the Apple Pencil Pro and the Apple Pencil (USB-C).
The front 12-megapixel Center Stage camera is placed along the landscape edge, which Apple describes as better suited to FaceTime calls. On the back, a 12-megapixel wide-angle camera records 4K video at up to 60 frames per second.
Pricing, Storage, and Release Date
Storage ranges from 128GB to 512GB, and the iPad mini comes in black or silver. Buyers who want the nano-texture glass need to keep two limits in mind:
- The nano-texture option is only offered on the 256GB and 512GB configurations.
- It adds $100 to the price of the chosen model.
Pre-orders open on October 28, with retail availability on November 6. Cellular buyers pay a $150 premium over the Wi-Fi model at the base storage tier.
Owners of older Apple Pencil models should check compatibility before ordering, since Apple lists only the Apple Pencil Pro and the Apple Pencil (USB-C) as supported. Apple has not detailed regional pricing outside the US or confirmed launch markets for the cellular model with the C2 modem.
