Apple Unveils New iPad Mini With OLED Display, A20 Pro
Apple Unveils New iPad Mini With OLED Display, A20 Pro Chip and Water Resistance in Its Biggest Update Ever

CUPERTINO, Calif., Oct. 26 — Apple on Monday unveiled a redesigned iPad mini with an OLED display, a faster A20 Pro processor and water and dust resistance. The company called it the biggest update ever to its smallest tablet. The new model also comes with a significantly higher starting price.

The new iPad mini starts at $699 for the Wi-Fi model and $849 for the Wi-Fi + Cellular version. Pre-orders open Wednesday, Oct. 28, in 36 countries and regions, including the United States. The device goes on sale in stores on Friday, Nov. 6.

That is a steep jump from the previous iPad mini, which launched in October 2024 with the A17 Pro chip and a starting price of $499.

"iPad mini is beloved for its fantastic portability, performance, and display by a wide range of users, from creators and small business owners to doctors, field service workers, and gamers," said Dave Pakula, Apple's vice president of hardware engineering.

"With a remarkably thinner and lighter design, a stunning new OLED display, the incredibly powerful A20 Pro, and water and dust resistance, the new iPad mini is a huge leap forward for users who love having the full iPad experience in the palm of their hand," Pakula said.

Bigger, brighter screen

The biggest change is the display. The new iPad mini moves to an 8.5-inch OLED screen, up from 8.3 inches on the previous model. Apple said bezels that are 24% thinner let it fit the larger screen while keeping the same overall footprint.

OLED technology controls lighting at the level of individual pixels, producing deeper blacks and higher contrast than traditional LCD screens. Apple said the display offers:

  • Peak brightness of up to 1,200 nits, more than double the previous generation
  • 600 nits of full-screen brightness for standard and HDR content
  • A contrast ratio of 2,000,000 to 1
  • A minimum brightness of 1 nit for use in dark environments
  • An optional nano-texture glass finish to reduce glare, a feature previously offered on the iPad Pro

Apple pointed to uses ranging from reading in bed to pilots checking electronic flight bags in the cockpit, a long-standing market for the compact tablet.

Thinner and water resistant

The new iPad mini is 5.4 millimeters thick. Apple said it is thinner and lighter than the previous generation but did not give a weight in its announcement.

The tablet now carries an IP67 rating for water and dust resistance, meaning it was tested to withstand submersion in up to 1 meter of water for up to 30 minutes under laboratory conditions. Apple cautioned that the resistance may decrease over time with normal wear and that liquid damage is not covered by its warranty.

The device comes in two finishes, midnight and starlight, with 128GB, 256GB and 512GB storage options.

A20 Pro chip

The iPad mini is powered by Apple's A20 Pro chip, built on a 2-nanometer manufacturing process with packaging Apple said was inspired by its M-series processors for Macs.

Apple said the new chip delivers, compared with the previous generation:

  • Up to 4.5 times faster AI performance, helped by Neural Accelerators built into each of the 7 GPU cores
  • Up to 2.7 times faster graphics, with hardware-accelerated ray tracing and mesh shading
  • Up to 60% faster multithreaded CPU performance from up to six CPU cores
  • More than twice the unified memory bandwidth

The 512GB model includes a dual 16-core Neural Engine, which Apple said doubles processing power for on-device AI tasks, including running local large language models. Apple said it tested the performance figures in September.

Audio, cameras and connectivity

The tablet introduces what Apple calls an Acoustic Display. Woofers are paired through the screen to produce stronger bass and more volume, and tweeters are hidden between the glass and the aluminum casing.

The 12-megapixel Center Stage front camera now sits on the landscape edge, a placement that suits video calls when the tablet is held horizontally. The 12-megapixel rear camera records 4K video at up to 60 frames per second and adds an Adaptive True Tone flash for better photos and document scanning.

The iPad mini also gets two Apple-designed wireless chips:

  • N1: Supports Wi-Fi 7, Bluetooth 6 and Thread.
  • C2: Apple's next-generation cellular modem, in cellular models. Apple said it delivers up to 50% faster cellular data speeds than the previous iPad mini.

The tablet also supports fast charging.

Software and Siri AI

The new iPad mini runs iPadOS 27 and supports the next generation of Apple Intelligence, including Siri AI, a rebuilt version of Apple's voice assistant that is rolling out in beta.

Apple said Siri AI can draw on users' personal context across messages, emails and photos, act on what is shown on the screen, and answer questions on a broad range of topics.

The fine print limits the feature's reach. Siri AI is available in beta in iPadOS 27.2, supports six languages at launch and is not available to users under 13. It is also not currently available in the European Union on iPadOS, and Apple said it is "working constructively with the EU in an attempt to find a path forward."

Apple also said certain Apple Intelligence features that rely on server-side models, including Siri AI and Image Playground, are subject to daily usage limits. It said "expanded access to such features will be available for a fee in the future," the first sign that some of its AI tools could eventually require payment.

Accessories and pricing

Apple also introduced a redesigned Smart Folio in TechWoven fabric, available in navy blue and taupe for $79. The iPad mini works with Apple Pencil Pro, priced at $129, and Apple Pencil (USB-C), priced at $79.

With education pricing, the iPad mini starts at $649. Apple also offers monthly financing and leasing options in the United States.

The company said the tablet is made with 35% recycled content overall, including 100% recycled aluminum in the enclosure and 100% recycled cobalt in the battery.

Busy season for Apple

The launch comes days after Apple released the iPhone Duo, its first foldable phone, which went on sale Oct. 23. The $1,999 device sold through its initial supply, and some delivery estimates stretch into January.

The higher price for the iPad mini comes as rising memory chip costs pressure hardware makers. Some analysts have warned that higher DRAM and NAND prices could weigh on Apple's margins next year.

Apple will report fiscal fourth-quarter results on Nov. 2. Its shares were trading slightly lower on Monday morning.