Apple today announced a new iPad mini with a larger 8.5-inch OLED display, the A20 Pro chip and an IP67 rating for water and dust resistance. Pre-orders open on Wednesday 28 October, with availability from Friday 6 November.
The Super Retina XDR OLED panel has peak brightness of up to 1200 nits, more than twice the previous model, and a 2,000,000:1 contrast ratio. A nano-texture glass option, previously reserved for the iPad Pro, is also available on the 256GB and 512GB models.
The A20 Pro, built on a 2-nanometre process, delivers up to 4.5 times faster AI performance, up to 2.7 times faster graphics and up to 60 per cent faster multithreaded CPU performance than the previous generation, according to Apple. That CPU figure is for the 6-core version, which only the 512GB model gets: Apple’s specifications show the 128GB and 256GB models have a 5-core CPU and a single 16-core Neural Engine, while the 512GB model adds a Dual 16-core Neural Engine with 32 cores in total. Our pre-order guide explains what else the new iPad mini doesn’t have.
The tablet is 5.4 mm thin, with bezels 24 per cent thinner, so the larger screen fits in the same footprint. It has an Acoustic Display, a 12MP Center Stage front camera on the landscape edge, a 12MP Wide back camera with Adaptive True Tone flash, and Apple’s N1 chip for Wi-Fi 7, Bluetooth 6 and Thread. Cellular models use Apple’s C2 modem, which Apple says brings up to 50 per cent faster cellular data speeds.
It runs iPadOS 27 with the next generation of Apple Intelligence and Siri AI, and comes in midnight and starlight with 128GB, 256GB and 512GB of storage.
Dave Pakula, Apple’s vice president of Hardware Engineering, said the iPad mini “is beloved for its fantastic portability, performance, and display by a wide range of users.”
Price and availability
Pricing starts at $699 in the US and £699 in the UK for the Wi-Fi model, with Wi-Fi + Cellular from $849 or £849. The new TechWoven Smart Folio costs £79.
| Region | Wi-Fi | Wi-Fi + Cellular | Tax note |
|---|---|---|---|
| US | $699 | $849 | Excludes sales tax |
| UK | £699 | £849 | Includes 20 per cent VAT |
| Ireland | €769 | €939 | Includes VAT |
| Germany | €749 | €919 | Includes VAT |
| Australia | A$1,099 | A$1,349 | Includes GST |
| Canada | C$949 | C$1,149 | Excludes sales tax |
| India | INR 82,900 | INR 100,900 | Includes GST |
Pre-orders start on 28 October in 36 countries and regions (29 October local time in Australia), and the tablet arrives in customers’ hands and Apple Stores on 6 November. Pre-orders open on the same day as Apple’s ‘Pro and tell’ event.
Why it matters
The nano-texture display option was previously exclusive to the iPad Pro, and its arrival on the mini suggests Apple is treating the compact tablet as a more serious creative device. In our view, the OLED panel and A20 Pro make this the most significant iPad mini update in years. At £699, it also raises the question of what Apple will do with the entry-level iPad to keep the lineup distinct.