--- title: "New iPad mini gets OLED display, A20 Pro and IP67 rating from £699" description: "Apple's new iPad mini adds an 8.5-inch OLED display, A20 Pro chip and IP67 rating, priced from £699 and $699." url: https://mactoreality.com/apple-gives-ipad-mini-its-biggest-update-yet-oled-a20-pro-ip67 published: 2026-10-26T13:43:40Z updated: 2026-10-27T07:32:58.000Z author: "Mac to Reality Newsdesk" category: News tags: ["Apple Intelligence & Siri","iPad"] publisher: Mac to Reality ai_assisted: true apple_heat_impact: 0 --- # New iPad mini gets OLED display, A20 Pro and IP67 rating from £699 *Apple's new iPad mini adds an 8.5-inch OLED display, A20 Pro chip and IP67 rating, priced from £699 and $699.* **Key points** - Apple's new iPad mini features an 8.5-inch Super Retina XDR OLED display and the A20 Pro chip. - Pre-orders open on Wednesday 28 October, with availability from Friday 6 November. - The iPad mini starts at $699 in the US and £699 in the UK for the Wi-Fi model. 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. ## Frequently asked questions ### Which Apple Pencil works with the new iPad mini? Only Apple Pencil Pro (£129, $129) and Apple Pencil (USB-C) (£79, $79). Apple's iPad mini tech specs and Apple Pencil compatibility page list the new iPad mini (A20 Pro) under those two models only, and both support hover. Apple Pencil (1st generation) and Apple Pencil (2nd generation) are not compatible. If you are upgrading from iPad mini (6th generation) with a 2nd-generation Pencil, you will need a new one. ### Will my old iPad mini case or Smart Folio fit? Apple has not said that older cases fit. The new iPad mini has a different design and Apple is selling a new Smart Folio for it at £79, so plan on buying a case made for this model. ### When can I buy the new iPad mini? Pre-orders open on Wednesday 28 October and it arrives in stores on Friday 6 November in 36 countries and regions, including the UK and the US. ### How much does the new iPad mini cost? In the UK it starts at £699 for Wi-Fi and £849 for Wi-Fi + Cellular, or £649 with education pricing. In the US it starts at $699 (before sales tax), in Germany at €749 and in Ireland at €769. UK and EU prices include VAT. ### Is the new iPad mini waterproof? It is rated IP67, which means it survives a depth of up to 1 metre for up to 30 minutes. Water resistance can wear off over time, and Apple's warranty does not cover liquid damage. ### Does the new iPad mini get Siri AI? Yes. Siri AI is available in beta with iPadOS 27. In the EU, Siri AI is not coming to iPad at first. ### Can I connect an external display? Yes, with support for extended display mode, but that arrives with iPadOS 27.2. ### Which colours and storage sizes are available? It comes in midnight and starlight, with 128GB, 256GB or 512GB of storage. A nano-texture display is available as an option. ### Is it worth upgrading from the previous iPad mini? The main changes are an 8.5-inch OLED display instead of the 8.3-inch LCD, the A20 Pro chip with up to 4.5 times faster AI performance, IP67 water resistance and eSIM on cellular models. If you use Apple Pencil 2nd generation today, factor in the cost of a new Pencil. ## Sources - [Apple Newsroom: Apple gives iPad mini its biggest update ever](https://www.apple.com/newsroom/2026/10/apple-gives-ipad-mini-its-biggest-update-ever/) *This report was written by the Mac to Reality newsdesk with AI assistance from the sources listed above, under the editorial policy at https://mactoreality.com/editorial-policy.*