New iPad mini: OLED Screen, A20 Pro and a $200 Higher Price

Apple's smallest tablet just got its largest set of changes in years, and a bigger price tag to match.

The company introduced a new iPad mini on Monday morning in a press release that described it as the device's biggest update ever. The headline changes are a switch to an OLED screen, a newer chip, a thinner body, and, for the first time on the mini, an official rating for water and dust resistance, according to Apple. The starting price also climbs to $699, $200 more than the previous model cost when it launched.

That price increase is the main question for anyone thinking about buying one. Below is what Apple says is new, what it costs, and how it lines up against Apple's other tablets.

What's new, according to Apple

The screen grows from 8.3 inches to 8.5 inches while the overall footprint stays the same, because the borders around the screen are 24% thinner, Apple says. It uses OLED, which lights each pixel individually, and Apple lists a contrast ratio of 2,000,000:1. Apple also says peak brightness is more than double the previous model's. Its spec sheet puts that peak at 1,200 nits for HDR content only, with everyday (SDR) brightness at up to 600 nits; MacRumors notes the previous model reached 500 nits. A glare-reducing nano-texture glass option is available only on the 256GB and 512GB models, and Apple's online store lists it as a $100 upgrade.

The A20 Pro chip, which MacRumors notes first appeared in this fall's iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone Duo, replaces the A17 Pro. Apple claims up to 60% faster multithreaded CPU performance, up to 2.7 times faster graphics and up to 4.5 times faster AI performance than the previous mini. These are Apple's own lab figures. The chip differs by storage tier: Apple's specs list a 5-core CPU and a single 16-core Neural Engine on the 128GB and 256GB models, and a 6-core CPU with a dual 16-core Neural Engine on the 512GB model.

Apple says the Wi-Fi model is 5.4 mm thin and weighs 0.56 pound. MacRumors puts the previous Wi-Fi model at 6.3 mm and 0.65 pound. The new IP67 rating means Apple tested it to a maximum depth of 1 meter for up to 30 minutes under lab conditions, though Apple's fine print says resistance can wear down over time and liquid damage is not covered by warranty. Colors are limited to midnight and starlight.

A new system Apple calls Acoustic Display sends sound through the screen, using woofers paired with the display and tweeters tucked between the glass and the aluminum case, Apple says. MacRumors reports this removes the speaker holes, and Apple says the sealed design helps the tablet reach its IP67 rating. The 12MP front camera moves to the long, landscape edge, which makes video calls easier when the tablet is held sideways, as on Apple's other current iPads.

Apple's own N1 chip adds Wi-Fi 7, Bluetooth 6 and Thread, and cellular models get Apple's C2 modem, which Apple says delivers up to 50% faster cellular data than the last mini. MacRumors notes the previous model supported Wi-Fi 6E. Apple says the tablet can reach a 50% charge in about 30 minutes with a 35W or higher adapter, sold separately; a 20W adapter comes in the box. Advertised battery life is unchanged at up to 10 hours of web browsing or video on Wi-Fi.

The tablet ships with iPadOS 27 and supports Apple Intelligence and Siri AI, Apple's new AI-powered version of Siri. Apple's footnotes say Siri AI is still in beta, is limited to certain languages including English and Spanish, is not currently available in the European Union and is not offered to users under 13. Apple also says some server-based features have daily usage limits, with expanded access to come later for a fee.

What stays the same: Touch ID in the top button rather than Face ID, a USB-C port and a 12MP rear camera, according to Apple's specs and MacRumors.

The $200 question: is it worth it?

Here is how Apple's current tablet prices stack up, based on Apple's U.S. online store on Monday:

• iPad (A16): from $449 (128GB, Wi-Fi)
• New iPad mini (A20 Pro): from $699 (128GB, Wi-Fi)
• iPad Air 11-inch (M4): from $749 (128GB, Wi-Fi)

That leaves the mini $250 above the base iPad and $50 below the 11-inch iPad Air. In 2024, the previous mini launched at $499, Apple said at the time.

The case for paying more rests on the features Apple added: an OLED screen in a tablet that fits in one hand, water resistance, faster wireless and cellular connections, a landscape front camera, and enough processing headroom to run Apple's newest AI features on the device. Apple's store page also shows the new mini offers a nano-texture glass option that the iPad Air does not.

The case against is mostly about price and display smoothness. Apple's spec sheet does not list ProMotion, the high-refresh-rate feature on the iPad Pro, and MacRumors and The Verge report the mini's screen remains at 60Hz. In MacRumors' comment section, several readers said the lack of a faster refresh rate meant they would skip this model, while others pointed to the 128GB base storage and the absence of Face ID. Those are reader opinions, not test results.

Value also depends on how someone uses a tablet. For reading, travel, note-taking or use in the field, size and weight may matter more than price; for someone who mostly watches video on a couch, the larger base iPad costs $250 less, according to Apple's current prices. Students and teachers can get the mini for $649 through Apple's education pricing, Apple says.

Independent reviews, which usually test battery life, brightness and real-world speed, have not been published yet. Those will give buyers a fuller picture than spec sheets can.

When can you buy it?

Preorders begin Wednesday, Oct. 28, on Apple's website and in the Apple Store app, and the tablet arrives at customers' doors and in stores starting Friday, Nov. 6, Apple says. MacRumors reports preorders open at 10:10 a.m. PT, which is 1:10 p.m. ET.

The timing lines up with Apple's "Pro and tell" media event in Los Angeles on Wednesday at 10 a.m. PT (1 p.m. ET), as reported by The Verge and MacRumors. Those outlets describe it as a hands-on event for invited press rather than a traditional keynote, and report that new Macs are expected. MacRumors reports attendees are expected to get hands-on time with the new iPad mini. Apple has not said what else it will announce.

Accessories include a new $79 Smart Folio, and the mini works with Apple Pencil Pro ($129) and Apple Pencil (USB-C) ($79), according to Apple.

What Apple says

An Apple hardware engineering vice president, Dave Pakula, said in the press release that the mini is popular with a wide range of people, from creators and small-business owners to doctors, field technicians and gamers, and that the thinner design, OLED screen, faster chip and water resistance make it a major step forward for people who want a full iPad in a small size.

What we know and don't know yet

• Price: $699 Wi-Fi or $849 cellular, both up $200 from the 2024 model's launch prices (Apple).
• Dates: preorders Oct. 28; arrives Nov. 6 (Apple).
• Display: 8.5-inch OLED; ProMotion not listed; reported as 60Hz (MacRumors, The Verge).
• Still unknown: how the tablet performs in independent testing, whether shipping dates slip once preorders open, and what else Apple announces on Wednesday.

*Credits: reporting from Apple, The Verge and MacRumors. NewsCubby has not tested this product. NewsCubby articles are produced with AI assistance and reviewed by humans.*

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