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Apple introduced the new iPad mini with an 8.5-inch OLED display and the A20 Pro chip. It starts at $699 for Wi-Fi and $849 for Wi-Fi + Cellular, with pre-orders from October 28 and deliveries from November 6. Below you’ll find every spec Apple lists, grouped in plain English, plus what each group means for you and what changed from the previous iPad mini. We’ll keep this page updated.
The iPad mini starts at $699 and ships on November 6
| Item | US price |
|---|---|
| Wi-Fi | $699 ($58.25 a month for 12 months) |
| Wi-Fi + Cellular | $849 ($70.75 a month for 12 months) |
| Education price | From $649 |
| Apple Upgrade (36 months) | $14.99 a month Wi-Fi, $18.21 a month Wi-Fi + Cellular |
| TechWoven Smart Folio | $79 in navy blue or taupe |
| Apple Pencil Pro | $129 ($119 education) |
| Apple Pencil (USB-C) | $79 ($69 education) |
| Storage upgrade prices | Apple doesn’t list this yet |
The A20 Pro chip changes with storage, and only the 512GB iPad mini gets six CPU cores
| Spec | 128GB and 256GB | 512GB |
|---|---|---|
| CPU | 5 cores (2 super, 3 efficiency) | 6 cores (2 super, 4 efficiency) |
| GPU | 7 cores with Neural Accelerators | 7 cores with Neural Accelerators |
| Neural Engine | 16-core | Dual 16-core |
| Process | 2-nanometer | 2-nanometer |
| Memory (RAM) | Apple doesn’t list this yet | Apple doesn’t list this yet |
What this means for you: the chip is tied to storage, so if you want the extra CPU core and the second Neural Engine for on-device AI, you have to buy 512GB.
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The 8.5-inch OLED display reaches 1200 nits peak with optional nano-texture glass
| Spec | All models |
|---|---|
| Type | Super Retina XDR OLED, rounded corners |
| Size | 8.5-inch diagonal (viewable area slightly smaller) |
| Resolution | 2316 by 1512 at 326 pixels per inch |
| Brightness | 600 nits full screen SDR and HDR, 1200 nits peak (HDR only), 1 nit minimum |
| Contrast | 2,000,000:1 |
| Colour | P3 wide colour, True Tone |
| Nano-texture glass | Optional on 256GB and 512GB |
| Refresh rate | Apple doesn’t list this yet |
What this means for you: blacks are truly black now, HDR video looks far better, and the 1-nit floor makes reading in bed easier on your eyes.
Both iPad mini cameras are 12MP, and the front camera now sits on the long edge
| Spec | All models |
|---|---|
| Rear camera | 12MP Wide, Smart HDR 4, up to 5x digital zoom, Adaptive True Tone flash |
| Rear video | 4K at 24, 25, 30 or 60 fps, 1080p at 25, 30 or 60 fps, 720p at 30 fps, slo-mo 1080p at 120 or 240 fps, HEVC and H.264 |
| Front camera | 12MP Center Stage, on the long edge |
| Audio | Stereo via Acoustic Display, dual microphones |
What this means for you: the front camera on the long edge puts you in the middle of the frame on FaceTime calls when the iPad sits sideways in a case.
Wi-Fi 7, the C2 modem and eSIM cover the iPad mini’s connections
| Spec | Details |
|---|---|
| Wireless | Apple N1 with Wi-Fi 7, Bluetooth 6, Thread (Wi-Fi 7 varies by region) |
| Cellular | Apple C2 modem, 5G sub-6 GHz and Gigabit LTE with 4×4 MIMO, data plan required |
| SIM | eSIM only, no physical SIM support |
| Port | USB-C |
| Sensors | Touch ID in the top button, three-axis gyro, accelerometer, barometer, ambient light sensor |
| Apple Pencil | Apple Pencil Pro, Apple Pencil (USB-C), hover |
The iPad mini is 5.4mm thin, IP67 rated and weighs just over half a pound
| Spec | Details |
|---|---|
| Size | About 7.69 by 5.22 by 0.21 inches (5.4mm thin) |
| Weight | 0.56 pound Wi-Fi, 0.58 pound Wi-Fi + Cellular |
| Water and dust | IP67, lab tested to 1 metre for 30 minutes |
| Battery | 18.9 watt-hour, up to 10 hours web or video on Wi-Fi, up to 9 hours web on cellular |
| Fast charging | 50% in about 30 minutes with a 35W or higher adapter, sold separately |
| Colours | Midnight, Starlight |
| Storage | 128GB, 256GB, 512GB |
| In the box | iPad mini, 1m USB-C cable, 20W USB-C adapter, polishing cloth with nano-texture |
What this means for you: the 20W adapter in the box won’t hit Apple’s fast-charge figure, so you’ll need a 35W charger for that. Apple says you shouldn’t charge the iPad mini while it’s wet, and water resistance can drop with normal wear.
What changed from the A17 Pro iPad mini, using only Apple’s own figures
Apple compares the new model with the “previous generation” iPad mini, which used the A17 Pro chip. These are “up to” claims from Apple testing in September 2026.
- Up to 60% faster multithreaded CPU performance
- Up to 2.7x the graphics performance
- Up to 4.5x faster AI performance
- More than 2x the unified memory bandwidth
- Double the Neural Engine processing power on the 512GB model
- More than 2x the peak brightness, now 1200 nits on OLED
- 24% thinner bezels in the same footprint, with an 8.5-inch screen
- Up to 50% faster cellular data through the C2 modem
- IP67 water and dust resistance, Wi-Fi 7 and a new Midnight colour
- A front camera on the long edge
The starting price is now $699 for the Wi-Fi model.
Buy the 256GB iPad mini if you want nano-texture, or 512GB only for heavy AI use
The 128GB Wi-Fi model is the right pick if you read, watch video and take notes. The OLED screen and IP67 rating come on every model, so you don’t lose the best upgrades by going cheap.
If you draw or read outdoors, step up to 256GB so you can add nano-texture glass. Only buy 512GB if you plan to lean on on-device AI, because that’s where the six-core CPU and dual Neural Engine live. Cellular makes sense if you use the mini as a travel or work tablet away from Wi-Fi. If your A17 Pro iPad mini still feels fast, you can wait. The display and water resistance are the main reasons to switch.
Specs Apple hasn’t published for the new iPad mini yet
- Memory (RAM) for any configuration
- Display refresh rate
- Prices for the 256GB and 512GB models and for nano-texture glass
- The exact device and setup Apple used for each “previous generation” comparison
Specs checked October 28, 2026.
Pre-order the OLED iPad mini on Amazon, and get Apple Pencil Pro for $30 less
Amazon is taking pre-orders for the iPad mini (A20 Pro) Wi-Fi at $699 and the Wi-Fi + Cellular model at $849. Both release on November 6. Amazon also has Apple Pencil Pro for $99 right now, $30 below Apple’s $129 price.
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